logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2024
38m 55s

Finding unity, through our difference, b...

Waitwhat
About this episode

As Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, Otis Moss carries the torch for generations of church and civil rights leaders, including his own father, a regional director in the SCLC, and a friend of Dr. Martin Luther King. But it is his late sister Daphne whose influence most impacts his ministry and social advocacy. A brilliant young woman who struggled with schizophrenia, Daphne introduced a young Otis to what he calls “the continuum” – a spirituality born of poetry, literature and jazz that has woven its way through our history. Drawing as much from the beats of J Dilla as from the speeches of Dr. King; from the politics of Public Enemy as from the poetry of Langston Hughes; from John Coltrane and Miles Davis as from Reinhold Niebuhr and Abraham Joshua Heschel, Pastor Moss shares a timely, deeply personal story about the American jazz narrative — how a disparate and diverse people who are not supposed to make music together do — and do so beautifully.

Music by Ryan Holladay and Jonathan Mouton. Follow Jonathan on Instagram: @entertainer4lyfe

If this episode resonates with you, we’d love to hear from you. Please take a moment to share your reflections by rating and reviewing Meditative Story in your podcast player. It helps other listeners find their way to the show, and we’d be so grateful.

Each episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Read the transcript for this story: meditativestory.com

Sign up for the Meditative Story newsletter: https://meditativestory.com/subscribe

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
Oct 7
Navigating life in my own skin, by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel
In precisely chosen words, the writer, artist and Zen priest Zenju Earthlyn Manuel tells a story from her girlhood, a road trip from LA to Louisiana in 1957. While five-year-old Zenju sits in the back seat dreaming of cowboys, her parents navigate an altogether different landscap ... Show More
29m 59s
Oct 1
Through friendship, a better version of myself, by Reid Hoffman
How do you find joy in your life? For entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and author Reid Hoffman, it’s through the act of genuine, honest, and intimate conversations with friends. Once a self-described misfit, in college, Reid finds his place. He connects with people who share not ... Show More
30 m
Sep 24
Calming the mind and body for sleep, by Rohan Gunatillake
Having trouble quieting your mind at night? Join Rohan for this soothing, nighttime meditation designed to ease your body and mind into a restful sleep. Drawing on the close connection between mindfulness and relaxation, Rohan takes you step by step through the process of turning ... Show More
12m 10s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2024
EP 51: Discerning Truth (Ft. Philip Anthony Mitchell)
What does it truly mean to steward God's work with reverence? This week on In Totality with Megan Ashley Pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell of 2819 Church in Atlanta joins us to explore the profound impact of spiritual growth and the challenges it brings. From his early days at Victo ... Show More
1h 33m
Aug 14
Faith on Trial: What it's Like to Follow Jesus at an Ivy League Law School with Jeremiah Gray
What does it take to stand firm in your faith amidst the challenges of an Ivy League law school? In this compelling episode of Transforming the Church Podcast, Pastor Derwin is joined by his son, Jeremiah, who shares his inspiring journey from being a promising football player to ... Show More
27m 15s
Jun 2025
Work & Grace: The Spiritual Music of John Coltrane (Open Forum)
What can the music of John Coltrane tell us about the relationship of art to God, and of our own work in general to God? We can all learn quite a lot from Coltrane, actually. And what we can see in his approach to his music applies not just to musicians and artists, but to us all ... Show More
54m 6s
Dec 2023
Importance of Church Community
The New Testament repeatedly calls the church community the body of Christ. That sounds simple enough, but it takes hard work to develop loving, Christlike relationships in our church community.  Listen to this episode as Janet and Jocelyn discuss the importance of being involved ... Show More
52m 37s
Jul 30
Dr. Todd on Pastoring
Our hosts sit on opposite sides of the table today as Carl welcomes his guest, the Reverend Todd Pruitt, pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. They delve into the evolving challenges faced by pastors over the decades, from social media scrutin ... Show More
31m 32s
Oct 2024
Go Tell It on the Mountain with Dr. Anika Prather
In this episode, Junius and Wesley discuss James Baldwin’s Go Tell It on the Mountain with Dr. Anika Prather, the Assistant Professor of Education and Elementary Education Coordinator at the Catholic University of America. Together, they explore Baldwin’s reflections on faith, id ... Show More
49m 19s
Sep 22
Ronald Rolheiser on Giving Your Life Away
What does it look like to follow Jesus for your whole life? John Mark sits down with Father Ronald Rolheiser—author, priest, and spiritual writer—to talk about the stages of the spiritual journey. Drawing from decades of pastoral leadership, personal suffering, and theological st ... Show More
1h 15m
Sep 17
Super Soul Special: Thomas Moore: A Religion of One's Own
This episode originally aired January 29, 2018. Religious scholar, psychotherapist and former monk Thomas Moore has dedicated his life to exploring the questions at the heart of theology. Thomas' classic 1992 book, "Care of the Soul," redefined spirituality in the modern age, and ... Show More
36m 45s
Sep 19
802. The Art Of Letting Go
How do you love yourself when times get hard? How do you move on with life in the midst of deep grief or trauma? In this episode, Krista and Sah D’Simone explore finding love and beauty in our darkest moments. Sah is a spiritual revolutionary, yogi, mystic, artist, best-selling a ... Show More
8m 10s
Jun 2022
How To Use Your Healing Power By Joseph Murphy (Unabridged Audiobook)
How to Use Your Healing Power is Dr. Joseph Murphy's lecture on the inner meaning of the healing in the New Testament. Murphy draws on his wide experience to illustrate how the healing miracles performed by Jesus exemplify the application, in specific cases, of basic principles o ... Show More
3h 20m