Connecting our Conversations

Connecting Our Conversations: Space, Science, and Wonder

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 22:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Connecting Our Conversations, Rev. Dr. Shannan Vance-Ocampo is joined by Dr. Heidi DeBlock, Visiting Research Scientist with NASA’s Johnson Space Center Cardiovascular Laboratory, for a thoughtful conversation about space exploration, human physiology, scientific discovery, and the sense of awe that comes from seeing Earth in the context of the wider universe. Together, they reflect on what missions like Artemis can teach us about the human body, our shared future, and the wonder that connects science and faith.

About Dr. Heidi DeBlock
Dr. Heidi DeBlock grew up in Upstate New York and frequented Maine to ski, enjoy the beaches and honeymoon. She graduated from the University of Rochester with a degree in Astrophysics and attended the SUNY Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Science. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine and a Fellowship in Critical Care Medicine at the University of Rochester’s Strong Memorial Hospital.

Dr. DeBlock moved to the Portland area and is a hospitalist/intensivist for Maine Health Stephens Hospital . She is now a coach for students of the Tufts Medical College as well as teaching Problem Based Learning at TUSM. For the past 24 years she was an Associate Professor of Surgery at Albany Medical Hospital where she was an attending physician in both the Surgical and Neurosciences Intensive Care Units. She was on the faculty of the Albany Medical College and was the Director of the Critical Care Clerkship.

She has been working with NASA, Johnson Space Center's Cardiovascular Laboratory since 1990 as a Visiting Research Scientist. Her areas of study have included both Earth and Space based research on the areas of arrythmogenesis, orthostatic hypotension and their countermeasures. She was awarded the Spaceflight Achievement Award from NASA in 2003 for her contributions to research in Cardiovascular Physiology. Although based in Houston, Dr. DeBlock’s research has taken her to the Kennedy Space
Center and the Dreyden Spaceflight Research Center to attend shuttle landings over the past many years. She is currently working researching arrhythmias as a result of long duration spaceflight on the International Space Station. Dr. DeBlock talks about her research and work with NASA to many local schools, clubs and associations.

She was an adjunct professor of Science and Technology at Schenectady Community College, was the President of the Board of Directors of the Challenger Learning Center, is an avid skier, triathlete and enjoys traveling and playing a variety of instruments. She is the proud mother of 3 daughters and the wife of the Reverend Dr. Scott DeBlock.

Nonviolence for Lent: Part 2

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 21:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Rev. Dr. Shannon Vance-Ocampo, along with Rev. Gusti Newquist, pastor at Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church, discuss a key pillar of nonviolence: The Universe is on the Side of Justice.

Together they discuss how nonviolence is lived out in everyday ministry, and challenge us all to trust that even in complexity, God is on the side of justice.

Connecting Our Conversation: Nonviolence for Lent Part 1

Sat, 21 Mar 2026 08:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Rev. Dr. Shannon Vance-Ocampo talks with Rev. Trina Portillo of Burlington Presbyterian Church in Burlington, MA about the fifth pillar of Kingian nonviolence: Avoid Internal Violence of the Spirit as well as External Physical Violence.

Together, they reflect on ministry, immigration justice, public witness, righteous anger, and the discipline of nonviolence in a time of fear and harm.

Resources mentioned in this episode:
Bearing Witness website: https://bearingwitnessne.org/
Bearing Witness Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1459429958807792/
Weekly witness: Wednesdays, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. at 1000 District Avenue, Burlington, MA
Burlington Presbyterian Church: https://burlingtonpres.org/

Connecting Our Conversations: Unveiling the Pathways to Belonging

Wed, 28 May 2025 20:00:00 -0400

Rev. Dr/ Shannan Vance-Ocampo discusses the theology of belonging with Erin Weber-Johnson, lead editor of the transformative new book, Pathways to Belonging.

The editors have generously offered a 40% off code for ordering directly from the publisher’s website with a discount : PATHWAYS
https://wipfandstock.com/9798385203321/pathways-to-belonging/#:~:text=Description,%2D%2Dincluding%20our%20faith%20communities.

PSNE 2025 Summer All-Presbytery Book Study
Schedule and Information:
Our summer book study will begin on Tuesday June 17th and run for five weeks, meeting at 12:30PM for an hour over zoom. After five weeks together in community, the second half of the summer will be spent reflecting and developing your own story of belonging, along with an opportunity to share that journey prayerfully with a spiritual companion.

Register: https://psne.breezechms.com/form/pathtobelonging

Connecting our Conversations: Creation Care and Faith's Response to the Environmental Crisis

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 17:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Connecting our Conversations, Rev. Dr. Shannan Vance-Ocampo is joined by Rev. Kathryn Beilke for a discussion on how our faith calls us to care for God's creation, and address the growing plastic pollution crisis.

Together, they explore:

The accelerating production of plastics and its impact on the current climate and public health crises
How practices like fasting from plastics can raise consciousness and catalyze permanent lifestyle changes
The PC (USA)'s overture calling congregations to move from disposable to sustainable practices

Rev. Kathryn Beilke is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary and served for a decade as Pastor of a progressive congregation, but the moral and spiritual urgency of our current ecological crises prompted her to leave the pulpit and dedicate herself to effective environmental solutions. Believing that state and local action can spark meaningful change, Rev. Beilke worked with municipalities navigating New York State’s Climate Smart Communities initiative before joining Beyond Plastics as the Development Manager. While she is ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA), she believes in centering a diversity of traditions and indigenous perspectives in her work. She enjoys gardening, camping, hiking, biking, and paddle boarding with her family.

About Beyond Plastics:
Launched in January 2019, Beyond Plastics is a nationwide project based at Bennington College in Bennington, Vermont, that pairs the wisdom and experience of environmental policy experts with the energy and creativity of grassroots advocates to build a vibrant and effective movement to end plastic pollution.

Additional Resources:

Plastic Jesus
https://www.creationjustice.org/plasticjesus.html

Overture from the 226th General Assembly
https://www.pc-biz.org/search/3001145

Reckoning with History: A Conversation with Dr. William Yoo

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 13:00:00 -0500

The PSNE's All-Presbytery Antiracism Training with Rev. Dr. William Yoo is coming up on March 1, 2025.

In this episode of Connecting our Conversations, Rev. Nancy Baseel and Rev. Kevin White chat with Rev. Dr. William Yoo about the PSNE’s upcoming Antiracism Training, where Dr. Yoo will be our keynote speaker. We talk a bit about Dr. Yoo’s historical work and how that intersects with the Church in our time and place, and get a preview of what we can expect at the training. Registration link below.

Dr. William Yoo is the Associate Professor of American Religious and Cultural History at Columbia Theological Seminary, where he is also the Director of the M.Div. Program.

He is the author of What Kind of Christianity: A History of Slavery and Anti-Black Racism in the Presbyterian Church (winner of the 2023 Award of Excellence from the Religion Communicators Council), and most recently Reckoning with History: Settler Colonialism, Slavery, and the Making of American Christianity.

“As a teacher, preacher, and scholar, Yoo focuses on the history of racism in American Christianity. He is a professor and public theologian who interprets the most challenging and urgent issues of racial justice with clarity, depth, honesty, and precision.” (WJK bio).

Dr Yoo has a deep commitment to researching, studying, writing about and engaging the histories of settler colonialism, racial injustice, and slavery through the lens of Christianity; and his work invites the alignment of the Gospel with the work of liberation through an honest assessment of the church’s role in these forms of oppression in the United States.

Rev. Nancy Baseel and Rev. Kevin White are the co-chairs of the Presbytery of Southern New England’s Antiracism and Equity Team. Rev. Nancy Baseel is the pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Hartford CT; and Rev. Kevin White is the pastor of Calvin Presbyterian Church, Cumberland RI.

PSNE Antiracism Training is Saturday, March 1 at New Haven Korean Presbyterian Church. Click here for the registration link.

Participation is open to anyone in the Presbytery!

This training fulfills the antiracism training required once every three years by the PSNE Antiracism Policy for all active Teaching Elders, Certified Ruling Elders, Inquirers and Candidates under care, and those engaged in Presbytery ministry service (serving on commissions, committees, teams, pulpit supply, etc – see page 5 of the policy).

Read the PSNE Antiracism Policy here.

Matthew 25 Series: Intersectional Focus #1 - Militarism

Sun, 02 Feb 2025 21:00:00 -0500

In the fifth episode of the Matthew 25 series, Rev. Dr. Shannan Vance-Ocampo is joined by the PC(USA)'s Luciano Kovacs, World Mission's Area Coordinator for the Middle East and Europe, and Rev. Dr. Laurie Kraus, Director, Humanitarian and Global Ecumenical Engagement, for a discussion on the intersectional focus on Militarism, and how the Presbyterian Church can transition from charity to systemic advocacy.

Together, they explore:

Militarism’s direct connection to poverty and the decline in resources for humanitarian and development work
The PC(USA)’s engagement and advocacy efforts around ceasefire, military aide and Christian Zionism
The role of the Presbyterian Church in confronting these challenges and fostering peace

Luciano Kovacs serves the national offices of the Presbyterian Church USA as the World Mission’s area coordinator for the Middle East and Europe. Most recently, Kovacs served as executive director for North America and global program director for advocacy and solidarity at the World Student Christian Federation. He also served as social justice director for Jan Hus Presbyterian Church in New York City. Before that he was Jan Hus’ assistant director, then director of homeless outreach and advocacy. During his career he has also worked at the International Turin Center in Turin, Italy and as the European regional secretary of the World Student Christian Federation. Kovacs has a “Laurea” degree in foreign languages and literature from the University of Turin. He took additional courses in history, sociology pedagogy, cultural and post-colonial studies. He continued his education at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, University College Dublin and University College London.

Rev. Dr. Laurie Ann Kraus serves the national offices of the Presbyterian Church USA as Director of Humanitarian and Global Ecumenical Engagement, in the ministries of Compassion, Peace and Justice. This work coordinates and supports holistic collaboration among the offices of disaster response, migration accompaniment, hunger and development, peacemaking and advocacy for the self-development of people (SDOP). Working alongside faith-based, civil society and ecclesial partners across the globe, this work seeks to accompany vulnerable people in the US and around the world; supporting and advocating their efforts to build sustainable and abundant communities for all, especially in times of disaster, violence, or food insecurity. Prior to her present assignment, Laurie served for 10 years as director of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. Laurie is on the board and executive committee of ACT Alliance, a consortium of 155 world-wide disaster response, development and advocacy church and faith based organizations. She is a certified spiritual director and compassion fatigue/trauma-informed spiritual care provider.

Matthew 25 Series: Pillar #3 - Eradicating Systemic Poverty

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500

In the fourth episode of the Matthew 25 series, Rev. Dr. Shannan Vance-Ocampo is joined by the PC(USA)'s Rev. Rebecca Barnes, Coordinator of the Presbyterian Hunger Program, and Rev. Dr. Alzono Johnson, Coordinator of the The Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People, for a discussion on one of the main pillars of the Matthew 25 church—Eradicating Systemic Poverty - and the pressing need for communities of faith to drive transformative change.

Together, they explore:

Preexisting beliefs that alienate and invalidate others' struggles
Intersectional approaches that drive sustainable change
The spiritual foundations of community empowerment
The pivotal role of churches in addressing poverty, including programs like Soul Fire Farm that are tackling hunger, homelessness, and educational barriers

Rev. Dr. Alonzo Johnson provides direction, coordination, strategic and theological vision to the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People ministry and its commitments to social, racial, and economic justice. He serves as the key liaison between the National Committee on Self-Development of People and the Presbyterian Mission Agency, and he promotes and interprets the ministry of SDOP to congregations, middle governing bodies, and ecumenical & community partners.

Rev. Rebecca Barnes became the Coordinator of the Presbyterian Hunger Program after serving for 5 years as the Associate for Environmental Ministries (within the PHP). Rebecca is a graduate of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary where she earned a Masters of Divinity and a Masters of Art in Religion in 2011, with a thesis titled: “A Fuller Experience of God’s Grace: How the Sacraments Invite Us to Relationship with, and Care for, the Earth.” While in seminary, she authored “50 Ways to Help Save the Earth: How You and Your Church Can Help Make a Difference,” which was reprinted for distribution to the Commissioners of the 2016 General Assembly of the PC(USA). She also previously served as a young adult intern for PC(USA)’s Health Ministries office and then in the PC(USA) Environmental Ministry program, then staffed Presbyterians for Earth Care and served as the Hunger Action Advocate at San Francisco Theological Seminary.

Connecting our Conversations is hosted by the Presbytery of Southern New England, a regional governing body in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This is our space for conversations that push the edges of our faith and help us deepen discipleship.Connecting our Conversations is hosted by the Presbytery of Southern New England, a regional governing body in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This is our space for conversations that push the edges of our faith and help us deepen discipleship.

Matthew 25 Series: Pillar #2 - Dismantling Racism

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 17:00:00 -0500

In the third episode of the Matthew 25 series, Rev. Dr. Shannan Vance-Ocampo is joined by Rev. Jermaine Ross-Allam, Director of the PC(USA)'s Center for the Repair of Historic Harms, for a discussion on one of the main pillars of the Matthew 25 church—Dismantling Structural Racism—and how we can apply our faith to advocate for change and break down the practices and mindsets that underlie discrimination and oppression.

Together, they explore:

The primary ministry of Jesus, which was a ministry of healing
Guiding others to an understanding that reparative justice is both necessary and possible
Identifying opportunities to repair harm caused to marginalized groups

Rev. Jermaine Ross-Allam is the first-ever Director of the PC(USA)'s Center for the Repair of Historic Harms, an office working to recognize, acknowledge, and repair the harm caused to Indigenous peoples, African Americans, and other marginalized groups. Rev. Ross-Allam was ordained as a minister by the Presbytery of the Twin Cities in 2013. He served as executive director of 21st Century Academy at Liberty Community Church PC(USA) and associate pastor for Social Justice at Oak Grove Presbyterian Church, and is a doctoral candidate in Social Ethics at Union Theological Seminary.

Connecting our Conversations is hosted by the Presbytery of Southern New England, a regional governing body in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This is our space for conversations that push the edges of our faith and help us deepen discipleship.Connecting our Conversations is hosted by the Presbytery of Southern New England, a regional governing body in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This is our space for conversations that push the edges of our faith and help us deepen discipleship.

Matthew 25 Series: Pillar #1 - Vital Congregations

Sat, 11 Jan 2025 20:00:00 -0500

In the second episode of the Matthew 25 series, Rev. Dr. Shannan Vance-Ocampo is joined by Rev. Veronica Cannon and Rev. Nikki Collins for a discussion on one of the main pillars of the Matthew 25 church - Congregational Vitality, and what it means for churches to engage in ministry, including:

Creating dynamic spaces for individuals to connect with God and each other
Building inclusive, equitable communities by promoting awareness, understanding, and action
How New Worshipping Communities can strengthen existing churches and bring the gift of diversity

Rev. Veronica Cannon is the Pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Waxhaw in North Carolina, and the manager of the PC(USA)'s Vital Congregations Initiative, working alongside leaders of existing congregations to increase vitality through intentional spiritual practices that take them deeper into following Jesus Christ.

Rev. Nikki Collins is the National Coordinator of the PC(USA)'s 1001 New Worshiping Communities, movement of people committed to seeing the church come alive again, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Previously she served Cherokee Presbytery as Stated Clerk and Mission Coordinator. Before that she was the founder of Bare Bulb Coffee, a rich brew of full-service coffee shop, music and arts venue, and home to a diverse group of disciples committed to shedding light in the world.

Connecting our Conversations is hosted by the Presbytery of Southern New England, a regional governing body in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This is our space for conversations that push the edges of our faith and help us deepen discipleship.Connecting our Conversations is hosted by the Presbytery of Southern New England, a regional governing body in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This is our space for conversations that push the edges of our faith and help us deepen discipleship.

Matthew 25 Series: Why Matthew 25 and What is Intersectionality?

Sun, 05 Jan 2025 21:00:00 -0500

In the first episode of the Matthew 25 series, Rev. Dr. Shannan Vance-Ocampo and Dr. Corey Schlosser-Hall explore the essence of being a Matthew 25 church, highlighting the call for deeper engagement within faith communities to address systemic injustices.

This conversation dives into the intersections of ministry, community needs, the vital importance of embodying Jesus’ teachings and much more:

• Acknowledging the role of intersectionality in ministry
• The church's historical commitment to community engagement
• Exploring the collective identity of faith and discipleship

Dr. Corey Schlosser-Hall is the Deputy Executive Director of Vision and Innovation of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Prior to that he served as the Executive Presbyter(EP) for Presbytery of the Northwest Coast. A Ruling Elder, Corey grew up in the Dakotas and graduated from the University of Oregon He earned a Ph.D. in Organizational Communication from the University of Minnesota and is an ICF credentialed leadership coach.

Connecting our Conversations is hosted by the Presbytery of Southern New England, a regional governing body in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This is our space for conversations that push the edges of our faith and help us deepen discipleship.Connecting our Conversations is hosted by the Presbytery of Southern New England, a regional governing body in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This is our space for conversations that push the edges of our faith and help us deepen discipleship.

Live Into Hope: Reflections from PSNE's 226th General Assembly Team

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 07:00:00 -0400

The PCUSA’s 226th General Assembly took place in Salt Lake City Utah from June 25th - July 4, 2024, and it was a powerful experience for all involved!

In this episode, meet the PSNE 226th General Assembly Team:

Rev. Anne Weirich (Commissioner and Polity Committee Chair; Honorably Retired, serves on Commission on Ministry at PSNE)
Elder Nicole Aronson Champagne (Commissioner and Environment and Climate Committee Member; Nominating Committee Chair at PSNE)
Rev. Kate Carlisle (Stated Clerk for PSNE and Boston)

Hear about their experiences from GA, including committee processes, electing new Co-Moderators and a new Stated Clerk, passing items of business, worshiping together, and dealing with a COVID-19 outbreak. From discussions on reducing single-use plastics and divestment from fossil fuels, to offering personal testimony as an overture advocate, this gathering truly offered an opportunity to live into hope.

Learn more about General Assembly and future meetings at https://ga-pcusa.org/

Vandersall Collective with Mieke Vandersall, Tim Anderson, and Nancy Baseel

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 07:00:00 -0400

Who does your building belong to? What are our money stories, theological frameworks, and core values? How do you make strategic decisions out of abundance and hopefulness?

In today’s conversation, we hear from:

Mieke Vandersall, founder of Vandersall Collective, and ministry member at PSNE
Tim Anderson, coach and consultant from Minneapolis MN
Nancy Baseel, Pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Hartford

Vandersall Collective is a consulting group that focuses on fundraising, communications, and strategic thinking to raise money, reach people, and reimagine the future. They are collaborating with three congregations in our Presbytery (First Presbyterian Hartford, Westminster, and MLK Community Presbyterian Church), alongside with our Trustees, Roundtable, and Commission on Ministry. Vandersall Collective is helping us to answer questions about property and missional views, to help us find clarity at both the congregational and Presbytery level for values-based decision making.

To learn more about the Vandersall Collective, visit https://www.vandersallcollective.com/

Rev. Dr. TLC and the Poor People's Campaign

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 07:00:00 -0400

The Rev. Dr. Terrlyn L. Curry Avery is the Pastor of Martin Luther King Jr. Community Presbyterian Church in Springfield MA. She has a passion for dismantling racism, and is deeply involved in the work and advocacy with the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival.

This podcast was recorded a week before the Mass Poor Peoples and Low-Wage Workers’ Assembly and Moral March on Washington and to the Polls, a national gathering in Washington that draws attention to the interconnected struggles of issues such as affordable housing, gun violence, health care, environmental racism, and other compounding factors and politics of poverty. In this conversation, Shannan and Terrlyn bear witness to the importance of testimonies, encourage pastors to give a prophetic word, and ask us if we are living the way of Jesus, who gives us the Matthew 25 mandate.

Call to Action! If you are interested in using your power for good, here are some ways to get involved in this work and learn more:

Get involved with the Poor People’s campaign! Join the RI or MA chapters. Connecticut needs a chapter - maybe you could help organize it. You can also donate funds. Learn more at https://www.poorpeoplescampaign.org/
Advocate. The Presbyterian Office of Public Witness is an advocacy office in Washington DC, and has many resources: https://www.presbyterianmission.org/ministries/compassion-peace-justice/washington
Pray (a practice which change our own hearts)
Learn more:
- Recent article from Presbyterian Mission Agency: https://www.presbyterianmission.org/story/june-29-moral-march-gathers-steam-as-pcusa-and-others-offer-continued-support/
- Books from Liz Theoharis: https://liztheoharis.org/books/
- Liz Theoharis keynote speech from the Matthew 25 Summit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDHsvT77wXE

This is the second episode of the fourth season of Connecting Our Conversations. This season is a Summer Series! We'll hear from folks engaged in Presbytery and beyond, including updates from General Assembly, Pride celebrations, marches, summer camps, and Vacation Bible Schools. Connect with us on social media, subscribe so you never miss an episode, and let us know if you have other ideas for conversations to share!

Connecting our Conversations is hosted by the Presbytery of Southern New England, a regional governing body in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This is our space for conversations that push the edges of our faith and help us deepen discipleship.

Pride Month with Presbyterian Promise

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 07:00:00 -0400

Happy Pride Month! Listen in our conversation with board members from Presbyterian Promise, an LGBTQIA+ organization in our Presbytery for education, outreach, and advocacy. This year is the 25th anniversary of Presbyterian Promise, and we are so excited to celebrate alongside them this month!

In this episode, we hear from:

Rev. Jenny Peek, Chaplain at Yale University, co-moderator
Leah Miller, First Presbyterian Church of New Haven, co-moderator
Ellen McDonnell, First Presbyterian Church of Stamford, member

Learn about the history of Presbyterian Promise, and dive into their current work at Pride events, curating resources, and presence at local churches. The invitation to be in conversation is always open - all are welcome!

Contact Presbyterian Promise at presbyterianpromise@gmail.com and learn more at https://presbyterianpromise.wordpress.com/

Book Recommendations:

Heather Has Two Mommies - Lesléa Newman
Queerfully and Wonderfully Made - Leigh Finke (Editor)
God vs. Gay - Jay Michaelson

Our Promise:

We believe the time has come to live out God’s call to “love our neighbor as ourselves.” This is a call to an inclusive love that welcomes all people to God’s table. That invitation is central to the Gospel. God calls us to embrace those who have been excluded or marginalized, to welcome them into the fold, and to honor their call and their desire to serve God. Presbyterian Promise is committed to this vision of a just and inclusive church.

We therefore promise to be a resource, a presence, and a witness of inclusion to all LGBTQIA+ people. We further promise to work as agents of reconciliation, inviting all to join in the conversation.

_

This is the start of the fourth season of Connecting Our Conversations. This season is a Summer Series! We'll hear from folks engaged in Presbytery and beyond, including updates from General Assembly, Pride celebrations, summer camps, and Vacation Bible Schools. Connect with us on social media, subscribe so you never miss an episode, and let us know if you have other ideas for conversations to share!

The Fish Bees: Beekeeping at First Pres Church of Stamford with Rev. Shelley Donaldson and John Bitner

Wed, 15 May 2024 07:00:00 -0400

Won't you bee my neighbor? 🐝 At First Presbyterian Church of Stamford, CT, more commonly known as the Fish Church, bees truly are neighbors! In this episode of Connecting our Conversations, Rev. Dr. Shannan Vance Ocampo chats with Rev. Shelley Donaldson, Associate Pastor at First Pres in Stamford, and with John Bitner, who has been a member for 30 years and served as a deacon and elder. Shelley and John share how they transformed an old garden bed into 5 hives and the variety of things they are doing with the honey. They also discuss how this act of caring for creation and community supports their work as a Matthew 25 church. Plus, learn some fun bee trivia!

Learn more about First Presbyterian Church of Stamford at https://fishchurch.org/welcomeonhome

Connecting our Conversations is hosted by the Presbytery of Southern New England, a regional governing body in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This is our space for conversations that push the edges of our faith and help us deepen discipleship.

Disability and the Church - Part 1, with Rev. Ben Bond and Katie Grosh

Wed, 01 May 2024 19:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Connecting our Conversations, Rev. Dr. Shannan Vance-Ocampo speaks with Rev. Ben Bond (Faith Inclusion and Belonging Associate at RespectAbility) and our Communications Manager Katie Grosh, about disability and church communities. Ben shared tips about how to be more accessible and welcoming in your congregational communities, including giving visual descriptions, attending to a variety of physical and sensory needs, and shifting attitudes. Ben also gave a Disability 101 overview and gave context to the history of disability and the church. Katie shared her experience with leading a weekly zoom discussion group with Kearsarge Community Presbyterian Church, focused on the Justice Unbound series Disabling Lent: An Anti-Ableist Lenten Devotional. There was so much to talk about that a part 2 (focused on disability and theology) will be coming soon!

Links:

RespectAbility's Faith, Inclusion, and Belonging page: https://www.respectability.org/faith-inclusion/
Inclusive Congregations Guide: https://www.respectability.org/faith-inclusion/inclusive-congregations/
Disabling Lent: An Anti-Ableist Lenten Devotional from Justice Unbound: https://justiceunbound.org/disablinglent/
Presbyterians for Disability Concerns: https://presbyteriansfordisabilityconcerns.wordpress.com/
The Institute of Theology and Disability (the conference June 17-20, 2024 will be held at Boston College!): https://faithanddisability.org/about-the-summer-institute/2024-institute-on-theology-and-disability/

A transcript of our episode today is available here.

Connecting our Conversations is hosted by the Presbytery of Southern New England, a regional governing body in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This is our space for conversations that push the edges of our faith and help us deepen discipleship.

Connecting our Conversations: APCE Adventures

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 07:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Connecting our Conversations, Rev. Shannan Vance-Ocampo speaks with Christian educators and pastors in our Presbytery who attended the recent Association of Partners in Christian Education (APCE) conference in St. Louis Missouri. Tara Church, Patrick Notley, Karen Hammond, and Mark Montgomery all share their takeaways from the conference and what the future of Christian Education holds.

Featured on this episode:
- Tara Church, Director of Children's Ministry at First Presbyterian Church of Greenwich
- Karen Hammond, Director of Faith Formation at Westminster Presbyterian Church in West Hartford
- Patrick Notley, Pastor at Barrington Presbyterian Church
- Mark Montgomery, Pastor at Wilton Presbyterian Church

Learn more about APCE at https://apcenet.org/

Connecting our Conversations is hosted by the Presbytery of Southern New England, a regional governing body in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This is our space for conversations that push the edges of our faith and help us deepen discipleship.

The Triple Pastor Team at Wilton Presbyterian Church: Rev. Jessica Jones, Rev. Chris Tate, and Rev. Mark Montgomery

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 07:00:00 -0400

The church is changing. Wilton Presbyterian Church is thriving with innovative staffing and programming! In this episode of Connecting our Conversations, the Rev. Shannan Vance-Ocampo talks with Wilton Presbyterian Church's triple-pastor team:

Rev. Jessica Jones - Co-Pastor, Pastoral Care and Education
Rev. Chris Tate - Co-Pastor, Outreach and Technology
Rev. Mark Montgomery - Co-Pastor, Administration

Get to know each of them, and how they work together in this unique model of church leadership. Rev. Jessica, Chris, and Mark work the hours combined to equal one full-time pastor. This allows them to focus on their gifts, collaborate, and even take some genuine time off. They also share the success of their Wild Goose Sundays. Named after the Holy Spirit in Celtic Christianity, these are intergenerational communion services where things happen a bit differently... like “passing the peace” with beach balls, or having live animals present to learn about the Heifer Project.

Learn more about Wilton Presbyterian Church at https://wiltonpresbyterian.org/

Meet Our Moderators! Rev. Kevin White and Rev. Dallas Bradel

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 07:00:00 -0400

Get to know our PSNE Moderators! In this episode of Connecting our Conversations, Rev. Shannan Vance-Ocampo interviews our Moderator, Rev. Kevin White, and our Vice Moderator, Rev. Dallas Bradel. Especially as our stated meetings are online this year, it's important to have opportunities to get to know one another in different ways. This is both an introduction to Kevin and Dallas, as well as a behind-the-scenes look into what the job of Moderator / Vice Moderator is like!

Connecting our Conversations is hosted by the Presbytery of Southern New England, a regional governing body in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This is our space for conversations that push the edges of our faith and help us deepen discipleship.

Everything Good About God is True with Bruce Reyes-Chow

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 18:00:00 -0500

Connecting our Conversations is hosted by the Presbytery of Southern New England, a regional governing body in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This is our space for conversations that push the edges of our faith and help us deepen discipleship. Today, Shannan Vance-Ocampo speaks with Bruce Reyes-Chow about his new book, Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith.

In this primer on progressive, expansive, generous Christianity, writer and pastor Bruce Reyes-Chow offers his own "faith montage" and helps individuals and groups create their own. There is a more loving, more genuine vision of God than the one we see being performed around us, and this book helps us find it.

With clarity, vulnerability, and wit, Reyes-Chow helps us learn a grammar of faith about God, Jesus, and the Spirit that breathes fresh meaning into old words like sin, confession, salvation, baptism, communion, and gratitude. He doesn't shy away from calling out the hateful and hurtful dogmas of many churches, but he also turns our attention toward essential questions: What if God created humans to be beautifully complex? What if the Spirit calls us to lament and repent and also beckons us toward pathways of healing, wholeness, and hope? And if Jesus equips us for lives of justice and kindness, how might our imaginations expand for what the world could be?

Bruce Reyes-Chow is a sought-after speaker and writer on topics of faith, culture, politics, race, and technology. He is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), has led churches in the San Francisco Bay Area for nearly three decades, and is a former moderator of the PC(USA). Reyes-Chow, who is third-generation Filipino-Chinese American, hosts the podcast BRC & Friends and has authored five books, most recently In Defense of Kindness. A senior consultant and coach with Convergence, Reyes-Chow and his spouse have three adult children and live in San Jose, California.

Read "Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith" today! The book is available everywhere books are sold, including bookshop.org/ or check out your local bookstore. You can go to https://www.broadleafbooks.com/store/product/9781506495699/Everything-Good-about-God-Is-True or https://reyes-chow.com/books/ to learn more.

World AIDS Day with Rev. John Merz

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 07:00:00 -0500

Friday December 1st is World AIDS Day, but HIV and AIDS is something that Rev. John Merz thinks about everyday. John is the CEO at Advancing CT Together (ACT), which addresses the root causes of poverty, addiction and health inequities through strength-based services and advocacy to ensure all people in Connecticut have equitable resources necessary to achieve multi-generational health, wealth and happiness.

Learn more at these links below:

Why Congress Must Reauthorize A Life-Saving Program to Fight HIV/AIDS

https://act-ct.org/

Connecting our Conversations is hosted by the Presbytery of Southern New England, a regional governing body in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This is our space for conversations that push the edges of our faith and help us deepen discipleship.

SDOP Visits PSNE! A Conversation with the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 09:00:00 -0400

How can we work in our churches and communities to address systemic poverty? Rev. Shannan Vance-Ocampo talks with Rev. Dr. Alonzo Johnson (Coordinator at SDOP), Juliet Owuor (Young Adult Volunteer at SDOP), Keyarra Johnson and Jazz Kearse (Jubilee Arts: Youth in Business), about the mission and impact of Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People (SDOP).

Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People is a ministry that affirms God’s concern for humankind. We are Presbyterians and ecumenical partners dissatisfied with poverty and oppression, united in faith and action through sharing, confronting, and enabling by participating in the empowerment of economically poor, oppressed, and disadvantaged people, seeking to change the structures that perpetuate poverty, oppression and injustice.

Connect with the SDOP as they visit the Presbytery of Southern New England from Nov. 2-4, 2023.

Preaching Ted Lasso with Rev. Julie Emery

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 07:00:00 -0400

In this episode of Connecting our Conversations, Rev. Shannan Vance Ocampo speaks with Rev. Julie Emery about an exciting summer sermon series: The Gospel According to Ted Lasso.

Rev. Julie joined Westminster Presbyterian as lead Minister in 2014. She brings creativity and a passion for inclusive worship and preaching and a heart for social justice. Julie grew up in Michigan and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion from the University of Michigan. She received her Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary in 2004. Before coming to Westminster, Julie has served congregations in New Hampshire and New York, as well as serving as a chaplain for Hospice Care.

The Gospel According to Ted Lasso is a devotional book by Rev. Matthew Titus. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Gospel-According-Ted-Lasso/dp/B09RM4DQXJ

The TV Show Ted Lasso is available on Apple TV+

Connecting our Conversations is hosted by the Presbytery of Southern New England, a regional governing body in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). This is our space for conversations that push the edges of our faith and help us deepen discipleship.

Connecting our Conversations: What is Antiracism and What Does It Require Of Us?

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 10:00:00 -0400

In this "pivot moment" in the life of the church in the United States, where what it means to be The Church and to live out a Christian faith is constantly being questioned, our Presbytery is leaning in to our ongoing antiracism and equity work of discernment - how are we currently structured? How has our church been coopted into systems of injustice and sin? If we are by nature a cooperative group, how can we in our work together speak the same language of antiracism?

In this first episode of Season Three, PSNE's General Presbyter, the Rev. Shannan Vance-Ocampo talks with Jessica Vazquez-Torres and Ryan Lents of Crossroads Antiracism Organizing and Training and with Kirk Louis, former chair of the PSNE Anti-Racism and Equity Committee, about our upcoming Presbytery-wide antiracism training series: What is Antiracism and What Does It Require of Us?

Note: this podcast was recorded in September 2022. The training dates referenced are Wednesdays Oct 5, Oct 19, Nov 2, and Nov 16, 2022. If you are interested in registering yourself or a group, please contact us at info@psne.org.
If you are listening *after* these trainings and this sparks something in you, please contact communications@psne.org to be added to our distribution lists for future antiracism and equity resources and educational opportunities.

Connecting Our Conversations: Supporting LGBTQIA Youth in our Communities - A Conversation with Presbyterian Promise

Tue, 17 May 2022 14:00:00 -0400

Content Warning: This podcast discusses suicide and suicidal ideation, and some people might find it disturbing. If you or someone you know is suicidal, please, contact your physician, go to your local ER, or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255), or message the Crisis Text Line at 741741. Both programs provide free, confidential support 24/7

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Members of Presbyterian Promise have a conversation about LGBTQIA Youth in our communities and the unique role the church can have in supporting them in the mental health crucible our youth are facing coming out of this pandemic. From the Trevor Project: "Being LGBTQ alone does not put a young person at higher risk for suicide; the discrimination, rejection, fear, and harassment that may come with being LGBTQ in an unsupportive environment are what increase the risk." Presbyterian Promise consists of member congregations from the Presbytery of Southern New England and is part of the larger church's movement toward inclusivity of LGBT persons.

Connecting Our Conversations: These Stones Will Speak - Renewal in the Holy Land

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 12:00:00 -0400

PSNE's the Rev. Anne Weirich has been leading groups to the Holy Land for years...but this Feburary 2022 trip was the first since the Covid-19 pandemic. Communication Manager (and fellow Holy Land pilgrim), Erika Plank Hagan, talks with the Rev. Anne Weirich, the Rev. Carol Howard Meritt, and Greg Botting about their recent trip: surprises, renewal, and the connections (and the food!) that they brought back with them.

Connecting our Conversations: Resiliency For Spiritual Leaders and Seekers

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 13:00:00 -0400

PSNE's the Rev. Dr. Tracy Mehr-Muska, Minister for Mid and Later Life at Asylum Hill Congregational Church in Hartford, CT and author of Weathering The Storm: Simple Strategies for Being Peaceful and Prepared, talks about her work in researching and teaching Resiliency - and how it's not something we're born with but characteristics we can cultivate. How are we as faith communities uniquely situated to be resilient and nurture resiliency?

Connecting Our Conversations: Queering of Things at Not So Churchy

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 19:00:00 -0500

Recorded in December of 2021 as the Omicron variant of Covid-19 was surging in New England, the Rev. Mieke Vandersall and Matt Beams share about the strange blessings of the pandemic and their worshipping community, Not So Churchy, whose participation has nearly doubled as they shifted to a virtual community, welcoming people from all over the country. How did the Queering of Things inform how this community navigates the pandemic? What does it mean to Queer the Church? Let's find out: "Come on in, the water's fine!"

Connecting Our Conversations: Looking Forward Toward the Unexpected

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 09:00:00 -0500

Advent is a season of waiting, of darkness, of anticipation. In this Advent season of 2021, PSNE Communications Manager, Erika Plank Hagan, talks with the Rev Dr. Terrlyn Curry Avery, Pastor of Martin Luther King Jr. Community Church in Springfield, MA, near the one-year anniversary of the hate crime where their building was destroyed in a fire, and about how that community is looking forward and not backward to their new ministry in the world.
As our church moves into 2022 after two years of pandemic and unrest - can we also look forward toward the unexpected?

Connecting Our Conversations: Ordained to Chaplaincy in a Pandemic - Called Into Covid

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 19:00:00 -0500

Presbyterian clergy are ordained to a call - a vocational calling. PSNE Communications Manager, Erika Plank Hagan, talks with three of our Presbytery's newest ordained clergy, the Rev. Dale Green, the Rev. Jessica Jones, and the Rev. Grace Woodward, on their calls to chaplaincy during the Covid-19 pandemic and its fallout.

How has God prepared us for *this* moment? What can we learn from ministering to the sick and vulnerable and those who care for them, and can we apply any of it to our churches as we come out of this pandemic season?

Connecting Our Conversations: No Justice No Peace - Confessional Interactive Art at FPC New Haven.

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Season 2, Episode 2: No Justice No Peace - Confessional Interactive Art at FPC New Haven.

PSNE Communications Manager, Erika Plank Hagan, talks with the Rev. J.C. Cadwallader, Pastor and Head of Staff at First Presbyterian Church, New Haven.

When it became apparent that FPC New Haven wouldn’t be worshipping together at the church Fall 2020 due to the continued spread of coronavirus, leadership began thinking about how they could use their space to share their faith. This moment coincided with the protests of racial injustice across our country following the deaths of George Floyd – a Black man killed by a White police officer – and Breonna Taylor – a Black woman killed by White police officers in her home, among many others.
The resulting No Justice No Peace art installation is powerful, confessional, and interactive - and created both opportunities for relationship building and negotiating conflict in the local community.

Connecting Our Conversations: the 50th Anniversary of Calvin Presbyterian - merging, pivoting, and resurrection on the lawn.

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 19:00:00 -0400

PSNE Communications Manager, Erika Plank Hagan, talks with the Rev. Kevin White and Elder Nancy Boyd about the recent celebration of Calvin Presbyterian's 50th anniversary - made more complicated by Covid - and how the church's beginnings as two churches pivoting to become one church perhaps informs where we are now, pivoting into a post-Covid church world.

Connecting our Conversations: PSNE Conversation about the 224th General Assembly

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 11:00:00 -0400

Our two Presbytery Commissioners to the 224th General Assembly, Walter Manual and Jenny Peek, hosted a Zoom conversation about the Assembly and some of its actions. They were also joined by PSNE Stated Clerk, David Baer, and Shannan Vance-Ocampo and Tom McNeill from our Presbytery who were corresponding members and resource persons to the Assembly.

Anthony Trujillo, a good friend of our Presbytery, who is under care of the Presbytery of NYC is on the national PCUSA Native American Coordinating Committee and was also a corresponding member and resource person to the Assembly also joined us and shared about the specific important actions of the Assembly around Native American issues in the PCUSA.

We also discussed some of the concerns around anti-racism that came up around the work of the Assembly.

Connecting our Conversations: Jessica Vazquez-Torres of Crossroads Anti-Racism Training and Organizing - PSNE Summer 2020 Book Study Week One

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 15:00:00 -0400

A June 2, 2020 conversation with Jessica Vazquez-Torres of Crossroads Anti-Racism Training and Organizing about the why behind our summer book group, our anti-racism work as a Presbytery and what our explorations will and can be this summer.