Separating the Meat Birds from the Hens with Victor Ratzlaff

Recorded at Westview on Nov. 22, 2020. Victor Ratzlaff reads Matthew 25:31-46, the parable of the Sheep and the Goats. This is Victor's first episode and our 20th!

Like all parables, the parable of the sheep and the goats aims to shake us from our complacency and get us to think about what it means to embody Christ's teachings. In our context, as we move into Advent, this parable talks in concrete terms about how the incarnation, how Christ, is found in food, water, clothing, strangers, sickness, and prisons. 

We’ve read the Parable of the Talents Wrong, We Need to Listened to 7-Year-olds with Caleb Ratzlaff

Recorded at Westview on Nov. 15, 2020. Caleb gives rereads the parable of the Talents, arguing that we've read it wrong, very wrong. 

At the end of the podcast today, Rosilee Sherwood shares a beautiful reflection on peace that was composed by her 7-year-old students. If you only have 3 minutes, skip to minute 17. 

A Grace-filled Bible with Heather Morgan

Recorded on Nov. 8, 2020, at Westview Christian Fellowship. In this episode, we are honoured to hear from Heather Morgan. Heather shares parts of her life story, particularly her learning from LGBTQ+ Christians with groups such as Generous Space and https://wildgoosefestival.org/. These relationships invited Heather to wrestle with her reading of scripture and the world that told her she can't celebrate her trans child. Heather provides for us a grace-filled reading of scripture that has been emerging from her wrestling with the Bible. You can find Heather at https://poweredbylove.ca/

Heather Morgan's Bio:

Heather has spent 17 years working with thousands of pregnant and parenting individuals through issues including general parenting skills, neurodiversity (autism/ADHD), trauma, physical/developmental disability, mental health issues (for parents or children), and parents who are learning to support their LGBTQ+ child/youth. She has experienced infant loss herself as well as raising two children, each with multiple disabilities, both of whom identify as LGBTQ+.

Professionally, Heather has worked as the Founding Support Director for the Trisomy 18 Foundation and has attended over 50 births as a High Risk Doula. She has trained under Penny Simkin on Childbirth After Sexual Abuse, under Leah Kuypers on Zones of Regulation, under Dr. Karyn Purvis on The Connected Child, and with the Gilbert Centre’s Family Support Team. Heather is a trained Life Coach with thousands of hours of clinical experience.

Advent, the Incarnation, and the Trinity with Ruth Brown Martens

Recorded on Nov. 1, 2020, at Westview Christian Fellowship. In this episode, Ruth shares some of the insights she gleaned through her experience of Advent and the readings she’s been doing this year. Ruth focuses on the incarnation and the trinity, arguing the desire for a relationship built into the Trinity itself is expressed in the Incarnation and is something that’s always been.  

Be warned, the audio in this episode is poor, we need to get a new microphone for the pulpit. 

Becoming an Affirming Church with David Hall

Recorded on Oct. 4, 2020 at Westview Christian Fellowship. We are honoured to have David Hall share with us about his experience as a Christian who is also a member of the LGBTQ+ community. David also walks us through some of the steps Silver Spire United Church is taking to become a more affirming community. After sharing his story, David answers questions members of Westview have about what it's like to be both a Christian and a gay man. 

It was a gift to hear David's story and we hope it can serve to inspire other faith communities. 

Tamar Becoming Christ for Us with Caleb Ratzlaff

Recorded at The First Mennonite Church in Vineland on Sept. 27, 2020, Caleb Ratzlaff discusses how his perspective has shifted from seeing himself as a fixer to the receiver of help from the oppressed. In the process, Caleb shares with The First a little bit about life at Westview, while once again emphasizing the necessity of listening to the stories of addicts, sex workers, and widows as we allow them to lead us to the cross. 

Nice People Use Drugs with Caleb Redekop

Recorded on Sept. 27th, 2020, at Westview Christian Fellowship. Caleb Redekop shares about his experience working with people who use drugs. He connects the experience of the stigma he witnessed in this community to Jesus' interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well. For Caleb, connection is the opposite of addiction. 

Finding Belonging at Westview Centre4Women with Grazia Shepard

Recorded on June 28, 2020, Grazia Shepard shares her story on how she found Belonging at WC4W in the midst of her journey with mental health. 

Learning to Ally with Gomer in the Book of Hosea with Kyla Willms

Recorded on August 9th, 2020 Kyla imaginatively recreates the Book of Hosea from Gomer's perspective. Pointing out problems with Hosea's marriage metaphor, Kyla makes Gomer the central figure of the text, renaming the book, the Book of Gomer. 

Listening for Mercy with Jon Willms

Recorded on August 23, 2020, Jon Willms asks us to reflect on what we're searching for and helps us apply this to Hosea chapter 6. Leaning on contemplative exercises, we practise learning to listen differently and hear more with silence.