May 14, 2022
This week, SPECIAL guests Brandi Johnson and Jennifer Morris join Pastor Sara to talk about Jesus' commission in John 13:31-35 to love one another. Spoiler alert: it's a MESS. But the best, holiest kind of mess.
- Sara Gross Samuelson is a Pastor and Organizer at Storyline Community in Milwaukie, Oregon.
- Brandi Johnson is the Executive Director for LoveOne Laundry in Milwaukie, Oregon.
- Jennifer Morris is the Executive Director for The Father’s Heart Street Ministry in Oregon City, Oregon.
![Redeeming Revelation]()
May 7, 2022
This week there is a content warning as Stori and Jesse dive into Revelation 7:9-17. “End times” and the Book of Revelation can be really triggering or distressing for some, so Stori invites you to care for your soul and skip this episode or turn it off if it becomes too triggering for you.
Jesse gives us the context today and gives the caveat that it would take many, many episodes to really give the Book of Revelation and this passage all the context that’s really relevant but gives us a brief overview. Of course no discussion about Revelation and End Times would be complete without discussing the absolute travesty of the ‘Left Behind’ series.
As this episode was recorded on May 4th, they get a little nerdy and bring in some Star Wars comparisons!
In a book that has traditionally been a catalyst for 'hellfire and brimstone,' Stori and Jesse come away with a beautiful reimagining of empire and inclusion.
- Stori Long is a Pastor and Social Media Organizer at Storyline Community in Milwaukie, Oregon.
- Jesse Christopherson is Pastor at Milwaukie Lutheran in Milwaukie, Oregon.
April 30, 2022
Rayah and Anna talk about John 21:1-19 - a story about fishing that culminates in the fairly well known exchange with Jesus and Peter where Jesus asks Peter 3 times if he loves him. Anna relates the exchange to a scene in Good Will Hunting (if you havent see it, here’s a link to the scene. TW: discussion and photos of abuse https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQht2yOX9Js).
A lot of the conversation this week centers around why we feel shame when we fail, how to repair that harm, and restore ourselves and each other back to the community.
- Rayah is a local community member and theology nerd in Milwaukie, Oregon.
- Anna Hoesly is a Co-Pastor and Organizer at Storyline Community in Milwaukie, Oregon.
April 23, 2022
This week Sara and Jesse parse through John 20:19-31. This is the story of “Doubting” Thomas and they give us a lot of perspective into why that is a pretty unfair label for Thomas. Sara and Jesse also talk about the bravery of those who *weren’t* locked up in the upper room - namely Thomas and the women.
Sara invites us to reflect on the last time we felt the “I’ll believe it when I see it” vibe.
- Sara Gross Samuelson is a Pastor and Organizer at Storyline Community in Milwaukie, Oregon.
- Jesse Christopherson is Pastor at Milwaukie Lutheran in Milwaukie, Oregon.
April 9, 2022
This week Stori and Rayah talk about Palm Sunday and Luke 19:28-40. Rayah talks a bit about the specificity of the colt vs a horse. Stori gives us a taste of the womanist interpretation of the palm branch rally in the streets.
Rayah goes off a little bit about a recent christian hate rally in Salem which you can read more about here: http://www.teachergorman.com/blog/2022/4/2/open-letter-to-christians-in-the-united-states
Stori invites us to step outside the arena of respectability politics when the time is right - raise your voice or the rocks will cry out!
- Stori Long is a Pastor and Social Media Organizer at Storyline Community in Milwaukie, Oregon.
- Rayah is a local community member and theology nerd in Milwaukie, Oregon.
![PDA Makes Judas Uncomfy]()
April 2, 2022
Anna and Josh take us through John 12:1-8 this week! Anna gives us a recap on the scripture then Josh tells us more about the social and historical context. Josh talks about the unique factor in John’s gospel - intimate relationships with some sort of physical component. He sets the scene of a fairly intimate foot massage possibly making the rest of the folks in the room uncomfortable. Anna points out that not only might it have been awkward but there was also a taboo element to the social class.
They talk about what might be missing or lacking from theology discussions when the breadth of human representation across gender, race, and class isnt present.
For Anna the good news in this story is about taking a breath and pausing and looking around the room to find the spirit in the here and now. For Josh, the good news is a place for those that connect to spirituality sensually or sensorily, which often is rejected by Western Christianity.
- Anna Hoesly is a Co-Pastor and Organizer at Storyline Community in Milwaukie, Oregon.
- Josh Kingsley is Pastor at King of Kings Lutheran Church in Milwaukie, Oregon.
![Prodigal Community]()
March 26, 2022
Sara and Stori take this week’s passage - Luke 15: 1-3, 11b-32, the story of the Prodigal Son. Sara gives the context - this parable is grouped with the parable of the lost coin and the lost sheep, and it is only found in Luke. Sara also advises that parables were meant to be played with, not point to one “right” and concrete answer. Stori talks about a couple of things that this parable reminds her of - one of which is the last Star Wars movie (spoiler alert!).
Stori and Sara both talk about only fairly recently finding out the definition of the word prodigal, which is often misunderstood as “wayward.”
They leave us with a couple of questions - What is more important to follow - rules or relationship? What would it look like to love those around us the way the father loves his returning son?
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Stori Long is a Pastor and Social Media Organizer at Storyline Community in Milwaukie, Oregon.
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Sara Gross Samuelson is a Pastor and Organizer at Storyline Community in Milwaukie, Oregon.
March 17, 2022
Jules and Jesse work through Isaiah 55:1-9 in today’s episode.
Jesse gives the context of Isaiah - a people lamenting and longing to return to the land of Jerusalem and also hoping for that homecoming. Jules is struck by just how simple and basic the needs are that are being promised to be met - food, water, milk, and bread. Jesse talks about our privilege sometimes making it hard to empathize with being in a position of desperately needing these things. They talk about how often the focus we have is on lamenting the wrongs happening and wasting energy on them instead of doing things to fix them. Jules talks about a question that they often consider in organizing - what is the next most faithful step?
Julia Nielsen is a Pastor and Sacred Organizer with Leaven Land and Housing in Portland, Oregon.
Jesse Christopherson is Pastor at Milwaukie Lutheran in Milwaukie, Oregon.
March 12, 2022
This week Stori and Rayah dive into the 2nd week of Lent with Luke 31-35. In this passage, Jesus talks about Jerusalem being the place where prophets go to die. Stori explores the way prophets are often looked at as simply critics, but they also must have an incredible amount of love to stay in a place where they see the flaws and still stay there with the hope that truth can change it for the better. Rayah draws some parallels between Jesus wanting to care for the people like a hen cares for her chicks and those in power not being willing, to the way the government ties the hands of those that want to help care for their neighbors who are houseless and/or in mental health crisis.
Stori sends us off with a beautiful quote from Cole Arthur Riley in This Here Flesh.
Stori Long is a Pastor and Social Media Organizer at Storyline Community in Milwaukie, Oregon.
Rayah is a local community member and theology nerd in Milwaukie, Oregon.
March 5, 2022
Anna and Josh are our hosts this week. They dig in to Luke 4:1-13, a passage that talks about the temptation of Christ and his 40 days in the wilderness. Anna talks about how those with privilege can essentially turn stones into bread and that often came at others’ expense. Josh asks - what would Jesus be like if he hadnt resisted those temptations?
In this season of Lent, they encourage us to look at what we want to move closer to, rather than what we are trying to move away from.
Anna Hoesly is a Co-Pastor and Organizer at Storyline Community in Milwaukie, Oregon.
Josh Kingsley is Pastor at King of Kings Lutheran Church in Milwaukie, Oregon.
