There are a lot of messages competing for our time and attention, some good and edifying, some not so much. Thankfully in our local communities in the Sword of the Spirit we regularly hear about how the Lord is working in our members’ lives and get to encounter the Lord in life-giving worship. But even in our most vibrant communities there is not always a strong exposure to what’s going on beyond our local community reality. There are a lot more people, a lot more stories, and a lot more things that the Lord is doing to heal, strengthen, minister, and send.
The idea of a podcast came up as a means to share about God’s work. Each month, our hosts Jon Wilson and Bridget Bonenfant catch up with a member of the Sword of the Spirit and have an in-depth conversation about the Lord, community, and the ways that we are being built into the living bulwark.
Below is a current list of podcasts and speakers available on both Spotify and Apple.
- Stories of Being Sought, Found and Sent Part 1 — Billy and Suzanne Kelly (February 16, 2023)
Jon is joined by Billy and Suzanne Kelly from Glasgow, Scotland. They swap stories of the Lord’s work in their lives, from Glasgow to Michigan and back again. 32 minutes.
- Stories of Being Sought, Found and Sent Part 2 — Billy and Suzanne Kelly (March 15, 2023)
Jon is joined by Billy and Suzanne Kelly from Glasgow, Scotland. They swap stories of the Lord’s work in their lives, from Glasgow to Michigan and back again. 28 minutes.
- Around the World in 30 Minutes — Martin Steinbereithner (January 18, 2023)
We’re joined by Martin Steinbereithner, who shares from his many years of living in and serving communities around the world, from Austria to Michigan to Poland to Africa. We discuss mission, consulting, community life and more. 30 minutes.
- Joy and Connection in Loss and Loneliness — Ashlee Shaffer (December 2022)
Ashlee Shaffer shares her journey of experiencing the Lord’s miraculous work, even in hard times. We also talk career, UCO and fellowship and outreach among young professionals. 29 minutes
- Learning to Expect the Unexpected — Mary Bogdan (October 15 2022)
Mary Bogdan shares about how the Lord used a dramatic disruption in her life to bring her to an unexpected place, and the fruit that this has borne in her life. 35 minutes
- Deep Roots — Ellen Gryniewicz (September 27, 2022)
Lifelong community member Ellen Gryniewicz describes the early days of the community movement and a few stories from her involvement with community over the years. 34 minutes
- Provision for the Journey — Betsy Schleeter (August 15, 2022)
Betsy Schleeter talks with Jon and Bridget about her family’s journey from Minnesota to Kansas City to be a part of a new community there, with lots of details about the Lord’s amazing provision, challenges faced, and grace received. 35 minutes
- Just a Kid from West Belfast Part 1 — Tony Silcock (June 16, 2022)
Tony Silcock joins us this month to talk about growing up in Belfast, his trajectory through Youth Initiatives, and his work now in leading the organization. 29 minutes
- Just a Kid from West Belfast Part 2 — Tony Silcock (july 15, 2022)
Tony Silcock’s stories spill over into this month’s episode, as the hits just keep coming. Listen in to be inspired by these tales of the Lord’s goodness and grace. 34 minutes
- A Merger of Wisdom and Energy — Nancy Miller (March 24, 2022)
Life is not the same at every age. The things we like, the things we can do, and the things we struggle with don’t stay the same as the decades pass. Nancy Miller from the People of Hope talks about what it looks like to share life in community with members spanning many generations. 29 minutes
- Answering the Calls — Jeff and Jackie Wald (March 24, 2022)
The Lord places many calls in our lives but what do you do when it seems like two calls two calls to mission don’t line up perfectly? Jeff and Jackie Wald from Community of Christ the Redeemer share about foster care, adoption, and life in covenant community. 36 minutes
- Why a Podcast? — Jon Wilson & Bridget Bonenfant (March 24, 2022)
Jon unveils his secret podcast scheme, and he and Bridget tell tales from their past. 30 minutes
Text and images © 2023 Sword of the Spirit NAR
Jon Wilson is the Senior Coordinator for Word of Life Community, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Bridget Bonenfant is a Mission Director for University Christian Outreach – Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.