E016 Rev Purple Roldela Atheism and Spirituality

Let’s Be Well Together Podcast - Episode 16
Date: May 17, 2022

Participants: John Webster, Sammy Damaren, Cameron Earnshaw and Sheila Webster
Guest: Rev. Jessica Purple Rodela and Charles Volk

Start times and Segment Segments:

[0:00:19] What’s On Your Mind: Sammy and John discuss social support networks.

[0:08:06] Expanding Minds Interview: [Spiritual Wellness] We interview Rev. Jessica Purple Roldela of the Unitarian Congregation. She with us about spirituality in the context of atheism. There’s a sense of connectedness. For unitarian universalists, the question “what do you believe?” would have lots and lots of different answers, because they don’t have a common sense of beliefs, but they have a sense of covenant with each other.

[0:24:18] Adventures of the Starving Artist: Cameron has a new chat with U.K. mixing engineer Charles Volk. They discuss collaborative work in the music world.

Connect with Charles on Instagram: @charleshenryvolk
or on his website: https://www.charleshenryvolk.com

[0:32:22] Move That Body: We start something new – chatting with friends, family, listeners and guests about their favourite way to move that body, and how great it makes them feel. Today, we start with Rosa Lupo, who enjoys walking and running.

[0:41:40] Running Popup: John’s excited by what he’s learning in podcast discussion and interviews. He now sees resilience in a new light – part of a shield or armour that protects wellness.

[0:46:21] Flipside of the Coin: When you find yourself in a deep hole, it helps to stop digging.

Quotes and Take-Aways:

Sammy – I think that’s a big part too, which is surrounding yourself with right people, who add value to your life, in the sense of love and happiness and things like intellectual conversations or just support.

Sammy – It’s a two-way street. You can’t always be the one your friends are reaching out to. You also have to show that effort and show that love back.

John – if you can build up that social support network, then you have these different people who have these different strengths and can help you in these different times of different needs.

Rev. Jess – If you take it down to the root of the word spirituality, the word comes from the word for breath. What connects us literally and physically to life is our breath.

Rev. Jess – We have this weird idea sometimes, these entrenched views, that the sacred has to be separate from the secular, or that some things are holy and some things are not, that it’s a very special category, or that religion is always framed around belief. For unitarian universalists, the question “what do you believe?” would have lots and lots of different answers, because we don’t have a common sense of beliefs, but we have a sense of covenant with each other. A promise at how we’re going to work together, communicated together and be together, not in spite of, but because of those differences, which makes us richer.

John – If there’s nothing else you get from our show, please hear the message to incorporate regular physical exercise in your everyday life and everything feels better.

Bulletin Board Quote brought to you by Rosa: She kinda looks like she doesn’t say no to a cookie either.

Guest Information: Rev. Jessica grew up in Panama, during the tumultuous sovereignty negotiations of the 1970's. Her family returned to Texas in 1979. She lived in various U.S. states. Before entering the ministry, she worked as a high school English teacher, a freelance writer, and a logistics analyst.  She graduated in 2008 from Meadville Lombard Theological School, a Unitarian Universalist seminary in Chicago where she co-founded the anti-racism forum The Kaleidoscope Initiative. She gave an Award-winning sermon “Can't We All Get Along? Loving Your (Political) Opponent” She wrote “The Prayer of the War Atheist”, which was published. She moved to Canada in 2008 and serves Grand River Unitarian Congregation. Rev. Jessica is a mentor to ministerial candidates and chaplaincy students.

Canadian Unitarian Council website: https://cuc.ca/

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E017 Ruby Konkol IBD and Personal Growth

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E015 Elisa Brewer-Singh Suicide and Seeking Help