Joy. A theology of celebration

Series Preview
Written By Jeremy Duncan

Doom-scrolling. Upsetting news cycles. Manipulating algorithms. There are big forces pushing you to feel bad about, well, everything. But deep down, we know feeling bad forever isn’t how we heal or shape a better world. Laughter, hilarious banter, not taking yourself too seriously – that’s the stuff that makes you feel alive. Can you imagine that the heart of God loves a good joke? A classic set-up and punchline. The zanier the better. And what if, when we come together in community to celebrate every blessing, we find that joy liberates us one hearty laugh at a time.

Featured
Joy of Friends
Joy of Friends

Join in as we wrap up our journey through the multifaceted landscapes of joy. In this touching conclusion, we traverse the delicate balance between the warmth of friendship and the cold touch of loss. Listen in as I recount the poignant tale of my dog Cedar's passing and the innocent, yet profound comfort offered by my young daughter. Through her eyes, we glimpse the intricate tapestry of emotions that joy weaves into our lives. Together, we'll explore the rich linguistic ties between joy, grace, and gifts within biblical texts, and how these elements intertwine to support us even through the darkest of times.

Joy in Spirit
Joy in Spirit

Bobbi shares a story about praying to be better at banter and how, over time, she found herself engaging in joyful conversations that exceeded her expectations. Through these experiences, she came to see banter not just as witty exchanges but as a way to connect deeply with others and even with the divine. Bobbie sums up her learning like this: "I could have easily thought that banter wasn't for me – that I wasn't good at it, and I should just let it go. But there's stagnancy in staying comfortable in a story you think you know. No, it's better to find the edges of ourselves and to push past premature endings.”

Joy in Song
Joy in Song

This week, we discuss joy as a shared communal practice. We examine what informs the theology of the Psalms (using Psalm 33:1-5 as our pimary text) and how the Psalms, in their intent and art form, can instruct us in our search for and practice of joy.

Hell, Armageddon, and Joy
Hell, Armageddon, and Joy

Through the shadows of the Babylonian exile toward discovering unexpected moments of joy with the enigmatic prophet Ezekiel. We peel back the layers of history to understand how these dark times were pivotal for Jewish literature and self-reflection, fostering a rich soil from which the Hebrew scriptures grew. Listen in as we unravel Ezekiel's apocalyptic visions, and consider how catastrophic events can unexpectedly renew our sense of joy in body and soul.

The Joy in simplicity
The Joy in simplicity

In our series kickoff, we recount the story of Abraham, where a casual lunch on his porch becomes a divine encounter, reminding us that profound experiences often hide in plain sight. Reflect with us on the intimacy of this moment and the human elements that make such stories relatable. We discuss how Abraham's hospitality and Sarah's laughter exemplify faith and humanity's response to divine promises.

Jeremy Duncan
Previous

The Joy in simplicity
Next

Easter Sunday