Messages by Rodney Whittenberg

Messages by Rodney Whittenberg

The God You Need

In today’s message, lay preacher, Rodney Whittenberg, asks us to consider the god we need in our lives – and that perhaps the different ideas of god over the centuries have all been in response to what the people of the time needed in their lives.

Small things Matter

Lay preacher, Rodney Whittenberg, talks to us today about how it’s okay to not try and solve everything at once. We know we can’t flip a switch and make the world’s problems disappear, but we can make small changes, and those small changes always matter.

The Idol of Fame

In Today’s message, Rodney Whittenberg shares stories about what it means to want to be famous, and what it means to achieve a bit of fame. Why do we look up to the famous, and what can we learn from them?

The Dialogue Institute

Lay Preacher Rodney Whittenberg speaks with fellow WellSpringer, Majid Alsayegh, as well as David Kruger from The Dialogue Institute about the importance of interfaith cooperation and understanding.

Angels and Saints: Eros and Awe

In today’s message, lay preacher Rodney Whittenberg shares clips from a movie he produced called Angels and Saints. It focuses on how people square their religious lives with their sexual identities.

The Economy of Joy

Rodney begins this week’s message by talking about the joy he feels when listening to music. He recounts a story of his typically-stern father making space for joy in his life too. After telling us about an experience where he saw a procession of people heading to a church, he shares a list of songs that make him feel joyful. Rodney is releasing a companion podcast to this one. You can listen to Rodney’s Music Ministry here. The Economy of…

Grease

Rodney talks about the first time he saw the movie Grease on vacation with a friend when he was 14. He mentions that when we are on vacation, we’re almost like different people. We go outside of our comfort zone, and we’re more present and mindful in our day to day because everything is new. Grease is a movie about a romance that began on a vacation. While some parts of the movie may seem silly, especially now, at its…

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…

The Camden 28

Lay preacher Rodney Whittenberg shares a story of growing up Catholic, and his amazement at people who are able to be nonviolent in the face of adversity. His Spiritflix movie is The Camden 28 – a documentary about a group of devoted Catholics who planned to break into a federal building and destroy the draft cards of hundreds of young men. The Camden 28 START OF TRANSCRIPT[00:00:01]The following is a message from Wellspring’s congregation.[00:00:11]Good morning, everyone, welcome to this week’s…

The Music of Friendship

This week, Rodney Whittenberg takes us on a musical journey through his life. He plays selected songs, and tells us about the friends he most associates with each piece. How can we use music now to be a healing force in these unprecedented times? How can we use music to stay connected when we must stay physically apart?