In this episode of 'The Biggest Table,' I enjoy a rich conversation with author Lore Wilbert about her latest book, 'The Understory.' The discussion delves into themes of nature, grief, and presence, as Lore shares her personal journey of finding comfort and healing in the forest. She elucidates how the forest's regenerative processes paralleled her own experiences with faith and personal hardship. The conversation highlights the importance of being present, even in moments of pain, and how moving forward in life doesn't always mean solving everything at once. Lore also reflects on the significance of community and the role of the table in fostering honest and deep conversations. The episode concludes with insights into Lore's upcoming move and looking forward to an unknown future with hope rooted in faith.

Lore has written three books, the award winning Handle With Care, as well as A Curious Faith and The Understory. She has a Masters in Theology, Spiritual Formation and Leadership from Friends University and a Bachelors in English from Lee University. Her work has been published in many national publications as well as in several anthologies. She and her husband live on the edge of a river flowing from the Adirondacks in upstate New York with their two pups, Harper and Rilke. When she’s not writing, she likes to kayak, be in the forest, make art with paper, and garden.

Connect with Lore:

• lorewilbert.com
• Instagram: @lorewilbert

This episode of the Biggest Table is brought to you in part by Wild Goose Coffee. Since 2008, Wild Goose has sought to build better communities through coffee. For our listeners, Wild Goose is offering a special promotion of 20% off a one time order using the code TABLE at checkout. To learn more and to order coffee, please visit wildgoosecoffee.com.

Also, join me at Theology Beer Camp October 17-19 in Denver, CO. Theology Beer Camp is a unique three-day conference that brings together of theology nerds and craft beer for a blend of intellectual engagement, community building, and fun. And because I am one of the Godpods at the conference, you as a listener can receive $50 off your ticket by using the code BIGGESTTABLE4CAMP (all caps, no spaces). I hope to see you there.

In this episode of The Biggest Table, host Andrew Camp welcomes longtime friends from Park City, Utah, Nyesha, Tanisha, and Sharon, who run 11 Hauz, a Jamaican restaurant. They discuss their journey from Brooklyn to Utah, their Jamaican roots, and the rich confluence of cultures that define Jamaican cuisine. The conversation also delves into the family’s deep faith, the humble and resourceful upbringing led by their grandmother, and their mission to bring authentic, non-processed, soulful Jamaican food to Park City while spreading love and the teachings of Jesus. They share stories of their vibrant cultural heritage, the significance of hospitality, and their desire to foster open, authentic connections within their community.

11Hauz in Park City, UT: https://11hauz.com/
Follow 11Hauz on Social Media:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/11hauzjamaicanfood/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/11Hauzjamaicanfood

This episode of the Biggest Table is brought to you in part by Wild Goose Coffee. Since 2008, Wild Goose has sought to build better communities through coffee. For our listeners, Wild Goose is offering a special promotion of 20% off a one time order using the code TABLE at checkout. To learn more and to order coffee, please visit wildgoosecoffee.com.

In this episode of 'The Biggest Table,' hosted by Andrew Camp, culinary historian Michael Twitty shares insights into how food serves as a medium for exploring cultural identity, heritage, and spirituality. Twitty, the creator of the blog Afroculinaria and author of award-winning books like 'The Cooking Gene' and 'Kosher Soul,' delves into his journey of connecting African American and Jewish food traditions. He discusses profound themes around the biblical narrative of Exodus, the legacy of slavery, and the importance of storytelling and memory in food. The episode also touches on the significance of Juneteenth, addressing intergenerational trauma and resilience, and the sacredness of food in cultural practices, offering listeners a rich, multifaceted conversation about identity, history, and liberation.

Michael Twitty is a culinary historian, living history interpreter, and Judaics teacher. He is the creator of Afroculinaria, the first blog devoted to African American historic foodways and their legacy. In 2018, his book The Cooking Gene won both the James Beard Foundation Book of the Year Award and Best Writing Award. He is the first Revolutionary in Residence at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, a TED Fellow, and was named to The Forward’s list of influential Jews in 2020 and a National Geographic Emerging Explorer in 2021. He is also the author of Koshersoul: The Faith and Food Journey of an African American Jew, which was released in 2022. He lives in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Follow Michael Twitty on Instagram: @thecookinggene

This episode of the Biggest Table is brought to you in part by Wild Goose Coffee. Since 2008, Wild Goose has sought to build better communities through coffee. For our listeners, Wild Goose is offering a special promotion of 20% off a one time order using the code TABLE at checkout. To learn more and to order coffee, please visit wildgoosecoffee.com.

In this episode of The Biggest Table, hosted by Andrew Camp, guest Amy Dolan discusses the intersection of food, faith, and community. Amy, who hosts the Feeding People podcast and founded Sunday Supper Church, shares her journey through the traditions of a Jewish and Christian upbringing, how cooking became a creative outlet during her ministry, and her work advocating for food equity in Chicago. Together, they explore how preparing and sharing meals can diminish loneliness, restore dignity, and create joy. Amy also shares insights on the importance of mutual care in food justice and the vulnerability and joy of cooking for others.

Amy Dolan is the host of the Feeding People Podcast, Founder of Sunday Supper Church, and former Strategic Consultant for the Chicagoland Good Food in Healthcare Initiative. Amy believes that eating together has the power to dispel loneliness, restore dignity, and create joy as we share sacred moments with each other around beautiful tables. Of all the tables she’s created and hosted, weeknight dinners with her husband Kelly and pit bull Maddox in their Chicago apartment are her favorite.

Feeding People Podcast
Follow Amy on Instagram

This episode of the Biggest Table is brought to you in part by Wild Goose Coffee. Since 2008, Wild Goose has sought to build better communities through coffee. For our listeners, Wild Goose is offering a special promotion of 20% off a one time order using the code TABLE at checkout. To learn more and to order coffee, please visit wildgoosecoffee.com.

In this episode of The Biggest Table, host Andrew Camp is joined by Derrick Weston, a community organizer, theological education and training coordinator for Creation Justice Ministries, and co-author of The Just Kitchen. They discuss the intersection of food, faith, and social justice, highlighting the significance of food in experiencing God's love and addressing food insecurity. Derrick shares his personal journey through difficult times and how gardening and food became sources of comfort and inspiration for his work in food justice and faith. They explore how food and gardening connect individuals to the divine, the importance of storytelling in the kitchen, and the role of cooking in reinvigorating the exploration of Scripture. The conversation also delves into systemic issues in the food industry, the transformative power of understanding the origin and impact of our food, and the potential for food and cooking to be acts of social justice and faith. Finally, the podcast touches on personal topics such as the meaning of cooking and the significance of the old fashioned cocktail.

Derrick has long been an engaged community organizer focused on growing food and addressing food insecurity. Now he serves as the theological education and training coordinator for Creation Justice Ministries. A documentary filmmaker, producer, and cohost of The Food and Faith Podcast, Derrick is a firm believer in using one’s voice and the media to inspire and enact social change. He is also the coauthor of The Just Kitchen: Invitations to Sustainability, Cooking, Connection, and Celebration with Anna Woofenden. He and his wife, Shannon, have four children and live outside of Baltimore, Maryland.

2023 Farm Bill Information from Creation Justice Ministries.

Follow Derrick Weston on: Facebook or Instagram

This episode of the Biggest Table is brought to you in part by Wild Goose Coffee. Since 2008, Wild Goose has sought to build better communities through coffee. For our listeners, Wild Goose is offering a special promotion of 20% off a one time order using the code TABLE at checkout. To learn more and to order coffee, please visit wildgoosecoffee.com.

In this episode of The Biggest Table, host Andrew Camp explores the intersection of food, wine, hospitality, and spirituality with guest Adam McHugh. McHugh, a former Presbyterian minister turned wine tour guide and sommelier, discusses his transformative journey into the wine industry, chronicled in his memoir 'Blood from a Stone'. They delve into the significance of the Santa Ynez Valley's wine culture, the impact of the movie 'Sideways' on the region, and how wine and the act of tasting can mirror the introspective and slow-paced aspects of listening and spirituality. McHugh reflects on his faith, the process of leaving the ministry, and finding new forms of connection and belonging through wine. The conversation also touches on terroir, the embodied aspects of winemaking, and the power of wine to foster community and mindfulness.

Adam McHugh is a wine tour guide, a sommelier, and a Certified Specialist of Wine. He is the author of Introverts in the Church, The Listening Life, and most recently Blood from a Stone: A Memoir of How Wine Brought Me Back from the Dead. He is also a regular contributor to Edible Santa Barbara & Wine Country. He lives in the Santa Ynez Valley on the California Central Coast.

Follow Adam on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adammchughwine/
Adam's Contact: adammchugh@gmail.com

This episode of the Biggest Table is brought to you in part by Wild Goose Coffee. Since 2008, Wild Goose has sought to build better communities through coffee. For our listeners, Wild Goose is offering a special promotion of 20% off a one time order using the code TABLE at checkout. To learn more and to order coffee, please visit wildgoosecoffee.com.

In this episode of The Biggest Table, host Andrew Camp engages in a profound discussion with Gisela, a theologian and writer with deep roots in Christian spirituality and a passion for exploring the holistic embodiment of spirituality through creation. Focused on her experiences growing up in a family-owned winery in Germany and how it shaped her view on work, community, and spirituality, Gisela unfolds the intricate relationship between wine, theology, and the vocational life in the marketplace. She delves into the redeeming act of consuming, connecting theology with the physical, and sensual aspects of wine tasting, drawing on her rich familial and professional background. The conversation traverses through topics like the spirituality of wine, the deep connection between the vineyards and theological insights, and practical advice on appreciating wine as an element of spiritual practice. Gisela shares her vision for a church that deeply understands what it means to be the body of Christ, intertwined with the earth and each other through communal meals and hospitality. The episode concludes with thoughtful reflections on enduring food traditions, the profound link between food, wine, and memory, and an encouragement toward a more embodied form of Christian spirituality that embraces God's creation with gratitude and joy.

Gisela's website: https://www.thespiritualityofwine.com/

This episode of the Biggest Table is brought to you in part by Wild Goose Coffee. Since 2008, Wild Goose has sought to build better communities through coffee. For our listeners, Wild Goose is offering a special promotion of 20% off a one time order using the code TABLE at checkout. To learn more and to order coffee, please visit wildgoosecoffee.com.

In this episode of The Biggest Table, host Andrew Camp discusses with Andy Root, a professor of Youth and Family Ministry, the intersection of faith, hospitality, and our secular age. Root elaborates on his six-volume series, 'Ministry in a Secular Age,' emphasizing the challenges and opportunities for experiencing God in the modern world, particularly through the lens of Charles Taylor's philosophies. The conversation also touches on the concepts of secularism, the sacredness of ministry, the impact of modernity on faith communities, and the significance of embodying Christ's presence in everyday practices, especially around the table. Andy shares insights into how faith has evolved for him personally, the importance of community, and the potential for meaningful connections in everyday moments. The discussion concludes with Andy Root providing a reflection on navigating faith amidst modern challenges and the power of waiting and attentiveness to God's presence in life's various aspects.

Andy is the Carrie Olson Baalson Professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN. Lately his work has centered around the intersection of faith and our secular age, having completed his six volume series Ministry in a Secular Age. He has written a number of books and has given lectures and presentations across the country and globe both to church groups, universities/colleges, youth workers, and academic communities. He lives in St. Paul, his wife Kara is a Presbyterian minister and they have two kids (Owen and Maisy) and a dog. When he’s not teaching and writing, he watches a ton of TV.

Andy's website: andrewroot.org

This episode of the Biggest Table is brought to you in part by Wild Goose Coffee. Since 2008, Wild Goose has sought to build better communities through coffee. For our listeners, Wild Goose is offering a special promotion of 20% off a one time order using the code TABLE at checkout. To learn more and to order coffee, please visit wildgoosecoffee.com.