Church Land: Let Go & Grow

Church Land: Let Go & Grow

Author: Institute of Religion Politics and Culture, Amanda Henderson, Iliff School of Theology June 5, 2024 Duration: 31:32
Listening to the needs in their community for housing and childcare led this Colorado Church to make a big decision. Rather than building a bigger church on the 11 acres they sat on, they decided to give the land away and develop a new non-profit with community partners. Does awareness of our history of land ownership in the U.S. shift the way Churches think about their land? “We don't hear stories in scripture of …and then Jesus went home to his house and went to bed, watched Netflix, and had a snack. Jesus's ministry was dependent on the hospitality of others, people welcoming him into their own homes. And so for us, this is a measure of that hospitality, welcoming people here to Heartside Hill to say, ‘You have a safe and secure place to lay your head at night.’” (Rev. Melissa St. Clair) In today’s episode, Amanda talks with Pastor Melissa St. Clair, who shares the story of Heart of the Rockies Christian Church, which, after years of work, is giving away most of its 11 acres to support a new community-centered non-profit that will provide accessible housing, childcare, and supportive services.  https://religionnews.com/complexified GUEST: Rev. Melissa St. Clair, Senior Pastor at Heart of the Rockies Christian Church in Fort Collins, Colorado Senior Pastor since January 2013. She delights in the bike lanes, running paths, hiking trails, and the open-minded people in Fort Collins and at Heart of the Rockies Christian Church. Melissa was ordained in 2008 at St. John’s United Church of Christ in south central Pennsylvania, where her extended family still resides. Her Master of Divinity is from Eden Theological Seminary (St. Louis, MO). Melissa serves as Moderator-Elect for the Central Rocky Mountain Region and chairs the Board of Stewards for the Center for Faith and Giving. She is an alumna of the Bethany Fellows and a graduate of Leadership Northern Colorado. She currently serves on the Leadership Team of the Ecumenical Circle of the Bethany Fellows. Fort Collins church to transform part of their land for affordable housing Collaborative housing plan at Heart of the Rockies church set for neighborhood meeting Abundant Ground: A Congregational Land Initiative: Does your church have an underused parking lot or land? Could an affordable housing community revitalize your congregation? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Complexified is a conversation that starts from a simple, uncomfortable truth: the forces of faith and power are woven into the fabric of our everyday existence, from kitchen tables to courtrooms. Hosted by Amanda Henderson of the Iliff School of Theology and presented by the Institute of Religion Politics and Culture, this podcast deliberately steps into the tangled intersections where belief systems meet policy, cultural norms, and social strife. We move beyond superficial debates to examine how these deep structures actually function, why certain problems feel so immovable, and where the possibilities for genuine movement might lie. Each episode is an effort to untangle a specific, knotty issue, listening for the underlying narratives and historical currents that often go unspoken. The goal isn't to provide easy answers but to foster a more nuanced comprehension, the kind required for meaningful engagement rather than repeated conflict. Tuning into this podcast means joining a rigorous yet accessible exploration of our shared life, acknowledging the complexity so often glossed over in public discourse. It’s an invitation to think more deeply about the roots of our divisions and the potential pathways forward, grounded in the conviction that clearer understanding is a necessary first step toward any durable change.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 97

Complexified
Podcast Episodes
Why Muslim Voters Feel Betrayed [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:30
Colorado State Rep. Iman Jodeh reflects on the political conundrums faced by Muslim voters amid the Gaza genocide and a growing sense of betrayal by traditional political allies. Jodeh shares how her community channeled…
Rejecting the ‘God of Trump’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:41
In this deeply challenging conversation, Dr. Miguel De La Torre confronts the “God of Trump” — a figure he sees as rooted in colonialism, capitalism, and dominance — and argues that for the most marginalized among us, tr…
When Religious Power Serves Political Force [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:52
As the political landscape grows ever more polarized, religious language has become a tool for framing debates in extreme, all-or-nothing terms. On the eve of the presidential election, Reverend Rob Schenck joins Amanda…
Exposing Soft Christian Nationalism [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:40
Recent research reveals that while only 10% of Americans strongly embrace Christian nationalist views, a broader 34% sympathize with its underlying principles. Reporter Jack Jenkins joins Amanda Henderson to explore how…
When Public Dollars Pay for Religious Education [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:48
The growing controversy surrounding school vouchers and their use in private religious education is once again emerging. With public dollars increasingly directed toward faith-based schools, the question arises: Does thi…
The Hindu Vote: Flipping the Script [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:07
The changing political landscape of Hindu Americans: we explore their shifting alliances from traditional Democratic loyalties to a growing alignment with the right. Host Amanda Henderson and RNS Hindu reporter Richa Kar…
Women’s Work: a Catholic Conundrum [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:57
In this episode, we sit down with Claire Giangravé, a Vatican correspondent for Religion News Service, to explore the pivotal discussions happening at the Synod on Synodality. With nearly 400 leaders of the Roman Catholi…
Imagining a Land of Belonging [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:56
"The modern world is impossible to narrate without the idea of land as property and the seizing of land as property." "Imagination is our gift in creating and building new worlds." In this episode, Amanda talks with Dr.…
Dividing Lines: Life on the Border [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:14
What makes someone leave everything they know? Why do people risk their lives crossing treacherous deserts into a land they are not welcome in? Migration Activist and Humanitarian Dora Rodriguez shares her story of survi…
Land of the Violent [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:00
As bodies were burning from this massacre at the Mystic River in Massachusetts in 1637, pious settlers gave thanks to God for the victory- and even identified that the bodies burning were a “sweet-smelling savor in the n…