How to Be Afraid

How to Be Afraid

Can’t Unsee

Rev. Lee talks about a friend’s policy towards internet use with children: Before you click on something, think about whether you really want to watch, becauase once you see it, you can’t unsee it. She also talks about a reality show where drag performers put on shows in small communities to help let people know that there are all types of people in every community. She includes a parable from the bible wherein Jesus talks about men given land, but…

Darkness Visible

Ken shares a story from Anne Lamott wherein she talks about calling around to different friends asking about what Advent means to them. She doesn’t have much luck until she reaches a Jesuit friend who has 35 years of sobriety. He shares a dramatic event which happened early in his own recovery wherein folks at a 12-step meeting showed compassion to a man in a terrible state. The patience they showed then, evoked the feeling of Advent for this friend.…

The Gift of Fear

Lay preacher, Kathleen Higgins shares her message, beginning about a close encounter with a rattlesnake. She mentions the Gavin deBecker book “The Gift of Fear” which focuses on figuring out what is real danger and what is dread. Dread is more about imagination. She also shares a story about her grandson experiencing seizures, and a story about attending a conference of gun violence survivors where a fire alarm went off and frightened many people in the audience. The Gift of…

Scary Stories

This week, Rev. Ken talks about how he is a fan of scary stories, even horror movies, even living as a person with an anxiety disorder. He shares how sometimes, experiencing fear as a story can help us realize why fear is an important part of life. He also talks about being a fan of Taylor Swift’s album, Folklore, especially a song which seems to approach fear from a child’s perspective. Scary Stories [00:00:01]Good morning, Wellspring’s. It’s good to be…

Making Friends With Fear

Lay preacher, Rodney Whittenberg, talks about feeling afraid often in life, but reminds us that fear is sometimes a useful emotion. Fear can help us make decisions in our own best interests. To illustrate, he shares a story of his father feeling afraid while driving, and also a story from a friend of his who happens to be an Army Ranger. What happens when we embrace the fear we feel, rather than trying to shove it aside? Making Friends With…

With, Not In

This week, Rev. Lee discusses the concept of living with our fear, but not in it. This past week, with the election and the rising Covid cases, has made us realize how fragile and vulnerable we still are. Rev. Lee also admits her fear of snakes and shares a story about a recent encounter with a snake on a hike. In the moment, she was able to be with her fear, and realize that not only was it a harmless…

When, Not If

Rev. Ken begins our new Message series “How to Be Afraid” with a late-recorded message about the election. He remembers a slogan “Pain is just weakness leaving the body,” while recounting a time when he himself got injured during a half marathon. He also talks about the use and abuse of fear. There are some who believe that fear is only weakness, but the denial of fear is sometimes why people stop listening not only to themselves, but to each…