2026 Update, and Something I'm Really Excited About

Staci Mclean comes on the podcast to discuss the way churches engage, or perhaps don't engage, with neurodivergent people and their families. Staci is an author who has written on a number of topics, but her latest book, "A Place where I belong: Neurodiversity and the church" is the subject of this episode. In her book, Staci explores how churches can better embrace neurodivergent people and their families. The goal isn't just to make it so people can attend church, but to create spaces where they can really connect and belong. We talk about Staci's journey into this topic through her own parenting, how she stumbled across the same needs in others, and how she has gone on to help educate and work with churches to better live out their desire to love everyone. Find Staci at stacimclean.co.nz, or find her on Facebook or Instagram. ___Connect with me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠downtoearthconversations.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or at:Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@downtoearth.conversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Kathy Baldock is a writer, speaker, and LGBTQ+ advocate. She is a core part of the film 1946: The Mistranslation that Shifted Culture (see episode 106 with the film's director, Sharon "Rocky" Roggio). Kathy had a shift in her life in her fifties, leading to a shift in her faith and found a new vocation over the past twenty years. In this conversation we discuss some of that journey, and then dive into her new book, Forging a Sacred Weapon, which looks at how history conspired to lead to the inclusion of the word homosexual in the Bible for the first time in 1946, and the damage that has happened as a result. Follow Kathy at @kathyvbaldock on Instagram or check out her website canyonwalkerconnections.com___Connect with me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠downtoearthconversations.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or at:Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@downtoearth.conversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music by Strahan:Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Strahan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/StrahanMusic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/commonerscommunion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@strahanmusic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@commoners_communion⁠⁠

Andy shares an update on why the pod hasn't kicked off for the year yet, and shares about The Open Table - a new national gathering in June this year in Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland).Check out theopentable.nz for details or to register.

In this final episode of 2025 I share some thoughts on the year from a personal perspective before diving in to a recap of the journey we've been on together this year as a podcast. We've had some really wonderful humans on the pod this year and here are just a few highlights.Check out the links below to connect with this year's guests or keep up with their work.Jaimee Van Gemerden Sign up to Metanoia's emails at ⁠metanoianz.com⁠ Or find them on ⁠Facebook⁠ or ⁠Instagram⁠ Sharon 'Rocky' RogioCheck out the 1946 film - to find out where to view it, head to ⁠⁠1946themovie.com⁠⁠Find more from Rocky and the team on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠Twitter⁠, or ⁠TikTokCathy and StevenCheck out the Changes Ahead podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Follow them on ⁠Facebook⁠ or ⁠Instagram⁠. Phillipa HuntCheck out Satisfy Food Rescue on their ⁠website⁠, on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, or ⁠LinkedIn⁠. Kate and AlexCheck out Common Grace Aotearoa at ⁠commongrace.nz⁠ or find them on ⁠Instagram ⁠or ⁠Facebook⁠ Ben CremerCheck out Ben's weekly newsletter, ⁠Into the Gray⁠, and find him on ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠Threads⁠, and ⁠BlueSky⁠.Lindy JacombCheck out Olive Leaf Network on their ⁠website⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠ or ⁠Instagram⁠. And check out the Cult Chat podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Petra ZaleskiFind Petra on Instagram at @therevpetrazaleskiJess HallCheck out Jess's art on ⁠InstagramDale CampbellCheck out Dale's article that we discuss on the podcast hereAnd as usual I'd love to hear from you if you have any thoughts or feedback. Connect with me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠downtoearthconversations.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or at:Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@downtoearth.conversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Dale Campbell has a diverse background in justice related jobs and has done a lot of good thinking about how not to do more damage while trying to be helpful. He also challenges us in this kōrero to think well about what it actually looks like to love our enemies - how to resist evil while still seeing the humanity of others. A content warning, issues of sexual and physical violence are mentioned in examples given, so be kind to yourself.Here is a link to an article Dale wrote that has illustrations that show some of what we talk about in this conversation, so you may find it helpful to have a glance at that as you listen if you're not driving or whatever, or go and read the article later to embed what Dale is saying more deeply.But for now, prepare to be challenged, encouraged, and emboldened to live a life of love, even in the hardest of spaces. ___Connect with me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠downtoearthconversations.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or at:Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@downtoearth.conversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music by Strahan:Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Strahan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/StrahanMusic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/commonerscommunion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@strahanmusic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@commoners_communion⁠

Jess Hall, current Master of Theology student, joins me to talk about both her post graduate research project and her art, both of which explore the intersections of living as an embodied human and faith. While talking about things like menstrual bleeding on a podcast might be a bit jarring for some, it is important to normalise things that are actually very normal for many people, and help to reduce the stigma. By exploring this topic and how it might actually be helpful to spiritual formation, Jess takes it a step further and shows how engaging with faith through our lived experience can be highly beneficial to our faith journey, our identity formation, and our feeling comfortable in our own bodies. Check out Jess's art on Instagram___Connect with me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠downtoearthconversations.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or at:Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@downtoearth.conversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music by Strahan:Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Strahan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/StrahanMusic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/commonerscommunion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@strahanmusic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@commoners_communion⁠

Petra Zaleski is a chaplain at Auckland University, which we talk about a little in the kōrero. However, the main focus is on her own story of finding transformational love in the midst of pain. Complex PTSD leading to substance abuse threatened to ruin Petra's life but, instead, she found how powerful love is and began a journey towards wholeness. Her journey has filled her with compassion and shapes how she lives out her life as a priest. Content warning, we talk about substance abuse in the episode, and the subject of suicide comes up in passing, so look after yourself and take a break if you need to. ___Connect with me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠downtoearthconversations.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or at:Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@downtoearth.conversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music by Strahan:Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Strahan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/StrahanMusic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/commonerscommunion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@strahanmusic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@commoners_communion⁠

Having grown up in the Exclusive Brethren, Lindy Jacomb came to a crisis point where she no longer believed everything she was being asked to believe. Years later, having made a life outside the Exclusive Brethren, Lindy is now heading up efforts to offer support to anyone else who is looking to leave high demand religious groups. We talk about her own experience in the Exclusive Brethren Church and the challenges of leaving, what the Olive Leaf Network is and how it works to support those leaving high demand religious groups, and we talk about red flags and green flags when looking at the health of any group you may be part of. Check out Olive Leaf Network on their website, Facebook or Instagram. And check out the Cult Chat podcast wherever you get your podcasts.___Connect with me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠downtoearthconversations.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or at:Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@downtoearth.conversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music by Strahan:Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Strahan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/StrahanMusic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/commonerscommunion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@strahanmusic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@commoners_communion⁠

Benjamin Cremer is a pastor who spends his time these days in the online space in the intersection of Christianity and politics. Having grown up in white Christian nationalism in the U.S.A. Ben now gracefully explores how faith in Jesus offers a critique to policies and ideologies that many Christians actively support. We talk about his upbringing, the changes in his faith, the costs of those changes on relationships, and how his more open understanding of God has given him the ability to better love others. We also discuss how he interacts with people by challenging their beliefs and ideas, while still holding grace for them, even when he feels their beliefs are causing harm, which makes it an encouraging, but also very challenging, conversation. Check out Ben's weekly newsletter, Into the Gray, and find him on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and BlueSky.___Connect with me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠downtoearthconversations.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or at:Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@downtoearth.conversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music by Strahan:Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Strahan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/StrahanMusic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/commonerscommunion⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@strahanmusic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@commoners_communion⁠

Kate and Alex are the co-founders and co-directors of Common Grace Aotearoa. Common Grace is an organisation doing advocacy work and organising the church around key justice issues. While the Church is involved in much justice work at the coal face, there is also a need to work towards changing systems that oppress and marginalise, systems that cause some of the problems we then see. Common Grace Aotearoa is working at that systems level, striving for change.Kate and Alex and I talk about how they became passionate about this kind of advocacy and campaigning, what the focus of Common Grace Aotearoa is, and how they connect with the wider church to train and equip people for action. We also spend a bit of time talking about the upcoming referendums around Māori wards in local government, and why they see this as a matter of justice. Check out Common Grace Aotearoa at commongrace.nz or find them on Instagram or Facebook ___Connect with me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠downtoearthconversations.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ or at:Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/downtoearth.conversations⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@downtoearth.conversations⁠⁠⁠⁠Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music by Strahan:Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Strahan⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/StrahanMusic⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠facebook.com/commonerscommunion⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@strahanmusic⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠@commoners_communion