Down to Earth Conversations

Music by Strahan:

Spotify: Strahan

Facebook: facebook.com/StrahanMusic or facebook.com/commonerscommunion

Instagram: @strahanmusic or @commoners_communion

Monday May 24, 2021

28. April McLennan - Equipping Youth for Lives of Passion and Purpose

Monday May 24, 2021

As an 18 year old, fresh out of school, April McLennan formed a charitable trust called Limitless to assist teenagers in finding a career path that fits their strengths and values. A few years in, four conferences down and she has learnt a lot. It was a privilege to hear some of that journey.

We talk about how and why it started, what opportunities or barriers being 18 was to getting it going, practicalities of starting a charity, and where she has seen her journey making a difference.

Check out Limitless at limitless.org.nz

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Music by Strahan:

Spotify: Strahan

Facebook: facebook.com/StrahanMusic or facebook.com/commonerscommunion

Instagram: @strahanmusic or @commoners_communion

Monday May 10, 2021

27. Les and Alan Dickson - Helping Others, Old Shoes, and What You Learn About Yourself

Monday May 10, 2021

I am so excited to bring to you a conversation with my mum and dad, Les and Alan Dickson.

Having this kōrero with them was very moving for me, but also was a huge reminder that they are a really big part of why I value what I value. Their commitment to people and love for all is clear throughout the discussion. And while they see themselves as nothing special, they are involved in so much goodness in the world I feel we only just scratched the surface.

We talk about disability support, budget advice, food parcels, offering extra help to those who need it, journeying with people struggling with physical or mental health, and, importantly what they have learnt about themselves through their journey.

To find out about some of the organisations mentioned in this episode, check out:

0800Hungry: Website, or Facebook

Kingdom Resources: Website, or Facebook

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Music by Strahan:

Spotify: Strahan

Facebook: facebook.com/StrahanMusic or facebook.com/commonerscommunion

Instagram: @strahanmusic or @commoners_communion

Monday Apr 26, 2021

26. Alanna Chapman - Wine, Slavery, and Making a Difference

Monday Apr 26, 2021

Alanna Chapman and her husband Pete are the owners of the wine label 27 Seconds. 100% of the profit from 27 Seconds goes to support survivors of slavery. 100%! It is a fantastic story of business and justice colliding and becoming something beautifully unique.

We hear from Alanna about how she and Pete ended up selling wine to support slavery survivors - how they got into the wine business, how it all connects to slavery, how they got their name, and what Alanna has learnt about making a difference.

Find 27Seconds Wine at 27seconds.co.nz or at:

Facebook: facebook.com/27secondswine

Instagram: @27secondswine

And find and support Hagar at hagar.org.nz or at:

Facebook: facebook.com/hagarnewzealand/

Instagram: @hagar_nz

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Music by Strahan:

Spotify: Strahan

Facebook: facebook.com/StrahanMusic or facebook.com/commonerscommunion

Instagram: @strahanmusic or @commoners_communion

Monday Apr 12, 2021

25. Andrew Gardener - Justice, Sperm Counts, and a Broken Hallelujah

Monday Apr 12, 2021

Andrew Gardener is a fantastic communicator and a great thinker. So we get in deep in this episode, going well beyond small talk to some really vulnerable and personal spaces. We talk about his passions for storytelling and creativity, his journey into being an advocate for justice and the search for living a just life, and his exploration of the connection between faith and suffering, including his own challenging journey towards fatherhood.

Andrew has been a key part of The Justice Conference Asia, and a speaker at The Justice Conference Australia.

Connect with him on Instagram at @Andrew_Gardener

Or check out his podcast A Broken Hallelujah on Spotify

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Music by Strahan:

Spotify: Strahan

Facebook: facebook.com/StrahanMusic or facebook.com/commonerscommunion

Instagram: @strahanmusic or @commoners_communion

Monday Mar 29, 2021

24. Lady Ranapiri-Kupa - Breaking Intergenerational Cycles of Imprisonment

Monday Mar 29, 2021

In this episode I talk to Lady Ranapiri Kupa of Prison Fellowship Aotearoa, aka He Korowai Whakapono. Lady oversees people and programmes that really get alongside families of people who have experienced prison to help to break the generational cycle of imprisonment.

We talk about the tamariki and whānau, about mana, dignity, shame, restoration, and seeing people as people. We look at the programmes PFA run and the kaupapa (reason for being) of the programmes and the organisation.

To connect with Prison Fellowship Aotearoa head to hekorowaiwhakapono.nz or:

Facebook: facebook.com/hkwnz

Instagram: @pfa_hkw

Or for the organisation supporting them with cakes, check out cakeitforward.co.nz or:

Facebook: facebook.com/cakeitforwardnz

Instagram: @cakeitforwardnz

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Music by Strahan:

Spotify: Strahan

Facebook: facebook.com/StrahanMusic or facebook.com/commonerscommunion

Instagram: @strahanmusic or @commoners_communion

Monday Mar 15, 2021

23. David Hayward @nakedpastor - Stripping Bare the Barriers to Faith

Monday Mar 15, 2021

The nakedpastor, David Hayward, joins me to talk about his cartoons, his changing faith, his purpose, not to mention his name! Having been a pastor for 30 years David left and forged a career as an artist, drawing cartoons, painting watercolours, writing books, and leading online communities and courses for those processing faith. We talk about all of that and more.

You can find (and purchase) his work at nakedpastor.com or find him on many social media platforms as @nakedpastor (found here on Facebook or Instagram).

You may wish to view the specific cartoons mentioned in this episode.
They can be found as follows:

The Most Sincere Prayer

Where'd Jesus Go?

The Church and Access

We Welcome Short People

Love Versus the Bible

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Music by Strahan:

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Facebook: facebook.com/StrahanMusic or facebook.com/commonerscommunion

Instagram: @strahanmusic or @commoners_communion

Monday Mar 01, 2021

22. Hannah Sheath - Paramedic: Saving Lives, Surviving Trauma

Monday Mar 01, 2021

Hannah Sheath is a paramedic. We talk about what the job entails, what keeps Hannah doing it, what brings her joy in the midst of all the hurt, some lighter, more humorous moments in her career, and her empathy towards her patients through having had her own trauma through her pregnancies. We cover the Christchurch earthquakes and Mosque shootings, and Whakaari (white Island) eruption as well and how she was involved in those situations.

Maybe it's the seriousness of the job but I don't think I've laughed this much ever while recording an episode. In saying that, due to the nature of her paramedic role we do discuss trauma of various kinds that may be triggering for some people - no details, just generic conversations - but if you need to stop listening and take a breath, please look after yourself. This also applies as we get to discussing Hannah's traumatic pregnancies near the end too.

It'll make you laugh, cry, and everything in between.

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations

Music by Strahan:

Spotify: Strahan

Facebook: facebook.com/StrahanMusic or facebook.com/commonerscommunion

Instagram: @strahanmusic or @commoners_communion

Monday Feb 15, 2021

21. Andrew Judd - Recovering Racist

Monday Feb 15, 2021

Former Mayor of New Plymouth, Andrew Judd, joins us to talk about race from a Pākehā perspective. Andrew had a huge world view shift around race while in the role of Mayor that has shaped his life beyond that.

We talk about what he loved about being mayor, what brought on the shift in thinking and the negative response to that from constituents, and how he sees life now. We cover the issue of Māori wards, and his role in petitioning the government to change the law - and why he feels that is important for NZ. It's an honest, open conversation about some hard truths.

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations

Music by Strahan:

Spotify: Strahan

Facebook: facebook.com/StrahanMusic or facebook.com/commonerscommunion

Instagram: @strahanmusic or @commoners_communion

Monday Dec 14, 2020

Episode 20: Andy - Xmas, Relationship, Whānau

Monday Dec 14, 2020

Andy briefly looks back at a couple of themes from the podcast this year, before inviting us into a slightly different version of the nativity as we head towards Christmas.

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Connect with me at downtoearthconversations.com or at:

Instagram: @downtoearth.conversations