Be Still And Go

"Mary didn’t rejoice because she was blissfully unaware of real-world danger; rather, she rejoices through it as a radical practice in faithfulness."What is one thing you can rejoice about today?//Luke 1:46My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.//This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Lynn Casteel Harper, the Minister of Older Adults at The Riverside Church. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Relinquish by Podington Bear, Redwood Hills by Heartland Nights and Joy to the World by Renderings.• Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all eight seasons of Be Still and Go. • Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital ministry resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice. • Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo/#sign-up to receive new episodes by email. • Visit www.trcnyc.org/app to download the Riverside app.

"If you stay silent, where will the oppressed find their freedom? Who will bring truth to power?"In your own words, why is it so easy to stay silent, especially about the things that matter?//Esther 4:1-17When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes and went through the city, wailing with a loud and bitter cry; he went up to the entrance of the king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. In every province, wherever the king’s command and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and most of them lay in sackcloth and ashes.When Esther’s maids and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed; she sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs who had been appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what was happe

"As we walk with Jesus this Advent season, Christ gave us to each other so that we can remind each other of the promise that Christ is coming to make the world new."Where do you see Christ making the world new around you?//Matthew 24:36-44“But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so, too, will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken, and one will be left. Keep awake, therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed

"Even though it went against every fact that surrounded her, Mary could see a world where the hungry would be filled and promises would be kept. Mary could see God’s vision. She dreamt God’s dream."In your own words, what is God’s vision and dream for our world?//Luke 1:47-50My spirit celebrates God, my Liberator!For though I’m God’s humble servant,God has noticed me.Now and forever,I will be considered blessed by all generations.For the Mighty One has done great things for me;holy is God’s name!From generation to generation,God’s lovingkindness endures.//This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Carol Howard Merritt. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Relinquish by Podington Bear and Instrumental 2 Revisited by Gillicuddy.• Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all eight seasons of Be Still and Go. • Visit www.carolhowardmerritt.org to find out more about Rev. Carol Howard Merritt and her latest book, Healing Spiritual Wounds.• Visit www.trcnyc.org/Don

Debauchery is a part of militarism. It can’t exist without the debasement that a person undergoes. But hopefully we can move beyond it and become a more peaceful people.In your opinion, what is one thing we should do to become a more peaceful people?//Romans 13:11-14Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is already the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone; the day is near. Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light;let us walk decently as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in illicit sex and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.//This episode was written and recorded by Jeremiah Drake. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Relinquish by Podington Bear.• Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all eight seasons of Be St

"I want to experience Jesus growing in me during Advent. I want to feel him moving in me and moving me to greater closeness with him."How do you experience Jesus growing in you during the season of Advent?//O great mystery, and wonderful sacrament, that animals should see the newborn Lord, lying in a manger! Blessed is the Virgin whose womb was worthy to bear Christ the Lord. Alleluia!//This episode was written and recorded by Irene King, a member of the Riverside Church and a part of The Riverside Choir. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Relinquish by Podington Bear, O Magnum Mysterium as performed by The RIverside Choir, and Lull to Sleep by Cast of Characters.• Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all eight seasons of Be Still and Go. • Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital ministry resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice. • Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo/#sign-up to receive

"The birth of God-with-us is our orientation and the season of Advent is a perpetual invitation, to place one foot in front off the other as we discover God born in us, among us, in spite of us, again and again and again."How have you discovered God in us, among us, and in spite of us?//Psalm 122I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem.Jerusalem—built as a city that is bound firmly together.To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord,as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.For there the thrones for judgment were set up, the thrones of the house of David.Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.Peace be within your walls and security within your towers.”For the sake of my relatives and friends I will say, “Peace be within you.”For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.//This episode was written, recorded, and produced by R

Let us transform our weapons into garden tools.Let us study love and justice. Let us lay down our burdens, down by the Riverside.Where do you go and what resources do you turn to in order to study love and justice?//Isaiah 2:1-5The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s houseshall be established as the highest of the mountains and shall be raised above the hills;all the nations shall stream to it. Many peoples shall come and say,“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob,that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.”For out of Zion shall go forth instruction and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.He shall judge between the nations and shall arbitrate for many peoples;they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks;nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war any more.O house of Jacob, come, l

"Justice is like the sun. Watch for it. If you're not paying attention you'll miss it's arrival. You'll overlook the little hints of light everywhere."Where do you see the "little hints of light" rising in our world?//This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Adriene Thorne, the Senior Minister at The Riverside Church It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Relinquish by Podington Bear and The Tide by Alex Fitch.• Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all eight seasons of Be Still and Go. • Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital ministry resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice. • Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo/#sign-up to receive new episodes by email. • Visit www.trcnyc.org/app to download the Riverside app.

"Advent gives us the lens and then we look through it all year long, always watching and waiting and anticipating and expecting Jesus to be born again and again and again, in us, through us, and sometimes even in spite of us."Where do you see Jesus in the world around you?//This episode was written, recorded, and produced by Rev. Jim Keat, the Digital Minister at The Riverside Church. Background tracks include Relinquish by Podington Bear, O Come O Come Emmanuel by Melinda Kathleen Reese, and Once In Royal David's City by Andy Ellison.• Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all eight seasons of Be Still and Go. • Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital ministry resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice. • Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo/#sign-up to receive new episodes by email. • Visit www.trcnyc.org/app to download the Riverside app.

"The institutional church that arose in the 20th century is struggling to keeps its hold together and all Americans are disaffiliating from what is called 'organized religion.' Yet, in this moment, we can see as that there are those who hold on to the past like the Fundamentalist, or we can be brave enough to live into our faith for the future of the Gospel."In your own words, what does the good news of God look like in this moment?//This episode was written and recorded by Andrew Patty. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Trundle by Podington Bear and Opus 04 by Dexter Britain.Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all five seasons of Be Still and Go.Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

Fundamentalism tells us that suffering is the cost of that changing and growing. Lovingkindness tells us that suffering is never acceptable where we can help it. //This episode was written and recorded by Abbey Smith. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Trundle by Podington Bear and Quiet and Safe by Silence is Sexy.Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all five seasons of Be Still and Go.Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

“What a small thing it is to be right when we are called to be righteous. What a small thing it is to be winners when we are called to love.”//This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Joseph Yoo. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Trundle by Podington Bear and Seeking Clarity by Alex Fitch.Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all five seasons of Be Still and Go.Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

"Shall the fundamentalist win? Not if we have anything to say about it."In your opinion, what must the progressive and mainline church do to counter the fundamentalist movement we see in our world today?//This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Rob Lee. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Trundle by Podington Bear and God of Grace and God of Glory as performed by The Riverside Church Choir.Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all five seasons of Be Still and Go.Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

"For the last 100 years fundamentalists have fought as if they were losing and that led them to victory while mainliners have lived as if they were winning which led them to complacency, to a lack of creativity, to a lack of urgency."What is one thing the church must to do overcome complacency and reignite creativity?//This episode was written and recorded by Brian McLaren. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Trundle by Podington Bear and Threnody by Goldmund.Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all five seasons of Be Still and Go.Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

“God is still speaking in the chaos. God is still speaking in spite of us. And God is still speaking in the created world around us."Where do you hear God in the world around you?//This episode was written, recorded, and produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Button Mushrooms by Podington Bear. Soundscape locations include East Harlem, Union Square, Times Square, and Central Park. This episode was originally published on April 20, 2019 as part of season 3 of Be Still and Go: Meditations for the Movement.Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all five seasons of Be Still and Go.Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

"What we believe in our heart and have found consistent with God's will becomes the blueprint for serving: caring for those who are most vulnerable, feeding the hungry, housing the unsheltered, treating people with equity."How would you describe your assignment?//John 19:30"It is finished."//This episode was written and recorded by Rev. Dr. Debra Northern. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Button Mushrooms by Podington Bear and A Piece of You and Welcome Home by Alsever Lake.Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all five seasons of Be Still and Go.Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

"Maundy Thursday is the context, the prologue for the events that are about to take place on the cross and at the tomb."What comes to mind when you think of Maundy Thursday?//John 13:34-35I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.//This episode was written, recorded, and produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Button Mushrooms by Podington Bear.Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more episodes from all five seasons of Be Still and Go.Visit www.trcnyc.org/Donate to support this podcast and other digital resources from The Riverside Church that integrate spirituality and social justice.

Isaiah 43:16-21This is what God says, the God who builds a road right through the ocean, who carves a path through pounding waves,The God who summons horses and chariots and armies— they lie down and then can’t get up; they’re snuffed out like so many candles:“Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history.Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?There it is! I’m making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands.Wild animals will say ‘Thank you!’ —the coyotes and the buzzards—Because I provided water in the desert, rivers through the sunbaked earth,Drinking water for the people I chose, the people I made especially for myself, a people custom-made to praise me.//This episode was written and recorded by Lee Sartain. It was produced by Rev. Jim Keat. Background tracks include Button Mushrooms by Podington Bear and Endless Possibilities by Solitude.Visit www.trcnyc.org/BeStillAndGo to listen to more epi