Circle Stories

It was such a blessing to me to be able to talk to Louis Parrish and publish this episode on his 90th birthday. 1942 Studebaker “1942 Studebaker Champion Custom Club Sedan” by aldenjewell is licensed under CC BY 2.0 For more information on the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship see https://cbf.net/ TEN LESSONS FOR A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD, BY FAREED ZAKARIA https://fareedzakaria.com/ The writings of Kahlil Gibran https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/kahlil-gibran LOVE WINS, BY ROB BELL https://robbell.com/love-wins/ A NEW KIND OF CHRISTIANITY: TEN QUESTIONS THAT ARE TRANSFORMING THE FAITH https://brianmclaren.net/books-by-brian-mclaren/#name THE MYTH OF A CHRISTIAN NATION, BU GREGORY A BOYD https://reknew.org/book/myth-of-a-christian-nation-how-the-quest-for-political-power/ Hildegard of Bingen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hildegard_of_Bingen ORIGINAL BLESSING, BY MATTHEW FOX https://www.matthewfox.org/donation-store/original-blessing-a-primer-in-creation-spirituality

I had fun doing this and I want to thank all the participants for helping me out. The expletive bleep was used under attribution license and can be found at https://freesound.org/s/264862/

Ok. So I had a little fun with the intro this episode. And it’s possible I went a little fan boy on him as well. It’s my podcast. If you don’t know Gareth, to say he is a movie/film buff is to say the sun is hot. It’s true, but in no way captures the essence. Gareth’s movie knowledge is extensive and his passion unparalleled in any of my circles. Founder and organizer of film festivals, critic, reviewer, and commentator, Gareth brings his own experience to his love of movies. We discuss the power and impact of stories and eventually get into movies and movies as vessels for a story. I am going to try and list all of the movies we talked about but there’s a chance I may have missed one or two. Gareth on Stories: 1.) Is it true. And if not. Is there a truer way I can tell this story. 2.) Am I telling it in the most helpful way. “The key question is: does the story promote life.” “You’re a co-creator, with the divine, of the story of what’s gonna happen next.” MOVIES Bullet Proof Heart https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulletproof_Heart_(film) Kramer vs. Kramer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kramer_vs._Kramer Vertigo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertigo_(film) Silence of the Lambs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Silence_of_the_Lambs_(film) Big Hero 6 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Hero_6_(film) Blindspotting https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blindspotting Avengers: End Game https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avengers:_Endgame Two Lane Blacktop https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-Lane_Blacktop Limbo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limbo_(1999_film) Smoke https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoke_(film) The Fisher King https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fisher_King The Killing Fields https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Killing_Fields_(film) Ad Astra https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_Astra_(film) The Big Chill https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Big_Chill_(film) Dead Poets Society https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Poets_Society

Brian Ammons introduced me to Reid and then I saw her from time-to-time at Circle of Mercy. I wish I was as cognizant and well spoken of real issues as she is at her age. We talked COVID-19, her activism surrounding racism, and her background as a high schooler in Kenya. I forgot to start with a check in. My bad. Also check out Reid’s blog at http://shatteredsunsunblog.wordpress.com The song on the break is David LaMotte’s Home By Now Check out all of David’s work and activities at www.davidlamotte.com

I talked to Jen Folkers about COVID and her work as an ESL instructor for Buncombe County schools. The episode title is not a complete thought and you’ll have to listen to see what Jen says about it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guns,_Germs,_and_Steel Sound effects used under Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 international. The sound effects have not been modified or changed in any way. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode Record scratch https://freesound.org/people/luffy/sounds/3536/

Marc Mullinax and I talked COVID and higher education for a bit but then we dive into Tolkien. The Tolkien writings as comparable to our sacred texts. Think about that for a minute. Marc and I discuss that and the power of imaginative fiction (nee fantasy) stories . “All religion is imagination” says the Professor. I love it. Find Marc on social media at: https://www.instagram.com/marcmullinax/ We also talked about: http://www.richardpowers.net/the-overstory/ https://tolkienprofessor.com/ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpanH1YqxZ4C_R_BT-2NeSI74UBvEo62Z The title of the episode says it all for me. And its something I am trying to live into as well. I encourage you to get your story out. If you don’t, how can we hear it. I had to look this up because marc kept mentioning it, so I’ll leave this here just in case anyone else needs a refresher: allegory noun al·​le·​go·​ry |  ˈa-lə-ˌgȯr-ē  plural allegories Definition of allegory 1: the expression by means of symbolic fictional figures and actions of truths or generalizations about human existence a writer known for his use of allegory also: an instance (as in a story or painting) of such expression. The poem is an allegory of love and jealousy.2: a symbolic representation Liz and Elizabeth Music search @lizandelizabeth on Facebook and Instagram https://www.lihttps://www.lizandelizabeth.com/zandelizabeth.com/

Ok. To be fair, Brian and I don’t answer the question proposed in the title, but we make some headway. I thought I knew Brian pretty well, but I learned so much while we were talking. Did you know he taught Junior High? Well, ok, maybe you did. But did you know he holds a Masters in Special Ed in addition to his MDiv? Aha – got ya… you knew that too? I didn’t. Well maybe y’all do know Brian better than I do. We didn’t talk about hardly any of that. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. The song we heard in this episode from David Lamotte was called Hope. Find David’s complete catalog and all the other peace, light and life giving stuff he is doing at http://www.davidlamotte.com I wanted to address something I said about 5 minutes into the discussion. I said “the George Floyd thing.” Now, I edited out the extended period of silence and me stammering around trying to find the appropriate word(s) for the issues and actions surrounding the death of George Floyd and everything that has happened since. “Thing” is what I came up with and the conversation continued. As inarticulate and inadequate as labeling the incredible movement started by his death and subsequent events a “thing” is, I still struggle with what to call it. It is larger than his death – decades larger, centuries larger, everyday larger. Its more than Black Lives Matter, White Supremacy, white privilege, white guilt, white fragility. Its oppression, repression, violence, hatred, inequality, inequity, racism, Its a lot of, well, things. I am not trying to minimize the movement – just the opposite. I’m trying not to pigeon hole it or reduce it any way. Its too big and way too important for that. What do you call it? Anti-racism covers a lot. And I have a lot of work to do.

It was my pleasure to speak with Jane Wilson, recent graduate of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics – go Unicorns – and a part of my Circle of Mercy circle. We talked about how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted her school, family, and social life. And should you want to know what her favorite Thai dish is, and why wouldn’t you, she shares that as well. Thanks Jennifer for interrupting us right in the middle of a very deep discussion on the multi-layered controversies surrounding Episodes VII, VIII, and IX of the Star Wars saga to take her Thai order. She was a great conversationalist and a gracious guest. I forgot to hit record on the first part of our conversation so I made her repeat stuff. This might have thrown others off their game, but not Jane.

It was a pleasure talking with Dr. Beth Buys for this episode. Beth is a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist and the Department Director at MAHEC. I have complete confidence that OB/GYN residents coming out of her program will go on to be top notch practitioners. If you’re critique after listening is that I talked too much, then you’d be right. But I just couldn’t help myself. I promise my guests a conversational experience and that’s what we had – a conversation. The stuff before the break is pretty sciencey, but after the break we talk about how her family is doing and find hope and humor in the COVID-19 era.

Kelsey and I discuss the changes she has had to make in her work during the quarantine and the possible positives that may come out of it. We also talk about family interactions and how she and Jordan are coping creatively while staying home and staying safe. I hope you enjoy listening to her as much as I enjoyed talking with her.

One of the founding members of Circle of Mercy, Ken Sehested now focuses on writing and shepherding the next cohort of disparate prophets in the land. We talked of his times as a young preacher, a brick layer, activist, and the transition into his current role. Taking a step back from the activist and pastoral world seems to suit Ken well as he concentrates on his writing and publishing of his blog Prayer and Politks. "spiritual life is material life lived rightly"Ken Sehested

A grateful newbie podcaster wishes to thank Mahan Siler for sitting down with me and sharing some of his wisdom. Eighty five years young, Mahan and I talked about the current times from a perspective of shepherding, both the younger folks and elders alike, in his circles to be more active in the present while striving for the future change we all aspire to. We talked about the stories we all live and how we are shaped by those stories, emphasizing the promise of community and interpersonal interactions to realize our best selves. charleseisenstein.org Walter Wink's writings are best accessed by entering his name in the search engine of your choice.

My good friend and member of several circles in my life was kind enough to join me for a chat. Among other topics, we cover life during quarantine, share two analogies on the strangeness of this time, and generally have a nice time reconnecting over Zoom. When it becomes safe and appropriate to do so she will be resuming her Free Walking Tours Asheville business. She would like to stress that this Tour is equally enjoyable and informative for locals and tourists alike. Locals, you only thought you knew everything about Asheville, and you tourists are about to learn that there is much more to the AVL than just beer. LOOK HER UP! avlfreewalkingtours.space asheville free walking tours on FaceBook asheville_free_walking_tours on Instagram

Hello, my name is Karl Kauffman and I am the creator and host of Circle Stories, the podcast. I am talking to you from Asheville, NC nestled in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains where I live with my wife Karma, my dog Bailey and my cat India. This is the pilot episode where I will give you a brief overview of what i hope to accomplish with Circle Stories. I wanted to start this podcast to highlight the incredible richness, wealth and depth of the stories in my community. The idea behind Circle Stories began over a year ago and really grew out of my experience of attending a local monthly event called 5-3-1. This gathering was created by my good friends Gareth Higgins and Brian Ammons. What I experienced at 5-3-1 (5 stories, 3 songs, 1 community) was transformational. And I don't say that lightly as I am not prone to hyperbole. The stories were sometimes rough, sometimes polished, often unfiltered, powerful, well crafted, and poignant glimpses into the tellers life experience. But most importantly, always authentic. Most of us have at least some functional B.S. detector and can sense disingenuousness. So to deliver a story at 5-3-1 is to tell a story that comes from within often resulting in vulnerability and openness that oozes authenticity. As a listener and a teller my emotions have run the gamut. My hope for the podcast is to bring a version of that experience to you. That is why I started Circle Stories. The podcast will not be limited to stories but will also include conversations between myself and members of my circles and conversations between members of my community. You see, each of us are members of any number of circles that make up our lives: family, friends, spiritual, work, professional, teams, clubs, hobbies, and other communities. Finally, and integral to my life and journey, a word about my faith community, Circle of Mercy. This group of believers, skeptics, and non-believers alike deserve credit for offering myself and many others love, hope, service, support, and replenishment of the spiritual nourishment I/we crave. It's steadfast commitment to each other, the local community, and the wider world seems boundless to me. At the risk of sounding tribal in a world already too divided, these are my people. Our motto: seeking justice, pursuing peace, following Jesus. Circle Stories will touch on all these and more of the circles in my life. May you be as enlightened and enriched as I am when you listen in.