As Advent begins, we start by acknowledging the weariness, grief, rage, and hopelessness we carry. We remember the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth and their struggle with infertility. Perhaps they feel the weight of hopes and dreams unattained. Even when the angel comes to Zechariah with a promise of good news he can't fully receive it. Sometimes weariness can harden us and prevent us from living fully. How might acknowledging our own weariness and disbelief allow us to move towards healing and to remember that we are made for joy?

Question to Consider: Do you find it easy or difficult to acknowledge your weariness with your friends and loved ones?

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In this episode, Julia, Westley, and Rev. Dr. Carter continue their discussion on Christian faith and economic practice. Do you believe that it is possible within American society for poverty to be practically eliminated? This question that frames much of their conversation. They end with a discussion on how progressive Christianity should push us to form identities that take sabbath practice seriously and how this practice deepens our spirituality.

In order to heal, we must first be able to imagine that an alternative to the economic structures we have created is possible. Scripture calls us to reimagine a world where our social and economic systems are not built to disparage or impoverish, but instead to provide for and benefit all. The Jewish practice of the Jubilee year invites us to imagine leaving the edge of the harvest for the poor and immigrant to reap; in the fiftieth year, the harvest is shared and disparities are rebalanced. In today's gathering, we will examine the lessons we can learn from the Jubilee year and how those lessons can help us begin to heal.

Question to Consider: Do you believe it is possible within American society for poverty to be practically eliminated? Why or why not?

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In this episode, Julia, Westley, and Rev. Dr. Carter discuss the intersections of Christian belief and economic practice. They examine the uncomfortable truism that to create an equitable economy some people will have to be willing to have less money! Why this is so difficult for people to accept (spoiler - people love money!). Lastly, they end their conversation exploring how we can grow to see money as a gift to be shared rather than something to be horded.

Books that we discussed in this episode:

Decolonizing Wealth by Edgar Villanueva

The Myth That Made Us by Jeff Fuhrer

Capitalism and Slavery by Eric Williams

It's Not Your Money by Tosha Silver

In this episode we discuss the importance and challenges of teaching progressive theology to young people. To help us have this important conversation, Rev. Dr. Carter was joined by the newest member of the staff at The Loft, Everest Harvey. Everest is the Director of Youth and Social Justice Ministries at Westwood UMC. In their conversation they discuss what progressive theology is, why young people need a space where they can experience the fullness of God, and how by creating spaces where young people are seen as people capable of contributing to the betterment of the community, young people's ministries can thrive.

We begin our series by exploring some of our spoken and unspoken economic mythologies. Whether it is the myth of the "self-made man" or the belief that wealth will "trickle down" to the poor, these myths obscure the truth about how wealth is created and distributed in America. We cannot heal from the pain caused by poverty and exploitation if we do not know where the hurt comes from. In the story of the widow's mite, Jesus shows us that acknowledging the pain caused by unjust people and systems can allow us to identify corrupt systems that must be changed so that all people might have life and have it abundantly.

Question to Consider: How and in what ways does the economic background of your childhood influence your views about money today?

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In this episode, Julia, Westley, and Rev. Dr. Carter continue their conversation on patriarchy and the church. We begin by discussing how the concept of "patriarchy" can feel overwhelming and how crafting a precise definition can help us understand what we are fighting against. We discuss how and why progressive spaces can still be sexist and how that sexism is often rooted in gender stereotypes. If we understand patriarchy to be a habit, we suggest that it is possible to develop habits that can help us dismantle patriarchal structures.

From the time a child is born, their homes become places of learning. While at their best, our homes may be schools of love, compassion, justice, and grace, it would be naive of us to believe that our children's first encounter with patriarchal thinking is outside of their homes. And yet, the life of Jesus and those within his community reveal to us a vision of home that consistently invites us to break free from the oppressive ways of thinking that have harmed us and made it difficult to be in a relationship with the Divine. Join us this Sunday for the conclusion of our series, Breaking Patriarchy, as we examine how breaking patriarchy ultimately begins at home.

Question to Consider: How, if at all, was patriarchal thinking normalized in your childhood home?

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One of the earliest Christian baptismal covenants states that "there is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." The church has repeatedly compromised our covenant with God to treat each other as one. How does patriarchal thinking prevent us from structuring our community in ways that encourage the flourishing of all people? Join us this Sunday as we explore how we can break the cycle of patriarchal thinking that shapes our Church.

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Our personal identities, thoughts, and social assumptions influence how we read everything, including how we read the Bible. Men have been the primary interpreters of the bible, history shows us that men have, and continue to, read the bible in ways that reinforce (or at least doesn't challenge) the everydayness of sexism and gender discrimination. We invite you to join us this Sunday as we explore how to break free from the habit of reading the bible through a patriarchal lens.

Question to Consider: What, if any, method or approach do you use when you read Sacred texts?

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