After walking through twenty-one states, Thomas arrives at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church seeking something familiar: the comfort of Sunday Eucharist and the fellowship that follows. But belonging to a community and being welcomed into one are not always the same experience. An unexpected conversation at coffee hour brings Thomas into an old disagreement over tradition, inclusion, and the symbols Christians use to communicate their convictions. As the conversation unfolds, an overlooked wisdom of the Episcopal tradition begins to emerge: the patient work of Christian formation, lived across the long green season of Ordinary Time. Some promises take a lifetime to fulfill. Credits & Copyright Written and Directed by Stephen BrewerSeries Bible, worldbuilding, and episode structure by Stephen BrewerMusic created with SunoVoices created with Elevenlabs.ioArtwork by CiceroProduced by Stephen Brewer for the Columbia podcast on Substack Statement on the Ethical Use of AI Disclaimer Columbia: Long Walk of the Republic is a work of fiction set in an alternate present-day America. Real places, public institutions, and contemporary civic anxieties may appear as part of the story’s moral and political landscape. Fictional characters, dialogue, organizations, and events should not be read as claims about private individuals or local residents. The creator of this series and its production team condemn political violence, vigilantism, dehumanization, and extrajudicial punishment. With appreciation for the Episcopal community of Litchfield and the long history of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, whose publicly available history and worship information helped inform this episode’s setting. Columbia is an independent work of fiction. St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, and their clergy and parishioners were not consulted in the creation of this episode and have not sponsored, authorized, or endorsed it. Although the setting and aspects of its historical background are real, the depicted conversations, characters, and events are fictional. They should not be understood as representing the beliefs, conduct, or private experiences of actual parishioners or clergy. Content Warnings This episode includes discussions of religious division, LGBTQ+ exclusion and discrimination, Christian nationalism, institutional conflict within the Episcopal Church, and the lasting consequences of political extremism. References to past arson, shame, and traumatic experiences are also present. No graphic violence. © 2026 Stephen Brewer. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form without prior written permission from the author. Get full access to Drawing the Line at percival84.substack.com/subscribe
