In the wake of the global pandemic and long season that called the 'church" to be church in new and innovative ways - is creativity in a state of crisis or growth? Clergywoman and church consultant Rev. Dr. Karen Chamis invites churches and church leaders to move beyond dreaming - to bring dreams to fruition. Karen believes that creativity empowered is key to helping individuals and organizations to live in alignment with their purpose . Listen to a conversation with Karen and Tara, at the Athen...
May 16, 2023•30 min•Season 4Ep. 26
Special Guest Suzanne John Blacksnake, member of the Seneca Nation (Deer Clan) and Elder from Jimersontown Presbyterian Church. In Episode 140 of Holy Shenanigans Podcast, Suzanne shares the history of Seneca peoples, their complex relationship with Presbytery of WNY - as well as ways her church ( Jimersontown Presbyterian Church ) is working for healing and a hopeful future. She resides on the Allegany territory and grew up on the Allegany territory, later moving to Buffalo to attend Medaille C...
May 09, 2023•26 min•Season 4Ep. 25
LIVE is... Love, Intention, Verve and Ease. At least for Tara - for her it's a rule of life - or at least, and intention. How can learning what your strengths are, and leaning into them help you to LIVE? Listen for more on the power of questions, learning and leaning into your strengths - and truly LIVE-ing. Send Tara a Text Message Support the show Rev. Tara Lamont Eastman is a pastor, podcaster and host of Holy Shenanigans since September of 2020. Eastman combines her love of ministry with her...
May 02, 2023•23 min•Season 4Ep. 24
What is spiritual shepherding? Learn the basics of spiritual direction from spiritual director Nancy Wagner. Nancy Wager is a Deacon on the Roster of Word and Service with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Nancy holds BS and MS degrees in Elementary Education from SUNY Cortland, a Master of Arts in Applied Theology degree from Wheeling Jesuit University and a certificate in Spiritual Formation from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. She is a Spiritual Director having received her ...
Apr 25, 2023•31 min•Season 4Ep. 23
Waiting can lead to impatience OR impatiens. Impatiens? Tara tells a story of her childhood neighbor Ms. Estella and how the imptiens she grew, were a lesson of grace. Can we be more like impatens in our waiting? Send Tara a Text Message Support the show Rev. Tara Lamont Eastman is a pastor, podcaster and host of Holy Shenanigans since September of 2020. Eastman combines her love of ministry with her love of writing, music and visual arts. She is a graduate of Wartburg Theological Seminary’s The...
Apr 18, 2023•15 min•Season 4Ep. 22
Today's guest Lilly Lewin is a worship curator, author, artist, and founder of Thinplace NASHVILLE, and Finding Your Thinplace . She creates sacred space prayer experiences and leads workshops and retreats on sabbath and prayer and pilgrimages to help people discover their thinplace..the place where they feel God’s pleasure and presence. Her passion is to help people of all ages engage God using all their senses and bring art & artists back to church. Lilly and her husband Rob live in Nashvi...
Apr 11, 2023•32 min•Season 4Ep. 21
What signs of Spring are you looking for? The Easter Season is here to bring gifts of renewal and hope - and the gift of a conversation with author Roger Hutchison regarding the publication and release of two new books, Sparrow's Prayer and The Art of Calm (April 19). Join Roger and Tara for a heart to heart about the broken and beautiful - as they see and hear signs of new life in sparrows, bluebirds and books. Roger Hutchison is an author, illustrator, educator, and director of Christian Forma...
Apr 04, 2023•33 min•Season 4Ep. 20
In anticipation of Palm Sunday and Holy Week, P. Tara and John Fong discuss tools of spiritual vitality in times of change. John Fong is a Hybrid Church Growth Communications Consultant. A Synod of NE Innovation grant recipient, he is currently working with presbyteries and churches in three Synods. John uses church growth case studies, focuses on creating result/data-proven programs that help churches increase exposure, engagement, enhance overall communication, hybrid authenticity, and help ch...
Mar 28, 2023•24 min•Season 4Ep. 19
Listen to "notes" of gratitude featuring David Horne - Minister of Music at Jamestown First Presbyterian Church. He arrived in WNY in 2018, to help care for his father, after serving as Choral Director and Chapel Organist at Tabor Academy, in Massachusetts. Send Tara a Text Message Support the show Rev. Tara Lamont Eastman is a pastor, podcaster and host of Holy Shenanigans since September of 2020. Eastman combines her love of ministry with her love of writing, music and visual arts. She is a gr...
Mar 21, 2023•25 min•Season 4Ep. 18
This week, Dawn Trautman and Tara share a conversation about gratitude in the midst of Lent. How do Lent and gratitude mix? In the grit of life does gratitude actually matter??? Who is Dawn? Dawn Trautman founded Big Picture Big Purpose in 2005 to coach ministry professionals, academics, and non-profit leaders into healthy change-makers in their personal and professional lives. What sets her apart from other coaches is her proprietary process called “Discern by Doing,” which helps people take ac...
Mar 14, 2023•21 min•Season 4Ep. 17
How can we, in grief-filled times, have our cups filled to overflowing? Could gratitude have something to do with resilient living? Tara looks to Psalm 23 and the research of Dr. Lucy Hone - and shares a personal account of walking with grief, with the help of gratitude. Send Tara a Text Message Support the show Rev. Tara Lamont Eastman is a pastor, podcaster and host of Holy Shenanigans since September of 2020. Eastman combines her love of ministry with her love of writing, music and visual art...
Mar 07, 2023•12 min•Season 4Ep. 17
This Lent, I am looking up, thanks to a reminder this week thanks to some yellow balloons, old helium tanks and quick spaghetti. My spiritual practice this Lent, is to take a photo each day of small AND important things and post a note of gratitude for them on my Instagram page with the hashtag #gratitudematters AND #lent23 I invite you to join me in this Lenten Photo Practice celebrating the small AND important things of life with gratitude. Simply tag us with #holyshenaniganspodcast #gratitude...
Feb 28, 2023•10 min•Season 4Ep. 15
Rev. Tara shares a heart-to-heart conversation guest Andrea DiMaio on the unlikely intersections between changing the narrative around bodies, movement, exercise and outdoor representation of all bodies and traditions of the Lenten season. Don't miss this mountain-top experience that invites everyone to seek the dream of their life - and climb the mountain (or whatever you dream of) NOW! About our guest: Andrea DiMaio is the founder of Ample Movement , a Yoga For All ( Certified Instructor and a...
Feb 21, 2023•29 min•Season 4Ep. 14
Tara welcomes Therese Taylor-Stinson, author of Walking the Way of Harriet Tubman: Public Mystic and Freedom Fighter (Broadleaf Books). They discuss public mysticism, internal liberation, and perseverance. About our guest: Therese Taylor-Stinson is a writer, spiritual director, ordained deacon, and ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA). A graduate of the Shalem Institute and a member of the Shalem Society for Contemplative Leadership, she is also the Founding Managing Member of the Spiri...
Feb 14, 2023•38 min•Season 4Ep. 13
Do You Love Me? Check YES or NO Valentine's Day gives the opportunity to consider all the ways we can say, "Yes", "No" or "Maybe" to love - or welcome. Tara shares an experience of home insecurity, how the words of Christ inspire being on the side of welcome, and a lesson to never give up the search for love from the Mexican ritual of La Posada. (Inspired by writings of Clarissa Pinkola Estes' book: Untie the Strong Woman.) This Valentine's Day, will our Yeses to be Yes? Will our Nos to be No? O...
Feb 07, 2023•15 min•Season 4Ep. 12
What do you think it means to stay salty? To help us start to unpack this idea, Tara hits the streets as a roving podcaster to ask this question: "When you hear the phrase ' stay salty', what does it mean to you?" Sound Effects from Pixabay . Send Tara a Text Message Support the show Rev. Tara Lamont Eastman is a pastor, podcaster and host of Holy Shenanigans since September of 2020. Eastman combines her love of ministry with her love of writing, music and visual arts. She is a graduate of Wartb...
Jan 31, 2023•12 min•Season 4Ep. 11
Have you ever received an upside-down blessing? Upside-down blessings are a close cousin to a Holy Shenanigan - they are gifts of grace that take us off guard and give opportunities to learn a needed lesson. Send Tara a Text Message Support the show Rev. Tara Lamont Eastman is a pastor, podcaster and host of Holy Shenanigans since September of 2020. Eastman combines her love of ministry with her love of writing, music and visual arts. She is a graduate of Wartburg Theological Seminary’s Theologi...
Jan 24, 2023•12 min•Season 4Ep. 10
It’s a new year to begin again and consider what this next trip around the sun might offer us. What do we need more of - less of … what are we fishing for? Join Tara on a fishing trip to fill the heart and soul of community! Thanks to Janita Byers for sharing her poetry with us today. Sound Effect from Pixabay . Send Tara a Text Message Support the show Rev. Tara Lamont Eastman is a pastor, podcaster and host of Holy Shenanigans since September of 2020. Eastman combines her love of ministry with...
Jan 17, 2023•13 min•Season 4Ep. 9
It's moving week, but Tara takes a few minutes to ponder 3 1/2 Questions About Love with Ian the Sound Guy. Send Tara a Text Message Support the show Rev. Tara Lamont Eastman is a pastor, podcaster and host of Holy Shenanigans since September of 2020. Eastman combines her love of ministry with her love of writing, music and visual arts. She is a graduate of Wartburg Theological Seminary’s Theological Education for Emerging Ministry Program and the Youth and Theology Certificate Program at Prince...
Jan 10, 2023•12 min•Season 4Ep. 8
The season of Christmas is finally here, but our journey to seek Christ is just beginning. For Christ, Christmastide brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh given by star-following Magi.We, like the Magi, follow a star that carries us into a New Year yet unseen. What gifts will Christmastide bring? Join me and Rev. Lindsey in a conversation where we can bring all our questions about the Magi. Rev. Lindsey (they/them) is an astrologer and pluralist pastor. Lindsey's school, Maker of the Bea...
Jan 03, 2023•29 min•Season 4Ep. 7
The season of Christmas is finally here! Tara is celebrating the holiday season with a collection of phone messages filled with holiday wishes from Holy Shenanigans podcast listeners. 'Tis the season for hope, peace, joy and love as we proclaim together: JOY TO THE WORLD! Special music in this episode provided by Music by Daddy_s_Music from Pixabay . Send Tara a Text Message Support the show Rev. Tara Lamont Eastman is a pastor, podcaster and host of Holy Shenanigans since September of 2020. Eas...
Dec 27, 2022•13 min•Season 4Ep. 6
We all can use a moment of peace in this last dash towards the holidays. Tara dips into Christmas past with a story from her high school choir days, offers a song and some space to help you experience peace in the present, and shares a blessing to travel with you into the future. Send Tara a Text Message Support the show Rev. Tara Lamont Eastman is a pastor, podcaster and host of Holy Shenanigans since September of 2020. Eastman combines her love of ministry with her love of writing, music and v...
Dec 20, 2022•12 min•Season 4Ep. 5
The season of Advent, of waiting for Christmas, is here and all month long Tara is sharing stories and resources to help point you to hope, peace, joy and love. This week she shares how, even in the midst of struggles and questions, Love IS with US! Send Tara a Text Message Support the show Rev. Tara Lamont Eastman is a pastor, podcaster and host of Holy Shenanigans since September of 2020. Eastman combines her love of ministry with her love of writing, music and visual arts. She is a graduate o...
Dec 13, 2022•10 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Tara has an uplifting conversation about joy with Dandi Daley Mackall , author of the new devotional Three Wise Women (Paraclete Press). Dandi is an award-winning author of over 500 books for children and adults. Send Tara a Text Message Support the show Rev. Tara Lamont Eastman is a pastor, podcaster and host of Holy Shenanigans since September of 2020. Eastman combines her love of ministry with her love of writing, music and visual arts. She is a graduate of Wartburg Theological Seminary’s The...
Dec 06, 2022•22 min•Season 4Ep. 3
Tara continues sharing sharing stories and resources to help point you towards the hope, peace, joy and love of Christmas. Send Tara a Text Message Support the show Rev. Tara Lamont Eastman is a pastor, podcaster and host of Holy Shenanigans since September of 2020. Eastman combines her love of ministry with her love of writing, music and visual arts. She is a graduate of Wartburg Theological Seminary’s Theological Education for Emerging Ministry Program and the Youth and Theology Certificate Pr...
Nov 29, 2022•9 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Every week until Christmas Tara will be sharing stories and resources to help you cultivate hope, peace, joy and love. Plan on taking this journey together with Holy Shenanigans in what we are calling #expectantadvent. Today's guest is Matt Kenzeria author of Bring It Home and host of the Chasing Goodness podcast. He shares an inspiring story of hope that you will not want to miss! Special thanks also to Suzanne Kendziera for sharing her song as this week's poem: Praises to My King - Copyright S...
Nov 22, 2022•28 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Tara talks about two important women in her life: her mother and her mother-in- love and the hymn that connects them both. This episode is dedicated to the memory of Janet Eastman, 1936 - 2022. Send Tara a Text Message Support the show Rev. Tara Lamont Eastman is a pastor, podcaster and host of Holy Shenanigans since September of 2020. Eastman combines her love of ministry with her love of writing, music and visual arts. She is a graduate of Wartburg Theological Seminary’s Theological Education ...
Nov 15, 2022•16 min•Season 3Ep. 52
Imagine quitting your job, selling your car, and hitting the road on a cross-country journey. with a trio of dogs Today's guest, Tracy Wright , did just that. She caught up with Tara to share the exciting life lessons she is learning on the road. Join us in gratitude practices all month long #yestotheblesschallenge Send Tara a Text Message Support the show Rev. Tara Lamont Eastman is a pastor, podcaster and host of Holy Shenanigans since September of 2020. Eastman combines her love of ministry w...
Nov 08, 2022•18 min•Season 3Ep. 51
Let's make November a time for blessing, thanks and gratitude. Tara invites you to Say YES to the BLESS by taking part in everyday practices of thanksgiving all month long. Send Tara a Text Message Support the show Rev. Tara Lamont Eastman is a pastor, podcaster and host of Holy Shenanigans since September of 2020. Eastman combines her love of ministry with her love of writing, music and visual arts. She is a graduate of Wartburg Theological Seminary’s Theological Education for Emerging Ministry...
Nov 01, 2022•13 min•Season 3Ep. 50
Bill Withers sang "we all need somebody to lean on." Tara muses about the practices and people we need to help us see the sacred in the everyday experiences of life. Ready? Hop on the Holy Shenanigans bus! Thanks to Rev RH Hart for asking this question all those years ago at Institute for Youth Ministry at Princeton Theological Seminary. Sound Effects from Pixabay . Send Tara a Text Message Support the show Rev. Tara Lamont Eastman is a pastor, podcaster and host of Holy Shenanigans since Septem...
Oct 25, 2022•12 min•Season 3Ep. 49
