Sacred & Strange
Welcome to Sacred & Strange — the official podcast of The Porch Missional Community & Coffee Roasters.
Hosted by Jason Urena, Sacred & Strange is a space where theology meets mystery, story meets spirit, and nothing is too weird to talk about. Each episode features honest conversations with guests from all walks of life—exploring the sacred moments that shaped them, the strange encounters that stretched them, and the passions that make them who they are. From deep theology to cryptids, church wounds to comic books, revival to the mundane, this is where the wild and the holy collide.
Brew a cup, open your mind, and join the journey.
Episodes
29 episodes
The Lost, The Found, and The Refuge w/ Steve & Brandyn Gipe
⚠️ Content Warning:This episode includes discussion of domestic violence, child abuse, and human trafficking. Listener discretion is advised.Some stories don’t begin with calling — they begin with survival.In this deeply mov...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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1:57:05
PREVIEW: The Lost, The Found, and The Refuge w/ Steve & Brandyn Gipe
Some stories don’t start clean.They start broken. Lost. Complicated.In this episode of Sacred & Strange, I sit down with Steve & Brandyn Gipe to talk about the long road from pain to purpose — stories shaped b...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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6:36
RELOADED: The Bride w/ Jay Urena & Levi Crognale
What does it really mean to be the Bride of Christ? In this special throwback episode, Jay and Levi crack open one of the most powerful—yet most misunderstood—ideas in the entire biblical story: Covenant.
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Season 1
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Episode 15
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1:09:15
The Rebel, The Disciple, and The Presence w/ Ray Sullivan
In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Sacred & Strange, Ray Sullivan sits down with Jay to share a story that feels like a modern-day parable—raw, honest, and marked by the unmistakable fingerprints of God.Ray grew u...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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1:17:13
Preview: The Rebel, The Disciple, and The Presence w/ Ray Sullivan
This week on Sacred & Strange, we sit down with Ray Sullivan—a man whose story feels like a whole book of the Bible packed into one life. From running with the wrong crowd to wrestling with church hurt, to unexpectedly breaking down ...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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5:51
The Courtroom, The Savior, and The Santa Claus w/ Joe Johnson
This week on Sacred & Strange, Jay sits down with Joe Johnson—the family court judge who looks like Santa Claus and talks like a man who has actually wrestled with God. From the bench to the Bible, Joe pulls back the curtain on what ...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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1:14:50
Preview: The Courtroom, The Savior, and The Santa Claus w/ Joe Johnson
Next Wednesday, Sacred & Strange gets wild. Jay sits down with family-court judge, author, and honorary Santa-lookalike Joe Johnson for a conversation that swings from the courtroom to the supernatural—and somehow lands righ...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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6:18
Shattered: The Tragedy, the Truth, and the God Who Stays w/ Rip Wahlberg
Trigger Warning: Child Loss, Grief, TraumaThis week on Sacred & Strange, Jay sits down with his close friend, Rip Wahlberg, for an honest, vulnerable, and deeply sacred conversation about walking through unimag...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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1:33:59
Preview: Shattered: The Tragedy, the Truth, and the God Who Stays w/ Rip Wahlberg
“Shattered: The Tragedy, the Truth, and the God Who Stays w/ Rip Wahlberg” Full episode drops next Wednesday.This week’s preview comes with a trigger warning: we’re stepping into a story of unimaginable loss — ...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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7:52
Community, Communion, and the Cost of Connection w/ Aaron Dolce
In this episode, Jay sits down with Aaron Dolce, co-pastor of The Rock of Roseville in California, for a vulnerable, hilarious, and deeply honest conversation about what it really means to live in community.Aaron...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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1:24:20
Preview: Community, Communion, and the Cost of Connection w/ Aaron Dolce
Coming next Wednesday — Jay sits down with The Rock of Roseville co-pastor Aaron Dolce for a real and raw conversation on what it truly costs to live in community. From confronting gossip and burnout to rediscovering joy, friend...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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5:48
The Desert, The Journey, and Holding Form w/ Michael Stalker
In this heartfelt conversation, host Jay Urena sits down with friend and mentor Mike Stalker — a man whose quiet strength, wisdom, and faith have deeply shaped those around him. From growing up on a horse farm near Buffalo to lead...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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58:50
Preview: The Desert, The Journey, and Holding Form w/ Michael Stalker
Next week on Sacred & Strange, we’re sitting down with Mike Stalker — a man whose steady faith and quiet wisdom have shaped everyone around him.Before he was a mentor, a leader in the corporate world, or a voice on Th...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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5:52
Fathers, Failures, and Finding Faithfulness w/ Dennis Reil
In this powerful continuation of his story, Dennis R. returns to Sacred & Strange to share the deeply human side of faith — where hope and heartbreak collide. From surviving cancer and discovering his calling to walking thro...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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1:41:55
Preview: Fathers, Failures, and Finding Faithfulness w/ Dennis Reil
This week on Sacred & Strange, we sit down once again with Dennis R. for part two of his powerful story — a journey through grief, growth, and grace. From surviving cancer and navigating ministry to losing his parents and confronting forgiv...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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6:56
The Wrestling, The Wonder, and A Holy Friendship w/ Rachel Stalker
In this episode, Jay sits down with Rachel Stalker — a teacher, traveler, and leader at The Porch — to explore what it means to wrestle with God and still walk in friendship with Him. From growing up in Catholic roots to encount...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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1:17:08
Preview: The Wrestling, The Wonder, and A Holy Friendship w/ Rachel Stalker
In this episode, Jay sits down with Rachel Stalker — a teacher, traveler, and dear friend of The Porch — to explore what it means to wrestle with God and still walk in friendship with Him. From growing up in Catholic roots to en...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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6:51
The Barn, the Breakdown, and the Breath of God w/ Levi Crognale
At seventeen, Levi found himself locked in a bathroom, his mind spiraling and his faith unraveling. What began as a breaking point became the moment God broke through.In this raw and deeply human conversation, Jason and Levi explore the ...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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1:14:10
Preview: The Barn, the Breakdown, and the Breath of God w/ Levi Crognale
At seventeen, Levi found himself locked in a bathroom, his mind spiraling and his faith unraveling. What began as a breaking point became the moment God broke through.In this raw and deeply human conversation, Jason and Levi explore the ...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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5:46
Wounds, Wilderness, and What Remains w/ Josh Todd
In this episode of Sacred & Strange, Jay sits down with his longtime friend Josh to explore a story marked by trauma, transformation, and the search for belonging. From a chaotic childhood to ministry, mental health work, and the s...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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1:13:51
Preview: Wounds, Wilderness, and What Remains w/ Josh Todd
In this episode of Sacred & Strange, Jay sits down with his longtime friend Josh to explore a story marked by trauma, transformation, and the search for belonging. From a chaotic childhood to ministry, mental health work, and the s...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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4:06
Briskets, Bigfoot, and Belonging w/ Tristan Bredeman
In this powerful and refreshingly honest episode of Sacred & Strange, Jay sits down with his longtime friend and brother-in-arms, Tristan, a pitmaster from Northern California with a gift for creating safe spaces through foo...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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56:02
Preview: Brisket, Bigfoot, and Belonging with Tristan B
Join host Jay and his longtime friend Tristan as they delve into nearly a decade of brotherhood filled with wisdom, adventures, and challenges. In this episode of Sacred and Strange, Tristan shares his life story, from growing up in a tumultuou...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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4:07
Leading While Bleeding w/ Rip Wahlberg
In this episode of Sacred & Strange, host Jay Urena sits down with longtime friend, mentor, and fellow Bible nerd Rip Wahlberg for a raw, thoughtful conversation about calling, loss, theology, and the evolving shap...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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1:41:37
Preview: Leading While Bleeding with Rip Wahlberg
Next Wednesday, Jay sits down with Rip Wahlberg. Dive into the heartfelt journey of a pastor who wrestles with being a relational introvert and the intense challenges of ministry. From confronting personal insecurities to craving genuine faith ...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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5:24
Faith and Vulnerability w/ Kyle Melnick
In this episode of Sacred and Strange, host Jay speaks with his close friend Kyle about their formative years, personal growth, and spiritual evolution. They discuss their history together, moving from their youthful struggles with cooking to t...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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57:02
Preview: Kyle Melnick
A quick preview of next week's episode with Kyle Melnick.
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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4:42
Getting Back Up w/ Dennis Reil
In this episode of Sacred and Strange, Jay welcomes his long-time friend Dennis to share his incredible and challenging life story. Dennis, now 31 and based in Fresno, California, delves into his upbringing as the youngest of 10 siblings, navig...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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1:27:03
Sacred & Strange | Welcome to Sacred & Strange w/ Jay & Erinn Urena
In this introductory episode, hosts Jay and Erinn Urena, leaders of the Porch missional community in Riverhead, New York, introduce themselves and their vision for the 'Sacred and Strange' podcast. They share their journey, including their back...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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19:56