Rachel Iacovone and Finding God During Such a Time as This

You may recognize Rachel's voice as one of the reporters on WPLN, Nashville’s NPR station. She's been in Nashville just a little over a year and is originally from Southwest Florida. Rachel was raised Roman Catholic by her parents who are Puerto Rican and Italian, and identifies as bi-sexual. And she currently attends West End United Methodist Church here in Nashville.

In our conversation, we took a closer look at her family's history with faith, her own personal exploration of the Bible, and how the Book of Esther is particularly relevant for finding hope in a year as tumultuous as 2020.

Find Rachel on Instagram @racheliacovone.

For Reflection: How have you been able to get more in touch with yourself or your own spiritual practices, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic? And, how do you feel particularly called to take action in your life during this time?

Episode Sponsor: St. Ann’s Episcopal Church - Wherever you are in your quest for belief, St. Ann’s welcomes you. They are a diverse, open and accepting community of faith that seeks and serves Christ in all persons, working for a just and inclusive world by embracing the risks of ministry and leadership as they encounter God in scripture, tradition and prayer. St. Ann's affirms and welcomes the full participation of LGBTQIA+ folks in the life, leadership, and sacraments of their church. Located in East Nashville. Worship with St. Ann's online on Sundays. Just visit stannsnashville.org to learn more.

Resources: The “spotlight” investigation mentioned refers largely to the sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. Since that story broke in 2002, numerous additional scandals in the Catholic Church have unfolded. The Book of Esther was also mentioned, which you can read in its entirety on Bible Gateway.

Out Loud is a podcast by and for queer people of faith in the South. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and join our mailing list for updates. Support the show financially by becoming a Patreon member, or by leaving a one-time donation on our website. Hosted by Greg Thompson. Edited by Cariad Harmon. Music by JP Rugierri.