Episode 030: AI, Tech, and Following Christ: Zach Perry

Episode 030: AI, Tech, and Following Christ: Zach Perry

TITLE: AI, TECH, AND FOLLOWING CHRIST: ZACH PERRY EPISODE SUMMARY: Zach Perry is a software engineer at Oracle who helps build the massive data centers powering today's AI boom — and he's also the husband of GCC's own Avery Perry. In this episode, we get technical for a bit, unpacking what cloud computing and AI actually are and why data centers need so much power and water, before shifting into something deeper: what it looks like to follow Jesus in a highly secular, results-driven industry. Zach shares his own story of feeling called into tech, and how he tries to represent Christ to coworkers from around the world who may have never heard the gospel. Whether you're raising a future computer scientist or just wondering how faith fits into a life shaped by AI, this conversation offers real, grounded perspective. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN: * Understand what cloud computing actually is and why companies like Oracle are racing to build massive data centers * Discover how AI has reshaped the daily work of software engineers, shifting them from writers of code to managers of it * Hear Zach's honest take on the ethics of AI, including questions about job displacement and human value * Learn how quietly doing excellent work opens doors to share Christ that words alone never could * See what it looks like to be a light among coworkers from unreached people groups without ever leaving the U.S. * Get practical encouragement for parents or students wondering if a kid might be wired for a career in tech * Walk through Zach's own story of calling, from four high schools in three years to landing at Oracle KEY QUOTES: > "A Christian cobbler makes great shoes. Not bad shoes with crosses on them." — Zach Perry > "Aren't we supposed to be Christlike and living as he lived, dying to ourselves daily as he also died?" — Zach Perry > "Throughout that journey it was the constant prayer of, Lord, I don't know where you're putting me, but wherever you send me, there I will go." — Zach Perry > "Just make beautiful things. Regardless of what you're making, just make beautiful things." — Zach Perry WAYS TO GET INVOLVED / RESOURCES MENTIONED: * Freecodecamp.org — mentioned as a starting point for students or parents curious about learning to code ABOUT THE GUEST: Zach Perry is a software and infrastructure engineer at Oracle, where he works on scale manufacturing for the GPU racks that power data centers supporting today's AI industry. He studied computer science at Haverford College and grew up in a Christian home. Zach is married to Avery Perry, GCC's assistant communications director, and the two are currently moving back to Pennsylvania from Seattle. ABOUT THE KNOW AND FOLLOW PODCAST: The Know and Follow podcast is a production of Grace Community Church of Willow Street, located at 212 Peach Bottom Road in Willow Street, Pennsylvania. Join us for weekend services on Saturdays at 6 PM, Sundays at 8 AM, 9:15 AM, and 11 AM. Learn more at gccws.net [https://gccws.net].

Episode 029: Pastoral Resident Hunter Grant

Title: Called to the Church: Hunter Grant's Year in Ministry Episode Summary: Hunter Grant joined Grace Community Church as our very first pastoral resident — and after ten months learning from every corner of the ministry, he's stepping into his first full-time pastoral role at Bethany EC Church in Creswell. In this conversation, Hunter reflects on what seminary doesn't prepare you for, why he walked away from a future in IT to pursue ministry, and what it really looks like to be called by God into pastoral work. Whether you're exploring ministry yourself or just curious about what pastors actually do all week, this one's worth your time. In This Episode, You'll Learn: * What GCC's pastoral residency program actually looks like day to day — and why it exists * Why Sunday is only about 10% of a pastor's actual role, and what fills the rest of the week * How Hunter sensed God redirecting him away from a career in IT and toward ministry * What changed in Hunter when he stopped telling himself he "just wasn't an organized person" * How the residency connects future pastors with real ministry networks before they step into a role * Why slowing down and sitting under experienced leaders is often the wisest first step for young ministers * What Hunter and his wife Emma need prayer for as they enter a new season of life, ministry, and parenthood Key Quotes: "The biggest lesson I learned throughout this residency is that I cannot do this alone. Pastoral ministry can only be done through the power of Christ working through me." — Hunter Grant "I went to orientation and felt completely empty — I could tell the Spirit was not in agreement. I remember weeping that night, and I applied to Huntington University and just told the Lord, 'If this is your will, I'll go.' I got an acceptance letter before I even woke up the next morning." — Hunter Grant "Sunday is like 10% of the role. Being here full time, you really get to see the calling on the pastor's life and the shepherding that they do." — Hunter Grant "It's a long-term investment. Almost every other job — you don't just jump right in. You're always sitting under someone for an extended period of time. I don't think ministry should be any different." — Hunter Grant "Even to the very end, people came up and said, 'We stood up the first time you came on stage to pray for you, and we still pray for you every night.' That's something I think we'll never forget." — Hunter Grant Ways to Get Involved / Resources Mentioned: * GCC Pastoral Residency Program — Grace Community Church's hands-on ministry training program, now welcoming three residents in the coming year * Bethany EC Church of Creswell — Hunter's new church home, where he'll serve as Associate Pastor of Youth and Young Adults About the Guest: Hunter Grant grew up in Ohio in a family catering business, competed at the state level in computer coding, and once expected to build a career in IT. God had other plans. After a clear sense of calling the summer after high school graduation, Hunter enrolled at Huntington University to study youth ministry. His senior year, he connected with Grace Community Church through his now-wife Emma, and was invited to become GCC's inaugural pastoral resident. Over the course of ten months, he rotated through nearly every ministry department at GCC — from pastoral care to communications — and completed the EC denomination's pastoral assessment process. Hunter begins his role as Associate Pastor of Youth and Young Adults at Bethany EC Church of Creswell on June 1st. He and Emma are also expecting their first daughter. About the Know and Follow Podcast: The Know and Follow podcast is a production of Grace Community Church of Willow Street, located at 212 Peach Bottom Road in Willow Street, Pennsylvania. Join us for weekend services on Saturdays at 6 PM, Sundays at 8 AM, 9:15 AM, and 11 AM. Learn more at gccws.net [https://gccws.net].

Episode : Cooking, Creating, and Trusting God with Drew & Bethany Kramer

Title: Cooking, Creating, and Trusting God with Drew & Bethany Kramer Episode Summary: Drew and Bethany Kramer are the husband-and-wife team behind A Simple Palate, a food blog and YouTube channel that has been bringing scratch cooking and genuine community to people across the world for over a decade. In this conversation, they open up about what it really looks like to build something together as a couple, how faith has shaped every major decision in their business, and why stepping out in fear — especially into a camera — turned out to be one of the greatest acts of obedience in their lives. If you've ever felt called to something but couldn't quite bring yourself to start, this episode is for you. In This Episode, You'll Learn: * How Bethany went from a quiet food blog to a thriving YouTube channel — and why she almost didn't do it * What the rise of AI-generated search results did to their income, and how God used that crisis to reshape their priorities * Why Drew left a stable web design career to join the business full time — and the year of prayer that led to that decision * How "Breakfast with Jesus" keeps them grounded and protects them from making numbers and income into idols * What working together as a married couple actually looks like day to day — the rhythms, boundaries, and unexpected joys * Why they chose long-form video over short-form content, and what they believe it offers a distracted world * Practical encouragement for anyone who feels called to create, share, or start something new — but is still waiting Key Quotes: "I just felt compelled in my heart that God was calling me to something more, and I was terrified to step into that. And once I did step out, I realized what a tremendous blessing God had for me on the other side." — Bethany Kramer "We committed everything to the Lord. We just said, Lord, we trust you. No matter what — I can quit, I can let all this go. And it was an act of complete surrender." — Bethany Kramer "Every morning we bring our requests to the Lord — our pride, whatever we're dealing with, seeking praise from people. We just bring it and say, Lord, please make my heart right. We call it Breakfast with Jesus." — Bethany Kramer "You have to do it scared. You have to do it fearful. But you're not alone — you have the Lord. And if God is calling you to that, he will make a way." — Bethany Kramer "One life will soon be passed, but only what's done for Christ will last. Whatever you do in this life, do it all for the glory of God — because that's all that will last." — Drew Kramer Ways to Get Involved / Resources Mentioned: * A Simple Palate — Bethany and Drew's food blog and YouTube channel: asimplepalate.com [https://asimplepalate.com] About the Guests: Drew and Bethany Kramer are the couple behind A Simple Palate, a food blog and YouTube channel focused on scratch cooking, simple ingredients, and genuine connection. Bethany started the blog over twelve years ago, shortly after getting married, and has grown it into a community that spans continents. Drew, a self-taught web designer, came alongside her from the beginning before joining full time in November 2024. They attend the 9:15 service at Grace Community Church of Willow Street. About the Know and Follow Podcast: The Know and Follow podcast is a production of Grace Community Church of Willow Street, located at 212 Peach Bottom Road in Willow Street, Pennsylvania. Join us for weekend services on Saturdays at 6 PM, Sundays at 8 AM, 9:15 AM, and 11 AM. Learn more at gccws.net [https://gccws.net].

Episode 027: Feeding Neighbors with Dignity w/ Jeremiah Miller

TITLE: FEEDING NEIGHBORS WITH DIGNITY: JEREMIAH MILLER EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, we sit down with Jeremiah Miller, the Associate Pastor of Outreach at Mission Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Jeremiah shares the remarkable journey of the Mission Church Food Pantry, which launched in the heart of the 2020 pandemic to meet the practical needs of the local community. We discuss the importance of providing food with dignity, the power of prayer in sustaining ministry, and the simple ways every family can help fight local food insecurity. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN: * How Mission Church transformed a former school building into a hub for community outreach. * The unexpected ways God uses prior professional experience—like retail management—for ministry purposes. * Why removing barriers to access, such as income verification or zip code restrictions, is central to their mission. * How a "lean" season for the pantry was resolved through a specific call to prayer and community generosity. * Practical strategies for families to incorporate food donations into their regular grocery routines. * The importance of local churches being faithful to their unique calling rather than comparing themselves to others. KEY QUOTES: > "If people are already having to come to a food pantry, that's a hard thing to do... We want to raise them up by the distribution of food we give to them." — Jeremiah Miller > "We prayed, we asked him and he provided it... Prayer is so important." — Jeremiah Miller > "Don't compare your numbers to our numbers. Don't compare your space. Just be faithful to what God has given you to do." — Jeremiah Miller WAYS TO GET INVOLVED / RESOURCES MENTIONED: * Mission Church Food Pantry: Serving neighbors every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. https://mission-church.com/foodpantry/ [https://mission-church.com/foodpantry/] * Donate Food: High-priority items include canned goods and non-perishables like pasta, cereal, and rice. * Volunteer: Opportunities include distribution days, stocking shelves, and packing boxes. Contact help@missionfoodpantry.com [help@missionfoodpantry.com]. * Packing Nights: Ideal for sports teams, businesses, or small groups to serve together. ABOUT THE GUEST: Jeremiah Miller serves as the Associate Pastor of Outreach at Mission Church on Lampeter Road. With a background in retail logistics and a heart for the Lancaster community, he oversees all community-facing ministries, including the Mission Church Food Pantry, which serves approximately 1,500 households every month. ABOUT THE KNOW AND FOLLOW PODCAST: The Know and Follow podcast is a production of Grace Community Church of Willow Street, located at 212 Peach Bottom Road in Willow Street, Pennsylvania. Join us for weekend services on Saturdays at 6 PM, Sundays at 8 AM, 9:15 AM, and 11 AM. Learn more at gccws.net.

Episode 026: Housing and the work of Tenfold with CEO Shelby Nauman

In this episode, Pastor Addison Roberts welcomes back Shelby Nauman, the CEO of Tenfold, to discuss the complex realities of housing insecurity in Lancaster County. Shelby shares the story of the temporary low-barrier shelter and explains why homelessness is a growing challenge that extends far beyond the city limits. Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of how local organizations are working to move people through homelessness toward long-term stability and how the community can support these efforts. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN: * How Tenfold provides a broad spectrum of services, from homelessness prevention to first-time homebuyer assistance. * The critical role of low-barrier shelters in providing life-saving warmth and transition services during the winter months. * Why homelessness is increasingly affecting older adults over age 65 due to the current housing market and fixed incomes. * The distinction between "city" and "county" homelessness and why rural housing insecurity is often less visible. * Creative housing solutions being explored in Lancaster, including home-share programs and accessory dwelling units (ADUs). * How eviction prevention and financial counseling can stabilize families before they lose their homes. KEY QUOTES: > "The goal of Tenfold is to work with people and move them through homelessness, not just keep them comfortable in homelessness." — Shelby Nauman > "A lot of people think homelessness is just a city issue, but there are a lot of people experiencing homelessness throughout Lancaster County." — Shelby Nauman > "Anything we can do, especially for families, to keep them housed—the return on that is huge." — Shelby Nauman WAYS TO GET INVOLVED / RESOURCES MENTIONED: * Tenfold: An organization focusing on housing stability, financial education, and homelessness resources. * TLC (Transitional Living Center): A shelter program referred to for those committed to taking next steps toward stable housing. * Coalition for Sustainable Housing: An advocacy group working on zoning changes and increasing housing inventory. * Chestnut Housing: A nonprofit providing rental housing for households experiencing homelessness. * Office of Aging Home Share Program: A matching service that pairs older homeowners with individuals in need of affordable housing. ABOUT THE GUEST: Shelby Nauman serves as the CEO of Tenfold, a Lancaster-based organization dedicated to sparking clinical and systemic change in the housing sector. She is a member of the Grace Community Church congregation and is a leading advocate for sustainable housing and eviction prevention within the Lancaster community. ---------------------------------------- ABOUT THE KNOW AND FOLLOW PODCAST: The Know and Follow podcast is a production of Grace Community Church of Willow Street, located at 212 Peach Bottom Road in Willow Street, Pennsylvania. Join us for weekend services on Saturdays at 6 PM, Sundays at 8 AM, 9:15 AM, and 11 AM. Learn more at gccws.net [https://gccws.net].