The New Awaken Kindness with DaRevsUSA, your hosts the Rev. Dr. Penny Taylor and/or Rev. Dr. Bill Ressl

The Light Within

In this episode Penny and Bill dive deep exploring the light within that overcomes life’s anxieties. Discover God’s grace and see the light of Christ’s love alive in the world. Discover that darkness can seem to be all around, but light overtakes darkness ~ and that light is God’s grace that is deep within each of us. Penny and Bill share a message grounded in the gospel of John, Chapter 1, verses 1-18 originally presented online. Come explore the possibilities.
 
Welcome to the New Awaken Kindness with DaRevsUSA with your hosts Rev. Dr. Penny Taylor and Rev. Dr. Bill Ressl. Each message explores the challenge of this lived reality through the lens of goodness, hope, and love found in the scriptures of the Christian tradition. About 10 to 20 minutes in length, episodes typically feature a message delivered by Penny or Bill (or both) during a Sunday service.
 
Penny and Bill (the Rev. Dr. Penny Taylor and the Rev. Dr. Bill Ressl) bring a host of lived experiences into their message preparation - including over 35+ years of couplehood. Both are Ordained Ministers in the United Church of Christ (UCC) and co-served a local congregation for nearly 18 years. Both hold a Master of Divinity, Master of Social Work, and PhD in theology, ethics, and the human sciences. In addition to serving in the local church, Penny has also taught divinity and social work at the Chicago Theological Seminary, Loyola University Chicago, Aurora University, and North Park University. Similarly, Bill has taught bachelor, master, and doctoral level courses at the Chicago Theological Seminary, Aurora University, Dominican University, Elmhurst University, and North Park University. Today, in addition to being guest preachers in churches, they offer individual and couples therapy through their private practice CenterToAwakenKindness.com and offer innovative self-development tools through the Grow I Am Self-Development Active Learning Platform growIam.com Come join the journey and be sure to share it with others.

What We Leave Behind

In this episode Bill looks at free will, the choices we make that become our destiny, the legacy we leave behind. What we do or don’t do has consequences. What impact do our actions have for our life and those around us – destroy or nurture? Today we look at the story of a barren fig tree, the gardener, and the landowner. The landowner wants the barren fig tree cut down - the gardener suggests giving it one more year, one more chance. What happens? Do we make informed choices or do not? What does it mean to have freedom? What does it mean that our choices inform our destiny and the destiny of others – the legacy of our actions? Bill shares a message grounded in the gospel of Luke, Chapter 13, verses 1-9 originally presented during online Sunday worship. Come explore the possibilities.
 
Welcome to the New Awaken Kindness with DaRevsUSA with your hosts Rev. Dr. Penny Taylor and Rev. Dr. Bill Ressl. Each message explores the challenge of this lived reality through the lens of goodness, hope, and love found in the scriptures of the Christian tradition. About 10 to 20 minutes in length, episodes typically feature a message delivered by Penny or Bill (or both) during a Sunday service.
 
Penny and Bill (the Rev. Dr. Penny Taylor and the Rev. Dr. Bill Ressl) bring a host of lived experiences into their message preparation - including over 35+ years of couplehood. Both are Ordained Ministers in the United Church of Christ (UCC) and co-served a local congregation for nearly 18 years. Both hold a Master of Divinity, Master of Social Work, and PhD in theology, ethics, and the human sciences. In addition to serving in the local church, Penny has also taught divinity and social work at the Chicago Theological Seminary, Loyola University Chicago, Aurora University, and North Park University. Similarly, Bill has taught bachelor, master, and doctoral level courses at the Chicago Theological Seminary, Aurora University, Dominican University, Elmhurst University, and North Park University. Today, in addition to being guest preachers in churches, they offer individual and couples therapy through their private practice CenterToAwakenKindness.com and offer innovative self-development tools through the Grow I Am Self-Development Active Learning Platform growIam.com Come join the journey and be sure to share it with others.

Easy and Peaceful

In this episode Bill explores every generation has a choice ~ continue or stand against abuse, violence, oppression, and disenfranchisement. Do we wish to remain weary, carrying heavy burdens with no rest? There is another way. Bill looks at Christ’s yoke of love that encourages individual and social responsibility in relation to the world in Jesus’ time, at the time of the American Revolution, and today with police brutality, domestic violence, and the realities of a variety of different issues. Bill shares a message grounded in the gospel of Matthew, chapter 11, verses 16-19 and 25-30 originally presented during online Sunday worship. Come explore the possibilities.
 
Welcome to the New Awaken Kindness with DaRevsUSA with your hosts Rev. Dr. Penny Taylor and Rev. Dr. Bill Ressl. Each message explores the challenge of this lived reality through the lens of goodness, hope, and love found in the scriptures of the Christian tradition. About 10 to 20 minutes in length, episodes typically feature a message delivered by Penny or Bill (or both) during a Sunday service.
 
Penny and Bill (the Rev. Dr. Penny Taylor and the Rev. Dr. Bill Ressl) bring a host of lived experiences into their message preparation - including over 35+ years of couplehood. Both are Ordained Ministers in the United Church of Christ (UCC) and co-served a local congregation for nearly 18 years. Both hold a Master of Divinity, Master of Social Work, and PhD in theology, ethics, and the human sciences. In addition to serving in the local church, Penny has also taught divinity and social work at the Chicago Theological Seminary, Loyola University Chicago, Aurora University, and North Park University. Similarly, Bill has taught bachelor, master, and doctoral level courses at the Chicago Theological Seminary, Aurora University, Dominican University, Elmhurst University, and North Park University. Today, in addition to being guest preachers in churches, they offer individual and couples therapy through their private practice CenterToAwakenKindness.com and offer innovative self-development tools through the Grow I Am Self-Development Active Learning Platform growIam.com Come join the journey and be sure to share it with others.

Share the Stories

In this episode Penny highlights the mysterious role that we are all called to be ambassadors of God’s divine love. Each of us is called to do great things like the great architects that built Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, France. Built in honor of God and named for Our Lady, Mary the Mother of Jesus, the builders used all their talents and skills to build a magnificent building – a space others have celebrated through the centuries. In this episode Penny explores how each of us is called to do great things. Penny shares from the gospel of John, Chapter 14, verses 1-14. Come explore the possibilities.
 
Welcome to the New Awaken Kindness with DaRevsUSA with your hosts Rev. Dr. Penny Taylor and Rev. Dr. Bill Ressl. Each message explores the challenge of this lived reality through the lens of goodness, hope, and love found in the scriptures of the Christian tradition. About 10 to 20 minutes in length, episodes typically feature a message delivered by Penny or Bill (or both) during a Sunday service.
 
Penny and Bill (the Rev. Dr. Penny Taylor and the Rev. Dr. Bill Ressl) bring a host of lived experiences into their message preparation - including over 35+ years of couplehood. Both are Ordained Ministers in the United Church of Christ (UCC) and co-served a local congregation for nearly 18 years. Both hold a Master of Divinity, Master of Social Work, and PhD in theology, ethics, and the human sciences. In addition to serving in the local church, Penny has also taught divinity and social work at the Chicago Theological Seminary, Loyola University Chicago, Aurora University, and North Park University. Similarly, Bill has taught bachelor, master, and doctoral level courses at the Chicago Theological Seminary, Aurora University, Dominican University, Elmhurst University, and North Park University. Today, in addition to being guest preachers in churches, they offer individual and couples therapy through their private practice CenterToAwakenKindness.com and offer innovative self-development tools through the Grow I Am Self-Development Active Learning Platform growIam.com Come join the journey and be sure to share it with others.

Seeing

In this episode Penny takes a trip on the wild side exploring life’s wild adventures and how God is always with us – we are not alone. Penny enjoys hiking and having adventures. It can be pretty wild out there when walking in nature. Like the time at Glacier National Park when Penny and Bill went off the pathway to see the snow field that was still melting down the mountain. What did Bill see? Tan in color… a mountain lion? Hear Penny explain how when fear sets in you can get lost in the wilderness of life and how the pathways of life are often filled with wild adventures. She’ll also look at an adventure from long-ago in the gospel of Luke, Chapter 24, verses:13-35 when two men were walking on the road to Emmaus. They had a pretty wild journey – one that they could have never anticipated. Originally presented during online Sunday worship. Come explore the possibilities.
 
Welcome to the New Awaken Kindness with DaRevsUSA with your hosts Rev. Dr. Penny Taylor and Rev. Dr. Bill Ressl. Each message explores the challenge of this lived reality through the lens of goodness, hope, and love found in the scriptures of the Christian tradition. About 10 to 20 minutes in length, episodes typically feature a message delivered by Penny or Bill (or both) during a Sunday service.
 
Penny and Bill (the Rev. Dr. Penny Taylor and the Rev. Dr. Bill Ressl) bring a host of lived experiences into their message preparation - including over 35+ years of couplehood. Both are Ordained Ministers in the United Church of Christ (UCC) and co-served a local congregation for nearly 18 years. Both hold a Master of Divinity, Master of Social Work, and PhD in theology, ethics, and the human sciences. In addition to serving in the local church, Penny has also taught divinity and social work at the Chicago Theological Seminary, Loyola University Chicago, Aurora University, and North Park University. Similarly, Bill has taught bachelor, master, and doctoral level courses at the Chicago Theological Seminary, Aurora University, Dominican University, Elmhurst University, and North Park University. Today, in addition to being guest preachers in churches, they offer individual and couples therapy through their private practice CenterToAwakenKindness.com and offer innovative self-development tools through the Grow I Am Self-Development Active Learning Platform growIam.com Come join the journey and be sure to share it with others.

Connecting

In this episode Penny asks: “Have you ever asked someone you don’t know for a drink?” Jesus did. Faith blossomed. Jesus was thirsty and asked a Samaritan woman for a drink of water, breaking the cultural codes of his day. Jesus’ conversation with the woman about “living water” opened her eyes and the eyes of those in her community. “Living water” minimizes thirst and has the capacity to plant seeds of faith and create relationships across differences. Penny shares a message from the Gospel of John, Chapter 4, verses 5-15 and 25-26 originally presented during online Sunday worship. Come explore the possibilities.
 
Welcome to the New Awaken Kindness with DaRevsUSA with your hosts Rev. Dr. Penny Taylor and Rev. Dr. Bill Ressl. Each message explores the challenge of this lived reality through the lens of goodness, hope, and love found in the scriptures of the Christian tradition. About 10 to 20 minutes in length, episodes typically feature a message delivered by Penny or Bill (or both) during a Sunday service.
 
Penny and Bill (the Rev. Dr. Penny Taylor and the Rev. Dr. Bill Ressl) bring a host of lived experiences into their message preparation - including over 35+ years of couplehood. Both are Ordained Ministers in the United Church of Christ (UCC) and co-served a local congregation for nearly 18 years. Both hold a Master of Divinity, Master of Social Work, and PhD in theology, ethics, and the human sciences. In addition to serving in the local church, Penny has also taught divinity and social work at the Chicago Theological Seminary, Loyola University Chicago, Aurora University, and North Park University. Similarly, Bill has taught bachelor, master, and doctoral level courses at the Chicago Theological Seminary, Aurora University, Dominican University, Elmhurst University, and North Park University. Today, in addition to being guest preachers in churches, they offer individual and couples therapy through their private practice CenterToAwakenKindness.com and offer innovative self-development tools through the Grow I Am Self-Development Active Learning Platform growIam.com Come join the journey and be sure to share it with others.

Sharing

In this episode Penny highlights the mystery of doing extraordinary things, growing in faith, and believing in miracles. Fear can stop us from sharing or it can compel us to do extraordinary things, to grow in faith, and believe. Don’t let fear win. Penny shares a message grounded in the gospel of John, Chapter 6, verses 1-21 originally presented during online Sunday worship. Come explore the possibilities.
 
Welcome to the New Awaken Kindness with DaRevsUSA with your hosts Rev. Dr. Penny Taylor and Rev. Dr. Bill Ressl. Each message explores the challenge of this lived reality through the lens of goodness, hope, and love found in the scriptures of the Christian tradition. About 10 to 20 minutes in length, episodes typically feature a message delivered by Penny or Bill (or both) during a Sunday service.
 
Penny and Bill (the Rev. Dr. Penny Taylor and the Rev. Dr. Bill Ressl) bring a host of lived experiences into their message preparation - including over 35+ years of couplehood. Both are Ordained Ministers in the United Church of Christ (UCC) and co-served a local congregation for nearly 18 years. Both hold a Master of Divinity, Master of Social Work, and PhD in theology, ethics, and the human sciences. In addition to serving in the local church, Penny has also taught divinity and social work at the Chicago Theological Seminary, Loyola University Chicago, Aurora University, and North Park University. Similarly, Bill has taught bachelor, master, and doctoral level courses at the Chicago Theological Seminary, Aurora University, Dominican University, Elmhurst University, and North Park University. Today, in addition to being guest preachers in churches, they offer individual and couples therapy through their private practice CenterToAwakenKindness.com and offer innovative self-development tools through the Grow I Am Self-Development Active Learning Platform growIam.com Come join the journey and be sure to share it with others.

Something New Is Here - The Rebranding

Welcome! The New Awaken Kindness with DaRevsUSA with your hosts Rev. Dr. Penny Taylor and Rev. Dr. Bill Ressl – IS HERE! A number of new and upgraded episodes are in process and we will continue to add new content as we preach at different locations through time. Come join the journey!
 
The original Awaken Kindness by DaRevsUSA has been rebranded into The New Awaken Kindness with DaRevsUSA, your hosts Rev. Dr. Penny L. Taylor and/or Rev. Dr. Bill Ressl - and it is a continuing work in progress! This new rebranding is now part of Grow I Am self-development active learning platform – please visit us at growIam.com
 
Why? Well we have grown to recognize that the message is the most important. So new episodes will be straight to the point - straight to the most important part - the message.  Each new episode will feature the Rev. Dr. Penny Taylor or the Rev. Dr. Bill Ressl (or both) preaching the message. We also weighed the options of deleting our old original content – or leaving it – we have decided to let it continue to remain on the podcast as an indication of our growth – we all grow in time, try different things – and the reality is the past, present, and future are always in flux, always informing each other and growing into something new and different – new creations always build off of whatever the existing foundation is in one way or another – we wanted transparency related to the foundations of this new rebranding.
 
The Rev. Dr. Penny Taylor and the Rev. Dr. Bill Ressl bring a host of experiences into their message preparation - including over 35+ years of couplehood and a host of lived experiences. Both are Ordained Ministers in the United Church of Christ (UCC) and co-served a local congregation for nearly 18 years. Both hold a Master of Divinity, Master of Social Work, and PhD in theology, ethics, and the human sciences. In addition to serving in the local church, Penny has also taught divinity and social work at the Chicago Theological Seminary, Loyola University Chicago, Aurora University, and North Park University. Similarly, Bill has taught bachelor, master, and doctoral level courses at the Chicago Theological Seminary, Aurora University, Dominican University, Elmhurst University, and North Park University. Today, in addition to being guest preachers in churches, they offer individual and couples therapy through their private practice, CenterToAwakenKindness.com
 
Come join us in exploring goodness, love, hope, and many different aspects of life through understandings of scripture.

Archived Original DaRevsUSA: What’s Your Agenda? (with Penny)

This is an archived past edition. Please be sure to also try our rebranded The New Awaken Kindness with DaRevsUSA – your hosts Rev. Dr. Penny Taylor and Rev. Dr. Bill Ressl.
Original DaRevsUSA: Take action today – reach out, share love, invite people to be part of the great social movement that started over 2,000 years ago, a movement of compassion, empathy, healing, peace, and love to everyone. The time is now. Imagine a world filled with love – a love that fills people physically and spiritually. Penny looks at Jesus’ agenda – grounded in the movement of social justice and love. Yes, Jesus’ ministry was one of social justice, sharing love, and empowering people to stop social oppression while joining together to grow in love and justice. Come explore the possibilities.
Join DaRevsUSA, Penny and Bill, as they explore and reflect on Jesus feeding 5000 plus in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 14, verses 13-21, share in the Lord’s prayer, and join in singing Take My Life.
Awaken Kindness by DaRevsUSA, a podcast. A theologically progressive podcast looking at the stories of the Bible that enhance self-care and wellness. Hosted by DaRevsUSA, Rev Dr Penny Taylor and Rev Dr Bill Ressl. Simple (grounded in Christ’s love), fun (sharing some time together), yet profound (grounded in a progressive theological lens).
LISTEN: On your favorite podcast app.
SUBSCRIBE: Discover Premium commercial free early listening on Podbean
For all the mindful contemplative possibilities, visit CenterToAwakenKindness.com
Please note:
At times, scripture contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children, therefore parental discretion is advised.

Archived Original DaRevsUSA: Make a Difference – Share Love (with Penny)

This is an archived past edition. Please be sure to also try our rebranded The New Awaken Kindness with DaRevsUSA – your hosts Rev. Dr. Penny Taylor and Rev. Dr. Bill Ressl.
Original DaRevsUSA: Share Love? For sure! We have a choice. Penny explores the sacred reality of God’s profound love. Share love and be an instrument of God’s peace and love – or share violence and anger? It’s a choice here and now. Experience something new – experience profound love… the sacred reality of God’s love that is very real and alive here and now. Share the power of love made visible in Jesus’ baptism. Share love. It’s not hard to do. It is possible. Start today. Come explore the possibilities.
Join DaRevsUSA, Penny and Bill, as they explore and reflect on Jesus being baptized in the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 1, verses 4-11, share in the Lord’s prayer, and join in singing God Be With You Till We Meet Again.
Awaken Kindness by DaRevsUSA, a podcast. A theologically progressive podcast looking at the stories of the Bible that enhance self-care and wellness. Hosted by DaRevsUSA, Rev Dr Penny Taylor and Rev Dr Bill Ressl. Simple (grounded in Christ’s love), fun (sharing some time together), yet profound (grounded in a progressive theological lens).
LISTEN: On your favorite podcast app.
SUBSCRIBE: Discover Premium commercial free early listening on Podbean
For all the mindful contemplative possibilities, visit CenterToAwakenKindness.com
Please note:
At times, scripture contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children, therefore parental discretion is advised.