The Collective Table

God Is a Black Woman is the chronicle of Christena Cleveland’s liberating transformation and a critique of a society shaped by white patriarchal Christianity and culture. Christena reveals how America’s collective idea of God as a white man has perpetuated hurt, hopelessness, and racial and gender oppression. Integrating her powerful personal story, womanist ideology, as well as theological, historical, and social science research, she invites us to take seriously the truth that God is not white nor male and gives us a new and hopeful path for connecting with the divine and honoring the sacredness of all Black people.

Support Christena on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/cscleve  Learn more about her work here: http://www.christenacleveland.com/

This virtual Q&A with author Dr. Christena Cleveland was recorded on Wednesday, June 28th at 3:30pm.

Welcome to season 7 of The Collective Table Podcast, Sermon Podcast Hour!

During this season Rev. Chelsea, Dana and Rev. Claire are going to interview some of our favorite preachers about a sermon they have given. These sermons will be following the lectionary calendar from Epiphany all the way until Easter. In the various episodes, not only will you hear clips from the sermon and you will also hear the follow-up conversation with the preacher!

Today’s episode features Jacqui Lewis, who talks with Dana and Chelsea about Easter! Listen to Jacqui’s powerful sermon here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3Ka-s-2CBw 

The Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis uses her gifts as author, activist, preacher, and public theologian toward creating an antiracist, just, gun violence free, fully welcoming, gender affirming society in which everyone has enough. After graduating with an M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1992, Jacqui fell in love with urban ministry, leading two churches in Trenton, New Jersey. Fascinated with how faith heals the soul—so we can heal the world—she returned to graduate school, for a Ph.D. in Religion and Society: Psychology and Religion from Drew University (2004). Jacqui came to study Middle Church, received a call, and joined the staff in January 2004. Middle is the church of her dreams and prayers, a multiethnic rainbow coalition of love, justice, and worship that rocks her soul.

Check out Jacqui’s new book, Fierce Love: https://jacquilewis.com/fierce-love/ 

“This Here Flesh” by Cole Arthur Riley: https://colearthurriley.com/writing/book 

TCT’s interview with Author Cole Arthur Riley: https://youtu.be/2AW0WjsXe30 

Learn more about The Collective Table: https://www.thecollectivetable.org/ 

Welcome to season 7 of The Collective Table Podcast, Sermon Podcast Hour!

During this season Rev. Chelsea, Dana and Rev. Claire are going to interview some of our favorite preachers about a sermon they have given. These sermons will be following the lectionary calendar from Epiphany all the way until Easter. In the various episodes, not only will you hear clips from the sermon and you will also hear the follow-up conversation with the preacher!

Today’s episode features Lisa Sharon Harper, who talks with Dana and Chelsea about Good Friday. Listen to Lisa’s Sermon here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkKJ7HyQEsw

Lisa is a prolific speaker, writer and activist. She is the founder and president of FreedomRoad, a consulting group dedicated to shrinking the narrative gap in our nation by designing forums and experiences that bring common understanding, common commitment and common action.

Lisa writes extensively on shalom and governance, immigration reform, health care reform, poverty, racial and gender justice, climate change, and transformational civic engagement. Her most recent book entitled The Very Good Gospel, explores God’s intent for the wholeness of all relationships in light of today’s headlines.

Find Lisa's new book, Fortune, here: https://lisasharonharper.com/books-articles/ 

Check out The Collective Table at https://www.thecollectivetable.org/

Welcome to season 7 of The Collective Table Podcast, Sermon Podcast Hour!

During this season Rev. Chelsea, Dana and Rev. Claire are going to interview some of our favorite preachers about a sermon they have given. These sermons will be following the lectionary calendar from Epiphany all the way until Easter. In the various episodes, not only will you hear clips from the sermon and you will also hear the follow-up conversation with the preacher!

Today, Chelsea & Claire sit down with Rev. Jonah Overton to talk about a sermon they gave on Palm Sunday. Rev. Jonah P. Overton (they/them) is a queer and trans community organizer, and the lead pastor and planter of Zao MKE Church. Zao started in their living room before it grew into a local theater, and now resides in a historic church building on the East Side of Milwaukee.

Jonah loves being part of a church that is being recreated and reimagined by people who were historically denied access to traditional Christian leadership. Their favorite thing about Zao MKE Church is experiencing what church looks like when those of us who were left out get to be in charge. Jonah is extremely passionate about the Bible and reclaiming Christian scriptures for liberation and for the Kingdom. They are so passionate that they started two podcasts: Jonah & the Peacock and Christian Queeries. In Jonah & the Peacock, Jonah interviews others about their relationship to faith and scripture, retelling the texts through a more inclusive and trauma-informed lens. Christian Queeries is a podcast that Jonah and Cameron have together where they answer listener questions about Christianity.

Jonah has been married to Cameron since 2018 and recently became Baba to their 1-year-old daughter Micah. Jonah’s free time is currently filled with fantasizing about paddle boarding and reading, instead of actually having the time and energy to do it.

Listen to Jonah's full sermon here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dzsyQerlzdHHBCvJB0O5ginJfl6B_3Ct/view 

Listen to Cameron’s episode of our podcast here: https://www.thecollectivetable.org/podcast/cameron-malakai

Learn more about Zao MKE Church & Jonah’s other podcasts here: https://www.zaomke.org/

The Last Week book: https://www.amazon.com/Last-Week-Gospels-Really-Jerusalem/dp/0060872608 

Join us as we spend time with author Jessie Daniels to discuss her book, Nice White Ladies: The Truth about White Supremacy, Our Role in It, and How We Can Help Dismantle It. 

This conversation was recorded on Wednesday, March 22, 2023. 

Welcome to season 7 of The Collective Table Podcast, Sermon Podcast Hour!

During this season Rev. Chelsea, Dana and Rev. Claire are going to interview some of our favorite preachers about a sermon they have given. These sermons will be following the lectionary calendar from Epiphany all the way until Easter. In the various episodes, not only will you hear clips from the sermon and you will also hear the follow-up conversation with the preacher!

On today's episode, Rev. Chelsea & Rev. Claire are joined by Rev. Denyse Barnes to discuss a sermon she gave during Lent last year. You can listen to or read her sermon here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/cu/9dcJKTx/DenyseTCT

Rev. Denyse Barnes is the Director of Justice and Compassion Ministries at the California-Pacific Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. She holds a degree in Electronics and Telecommunications from Coventry Technical College in the United Kingdom and a Master of Divinity from Claremont School of Theology. She married Deborah Levinson on Aug. 1, 2020 and, when not working, can be found with her dogs, Sheldon, Jiminy and Mozzie at the beach or in the park.

Purchase the Queer Bible Commentary that Denyse recommends here: https://www.wjkbooks.com/Products/9780334060789/the-queer-bible-commentary-second-edition.aspx 

Welcome to season 7 of The Collective Table Podcast, Sermon Podcast Hour!

During this season Rev. Chelsea, Dana and Rev. Claire are going to interview some of our favorite preachers about a sermon they have given. These sermons will be following the lectionary calendar from Epiphany all the way until Easter. In the various episodes, not only will you hear clips from the sermon and you will also hear the follow-up conversation with the preacher!

On today's episode, Dana & Rev. Claire are joined by Alma Tinoco-Ruiz to discuss a sermon she gave on Lent, Jesus, wounds, and healing. You can listen to or read her sermon here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/cu/JpiI2Ge/AlmaTCT 

Professor Tinoco Ruiz is a practical theologian whose work centers on the intersection of homiletics, pastoral care, and evangelism. Throughout her ministry, she has witnessed that most preachers are poorly equipped to respond to the traumatic injuries marginalized and oppressed communities experience. In contrast, she sees in the sermons of Saint Óscar Romero a profound response to the traumatic injuries the marginalized and oppressed people of El Salvador were experiencing during the years he was the archbishop of San Salvador (1977-1980). Influenced by Saint Romero’s preaching, Professor Tinoco Ruiz is exploring how preachers can effectively address the trauma experienced by marginalized and oppressed communities, particularly the community of undocumented immigrants from Latin America in the United States. She completed her Th.D. thesis on "Óscar Romero's Theological, Hermeneutical, and Pastoral Framework for Preaching to Traumatized Communities." Her publications include essays in the International Journal of Homiletics, Predicación con Impacto: Preparación y Presentación de Mensajes Bíblicos, The Christian Century, and Duke Divinity School’s DIVINITY magazine. Professor Tinoco Ruiz was awarded the Denman Fellow of the Foundation for Evangelism (FFE) in 2016, the Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE) Doctoral Fellowship in 2019, and the Hispanic Theological Initiative (HTI)/Lilly fellowship in 2020. She is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church.

Welcome to season 7 of The Collective Table Podcast, Sermon Podcast Hour!

During this season Rev. Chelsea, Dana and Rev. Claire are going to interview some of our favorite preachers about a sermon they have given. These sermons will be following the lectionary calendar from Epiphany all the way until Easter. In the various episodes, not only will you hear clips from the sermon and you will also hear the follow-up conversation with the preacher!

On today's episode, Dana & Rev. Claire are joined by Rev. Dr. Faith Conklin to discuss a sermon she gave on Ash Wednesday. Listen to Rev. Faith's sermon here (begins at 22:57): https://vimeo.com/682555676

Rev. Faith attended the School of Theology at Claremont, CA and earned a Master of Religion degree in 1970 and a Dr. of Religion in 1971. Rev. Faith was the first woman from Cal-Pac to be ordained an elder. She has served the UMC at local, district and national levels on several boards and agencies. She was a delegate to three General and Jurisdictional Conferences. As you will see Rev. Faith is a powerful preacher, wise teacher and compassionate leader. 

Want to join one of our online lenten studies or in-person experiences? Find more information at thecollectivetable.org. 

Welcome to season 7 of The Collective Table Podcast, Sermon Podcast Hour!

During this season Rev. Chelsea, Dana and Rev. Claire are going to interview some of our favorite preachers about a sermon they have given. These sermons will be following the lectionary calendar from Epiphany all the way until Easter. In the various episodes, not only will you hear clips from the sermon and you will also hear the follow-up conversation with the preacher!

On today's episode, Dana & Rev. Chelsea are joined by Brent Ross to discuss a sermon he gave on Baptism. Listen to Brent's sermon here: https://nhunited.org/baptism/

Brent Ross is the lead pastor at Normal Heights United Church in San Diego, CA. Normal Heights United Church is a progressive church in the heart of the neighborhood of Normal Heights and they are preparing to celebrate their building’s 100 year anniversary. When he’s not preaching, reading graphic novels or working in the yard, Brent is planning for his escargot business he will launch when he retires!

Welcome to season 7 of The Collective Table Podcast, Sermon Podcast Hour!