The Podcast

Join us for Season 3 of the Abide in the Spirit podcast, as we focus on grief. What can we learn from those who have walked through grief? And what can we offer to those who are walking with others in grief? Join us as we bring the art of creating sacred space for holy listening to places that are sometimes unaddressed.

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Season 3. Episode 12. Michelle Bodle

Michelle is an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church, a spiritual director and supervisor, and someone who deeply believes that the spiritual journey is not one to be taken alone. She founded Abide in the Spirit in 2021 to accompany people in a life-giving way through the everyday in a way that makes space for the Holy to be recognized. Michelle lives in Central Pennsylvania with her chinchilla, Wesley, and her tortoise, Angelo.

Season 3. Episode 11. Rabbi Joe Charnes

Rabbi Joe Charnes received his BA in psychology from California State University, Northridge. He went on to study in traditional Jewish seminaries in Los Angeles, California, Brooklyn, New York, and Jerusalem, Israel, and was ordained by Rabbi Mordechai Finley, PhD, of the Academy for Jewish Religion, California.

Rabbi Joe’s teachings are centered on recovering the metaphoric and mystic aspects of Judaism. He is also deeply devoted to interfaith dialogue and engagement, and has been involved in numerous Jewish-Christian interfaith, and multi-faith events. He has studied Judaism, Christianity, and Buddhism comparatively for over 25 years (and more recently, Hinduism), and has been a frequent guest lecturer at seminaries, universities, churches, synagogues, mosques, and military bases across the country.

Rabbi Joe Charnes is married to his beautiful wife Rabbi Sarah Schechter, who served for twenty-two as a chaplain in the United States Air Force. Together they have a lovely daughter, Yael Emunah.

Season 3. Episode 10. Cynthia Armbrister.

Cynthia Armbrister began her journey with holistic health after an automotive accident left her needing more than allopathic medicine could offer, and her search for wellness led her to a license as a Holistic Health Practitioner in San Diego. Understanding the importance of addressing all aspects of mind, body and spirit, Cynthia subsequently attended Wesley Theological Seminary, where she received a Masters in Theological Studies.

Currently, she maintains a private practice in Fredericksburg, VA. She is a preferred provider for the Integrative Healing program at the MWHC Regional Cancer Center, has served as a contract chaplain at Mary Washington Hospital, and has been an active hospice volunteer for several decades. She is also on the faculty of the Integrative Chaplaincy Certification Course in Charlotte, NC.

Season 3. Episode 9. Lorrin Radzik.

Rev. Lorrin Radzik currently serves as the Pastor of Grace United Methodist Church in North Canton, Ohio. Born and raised in Northeast Ohio, Lorrin earned her Bachelors of Science in Psychology from Baldwin Wallace University, before proceeding to seminary at Boston University School of Theology for her Masters of Divinity. Lorrin began professional coach training in 2018 through Coaching4Clergy, and began to serve as a coach during her training. Lorrin has also served as the Senior Pastor at The United Methodist Church of Macedonia, interim pastor at Pleasant Hills UMC in Ohio, and as the pastor of Rockport, Independence, and Seven Hills UMCs in Ohio, St. James UMC and Bethel Hills UMC in Wisconsin, and Goffstown UMC in New Hampshire. She is published in the recent devotional books, We Pray With Her and Speaking Truth: Women Raising Their Voices in Prayer. She is also published in Luther Seminary’s Faith+Lead newsletter and was a UMCLEAD speaker in 2020. Lorrin is a founding collaborator at The Good Friday Collaborative (www.goodfridaycollaborative.com) and works with churches and their clergy experiencing the faithful conclusion of ministry.

Lorrin is married to the Rev. David Radzik, an Episcopal Priest serving in Berea, Ohio. Together they enjoy snuggling their three young children and watching them grow, spoiling their fluffy dog, Becket, reading, and serving in ministry.

Season 3. Episode 8. Becky McGee.

Rev. Rebecca McGee, aka Pastor Becky, is a second-career pastor. She graduated from Juniata College with a business degree and later earned a M. S. Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to answering her call to professional ministry, she held positions in sales, marketing and database marketing at Lipton, US Airways, and Penn State.

She was blessed to attend Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and received her Master of Divinity degree in 2009. She served on loan to the Virginia Conference for 5 years, one year at Penn State Hershey Medical Center in its chaplain residency program, six years as an associate pastor, and is currently in her second year at Winterstown UMC.

Becky and Mark McGee have a personal home outside of Huntingdon which is where their two English cream golden retrievers, Chloe and Margo, live when they’re not at Winterstown.

Season 3. Episode 7. Kim Shute.

Kim Shute has experienced loss first hand after her husband of 19 years died suddenly of Leukemia at the age of 48. Kim was a stay at home homeschooling mother for seventeen years.

She has a B.A. in theatre/dance and a M.F.A. in Performance Arts. Kim workis for a funeral home in Newport, Rhode Island where she realized the importance of grief work and support. She has always loved writing and is thrilled at the opportunity to share little bits of wisdom to help others feel understood and less alone in this crazy club, no one ever wants to join. She lives in Berlin (pronounced BUR-lynn), Massachusetts with her partner, “stepson", and cat, Millicent the boy kitty.

Season 3. Episode 6. Shannon Sullivan.

Rev. Shannon E. Sullivan (she/her/hers) is a United Methodist pastor in Frederick, Maryland, with chaplaincy experience who began writing about her experience with grief as part of the We Pray with Her collective, which has published two books of devotions through Abingdon Press entitled We Pray with Her: Encouragement for All Women Who Lead (2018) and Speaking Truth: Women Raising Their Voices in Prayer (2020), and for Young Clergywomen International’s online publication Fidelia. She is a proud graduate of Drew Theological School in Madison, New Jersey (with Rev. Dr. Bodle!). She is married to Aaron Harrington, her high school sweetheart, who is a pilot and all around aviation geek. They have two living children who they are raising in a house cluttered by books and airplane parts. You can read more of her writing at shannonesullivan.com.

Season 3. Episode 5. Jackie Hook.

Jackie Naginey Hook, MA is a spiritual director, Life-Cycle Celebrant™, and end-of-life doula whose work helps people find hope, healing, and wholeness. She coordinates the Helping Grieving Hearts Heal program with Koch Funeral Home in State College, PA. Jackie can be reached at [email protected].

Season 3. Episode 4. Ron Swift.

Ron Swift is a retired attorney and lives with his wife, Carol, in York County. Ron is a Certified Lay Minister, holds a master’s degree in Theology and studied at the Center for Loss and Life Transitions under Dr. Alan Wolfe who has been recognized as a leading death educator, author and grief counselor.

Season 3. Episode 3. Anna Layman Knox.

Born and raised in Central Pennsylvania as the daughter of a UMC pastor, Anna returned in 2016 to serve God in the same community where her life began. From 2016 to 2023, she served with a variety of titles as a pastor at Camp Hill United Methodist Church. For the past 6 months, she has been excited to serve Grace United Methodist Church in Harrisburg. She is grateful to share this precious life with her spouse, Simon, and their sons, Dominic and Peter. Beyond local church ministry, Anna is privileged to serve on the board of the General Commission on Religion & Race for the denomination and also serves on the board of the nonprofit organization, Yoga Chapel, as the Director of Spirituality & Leadership Development.

Anna earned her Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Carleton College in Northfield, MN and her Master of Divinity from Duke Divinity School in Durham, NC.

She was commissioned into ministry in the Central Pennsylvania Conference in 2008 and promptly went to serve her first appointment at a Methodist Church in Durban, South Africa. After serving for more than three years in Durban, during which time she met and married Simon and met their son Dominic, Anna and Simon returned to the Susquehanna Conference in 2012 to serve Hawley United Methodist Church in the Poconos and to be ordained in 2014. After serving for four years in Hawley, she was reappointed to Camp Hill.

Anna is working toward her 200-Hour certification, as a trained yoga instructor, which she pursued in order to lead sessions of Yoga Chapel, offering experiences for people in and beyond the traditional church to worship God through yoga liturgies.

Anna is passionate about listening & exploring the unknown, tea with milk & honey, gardening, reading, and cheese. She loves the challenge and joy of walking alongside others, and at any given moment in the day, you'll probably catch her singing.

Season 3. Episode 2. Grace Marie Ransom.

Grace Marie Ransom served as a United Methodist pastor since 2004.

She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and enjoying more free time with her kids and cross stitch.

Season 3. Episode 1. Jenny Smith.

In a time when it’s harder than ever to look reality in the eye, Rev. Jenny Smith offers people the courage to show up authentically to all of life’s complexities. A writing pastor, Jenny recently published "Still Here: A Poetry Memoir of Grief & Love" after the unexpected passing of her youngest brother. She writes The Thread, a weekly newsletter on untangling the stories that make us who we are so we can show up to our lives with spacious presence, brave honesty, radical love & wild curiosity. Jenny is a United Methodist pastor, having served churches in Alaska and Washington. She currently resides and serves as a writing pastor in Oregon with her husband and two kids. Connect with Jenny at jennysmithwrites.com.