We have narrated the Christmas story in a fresh way for the benefit of our tamariki, but also invite everyone to enjoy the magic of this timeless and life changing tale.

In this episode of the Edge Kingsland lockdown podcast, we bring the Wholiness series to a close. Michael, Cath and Clint reflect on some of the central themes and ideas that have been explored over the past few months, and examine the intersection of these ideas with our real lived experience. They also explore what this way of thinking about ‘Wholiness’ could mean for our faith community and the kind of life we’re all invited into.

In this episode of the Edge lockdown podcast Michael talks with another of our wonderful Edge whānau - Julia Grace - as we continue our conversation on Wholiness. Here Michael and Julia examine the intersections of our own mental health and wellbeing with the important connections, relationships and communities that make up our lives. Julia shares some really helpful, humorous and wise insights in relation to the ongoing challenges we all face in our lives; especially as we hit our “wobbly” moments, and how we can hold space and cultivate relationships in which we have the language, strategies and empathy to care for one another.

In this episode of the Edge lockdown podcast on Wholiness, Michael talks with Kerry Manders about her experience over many years of helping people navigate complexity, the insights of team dynamics, and how we work through the tensions and conflict that can sometimes arise.

In this week’s episode of the continuing Edge lockdown podcast on Wholiness, we explore the complex subject of ‘Crisis’ and in it MIchael talks with another wonderful member of the Edge family, Tania White, who works in mental health. One of the unavoidable aspects of our lives is the reality that at some point we will all encounter crisis. And if it’s not our own, it’s crisis among those who we know and love. Whether it be about relationships, health, accidents, mental wellbeing, jobs and careers, even faith crisis... all sorts of unexpected occurrences arise that can throw our world into a tailspin. So what happens in our bodies and brains when we hit crisis, whether it be acute (short-term) or chronic (longer-term)? We explore some practical strategies and also talk through the place of our spirituality as a potent resource for anchoring and nourishing us through the midst of complex life events.

In this episode of the Edge lockdown podcast we continue our series on Wholiness by tackling the delicate, challenging and universal experiences of grief and loss. Wholiness is not about everything being shiny and perfect; instead it’s about our full humanness, including those parts of the journey that are layered with loss. In this episode Michael and Katharina talk through some different ways we experience and respond to grief and loss (including our common sense of loss in light of the current pandemic). In light of this they reflect on ways of navigating the journey of grief, the presence of the divine to us, and the possibilities of friendship in these moments and experiences.

In this episode of the Edge Kingsland lockdown podcast, Michael talks with Blair Franklin and Cath Gibson about the idea and practice of generosity. We discuss the impact generosity has on both ourselves and others, as those seeking to live our lives in tune with what it means to be the image of God. In particular we discuss the connections between generosity, contentment and empathy, explore the obstacles to living generous lives, and look at some practical steps away from a scarcity mindset toward an embrace of what we already have to give.

In this episode of the Edge Kingsland lockdown podcast, Michael and Clint discuss the idea of manaakitanga. As human beings integrated within an interdependent world of connections and relationships what does it look like to embrace ways of being that serve to affirm and enhance the mana of others? How do we take up a duty of care for those around us and the world in which we live? In particular, we discuss the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19, and examine the way that manaakitanga is found embedded within this story, leading to transformative outcomes for everyone involved.

In this episode of the Edge Kingsland lockdown podcast, we continue our Wholiness series by having further conversations with members of our Edge whānau around decisions and actions toward more sustainable lives. In this episode Michael talks with Moni Hogg about some of the big changes she’s making in her life around purchasing (or not purchasing!) goods and pursuing a life of minimalism. Michael also talks with Jireh and Andrew Stitt - a father/son combo - about their sustainable decisions (initiated by Jireh) around food, transport and navigating the complexities of that change.

In this episode of the Edge Kingsland lockdown podcast we continue our series on Wholiness, and this time Michael talks with Clint Gibson and Sophie Austin about how our sense of humanness and wholeness is connected to creation itself. We talk about what shapes their approaches to ecological thinking and behaviour, how they put it into real-life, everyday practice and the challenges that emerge as we seek to live differently in the world.