In this final episode (at least for this season), Jon sits down with Pastor Joanne to reflect on the podcast: what they’ve appreciated, what surprised them, and why creating space for thoughtful, open-ended conversation still matters. They talk about the role of curiosity in faith, the tension of not having easy answers, and what it looks like to carry these kinds of conversations forward into whatever comes next.

In this episode, we step back and ask a deeper question. When scripture is used to justify war, what is faith actually supposed to look like? We reflect on anger, overwhelm, and the misuse of scripture before a conversation about compassion, resistance, and what people of faith are called to do when violence is carried out in God’s name.

In this episode of Rhythms of Humanity, we explore what it takes to build a sturdier hope. A hope that stays present with grief and injustice without letting them be the only story we tell.

Pastor Joanne joins the conversation as we reflect on attention, time, creativity, and the quiet work of making faith visible in everyday moments.

In this episode, we open space to reflect on how phrases like this shape the way we understand life’s twists and turns. Together, we’ll explore how community can support us without rushing to offer easy answers.

In this episode, we talk about what it means to embrace a September reset – whether or not you have kids heading back to school. We’ll explore the beauty of transition, the balance of play and purpose, and the invitation to step into something new with hope and intention.

We often think of theology as something abstract. But the truth is, we carry theology with us into traffic jams, awkward conversations, hospital rooms, and late-night doubts. It’s the rhythm beneath our decisions, our reactions, and our hope.

Pastor Joanne joins us to reflect on the difference between dogmatics and lived theology, and why good theology – honest, breathing, grace-soaked theology – matters now more than ever.

In this episode, we sit with the grief and the tension: not just over what the bill includes, but who it leaves behind. Immigrants, asylum seekers, the undocumented – sacrificed once again in the name of compromise.

We talk about what it means when the same people are always the ones carved out, even when our side is in power. About how strategy can become erasure. About the stories we tell ourselves to stay comfortable on the “right side.”

On this special Independence Day episode, Pastor Joanne Engquist joins us to talk about freedom, belonging, and the kind of hope that refuses to settle.

In this episode, we explore the pull of cynicism, why it’s not all bad, and what it might be costing us. Pastor Joanne joins to reflect on how optimism shows up – not in spite of hard things, but in the midst of them. Because maybe hope isn’t naïve. Maybe it’s defiant.

In this episode, we explore the power of lament to name what’s broken, honor the stories too easily erased, and resist the demand to pick a side before we feel the ache. Pastor Joanne Engquist joins us to reflect on what the Psalms teach us about staying tender in brutal times, and why lament doesn’t need a disclaimer.

What does faithful courage look like in a moment like this?And how do we respond when basic human decency starts to feel rare?

Resources & Links:

* Northwest Immigrant Rights Project

* Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network

* El Centro de la Raza

* Global Refuge

In this episode, we revisit the urgent issue of hunger–but through a new lens: connection, dignity, and justice. Pastor Joanne Engquist joins us to talk about feeding families in crisis, why food justice goes far beyond charity, and how programs like Give.Share.Eat. are quietly disrupting cycles of fear and scarcity.

We’re a small church with limited resources, but we’ve helped distribute over 600,000 meals. That’s a lot of hope in motion. And maybe that’s the real point: not to wait until we feel hopeful, but to build it – one shared table at a time.

Visit GiveShareEat.com to learn more.

Want to make a difference?Volunteer for the next Give.Share.Eat. meal packing event on May 30-31. Visit GiveShareEat.com to sign up and learn more.

Looking for more resources? Check out Northwest Harvest to see how you can support the fight against hunger.

We also return to a moment from an earlier conversation with Pastor Susan and Pastor Joanne that helped reframe everything.

If you’ve ever struggled with hope in a world that feels heavy—this one’s for you.

A people cry out for a leader to save them. A promise of power and order. A system that starts with hope and ends in corruption. Again. And again.

And here we are—watching democracy unravel, watching the church get hijacked by empire, watching the same cycle repeat.

But what if we’ve been looking in the wrong place all along? What if the answer isn’t at the top of the pyramid, but at the bottom?

In this episode, we explore:🔥 How Dan Erlander’s Manna and Mercy reveals a deceptively simple but radical truth⚡ The prophets we’ve ignored—again and again🛑 White Christian Nationalism and its hijacking of faith🕊 Why God doesn’t enter from the top, but from the lowest and most vulnerable places

So here’s the real question: Where are you looking for hope?

Join the conversation on The Expedition, and let’s figure this out together.

Think about where the Israelites had just come from—Egypt. Under Pharaoh, they were human machines—valued only for what they could produce. No rest, no margin, just endless quotas.

But in the wilderness, God gives them a gift: A day to stop. A reminder that they are more than their labor.

The story is still unfolding, and the question remains: how will we respond?

As firefighting efforts continue, Lutheran Disaster Response is on the ground, working with the Southwest California Synod, Pacifica Synod, and local partners to address the immediate and long-term needs of those affected. You can learn more and support the work here.

Please take a minute to watch this message from Bishop Brenda Boss from the Southwest California Synod.

In this episode, Pastor Joanne discusses The Merton Prayer

My Lord God,I have no idea where I am going.I do not see the road ahead of me.I cannot know for certain where it will end.nor do I really know myself,and the fact that I think I am following your willdoes not mean that I am actually doing so.But I believe that the desire to please youdoes in fact please you.And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.

And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road,

though I may know nothing about it.Therefore will I trust you always thoughI may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.

I will not fear, for you are ever with me,and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

“The Merton Prayer” from Thoughts in Solitude Copyright © 1956, 1958 by The Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani.

In this episode, we discussed a variety of topics, including the song “Sanctuary” by Carrie Newcomer. You can listen to the song here.

Click here to make a donation through Lutheran Disaster Response.

But as people of faith, do we have a responsibility to stay engaged in the process? Helping us explore this question, is Pastor Joanne Engquiste.

Episode links: If you’d like to participate in the draft statement, you can do so via this link.

Visit www.GiveShareEat.com to learn more about Give.Share.Eat.

For more information on the "Why is the Farm Bill Important to Us?" event, visit bit.ly/WhyFarmBIll.

In this episode, we delve into the question of where God is amidst this tragedy and consider our responsibilities as people of faith.

This ideology often emphasizes the idea that a nation's character and policies should reflect Christian values and beliefs, often to the exclusion or detriment of other religions, beliefs, or principles.

A couple of days ago, the lenten season began with Ash Wednesday. The most recognizable ritual of Ash Wednesday is the imposition of ashes on the forehead in the shape of a cross. This act is accompanied by the words, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you will return. Ash Wednesday serves as a sharp reminder of our mortality, urging us to reflect on our lives, prioritize what truly matters, and seek reconciliation and renewal in our relationships and spiritual practices.

Jesus' commandment to "love your neighbor as yourself" implies a level of self-love and care that is foundational to loving others. Self-love in this context is not about selfishness or egoism; rather, it's about recognizing one's own worth and treating oneself with the same care and respect that one would offer to others.

From a faith perspective, Advent isn't just about marking days off a calendar. It's a sacred time set aside to prepare. The candlelight, the words read, and the prayers whispered, are steeped in meaning and tradition.