The Progressive Spirit: A River Road Podcast

River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation

Yeah, we go to church, but what does that *mean*? What are we exploring in our Sunday services? What has captured our hearts? How do we live fully into our faith community? Let's do some spiritual deepening!

Episodes

  1. Aug 25

    Popcorn Theology: Contact (1997)

    Send us Fan Mail Join your host, Natalie Schall, and River Road’s Director of Congregational Life Adrian Graham for a discussion about the 1997 sci-fi blockbuster Contact. (Spoiler warning! If you don't want to know what happens, go watch the movie and come back.) “Popcorn Theology” is a UU curriculum written by Michelle Richards. Films in the curriculum have been chosen to prompt discussion on theological, moral, or ethical implications and lessons for leading a well-examined and embodied UU life. Contact’s main theme is the relationship between faith and science. Contact stars Jodie Foster as Dr. Eleanor "Ellie" Arroway, a SETI scientist who finds evidence of extraterrestrial life and is chosen to make first contact (hey, that’s the name of the movie!). Matthew McConaughey plays theologian Palmer Joss, the “faith” to Dr. Ellie’s “science.” … For more information about RRUUC, visit www.rruuc.org. Check out our social media! YouTube.com/RiverRoadUnitarianUniversalistCongregation Facebook.com/RRUUC Instagram @RiverRoadUUC TikTok @RiverRoadUUC Hosted by Natalie Schall. Audio editing: El Haney Music: Boom Bap Hi-Hop by AlexiAction

  2. Feb 19

    UU Religious Education

    Send us Fan Mail Religious Education: you've heard us say it (or maybe you heard "RE"), you've seen the kids leave service to go to classes, you've even heard rumors of adults diving into their UU identities. But what is it? This episode, your host Natalie sits down with our RE staff to get all the details. Guests on this episode are Beth Irikura, Director of Lifespan Religious Education, and Laura Piervincenzi, Associate Director of Religious Education. [We had some audio issues during the recording session; you may need to turn up the volume. We appreciate your understanding!] For more information about RRUUC, visit www.rruuc.org. Check out our social media! YouTube.com/RiverRoadUnitarianUniversalistCongregation Facebook.com/RRUUC Instagram @RiverRoadUUC TikTok @RiverRoadUUC Hosted by Natalie Schall. Audio editing: El Haney Music: Boom Bap Hi-Hop by AlexiAction

  3. 07/23/2024

    Progressive Leadership

    Send us Fan Mail In this very special episode, Natalie sits down with (former) co-host Rev. Amanda Weatherspoon and guest Rev. Nancy McDonald Ladd, former RRUUC Senior Minister. Both ministers have moved on to new positions since the recording of this conversation, and Natalie gets all the deets on their view of ministry and how their progressive spirituality has changed over the years. Plus, Rev. Nancy tells us about her latest book: Seeds of a New Way: Nurturing Authentic & Diverse Religious Leadership. For more information about RRUUC, visit www.rruuc.org. Check out our social media! YouTube.com/RiverRoadUnitarianUniversalistCongregation Facebook.com/RRUUC Instagram @RiverRoadUUC TikTok @RiverRoadUUC Hosted by Natalie Schall. Audio editing: El Haney Music: Boom Bap Hi-Hop by AlexiAction

  4. 10/23/2023

    RE: That TikTok...

    Send us Fan Mail It's actually a little more complicated. (See the full TikTok from @nononsensespirituality: www.tiktok.com/@nononsensespirituality/video/7275412454447009070) In this episode, Rev. Amanda and Natalie dive into Millenial/Gen Z church discourse. Namely, are we still attending church? Are our generations killing the church industry? We both find value in the existence of spiritual spaces and think more young folks are still "doing church" than one would think at a first glance. For more information about RRUUC, visit www.rruuc.org. Check out our social media! YouTube.com/RiverRoadUnitarianUniversalistCongregation Facebook.com/RRUUC Instagram @RiverRoadUUC TikTok @RiverRoadUUC Hosted by Natalie Schall. Audio editing: El Haney Music: Boom Bap Hi-Hop by AlexiAction

  5. 05/04/2023

    Queer Theology

    Send us Fan Mail Rev. Amanda and Natalie are joined by our first guests! Rev. Sean Neil-Barron and Father Jerry Maynard have come on the pod so we can chat all things queer theology: what is it? How do we do it? & isn't it divine to be queer? You can find Rev. Sean's The Foothills Deeper Pod wherever you get your podcasts. Also check out linktr.ee/upliftcollective to see the work that UUs are doing in partnership with the Side With Love Campaign. All things related to Fr. Jerry can be found by googling "Father Jerry Maynard, the People's Priest." Or go to revjerrymaynard.org. For more information about RRUUC, visit www.rruuc.org. Check out our social media! YouTube.com/RiverRoadUnitarianUniversalistCongregation Facebook.com/RRUUC Instagram @RiverRoadUUC TikTok @RiverRoadUUC Hosted by Natalie Schall. Audio editing: El Haney Music: Boom Bap Hi-Hop by AlexiAction

  6. 02/24/2023

    Afrofuturism and the Radical Black Imagination

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode Rev. Amanda and Natalie talk about Afrofuturism and the Black Imagination, from Octavia Butler to George Clinton. For more information about RRUUC, visit www.rruuc.org. Check out our social media! YouTube.com/RiverRoadUnitarianUniversalistCongregation Facebook.com/RRUUC Instagram @RiverRoadUUC TikTok @RiverRoadUUC Hosted by Natalie Schall. Audio editing: El Haney Music: Boom Bap Hi-Hop by AlexiAction

  7. 12/14/2022

    Soul Care Tips

    Send us Fan Mail Rev. Amanda and Natalie chat about soul care - a spiritual version of self care - during the holiday season. Read along with the Buzzfeed article we reference at buzzfeed.com/annaborges/self-care-sad-at-christmas-holidays. For more information about RRUUC, visit www.rruuc.org. Check out our social media! YouTube.com/RiverRoadUnitarianUniversalistCongregation Facebook.com/RRUUC Instagram @RiverRoadUUC TikTok @RiverRoadUUC Hosted by Natalie Schall. Audio editing: El Haney Music: Boom Bap Hi-Hop by AlexiAction

  8. 11/30/2022

    A Warm River Road Welcome

    Send us Fan Mail Welcome to the River Road podcast! Join Rev. Amanda Weatherspoon and Natalie Schall as we discuss what this podcast will be, progressive theology, October's worship theme of courage, and more! For more information about RRUUC, visit www.rruuc.org. Check out our social media! YouTube.com/RiverRoadUnitarianUniversalistCongregation Facebook.com/RRUUC Instagram @RiverRoadUUC TikTok @RiverRoadUUC Hosted by Natalie Schall. Audio editing: El Haney Music: Boom Bap Hi-Hop by AlexiAction

  • 8 Episodes

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Yeah, we go to church, but what does that *mean*? What are we exploring in our Sunday services? What has captured our hearts? How do we live fully into our faith community? Let's do some spiritual deepening!

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