Going the M.I.L.E.

In this episode of Going the MILE, Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth talks with Julie O’Neal about a call shaped by youth ministry, seminary, and long-term service in conference and general church leadership. Julie is a Desert Southwest Conference delegate and staff member. As a PK (pastor’s kid), Julie grew up immersed in the life of the church, yet her discernment led her toward a lay ministry path rat...

In this episode of Going the MILE: Stories of Calling and Ministry in the Greater Northwest, Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth speaks with Rev. Ashley Skinner Creek, Assistant Dean at Seattle Pacific Seminary. Ashley reflects on a call shaped less by one defining moment and more by a series of faithful “small yeses”, serving in the local church, being affirmed by trusted voices, and gradually stepping in...

In this episode of Going the MILE: Stories of Calling and Ministry in the Greater Northwest, Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth is joined by Dr. Joyce del Rosario, Executive Director of the Faith Action Network in Washington State. Joyce traces her call back to family, faith, and a defining moment as a young adult that shaped decades of ministry with youth, immigrant communities, and families on the margi...

In this episode of Going the MILE: Stories of Calling and Ministry in the Greater Northwest, Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth talks with Maggie Mann, District Director at Southeastern Idaho Public Health, whose call centers on offering love in both everyday interactions and her long career in public health. Maggie sees health as a foundation for human dignity and believes access to wellness should never...

In this episode of Going the MILE: Stories of Calling and Ministry in the Greater Northwest, Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth talks with Certified Lay Minister Kenneth Johnson of McMinnville, Oregon. Ken found his call later in life, encouraged by mentors, energized by preaching, and affirmed by a congregation that heard something true in his voice. His ministry continued even through a long medical jou...

In this episode of Going the MILE: Stories of Calling and Ministry in the Greater Northwest, Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth talks with Rev. Caleb Encinas Cortés, Pastor of Community Engagement at Federal Way UMC. Caleb describes a call that grew through community affirmation into a ministry shaped by organizing, advocacy, and neighbor care. His story moves from preaching at eighteen to showing up in O...

In this episode of Going the MILE: Stories of Calling and Ministry in the Greater Northwest, Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth speaks with Kathy Bryson, who, along with her husband Dana, is the Pacific Northwest Conference Disaster Response Coordinator and early response team coordinator. From wildfires, to hurricanes, to floods, Kathy shares how her call began with a feeling, a quiet pull to serve, and...

In this episode of Going the MILE: Stories of Calling and Ministry in the Greater Northwest, Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth speaks with Nica Sy, a Seattle-based organizer whose faith was shaped at Beacon United Methodist Church and the Filipino youth camp, Christmas Institute. From her roots in church community to her work with Anakbayan Seattle, Nica shares how faith led her from service projects to...

In this episode of Going the MILE: Stories of Calling and Ministry in the Greater Northwest, Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth speaks with Rev. Richenda Fairhurst, a pastor whose ministry stands at the intersection of faith, justice, and creation care. From her childhood in the forests of eastern Canada to her leadership with the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement and Fossil Free UMC, Richenda’s...

In this episode of Going the MILE: Stories of Calling and Ministry in the Greater Northwest, Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth talks with Larry Hermann, a Certified Lay Minister from Bend, Oregon. Larry reflects on a lifelong call to serve that has taken shape through military service, community involvement, and faithful leadership in the local church. His story embodies the heart of Going the MILE. Mini...

In this fifth episode of Going the MILE: Stories of Calling and Ministry in the Greater Northwest, Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth speaks with Rev. Byron Harris, pastor of Vancouver Heights United Methodist Church. Byron shares how his call to ministry grew from childhood roots in the church, through seasons of struggle and self-discovery, into a life devoted to truth-telling and liberation. His story...

In this fourth episode of Going the MILE: Stories of Calling and Ministry in the Greater Northwest, Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth speaks with Caesar Marciales, a teacher, coach, mentor, and commissioned home missioner from Palmer, Alaska. Caesar shares how his call unfolded through sports, teaching, and the life-changing presence of safe and trustworthy adults. His story connects deeply with the visi...

In this third episode of Going the MILE: Stories of Calling and Ministry in the Greater Northwest, Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth welcomes Anna Hoesly, pastor and director of Storyline Community. Anna shares how her call took shape outside traditional church walls, rooted instead in the lives of neighbors and the wisdom of voices often left at the margins. Her story embodies the spirit of the MILE vis...

In this second episode of Going the MILE: Stories of Calling and Ministry in the Greater Northwest, Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth welcomes Sally Vonner, General Secretary and CEO of United Women in Faith. Sally shares how she first experienced her call, why she chose not to pursue ordination, and how she now lives out her vocation as a lay leader shaping ministry on a global scale. Her story reflects...

Welcome to Going the MILE: Stories of Calling and Ministry in the Greater Northwest Area, hosted by Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth. This new podcast invites us to walk the M.I.L.E. together, which stands for Ministry that Matters, Itineration and Location, Lay Ministry Enhancement, and Eliminating Racism. In this first episode, Bishop Cedrick sits down with EJ Ragual, a young leader from Kent, Washing...