Indy: I am so excited about our new series

Erin: I know you are. And I am too.

Indy: I feel like, ever since we came up with this idea, what like three months ago?

Erin: Yeah I think so! We announced it at our Christmas party.

Indy: Ever since then I’ve just been raving about it.

Erin: I think the beauty of the series is in how simple it is, but also how useful. There are a lot of terms that we may not really understand. How often do we get upset about something we don’t really understand?

Indy: Right. We wanted to find a way to define the key words and concepts that are so vital to understanding other people’s stories that fit with our ethos and still present an opportunity for us to listen to other voices. So, we thought, why not ask them!

Erin: Who better to define the words and concepts that matter to them, than those that use them to describe themselves, in their work, or circumstances.

Indy: I’m really excited to gain a greater understanding of these terms, and see them through a different set of eyes.

Erin: I’m also really excited to have discussions about the terms and learn how to use them in an uplifting and valuing way.

Indy: What concepts or terms are you most excited to have outlined on Let’s Talk About?

Erin: I’m really looking forward to hearing from Alida about the Black Lives Matter movement, what the movement stands for, and how the church can respond. We’ve spoken a bit about this in the past, but I’m excited about diving deeper and thinking about the language. How about you?

Indy: I’m really happy that Mark is coming back to outline what each term in LGBTQ+ stands for. Even though I’m familiar with these terms and the communities, I am so excited to learn more and discuss the language with Mark. I think this is going to be a really useful series, and hopefully lead to some great resources.

Erin: And some people have agreed to let us record their conversations with us, which we can use for a podcast later this year!

Indy: Oh yeah, we’re leveling up!

Erin: There’s something different about hearing people’s stories in their own voice. Reading the stories off the site has been so important and so illuminating, but in a season where I find myself craving personal contact, the podcast series adds this whole new level of connection to this community.

Indy: For sure. It is a whole new experience hearing someone talking about their pain and their hope. The inflection in people’s voices, their tone, and their laughter, really does add a whole new level of meaning. Of course, our interviews are all done online, sometimes across continents which is totally crazy and exciting, but it feels really personal.

Erin: I can’t wait!