The Church of Tinkerbell Podcast

Who owns winter: the sun, Jesus, the Maccabees, the Unconquered Sun, or the people lighting dumplings and pomegranates at midnight? 🌟 In this slightly sparkly tour of Yule, Saturnalia, Christmas, Hanukkah, Yalda, Dongzhi, Diwali, Kwanzaa and more, we follow humanity’s favorite coping strategy for long nights: candles, feasts, resistance, and ridiculous amounts of hope. Come for the history, stay for the Universal Winter Lights ceremony you can actually do in your living room.

The post Who Owns Winter? A Slightly Sparkly History of the Winter Season first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

“The Light We Don’t Withhold” is a Church of Tinkerbell reflection for HIV/AIDS Awareness Month, …

The post The Light We Don’t Withold: HIV/AIDS Awareness Month first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

Honoring Native American Heritage Month means more than a land acknowledgment once a year—it’s a commitment to learning the true history of this land, amplifying Native voices, supporting tribal sovereignty, and celebrating the beauty and brilliance of living Indigenous cultures every day, not just in November.

The post Native American Heritage Month: More Than a Month of Gratitude first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

Intersex Awareness Week (Oct 26–Nov 8) is a call to learn, listen, and act. This post explains what intersex means, why prevalence estimates vary, the harms of non-consensual surgeries, real progress from hospitals to the U.N., and—through two true-to-life stories—how each of us can support bodily autonomy, dignity, and joyful belonging.

The post Intersex Awareness Week: What It Means, Why It Matters, and How We All Help first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

A gentle, wonder-soaked meditation on mortality as a teacher—not an enemy. In this Evernight finale, we dance with Death to return our attention to what matters: love, repair, presence, and everyday courage. Come for the fireflies and candlelight; leave with a pocketful of gratitude and a simple rite to live more fully—today.

The post Evernight: Dancing with Death — Embracing Mortality to Fully Live first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

In Evernight 6: Candles Against the Dark, we widen the lens from inner shadow work to shared resilience. A simple candle walk becomes a ritual of togetherness—neighbors choosing one another, turning fear into warmth, and practicing the ordinary courage that carries us through longer nights.

The post Evernight: Candles Against the Dark first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

In this luminous midpoint of the Evernight journey, autumn becomes a mirror for transformation. Pumpkins, Transformation, and the Light Within invites readers to see how even in darkness, creativity carves space for hope to shine. A story of courage, renewal, and the quiet magic that comes from turning our hollow places into lanterns of light.

The post Evernight: Pumpkins, Transformation, and the Light Within first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

In The Magic of Shadows, we step into the quiet partnership between light and dark — where mystery breathes, imagination stirs, and not knowing becomes a sacred art. This reflection invites you to honor the beauty of what can’t be fully seen, and to find wonder in the places where shadows whisper and light listens.

The post Evernight: The Magic of Shadows first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

In the candlelit hush of Evernight, shadows whisper truths we’ve buried deep. This Halloween, dare to meet the monsters within—and set them free.

The post Evernight: The Monsters We Carry first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

Why do we seek out haunted houses, jump scares, and ghost stories when fear is something we usually try to avoid? In this reflection from the Sacred Play series, we explore the strange gift of chosen fear — how it awakens us, strengthens us, and even teaches us courage when we need it most.

The post Evernight: The Gift of Chosen Fear first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

Step into Evernight, a lantern-lit town where October never ends. In this first Halloween reflection, we celebrate the joy of masks and costumes—the freedom to play, imagine, and reveal hidden parts of ourselves. Alongside the essay, discover a tiny tale: The Night of a Thousand Faces, where mirrors vanish and masks awaken a town to new possibilities.

The post Evernight: Masks, Costumes, and the Freedom to Play first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

On National Coming Out Day, we honor the courage of telling the truth—and the lifesaving power of being believed. This piece shares real stories, clears up myths vs. science, and offers simple, actionable ways to be the safe harbor someone deserves.

The post The Door We Open Together: National Coming Out Day first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

The Silence Between Notes invites us to listen not only to the music of sound but also to the music of pause. Reflecting on rests, quiet moments, and the spaces that hold us, this piece explores how silence itself can be a source of beauty, transcendence, and sacred presence.

The post Sacred Play: The Silence Between Notes first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

What if laughter itself is holy? In this reflection on the sacred role of humor, parody, and satire, we meet the Trickster—the mischievous guide who keeps us humble, joyful, and free.

The post Sacred Play: The Holy Trickster – Why Humor Belongs in Spirituality first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

We often think of imaginary friends as childhood quirks, but they carry deeper meaning. These companions—whether a child’s invented playmate or an adult’s inner voice—reveal truths about how we practice love, nurture resilience, and hold hope through imagination. This piece explores how the beings we create inside us help us become more fully alive.

The post Sacred Play: Imaginary Friends and Real Truths first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

In this gentle allegorical tale, we follow the dance of fireflies to uncover sacred lessons about community, rest, rhythm, and the quiet power of sharing your light. The Gospel of Fireflies is a meditation on belonging, the beauty of cycles, and the invitation to blink not for show—but for connection. Let the rhythm carry you.

The post Sacred Play: The Gospel of Fireflies first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

What if the rainbow was more than a symbol—what if it was scripture? In this meditative and poetic reflection, Sacred Colors: The Rainbow as Scripture explores the rainbow as a living sacred text written in light. Each color becomes a verse, each appearance a revelation. A celebration of beauty, diversity, queer pride, and the holiness of wonder.

The post Sacred Play: Sacred Colors – The Rainbow as Scripture first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

A Litany of Wonder is a poetic and meditative journey through the sacredness of everyday life. With reverent attention to the ordinary, this piece invites readers to rediscover awe, delight, and gratitude hidden in plain sight. It’s an offering of sacred play — a reminder that wonder is always near, if we choose to see.

The post Sacred Play: A Litany of Wonder first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

Imagination isn’t an escape—it’s a compass. Every movement for love and justice began as a dream someone dared to believe. This post explores how fantasy and storytelling help us envision better worlds—and why reclaiming the right to dream boldly is an act of resistance.

Every step toward justice begins in the imagination. What worlds are you daring to dream into being?

The post Sacred Play: Dreaming Better Worlds first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

The sacred isn’t always solemn. Sometimes it giggles, trips us up, and ties flowers in our hair. In the playful mischief of fairies, we discover that laughter and delight are every bit as holy as silence and reverence.

The post Sacred Play: The Sacred Mischief of Fairies first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

Magic isn’t only found in fairy tales — it’s woven into the everyday. The smell of bread baking, the sound of laughter, or a child’s curious question can become portals to wonder when we pause to notice. The Enchanted Ordinary invites us to rediscover the sacred beauty hidden in life’s smallest moments.

The post Sacred Play: The Enchanted Ordinary: Finding Magic in Small Moments first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

Our bodies are temples of motion and breath. In every stretch, every dance, every inhale and exhale, we offer a sacred prayer of being alive. Blessings for the Body is a meditation on honoring the holiness of movement and breath.

The post Sacred Play: Blessings for the Body: A Prayer of Movement first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

Before temples and texts, there was the sky. In this reflection, we explore astronomy and the night sky as a form of spiritual practice—one rooted not in dogma, but in wonder. Through science, story, and silence, we rediscover the sacred in the stars.

The post Sacred Play: The Religion of Stars: Awe in the Cosmos first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

What makes a story sacred? This thoughtful exploration invites readers into a world where myths, fairy tales, and fantasy aren't just for entertainment—they're tools for ethical growth, empathy, and wonder. Free from dogma, these stories help us embody deeper truths and reclaim the sacred through imagination and play.

The post Sacred Play: The Sacred Stories We Tell Ourselves first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

A whimsical journey through candles, stars, fireflies, and rainbows—exploring how light reveals the heart of compassion, truth, and joy in Tinkerbell’s theology of wonder.

The post Sacred Play: Tinkerbell’s Theology of Light first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

Discover the quiet magic in your daily routines. From morning coffee to evening candles, everyday rituals can become sacred pauses that bring presence, grounding, and a touch of wonder into ordinary life.

The post Sacred Play: The Magic of Everyday Rituals first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

What if spirituality wasn’t about the supernatural, but about the magic of imagination, humor, and creativity? In this episode, we explore how wonder, laughter, and artistic expression can become sacred practices—ways to find meaning, connection, and awe in everyday life.

The post Sacred Play: Finding Spirituality in Imagination, Humor, and Creativity first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

An honest and thoughtful guide to porn use that ditches the shame and explores how ethical, mindful consumption can support self-discovery, emotional well-being, and healthy relationships.

The post Porn with Purpose first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

In What Is Pride For?, The Church of Tinkerbell breaks down the soul of Pride Month beyond the rainbows and parades. This heartfelt guide reclaims Pride as a sacred space for remembering, resisting, reclaiming, and becoming. Whether you’re questioning, celebrating, grieving, or healing—this is a love letter to you, and a reminder that Pride is for anyone who’s ever been told to dim their light.

The post What is Pride For? first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

The Queer Prophets Were Always Here is a bold, affirming blog article from The Church of Tinkerbell that lifts the veil on LGBTQIA+ erasure and celebrates queer people throughout history and culture as sacred truth-tellers. From ancient roles to modern acts of courage, this piece reclaims queerness as legacy, resistance, and revelation—and honors all who carry that flame today.

The post The Queer Prophets Were Always Here first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

“You’re Not Broken. You’re a Miracle.” is a tender, powerful message from The Church of Tinkerbell for anyone who has felt unworthy, unloved, or out of place. This blog article gently dismantles internalized shame and reclaims queerness, neurodivergence, and difference as sacred expressions of life. A spiritual love letter for Pride – and for every day you need to remember you were never a mistake.

The post You’re Not Broken. You’re a Miracle. first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

Juneteenth is not just a celebration—it’s a declaration. A fire lit in the dark corners of oppression that still burns today. We honor the strength of those who waited too long for freedom, and we carry their fight forward with truth, courage, and fierce compassion. Read our latest post at thechurchoftinkerbell.com.

The post Juneteenth: The Celebration They Never Wanted Us to Have first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

This powerful Pride Month reflection from The Church of Tinkerbell explores how shame and conformity …

The post When the World Says “Hide,” Pride Says “Shine” first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

Celebrate the radiant power of queerness with The Church of Tinkerbell’s Pride Month kickoff article, …

The post The Sacred Spark of Queer Creation: What Tinkerbell Taught Us About Being Ourselves first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

This post explores how the human brain constructs our experience of reality—both external and internal—and why that can lead to deeply felt but conflicting beliefs about gods, spirits, morality, and truth. It invites readers to examine the stories their minds generate, recognize the illusion of certainty, and adopt more reliable tools for understanding the world with curiosity and compassion.

The post The Brain, Belief, and the Illusion of Certainty first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

A deep exploration of how clothing restrictions and shame-based modesty harm both neurotypical and neurodivergent …

The post The Hidden Costs of Covering Up: How Clothing Rules and Body Shame Hurt Kids—and How to Create a Home of Body Freedom first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month—a time to prioritize mental well-being, support those who struggle, and work toward a world where mental health care is accessible and stigma-free.

The post Mental Health Awareness Month: Why It Matters for All of Us first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

This post explores the true nature of communication, emphasizing that words are merely tools for transferring meaning. It highlights how miscommunication—especially when used intentionally—can be a manipulative tactic employed by politicians, evangelists, and apologists. True dialogue requires clarity, shared definitions, and a commitment to mutual understanding. Winning an argument through miscommunication is not a real victory; it's a performance, not a pursuit of truth.

The post Words Are Just Tools: When Communication Becomes Manipulation first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

Easter and 4/20 fall on the same day this year, and we’re celebrating with holy herbs and high spirits. Join us for a satirical sermon on elevation, divine munchies, and the miracle of marijuana. Amen. Pass the lighter.

The post 420 Easter: He Is Risen (So Are We) first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

Empathy is a powerful force for creating a more compassionate and connected world. By understanding …

The post The Power and Practice of Empathy first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

This episode encourages a shift from “Autism Awareness” to “Autism Appreciation,” highlighting the value of …

The post Autism Appreciation: Moving Beyond Awareness to Understanding and Inclusion first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

In this episode, we dive into the deep impact of growing up in a body-shaming, …

The post Healing Shame: Body Positivity and Responses to Nudity first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

In this episode, we explore the profound connection between the cosmos, human thought, and the …

The post The Cosmic Unfolding – Free Will, Determinism, and the Nature of Reality first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

Republican lawmakers have weaponized the rare phenomenon of detransition to attack transgender rights, using "Detrans Awareness Day" as a political tool rather than an effort to genuinely support detransitioners. In reality, studies show that detransition is rare, with the vast majority of cases occurring due to external pressures such as discrimination, financial barriers, and lack of support—not because individuals regret transitioning. Research confirms that only 1-2% of trans people detransition due to identity-related reasons, while gender-affirming care has extremely low regret rates (below 1%).

By exaggerating detransition cases and falsely presenting transition as inherently dangerous, conservatives are mi...

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to review state bans on conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ minors …

The post Supreme Court’s Review of Conversion Therapy Bans: What’s at Stake for LGBTQ+ Rights? first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

This episode celebrates International Women’s Day by highlighting the remarkable achievements of women throughout history …

The post Trailblazing Women: Achievements Past and Present first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

Inclusive children’s television programs like Sesame Street, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, and PJ Masks play a …

The post The Power of Representation: How Inclusive Children’s Programs Shape a Better World first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

In a controversial move during Black History Month, President Trump dismissed General Charles Q. Brown …

The post Distinguished Black Officer Fired By Trump During Black History Month first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

This article examines the growing threats to human rights, including the erosion of women’s autonomy, …

The post The Erosion of Rights: A Systematic Threat to Democracy first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

This article discusses the controversy surrounding Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (AOC) recent webinar aimed at educating …

The post AOC, Know Your Rights, and the Battle Over Public Awareness first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

Throughout history, diverse expressions of gender identity and sexual orientation have existed across cultures, often …

The post The History of Gender Identities and Sexual Orientations Beyond the Binary: Understanding Prejudice and Society first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

Neverland’s Valentine: A Celebration of Every Heart is a heartwarming tale where Peter Pan, Wendy, …

The post Neverland’s Valentine: A Celebration of Every Heart first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.

This podcast episode delves into the Trump administration’s directive to remove specific terms related to …

The post Censorship in Science: The Impact of Language Restrictions on Public Health first appeared on The Church of Tinkerbell.