Vital and Thriving: Where the Church meets the World

In our seventh episode, we welcome two guests for the first time, co-authors of the newly released Vital Christian Community: Twelve Characteristics of Healthy Congregations. Sharing out of their experiences as parish leaders and trainers in The College for Congregational Development, the Revs. Phil and Alissa offer wisdom and insight from their many years working closely with congregations discerning their purpose and listening for God's call. This episode explores several questions essential to congregational development - We love our Churches, but why do we love our Churches? If health isn't about "nickles and noses," how do we know when a congregation is vital and thriving? How are we in relationship with our wider communities? What opportunities and invitations have become apparent as a result of the disruption of the pandemic? At every turn, Revs. Phil and Alissa draw our attention back to the God who is not out there but active, moving, right here, right now. 

Before moving to the Bay Area to lead First Church Berkeley, which she lovingly describes as a "motley pew," UCC pastor the Rev. Molly Baskette served as senior minister of First Church Somerville in Massachusetts. The author of six books, Rev. Molly tells the story of First Church Somerville's dramatic transformation in Real Good Church: How Our Church Came Back from the Dead, and Yours Can, Too. This episode is full of practical insights wrought from her lived experience of congregational revival, as well as rich reflections on how God continues to move in our midst, drawing us into ever deeper relationship with God and one another. Rev. Molly's love of Jesus and delightful sense of humor shine through this hopeful conversation about how the Church changes, and what we might yet become. 

Our fall season of the Vital+Thriving podcast kicks off with a thrilling conversation with the Rev. Rachel Stout, who serves not only as a clergy coach for leaders in Vital+Thriving Congregations but also as a reflective practitioner at the Center for Church Innovation and a Lutheran pastor in Minnesota. As a parish leader who has guided congregations through the Partnership for the Missional Church process before, she is able to speak about the journey we've all embarked upon out of her own experience. Don't miss this inspiring discussion of the surprising movements of the Spirit, the energy and excitement to be discovered along the way, and, naturally, the merits (or lack thereof) of the jello mold desserts that show up at Church potlucks. 

In the final episode of our first season, Scot and Claire speak with one of the Episcopal Church’s leading thinkers around 21st-century ministry and mission, the Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers. The author of several books, including most recently The Church Cracked Open: Disruption, Decline, and New Hope for Beloved Community, Canon Stephanie speaks about our Church's history around race, justice, and invitation with devastating clarity, courageous honesty, and prophetic hope. Join us for this timely and timeless conversation, full of a fierce and grounded trust in God's movements in our midst (but, unfortunately for Scot, not full of the background noise of New York City). We'll be back in August with new episodes of the V+T Podcast! 

Scot and Claire speak with Catholic Sister, former seminary professor, and author Dr. Elizabeth Liebert about discernment and the spiritual practices that help us to listen deeply for God's call in and for our lives. Sister Beth reflects on both individual and collective discernment, pointing us toward forms of prayer and disciplines of life that can allow us not only to recognize when God is speaking but actually understand what God is saying. We also explore some important common ground between Catholic and Protestant spirituality (spoiler alert: the venn diagram includes homemade lasagna and apple pie). Don't miss this thoughtful conversation, full of practical guidance and timeless wisdom alike. 

Up next, Scot and Claire speak with their Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Marc Handley Andrus, about the vitality practices that make building - or repairing - Beloved Community in each of our particular contexts possible: invitation, community embeddedness, diversity, collaboration, and sustainability. This inspiring conversation moves organically in many directions, and may or may not involve Scot almost singing a song from Frozen. This second episode deepens our introduction to Vital+Thriving Congregations and is full of both theoretical and practical insight for everyone interested in building a Church that, in the words of Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, "looks and acts like Jesus." 

In our first episode, Scot and Claire introduce Vital and Thriving in conversation with the Rev. Dr. Patrick Keifert. Together, they discuss everything from what it means to be Church in a "missional era" to the unique challenges posed by the pandemic to the joys of eating hotdish. Don't miss this imminently hopeful invitation to notice what God is already doing in our communities and our world.