PCOM Podcast
By PCOM Podcaster
Cover art photo provided by: unsplash.com/@christopher__burns
PCOM PodcastMar 23, 2021
An Invitation to Holy Week
Pastor Courtney walks us through Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and joining Jesus in his suffering.
Plus: an Easter invitation and what's coming up at PCOM in the days beyond.
Lighthouse or Electric Fence?
Dan talks about what we believe and his upcoming class on the Apostle's Creed
Helping Outsiders Become Insiders
How can we welcome newcomers as Jesus did? What are some practical tips for asking whether people are new or not? Why is it important to look for the outsiders in our midst? Join Pastor Courtney for a conversation about Christian hospitality.
Do You Want to be Healed?
Jeff talks acceptance and welcoming (not of feral monkeys, but of almost everything else). Jesus is always inviting us into peace, into presence, into accepting what is. There's healing there. Also, have you seen the show Bluey? It's not just for kids.
How Do I Hear From God? Pastor Courtney on discernment.
Is it possible to hear from God? If so, how? Pastor Courtney talks about discerning God's voice in our loud and busy world.
Fasting and Feasting in Lent
Dan digs into church history to explain why we do, or do not do, certain things during this season of Lent heading into Easter
S7E7: A Bird from the Lord with Pastor Courtney
An invitation to a simple, soulful Lenten practice. Plus: new study guides, Ash Wednesday, and an answer that goes beyond "fine."
Jeff and Steph Meet the Monkeys!
Easten Given joins the podcast to hear a bedtime story from his parents' adventurous journey to Krabi Thailand.
S7E5: Pastor Courtney's Invites
Three invitations for new (and ancient!) offerings at PCOM to bring a spring to your step and depth to your discipleship in the new year.
The gift of wonder with Pastor Courtney
Three stories of awe from Pastor Courtney, and an invitation to seek out wonder and beauty in 2024.
Emotional Wholeness and the Gospel
Dan talks about our church's mission and one of his favorite authors
What's new in spiritual formation at PCOM for 2024?
Pastor Courtney unpacks our spiritual formation plan for early 2024, from small groups to Roots to Fruits to study guides and sermon notes.
Jeff Talks Christmas and Celts Beneath the Great Oak
It's a New Year! What new light, new life, new gift might we experience, receive, and offer this year?
New Year's, Epiphany, and Sunshine Salad
From the start of a new year to the celebration of Epiphany, Pastor Courtney leads us into 2024 with stories, questions, and joy.
Plus: what's your weirdest holiday food tradition?
Of the Father's Love... (updated)
(corrected) Dan digs into the history of a beloved Christmas hymn
Pastor Courtney's Favorite Reads of 2023
Nonfiction, fiction, young adult, and children's. What books have you loved in 2023?
Jeff Returns to Hong Kong: A Wedding Celebration
Have you ever been presented with a task that you were physically unable to complete? And yet…
Pastor Courtney's Advent Preview
There is SO much goodness ahead! Pastor Courtney invites us to dig in this Advent with Unity Sunday (12/3 at 10am), an Advent Adventure class in Roots to Fruits (12/10 and 12/17), and a beautiful devotional guide for the season by Plough Publishing.
Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelical
Dan talks about understanding ourselves in the big sweep of Christian History
Felicity Ellis Answers Your Questions
PCOM's own 5-year-old bundle of energy joins Pastor Courtney in the podcast studio to give her opinions on animals, colors, songs, and why following Jesus is where it's at.
Jeff Rides Planes, Trains and Automobiles through China
More water from a rock, this time from an unexpected Samaritan.
Pastor Courtney on Halloween's Memento Mori
The gift of spooky seasonal decorations in helping us remember our own mortality.
Bible 101 with Pastor Courtney
What an amazing book!
Calves, Idols, and PCOM's Vision Cast
Dan looks at idolatry then and now (with a personal story and a word about Vision Casting)
Pastor Courtney on Emotional Wholeness + the 10 Commandments
Week seven of our vision launch series.
Jeff Has Never Pulled Water From a Rock
... and other things only God can do. From Psalm 118: "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone." Jeff Given explores how God can transform even our worst moments into something beautiful.
What do Manna and Friendship Have in Common?
Pastor Courtney describes the chronic condition gripping our country, and God's invitation to each of us to be part of the solution.
The horse and the rider he has thrown into the sea?
Dan takes a fresh look at the parting of the Red Sea
Finding Courage from God's Faithfulness in the Past with Pastor Courtney
In week three of our vision series, Pastor Courtney chats through the Biblical story of the Passover, and how remembering God's goodness to us in past seasons can give us courage for today.
Jeff delights in a God who dwells even in lowly shrubs
... especially ones that are miraculously on fire!
We continue in our "Seeds into Branches" PCOM Vision Cast with the move from disempowerment to empowerment. Will we answer the call?
Pastor Daryl on a Five Year Vision for PCOM
It's vision cast time! Where is God calling PCOM over the next few years? Join Pastors Daryl and Courtney as they talk about this exciting journey and how the faithfulness of so many here for so many years has primed us to plant some new seeds.
Pastor Courtney's Back to School Bonanza
Whether you're a parent, teacher, grandparent, or just an innocent bystander, this season can be a little bit bonkers. Here is a gentle reminder from Jesus in Matthew 14 to take courage, even when the wind and the waves are coming hard and fast.
On Making a Movie and being a Missionary
Dan talks about podcasting and an upcoming film project
Pastor Courtney just CAN'T LET GO!
Wisdom on honoring the past while planning for the future from Isaiah 43. Plus: check out our church library book sale!
Jeff Given does what at work?
"So what do you do when you're not up there singing on Sundays?" Jeff gives some insight into the life of a worship director.
Story Time! How did Pastors Courtney and Daryl Come to PCOM?
Pastor Courtney takes us back to 2014 and the journey that brought her and Pastor Daryl to PCOM. From the wisdom of PCOM's Associate Pastor Nominating Committee to the patience of God to a hilarious moment with Pastor Jackson, this is a great story of adventure in the faithfulness of Jesus.
The Whole House!
Dan talks about the word "ecumenical" in church history and for today
Pastor Courtney on What a Pastor Does All Day
Peek behind the curtain at the life and ministry of a pastor! (Hint: we DON'T work just one hour a week.)
Plus: will Jeff and Dan answer the challenge to let us in on the day-to-day of a worship director and a professional podcaster? Time will tell!
Jeff Given Brings the Hymns
Rather than a deep dive, how about a meandering boat tour along the waters of these two beloved hymns: On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand and The Love of God.
Do Not Fear! Okay, but How? An Invitation from Matthew 10 and Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Pastor Courtney ponders the question: how do we keep the pigeon from driving the bus?
Dan on Callings and Friendship
Dan looks at two fancy words: "vocation" and "imputation", and why they matter
VBS Extravaganza! Preparing for Joy, Fun, and Jesus with the Ellis Kids
Pastor Courtney, with special guests Felicity, Wilson, and Lincoln Ellis, talk about PCOM's history of Vacation Bible School. Plus: how you can be praying for the kids, parents, volunteers, and staff during this awesome week.
Jeff Given Loses at Chess
What could it look like to hold a higher view of humanity? How might we see and name the Divine spark in everyone and everything?
Listening and Watching into Summer: Pastor Courtney's Media Picks
From the best birding app to podcast and tv/film ideas for summer, join Pastor Courtney to hear what she's listening to and watching. Then let her know: what's captivating you these days?
Pastor Courtney's Good Reads for Summer
Looking for a book to pick up over the summer? Pastor Courtney covers nonfiction, fiction, memoir, and two children's books, too!
Who are You? With Dan van Voorhis
Dan continues his look at different kinds of Christians throughout history and asks you "how do you define yourself as a Christian?"
Pastor Courtney on the Weight of Grief, What NOT to Say, and the Gentleness of Jesus
Pastor Courtney's maternal grandfather died on April 13, 2022. On the one-year anniversary of his passing, the family toasted him across the country. Then, on April 19, her paternal grandfather died.
Courtney reflects on her trip to Michigan for the funeral, on the weight of grief, the presence of Jesus, and how to walk alongside those going through seasons of sorrow.
Plus: Felicity Ellis refuses to pray for "bad guys."
Jeff Given Talks Tree Trimming 2.0
Today, you determine the meaning and metaphor. When trimming a tree, which branches should be pruned? How do we determine when and how to prune them? And what might it all mean on a broader scale? You decide! And let us know what you discover.
Look at the birds! (Jesus and Pastor Courtney both say so)
Why Pastor Courtney can't get enough of the avian world. Plus: Jesus's words about the birds and how paying attention to nature can influence our spiritual lives for good.
The History of the Christian Life, part 2
Dan continues his look at the Christian Life throughout history