The Alabaster Jar

Biologist Dr. Kristen Page joins Lynn for a conversation on the wonders of creation. She invites us to explore the fictional worlds created by Tolkien and Lewis and discover how they invite us to become stewards of the world we live in. Lynn and Kristen discuss how we can recapture our sense of wonder through experiencing the beauty of what God has made. Purchase The Wonders of Creation: Learning Stewardship from Narnia and Middle Earth here.

Dr. Myrto Theocharous returns to the Alabaster Jar. She talks with Lynn about her journey into studying the Old Testament and how she was inspired to begin working with refugees and those impacted by human trafficking. She discusses how this experience prompted her to think more deeply about the relationship between being made in the image of God and how we speak about those who are marginalized in our calls to social action. Myrto walks us through Old Testament passages that reflect God's response to oppression and misuse of power and discusses how this can prompt us to demonstrate justice and hospitality in our world today. Learn more about Myrto and support her work here.

Dr. Myrto Theocharous joins Lynn for the conclusion of our 2022 Advent Series. Myrto takes us on a journey through the sights, smells and tastes of Christmas traditions in Greece. She shares her experiences with some of the beautiful ways that the people of God celebrate Christmas in Evangelical, Greek Orthodox and Coptic faith communities. Myrto and Lynn discuss Old Testament scriptures that point us toward the coming of Jesus. Learn more about Myrto here.

Award winning author, Amanda Bedzrah, returns to the podcast as we continue our Advent series. Amanda shares her memories of experiencing the warmth of community during Christmas in Nigeria. She describes the challenges and triumphs of adjusting to new communities and traditions since moving to London. God has called Amanda to launch a remarkable ministry blessing imprisoned women, and she shares with us the impact that practicing generosity has made in her own life and the faith of her children. Visit Amanda's Website to learn more and support her work: https://amandabedzrah.com/

Ireland has some of the most beautiful expressions of Christmas. Join Dr. Miriam O'Regan as she explains her experience growing up in Ireland from the food they ate to their special "women's Christmas." It's no joke! The day is called "Nollaig na mBan” and it is celebrated on January 6th as a way of saying thank you for all the many things the women did to make the holiday season special.

In our fast-paced consumeristic culture, waiting is difficult. That's one of the reasons Advent is so important. Advent at its core is about waiting. In this special episode, Tracey Bianchi talks with Lynn and Sareen about intentionally embracing the waiting and pausing present throughout the Advent season.

Invisibility persists throughout the Asian American story. Grace Ji-Sun Kim shares her experience as a Koren woman growing up Asian in the western world. On the one hand, xenophobia has long contributed to racism and discrimination toward Asian Americans. On the other hand, terms such as perpetual foreigner and honorific whites have been thrust upon Asian Americans, minimizing their plight with racism and erasing their experience as racial minorities. Grace Ji-Sun Kim shares this and more in her book "Invisible." The compounded effects of a patriarchal Asian culture and a marginalizing American culture are formidable, steadily removing the recognition of these women's lives, voices, and agency. Purchase Your Copy of Invisible - https://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Theology-Experience-Asian-American/dp/1506470920 Read more on Grace's blog: https://gracek.substack.com/

Tammy Melchien has served as a pastor on staff at Community Christian Church for 20 years. She is currently leading the teaching team and teaches regularly at one of Community Christian Church's online or Chicagoland campuses. Lynn Cohick and Sareen Musselman talk with Tammy to discuss her years of ministry experience. Tammy has a wealth of experience from her years leading and teaching. She is hopeful about so many young blossoming women and hopefully imagining the future ahead. Read more about Tammy's work on her blog at https://tammymelchien.com/

Women have always played pivotal leadership roles in serving the mission of the Church. The New Testament provides ample evidence of this important reality. Women depicted in the art of early church structures also support this historical fact. Since the First Council of Nicaea through the 12th century, there are depictions of women preaching, women marked as clergy, and even one carrying a Communion chalice. In this episode, Lynn Cohick talks with Dr. Sandra Glahn about her discoveries and the work she is doing to make this history more accessible to church leaders. More Information on Dr. Sandra Glahn's work: Dr. Sandra Glahn's Blog - http://aspire2.com/ Christianity Today Article "What Ancient Italian Churches Tell Us About Women in Ministry" - https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/november/women-ministry-art-italy-early-church-photographs.html

Register for LEAD BOLD in Chicagoland: https://www.leadingbold.org/chicagoconference What does a Vegas show have to do with learning what it means to follow God? Andrea Coli talks with Lynn Cohick and Kelly Dippolito about her experience in the cast of an improv show on the Strip and how God revealed Himself in an unlikely way. Andrea will help you discover spiritual truths hidden in the rules of improvisation. In the end, you'll agree that life, like improvisation, can be surprisingly remarkable when you're scriptless! Purchase your copy of Scriptless: https://www.amazon.com/Scriptless-Learned-About-Vegas-Strip/dp/1495937895