Riverside Anabaptist Collective Podcast with Carmen Shenk

About Riverside Anabaptist Collective Podcast with Carmen Shenk

Riverside is a community created to support small groups and congregations with simple worship resources. We do the work of crafting the service so that you can do the work of service. You belong here. carmenshenk.substack.com (https://carmenshenk.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast)

Publisher

Carmen Shenk

Category

religion & spirituality · religion & spirituality

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

6 Jun 2025

Latest episode

6 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

69 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   6 Nov 2026

   When God Refuses to be a Lucky Charm

   Welcome to Riverside Anabaptist Collective! Glad you’re here! Today’s Text: 1 Samuel 3:8-20 The Lord Calls Samuel 3 The boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli. In those days the word of the Lord was rare; there were not many visions. 2 One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. 3 The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the Lord called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 5 And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So he went and lay down. 6 Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” “My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” 7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 8 A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.” Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. 9 So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” 11 And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. 12 At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. 13 For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God,[a (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Samuel%203&version=NIV#fen-NIV-7290a)] and he failed to restrain them. 14 Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’” 15 Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, 16 but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.” Samuel answered, “Here I am.” 17 “What was it he said to you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you.” 18 So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.” 19 The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. 20 And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord. 21 The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word. After the Message Here’s a YouTube “short” from a message by Corrie Ten Boom that is very apropos to our message for today. I couldn’t get it to show up like videos usually do in this post, so here is a link to it: https://youtube.com/shorts/x8z2R7DaKMM?si=qbjKt0jNzyOF-uPq (https://youtube.com/shorts/x8z2R7DaKMM?si=qbjKt0jNzyOF-uPq) Message Response Song Questions for Discussion: * The Israelites shifted their trust from God Himself to an object associated with God (the Ark). In what ways do we modern Christians accidentally do the same thing? * Samuel heard a voice in the darkness. And then he would become a voice in the darkness. What does it mean to you to listen for the voice of God? * Of course we celebrate every milestone movement toward character and compassion in our political situation after the abuses and horrors of the last decade. But as Peter mentions, shackling the current administration may not solve our problems. How do we move forward with peace and toward peace? Lyrics included in the video. Blessing I release you in the power of the Holy Spirit into the world God so loves, to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with the God, who sees goodness and grace in you - and walks proudly with you. Riverside Anabaptist Collective provides simple worship resources for small groups and congregations. We support you in crafting a weekly service so that you can focus your energy on service. We are here to support you as you connect, lead, and love. * To receive this resource in your inbox each week, become a free or paid subscriber. * To help us get the word out, Subscribe to the Riverside YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@RiversideAnabaptistCollective) and share our videos with your dear ones. * Begin your own small group. Here at Riverside, the service is crafted with leaders in mind. Is God calling you to lead? We provide resources for a simple service, leaving you free to focus on bringing people together. Loneliness is an epidemic, and we can help people get connected to each other and to God! With these resources you can do church anywhere, any time, with your dear ones. Picnic church? No problem! Hiking church? Easy Peasy! Church in the attic while you’re cleaning out? Still easy. LOL! Church while each of you are knitting? YES! * Does your pastor need a sabbatical but your congregation can not afford the paid time off? We’re here to help. Contact me (https://carmenshenk.com/contact/) privately to discuss how we can support you in your ministry. There are creative and cost effective solutions available! We are here to support you in your ministry! Many blessings! ~ Pastor Carmen Shenk This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carmenshenk.substack.com/subscribe (https://carmenshenk.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2)

2. 

   30 Oct 2026

   It Is Surprisingly Easy to Help Somebody

   Welcome to Riverside Anabaptist Collective! Glad you’re here! The text for this week: 1 Peter 4:10 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. Message Response Song Questions for Discussion: * Matthew 6: “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.” How do we check our motives and serve God rather than just for the brownie points? For example: Do we take video and share our interactions on social media? * Or James 2 “Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” How do we live a living flowing faith? How do our day to day actions confirm the faith that we profess? * Laurie has given us excellent low-investment low-barriers-to-entry ways to serve. What surprised you? Why do we think it’s so difficult or challenging to help folks when it’s actually pretty easy? In Laurie’s words: “Now, was that so hard?” Once we’ve done it, I think we’ll realize it really wasn’t difficult at all. Let’s allow that good news to liberate us from performance anxiety. * When the prevailing spirit of the age is greed, doing something selfless and other-focused becomes spiritual warfare. It shakes us loose from our selfishness and helps us gain a perspective on our own lives and the many blessings we enjoy - and the grace of God. For a lot of us - that person at the shelter or struggling to live in their vehicle could have been me. We tend to moralize and criminalize poverty, but when we really understand that any of us can get there through a series of unfortunate events… it really is a mindset shift. Gratitude and generosity are powerful spiritual warfare, amen? Blessing I release you in the power of the Holy Spirit into the world God so loves, to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with the God, who sees goodness and grace in you - and walks proudly with you. Riverside Anabaptist Collective provides simple worship resources for small groups and congregations. We support you in crafting a weekly service so that you can focus your energy on service. We are here to support you as you connect, lead, and love. * To receive this resource in your inbox each week, become a free or paid subscriber. * To help us get the word out, Subscribe to the Riverside YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@RiversideAnabaptistCollective) and share our videos with your dear ones. * Begin your own small group. Here at Riverside, the service is crafted with leaders in mind. Is God calling you to lead? We provide resources for a simple service, leaving you free to focus on bringing people together. Loneliness is an epidemic, and we can help people get connected to each other and to God! With these resources you can do church anywhere, any time, with your dear ones. Picnic church? No problem! Hiking church? Easy Peasy! Church in the attic while you’re cleaning out? Still easy. LOL! Church while each of you are knitting? YES! * Does your pastor need a sabbatical but your congregation can not afford the paid time off? We’re here to help. Contact me (https://carmenshenk.com/contact/) privately to discuss how we can support you in your ministry. There are creative and cost effective solutions available! We are here to support you in your ministry! Many blessings! ~ Pastor Carmen Shenk This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carmenshenk.substack.com/subscribe (https://carmenshenk.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2)

3. 

   24 Oct 2026

   Eyes Opening

   Welcome to Riverside Anabaptist Collective! Glad you’re here! The text for this week: John 9:1-12 Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind 9 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. 8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” 10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked. 11 He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.” 12 “Where is this man?” they asked him. “I don’t know,” he said. Message Response Song Questions for Discussion: * Share a moment of clarity. * Sometimes healing is instant, and sometimes it comes slowly. What slow clarity is creeping in for you? At about 6:07 on this video there is an advert for the “One For Israel” ministry that may not be appropriate for a worship setting. Blessing I release you in the power of the Holy Spirit into the world God so loves, to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with the God, who sees goodness and grace in you - and walks proudly with you. Song begins at :20 and ends around 3:17ish. The lyrics are simple: Peace (English) Salaam (Arabic) and Shalom (Hebrew). Riverside Anabaptist Collective provides simple worship resources for small groups and congregations. We support you in crafting a weekly service so that you can focus your energy on service. We are here to support you as you connect, lead, and love. * To receive this resource in your inbox each week, become a free or paid subscriber. * To help us get the word out, Subscribe to the Riverside YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@RiversideAnabaptistCollective) and share our videos with your dear ones. * Begin your own small group. Here at Riverside, the service is crafted with leaders in mind. Is God calling you to lead? We provide resources for a simple service, leaving you free to focus on bringing people together. Loneliness is an epidemic, and we can help people get connected to each other and to God! With these resources you can do church anywhere, any time, with your dear ones. Picnic church? No problem! Hiking church? Easy Peasy! Church in the attic while you’re cleaning out? Still easy. LOL! Church while each of you are knitting? YES! * Does your pastor need a sabbatical but your congregation can not afford the paid time off? We’re here to help. Contact me (https://carmenshenk.com/contact/) privately to discuss how we can support you in your ministry. There are creative and cost effective solutions available! We are here to support you in your ministry! Many blessings! ~ Pastor Carmen Shenk This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit carmenshenk.substack.com/subscribe (https://carmenshenk.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2)

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