This week on the Something Beautiful Podcast I speak with my good friend Gerry Hanan.

Gerry grew up in Ireland where his dad owned a toy shop and he went to the same school as U2.  That wasn’t enough adventure for him though so he now lives with his wife and kids in Austin, Texas, where the weather is better.   He spends his time shooting fashion and beauty photographs, walking his dog and having adventures in prayer.

His story is well worth a listen.

The latest episode of the Something Beautiful Podcast is now available for your listening pleasure.

This week my co-host Thomas talks with William Stanger: Follower of Christ, husband, father, book lover, music fanatic, movie and coffee addict, part-time blogger, sports enthusiast (mainly watching!), exiled Scotsman on the verge of applying for Canadian citizenship who works for the Salvation Army.

Before and after William’s story Thomas and I talk… mostly nonsense.  But don’t let that put you off!

Have a listen to William’s story and let us know what you think.

We’re always looking for stories like yours so if you fancy sharing your journey then leave a comment and we’ll be in touch!

Photo by Thomas Mathie

The Something Beautiful podcast gets all reflective for Advent.

We’ve roped in our better halves to bring you words crafted by a variety of  talented people, including Jonny Baker and Roddy Hamilton, and music from So Elated, Adeline and others.  We’ve borrowed it all and arranged it in a neatly wrapped giftbox for you.

We encourage you to stop, to listen and to wait, pondering Advent and what is to come.

My co-hosts on the Something Beautiful Podcast, Jonathan and Thomas, asked Avril and I to share some reflections on our recent trip to the Holy Land for this week’s episode of the podcast.  So, if you want to hear more about what we were up to and our thoughts on our trip then listen here.

Every once in a while the Something Beautiful Podcast takes a break from talk and gets all musical.

This time it was my turn to curate an hour of music (all of it found online and licensed under creative commons) for your enjoyment.  For those of you who didn’t know, I used to be a DJ.  I played in bars and clubs in the early 90s.  I hung up my headphones a while ago but I have to say this was an altogether more challenging task…

So, what can you expect?  A summery collection of electronica for the most part.  I think it’s a great addition to any MP3 player for those long sunny days of summer…

Enjoy.  And let us know what you think!

The new episode of the Something Beautiful Podcast features an interview with Lawrence Moore, director of the URC’s Windermere Centre and author of Disclosing New Worlds, a fabulous lectionary blog.  It’s his story of his journey from Zimbabwe  where he served as a police officer in special branch through the civil war to a realisation of what he’d been involved in and a changed life and understanding of who God is.  Well worth a listen!

This week on the Something Beautiful Podcast we chat with BWG* Eric Bryant, author of the book Peppermint-Filled Piatas: Breaking Through Tolerance and Embracing Love, stand-up comedian, speaker, and a pastor on staff with Mosaic in Los Angeles.

from his blog ::

We live in a diverse world filled with unprecedented opportunity. There is a call to move past the barriers that stand between us and those who may be different. Eric Michael Bryant has seen tolerance shown to those who are different than us — racially, religiously, sexually, politically, economically — and believes there must be more. After all, Jesus didn’t just tolerate people; he embraced them all with love.

Using lighthearted humor, engaging personal stories, and a “party theology,” Bryant shows us how to love our neighbors and fulfill the vision Jesus had for the church from the beginning.

Whether that is through building relationships with the help of bounce houses, stand up comedy, or piñatas, followers of Christ will be inspired to actively engage the world around them.

Eric shares about his time growing up in the buckle of the Bible belt, some of his ministry experiences in Seattle and LA as well as the lessons he’s learned about tolerance and love along the way.

(*see the book for more info)

Adele Sakler (part 2)

If you missed part 2 of Adele Sakler’s (Existential Punk) story then have a listen!

I’m proud to be a co-host of the Something Beautiful Podcast.

For those of you who don’t know about the podcast our intrepid gang (Thomas, Jonathan and I) interview people who have a story to tell.  Mostly these are people of faith.  Many of them are people who have had interesting experiences of church and of life.  Stories are amazing, mostly because they aren’t opinion but rather a lived experience.

This week we share the first part of Thomas’ conversation with Adele Sakler (aka existential punk).  Adele grew up in a typical Protestant Christian family but in high school and college began to struggle with the issues between her faith and her attraction to other women.  She’s now come to peace with the fact that she’s gay and a follower of The Way and she’s become a bold voice about her faith, her homosexuality as well as her Chronic Lyme Disease.

From her blog:

My name is Adele and “i am thomas, doubter. i am judas, betrayer. i am nicodemus, reluctant in the night. i am st. john of the cross, soul darkened by love. i am a christian. i am not.” i am also “lost, wicked, and depraved but redeemed by the grace and beauty of God.”

i am a traveler who currently resides in Richmond, VA with my partner and love of my life, Katryna, and our two dawgs, Lady Dalmation, and Mushu, our Tibetan Spaniel. i am currently going through long-term treatment for Chronic Lyme Disease, other tick borne diseases, and heavy metal toxicity.

We realize that, like many of our guests, you may not agree with Adele’s theology — she realizes that as well — but we invite you to take the time to listen to Adele’s story and hear her story for yourself.  Take the time to hear her story and view it and her as an entire package, not just shunning her for what you may not agree with.  Then we welcome your thoughts and comments.  Drop us an e-mail or phone call and let us know what you think.

As an aside, Adele turns 40 today (april 2) – so look for her on Twitter and wish her a great one!

I’ve been promoted.  Have I mentioned this already?  Sorry if I have, but I’m now an official co-host of the fabulous international podcasting sensation that is the Something Beautiful Podcast along with Jonathan and Thomas.

Some of the students on the Youth Work and Applied Theology course at ICC feature on this week’s Something Beautiful Podcast (episode 2.3). Laura, Jay and Justin talk about their work in Youth Ministry and how they make sense of their faith in their work with young people.

If you stick with it to the bitter end and make it through me babbling you get a wee treat.  My youngest son Jack makes his second appearance in podcasting land doing the drop-in at the end.  He was struggling with ‘emergent’, but then who isn’t!

You might also have noticed I’ve added a Something Beautiful widget in the sidebar for your listening convenience.

I’m becoming a bit of a regular on the Something Beautiful Podcast, maybe because I’ll do pretty much anything for a latte and a cake.  Check out this week’s discussion where Thomas and I have a chat about Advent, hope, expectation, disappointment and recontextualisation (Thomas’ favourite word this week), all with the wonderful noises of Starbucks in the background.

Listen to the latest episode here and let us know what you think.  I’m sure some of what we say is not complete nonsense!!!