Holy Shenanigans

Tara Lamont Eastman

Holy Shenanigans shares stories that surprise, encourage, and sometimes even turn life upside down – all in the name of love. Your muse is Tara Lamont Eastman, a creative, feminist and pastor. Join her on a journey of unforgettable spiritual adventure that is always sacred but never stuffy. read less
Religion & SpiritualityReligion & Spirituality

Episodes

Everything Good About God is True - with Rev. Bruce Reyes Chow
Mar 5 2024
Everything Good About God is True - with Rev. Bruce Reyes Chow
Is Everything Good about God True?Join Rev. Tara Eastman and special guest Rev. Bruce Reyes Chow to discuss his new book to help the reader learn about a progressive, expansive, and generous Christianity Rev. Bruce believes that - "A better story of faith exists, and it has the capacity to heal the world--if we only embrace, articulate, and live it more courageously." What do you believe? Rev. Bruce is an active speaker and writer on topics of faith, culture, race, and technology. He hosts the podcast, BRC & Friends, and has authored five books most recently, “In Defense of Kindness: Why It Matters, How It Changes Our Lives, and How It Can Save the World” (Chalice Press, 2021) and "Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith" (Broadleaf Books, 2024).Bruce has been active in local politics and community organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area for nearly three decades. He has been an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) since 1995 and was the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church USA, 2008-2010. He is also a Senior Consultant and Coach with Convergence and is a Gallup-Certified CliftonStrengths Coach. Bruce has an active online presence and can be found on most social networks via @breyeschow with all current links here: https://linktr.ee/breyeschow.____________________________________________________________________________________________You Can Help with the Holy Shenanigans!Help send Rev. Tara to the T4T Soul Shop Train the Trainer event this April!By attending this training, Rev. Tara will be able to offer workshops to equip faith community leaders and congregations to minister to those impacted by suicide. To contribute to the expenses of this training ($2500+travel) go to: Buy Me A Coffee. Please make the note: "Soul Shop Training" in your donation, so we can thank you!Tara invites you to join her online discussion group this Lent. You'll be discussing the book A Different Kind of Fast: Feeding Our True Hungers in Lent by Christine Valters Paintner. Support the showWhen in Western New York, please join Pastor Tara in worship at First Presbyterian Church of Jamestown NY on Sundays at 10:30 am.
#164 An Icon-ic Lent with Kristen Wheeler
Feb 20 2024
#164 An Icon-ic Lent with Kristen Wheeler
How can this Lent be "Icon-ic"?Join Rev. Tara Lamont Eastman on a Lenten journey with Kristen Wheeler as they explore iconography as a spiritual practice.Questions To Ponder:How could engaging with Icons enrich your Lent? Your spiritual life?What is your "favorite" saint - and why?How do you engage in creativity as a spiritual practice? Kristen is a modern iconographer, fine art painter, creative photographer, inspired writer, vivid storyteller, and world explorer.  From Kristen:  "My soul is stirred by the colorful and dark creation around and within us and I'm influenced by equal parts pain and joy. Studying theology and the saints are my passion and I love nothing more than sharing that passion with others by teaching, preaching, and leading creative-based workshops and retreats. I'm a deeply spiritual individual with friends and family of every spectrum of belief and non-belief. I believe that if you are a good person to yourself and others, the rest of the details are lagniappe (as we say in Louisiana). I believe my only job as a Christian person is to be the best example of Jesus' love I know how to be. I live and love in Southeast Louisiana with my husband, Basset Hound, overly affectionate kitty, and massive collection of house plants, all of which keep me of sound mind and body."Kristen's Websites:moderniconographer.comkristenannwheeler.comTara invites you to join her online discussion group this Lent. You'll be discussing the book A Different Kind of Fast: Feeding Our True Hungers in Lent by Christine Valters Paintner. Support the showWhen in Western New York, please join Pastor Tara in worship at First Presbyterian Church of Jamestown NY on Sundays at 10:30 am.
Star Words for  2024 with writer Rev. Katy Stenta
Jan 9 2024
Star Words for 2024 with writer Rev. Katy Stenta
Welcome to a brand new year of sacred (non-stuffy) Holy Shenanigans! This season is exciting, with opportunities for fresh starts, but can be a time of overwhelming pressure to persue perfection. Well meaning resolutions can go sideways - fueled by sales efforts of the “wellness industry” in service to capitalism. There is another way to engage in new beginnings in ways that feed out hearts, minds and souls. 2024 can be a time to attend to and offer yourself spiritual practices that are supportive, compassionate AND sane! Join Rev. Tara Eastman, as she shares the spiritual practice of choosing an annual “Star Word” and gentle options for spiritual renewal with special guest, author: Rev. Katy Stenza. Katy Stenta is a PCUSA pastor, writer, workshop leader and community builder. She is currently vice moderator for Albany Presbytery, regular contributor to Sermonsuite and leads workshops on writing, particularly prayer and liturgy. Her conversational prayers and psalms are used by people and churches all over the world from KatyandtheWord.com and she is all but dissertation for completing her Doctorate in Ministry in Creative Writing as a public theologian at Mr Roger' alma mater Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Tara invites you to join her online discussion group this Lent. You'll be discussing the book A Different Kind of Fast: Feeding Our True Hungers in Lent by Christine Valters Paintner. Support the showWhen in Western New York, please join Pastor Tara in worship at First Presbyterian Church of Jamestown NY on Sundays at 10:30 am.
Expectant Advent - Love with guest Carolyn Whitehead
Dec 26 2023
Expectant Advent - Love with guest Carolyn Whitehead
Week 4 Advent into Christmas features special guest, Carolyn Whitehead, member of First Presbyterian Church of Jamestown NY, tells why her "aim is love" - in all thingsA Poem for Advent: Week Four: Love stuckThe greatest of these four weeks of waiting is: love.With all the hope waking, peace-making and joy breaking,I need the glue of love to make this stick.Please stick.I don't want these gifts to disappear like grandma's frosted sugar cookies.But in that case, at least they would be eaten, consumed, and used to empower the making of many snow angels, building of tall Lego towers, or playing marathon sessions of scrabble while sipping tea.Please stay love, I don't want youto melt like snow drifts above 35 degrees....be crumpled like old gift wrapping...or abandoned on the curb like a used Christmas tree.One candle for hope.Two candles for peace. (Inhale/exhale)Three candles for joy. J-O-Y.Four candles for love. (Please stick, love, please stick.)This Advent, I hope for peace and joy: emboldened - empowered and eternally stuck in our hearts by the power of love.Love - stuck!Light has grown. Four candles are lit. Illuminating the way with hope, peace, joy and the greatest: Love.You are the superglue we need. Please, stick.Copyright 2018 T.L. EastmanTara invites you to join her online discussion group this Lent. You'll be discussing the book A Different Kind of Fast: Feeding Our True Hungers in Lent by Christine Valters Paintner. Support the showWhen in Western New York, please join Pastor Tara in worship at First Presbyterian Church of Jamestown NY on Sundays at 10:30 am.
Expectant Advent - Peace with guest Dr. Chris Dahlie
Dec 12 2023
Expectant Advent - Peace with guest Dr. Chris Dahlie
Welcome to Advent Week 2: Peace with special guest Dr. Chris Dahlie , of First Presbyterian Church of Jamestown, NY. Dr. Dahlie, wrestles with the call to live peacefully, advocates for better communication and recognizes the challenge this presents to humankind. How can authentic peace be pursued?To follow along with Holy Shenanigans Podcast - and daily posts of #expectantadvent inspiration - visit us at Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. BIO: Dr. Chris Dahlia currently is a visiting assistant professor in the Communication Department in the State University of New York at Fredonia and has been an assistant professor there for the past four years. He is a native of Chautauqua County and a scholar/practitioner in audio production. He has been Chautauqua Institution Amphitheater's Head of Audio for over twenty years, and have worked as a resident audio engineer in New York City, Los Angeles, Auckland (New Zealand) and Chapel Hill (North Carolina). His dissertation at the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill was a technological and cultural history of live audio engineering from the mid-1960's to the recent past.A Poem for Advent, Week Two: Peace callPeace calls to...pause, embrace, act, contemplate, and exhale.Pause.Storms make me feel like running and hiding, when I'm frantic, can peace be present Peace.Embrace.In conflicts and hurt that push people apart, is peace working to break the ice? Peace.Act.When anxiety freezes me in inaction, does peace give a warm nudge to move? Peace.Contemplate.When swirls of activity tempt me to do, be and see all things at once... will peace slow me down to savoreach  beautiful      thing? Peace.Exhale.Filling of lungs can only be sweet, when exhale helps me let go of what is no longer of use. Will peace help me to release and fill my heart, mind, and lungs? Peace.Peace calls to...pause fear.Peace calls to...embrace a need for people.Peace calls to... act in life-giving ways.Peace calls to... contemplate beauty.Peace calls to... exhale and trust the oxygen to keep breathing is just on the cuspof letting goooooooo...Light one candle to inhale, light another to exhale.Peace.Peace.Peace.Copyright 2018 Tara L. EastmanTara invites you to join her online discussion group this Lent. You'll be discussing the book A Different Kind of Fast: Feeding Our True Hungers in Lent by Christine Valters Paintner. Support the showWhen in Western New York, please join Pastor Tara in worship at First Presbyterian Church of Jamestown NY on Sundays at 10:30 am.
Gratitude Matters Part 2: Sleeping With Bread with guest Mary Bogan
Nov 21 2023
Gratitude Matters Part 2: Sleeping With Bread with guest Mary Bogan
Why does gratitude even matter?In this special Thanksgiving edition of Holy Shenanigans Podcast, Tara talks with her long-time blogging (yes blogging) friend Mary Bogan about the power of observing gratitude practices that began over 15 years ago. Our shared online gratitude practices  (Click the green preceding text to read our Blog posts.) were sparked by the book, Sleeping With Bread, by Dennis, Shelia and Matthew Linn.We had no idea that our little Monday shared Blog would change the way we both see the world - as well as our spiritual practices. This little book, and Sleeping With Bread Mondays have changed the course of our lives, and helped us to, "hold on to what gives us life"; over more than 15 years and 2000 miles that separate us. We invite you to try on a new gratitude practice this November (and the months to come). As a source of consolation in our desolation - and good bread for the body, mind and soul!If you want to see how Tara is practicing gratitude all of November, follow her on Instagram at: Holy Shenanigans. To join Mary on her gratitude journey, go to: QuitecontrariantvarientmaryTo support this podcast go to: Buy Me A Coffee Tara Eastman(An introduction to the Linn's Book, Sleeping With Bread) What is Sleeping with Bread?During the bombing raids of WWII, thousands of children were orphaned and left to starve. The fortunate ones were rescued and placed in refugee camps where they received food and good care. But many of these children who had lost so much could not sleep at night. They feared waking up to find themselves once again homeless and without food. Nothing seemed to reassure them. Finally, someone hit upon the idea of giving each child a piece of bread to hold at bedtime. Holding their bread, these children could finally sleep in peace. All through the night the bread reminded them, "Today I ate and I will eat again tomorrow." (Linn, Dennis et al, Sleeping With Bread, p.l)Prompts To Try Your Own Examen Practice: Other Ways of Asking the QuestionFor what am I most grateful? Least grateful?When did I give and receive the most love? The least love?When did I feel most alive? Most drained of life?When did I have the greatest sense of belonging? Least sense of belonging?When was I most free? Least free?When was I most creative? Least creative?When did I feel most connected? Least connected?When did I feel most fully myself? Least myself?When did I feel most whole? Most fragmented?Tara invites you to join her online discussion group this Lent. You'll be discussing the book A Different Kind of Fast: Feeding Our True Hungers in Lent by Christine Valters Paintner. Support the showWhen in Western New York, please join Pastor Tara in worship at First Presbyterian Church of Jamestown NY on Sundays at 10:30 am.
Powerful Parables with Lisa Combs of Best Friends Books
Oct 10 2023
Powerful Parables with Lisa Combs of Best Friends Books
How do you create a more peaceful, happy world and peaceful happy kids? Through the power of parables and story and the help of children’s books that focus on development of positive social emotional  skills:  self awareness, relationship awareness, social awareness, emotional self management and responsible decision making. In episode 153, Tara talks with children's author Lisa Combs, from Best Friend Books, discusses the purpose of parables in the gospel of Matthew, and  offers the following quote from author William Broderick:"Once you've heard a child cry out to heaven for help, and go unanswered, nothing's ever the same again. Nothing. Even God changes. But there is a healing hand at work that cannot be deflected from its purpose. I just can't make sense of it, other than to cry. Those tears are part of what it is to be a monk. Out there, in the world, it can be very cold. It seems to be about luck, good and bad, and the distribution is absurd. We have to candles, burning between hope and despair, faith and doubt, life and death, all the opposites."  Taken from Celtic Daily Prayer Book Two Farther Up and Farther In p.888 ©2015 The Northumbria Community TrustQuestions for discussion:1. What book or parable has made the most impact in your life?2. Do you have a favorite parable in the Bible? What is it and why?3. What questions came up as you listened to this episode? You can send them  to us (and request to sign up for our email newsletter) at HSP at: holyshenaniganspodcast@gmail.comWe have over 30 book titles at: www.bestfriendbooks.com Best Friend Books YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@BestFriendBooks?si=HBBvELZbjKV8LYhmTara invites you to join her online discussion group this Lent. You'll be discussing the book A Different Kind of Fast: Feeding Our True Hungers in Lent by Christine Valters Paintner. Support the showWhen in Western New York, please join Pastor Tara in worship at First Presbyterian Church of Jamestown NY on Sundays at 10:30 am.
A Twenty Year Tale of Holy Shenanigans with Doug Pagitt and Rev. Tara L. Eastman
Sep 12 2023
A Twenty Year Tale of Holy Shenanigans with Doug Pagitt and Rev. Tara L. Eastman
Celebrate Holy Shenanigans Podcast's 3rd Birthday and 150th Episode in a conversation at The Wild Goose Festival 2023 with Doug Pagitt from Vote Common Good and Rev. Tara L. Eastman. In this episode, it's Doug's turn to ask Tara all about the sacred in everyday life and how over the last 20 years, she's been faithfully observing and practicing Holy Shenanigans.About Doug:Doug Pagitt is a possibility enthusiast. Through creative, entrepreneurial and generative efforts, he works to enlist people to join in the hopes, dreams, and desires God has for a more beautiful world. A proud, concerned and hopeful American, Doug Pagitt is a social activist. He is Co-founder and Executive Director of Vote Common Good, a national political non-profit dedicated to inspiring, energizing, and mobilizing people of faith to engage in civic life. Pulling from his experience as an author, pastor and business owner, Doug consults for and trains churches, denominations, politicians, businesses and non-profits throughout the United States on issues of culture, leadership, social systems, Christianity and Progressive Evangelicalism.Doug has authored 10 books on spirituality, Christianity and leadership, including: Flipped (Random House 2015), The Inventive Age Series (SparkHouse 2012), and A Christianity Worth Believing (Jossey-Bass 2008). His latest book, Outdoing Jesus: Seven Ways to Live Out the Promise of Greater Than (Eerdmans 2019), is a hopeful and provocative commentary on biblical good news exemplified through present-day ordinary people making extraordinary contributions. In 2000, Doug was founding pastor of Solomon’s Porch, a Holistic Missional Christian Community in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He also founded and remains active with the Greater Things Foundation, a charitable non-profit for empowering and fostering more beautiful, inclusive, and life-giving communities.Doug Pagitt has a BA in Anthropology and a Masters of Theology from Bethel Seminary. He lives with his wife, Shelley, in Edina, Minnesota and are parents of 4 adult children.  Doug is also a novice ultra marathoner who, on most days, wishes he was out on a run.Tara invites you to join her online discussion group this Lent. You'll be discussing the book A Different Kind of Fast: Feeding Our True Hungers in Lent by Christine Valters Paintner. Support the showWhen in Western New York, please join Pastor Tara in worship at First Presbyterian Church of Jamestown NY on Sundays at 10:30 am.
Faith in Harm Reduction with Rev. Erica Poellot
Aug 29 2023
Faith in Harm Reduction with Rev. Erica Poellot
In honor and remembrance of International Overdose Awareness Day, on August 31, 2023 this week's episode focuses on,  "Faith In Harm Reduction " with special guest Rev. Erica M. Poellot, MSW, MDiv.  Rev. Erica M. Poellot, serves as the Minister of Harm Reduction and Overdose Prevention Ministries for the National United Church of Christ and Executive Director of Faith in Harm Reduction. As a faith leader engaged in a long term healing process from substance use disorder, Erica founded `Faith in Harm Reduction' to co-create a justice movement which connects people who use drugs, their loved ones, and communities of faith through the development of harm reduction centered spiritual resources, ritual support, and spiritual care. With joint MDiv/MSW degrees from Union Theological Seminary and Columbia University in NYC, Erica is based at Judson Memorial Church in NYC. Erica also serves on the Board of Directors for Safehouse and the Peer Network of New York (NYS Union of People Who Use Drugs).Find Faith and Harm Reduction Resources at: * Faithful Advocacy for Intersectional and Transformational Healing in Harm Reduction Resolution * Spirit of Harm Reduction Tool Kit* https://generalsynod.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/F.-Harm-Reduction.pdfTara invites you to join her online discussion group this Lent. You'll be discussing the book A Different Kind of Fast: Feeding Our True Hungers in Lent by Christine Valters Paintner. Support the showWhen in Western New York, please join Pastor Tara in worship at First Presbyterian Church of Jamestown NY on Sundays at 10:30 am.
Reclaiming Rest with Kate H. Rademacher at the Wild Goose Festival
Jul 18 2023
Reclaiming Rest with Kate H. Rademacher at the Wild Goose Festival
Welcome to the Wildgoose  Festival 2023, "Ignite"!One of my favorite parts of Wildgoose is the opportunity to connect with new and old friends, to be reminded of the importance of supportive relationships and to carry these connections home - long after the festival has wrapped up. Our first interview is with a new friend - Kate is the author of three books. Her newest book “Reclaiming Rest: The Promise of Sabbath, Solitude, and Stillness in a Restless World" is available now from all booksellers. In addition to her role as a writer, Kate is a consultant focused in international public health. She also is the leader of, Writing for your Life, a resource center for spiritual writers.This episode's prose piece comes from "The Celtic Daily Prayer - Book 1" adapted to gender inclusive language.  It reads:“Their eyes, far-seeing, scan the horizon, the joys venturing of little boats. A torch burns clearly in their grasp, a faithful challenge to this generation -meeting, listening, heart-connecting. In their shadow is a place I covet, a challenge in a present time…While I live may I be the shadow of a Rock in a weary land, a shelter from the heat…"Questions for discussion:1. What does rest mean to you?2. Do you have a regular rest ritual or sabbath practice?3. What is it?4. Why did you choose this as your sabbath/rest practice/ritual?5. If you don't currently have a rest practice, how might you start one - what would i be?6. What are the most needed or important effects you need to gain from a rest practice?Gratitude to Wildgoose Festival for HSP being part of the 2023 Podcast Team. Thanks to Ian Eastman for sound editing and to Kate for sharing her story of reclaiming rest in this first feature interview from the Wildgoose Festival. To learn more about Kate, go to: https://www.katerademacher.com/To support our ongoing Holy Shenanigans, make a contribution by going to: buymeacoffee.com/taraleastmanTara invites you to join her online discussion group this Lent. You'll be discussing the book A Different Kind of Fast: Feeding Our True Hungers in Lent by Christine Valters Paintner. Support the showWhen in Western New York, please join Pastor Tara in worship at First Presbyterian Church of Jamestown NY on Sundays at 10:30 am.