Louisiana Now

As we head into the week of Annual Conference, we will be ordaining two deacons at the Celebration of Ministry Service. This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the Order of Deacons. In this episode of Louisiana NOW, Todd Rossnagel visits with both of this year's ordinands, Rev. Katrena King and Rev. Maddie Russo.  Together, they explore the role of a deacon and the calling that lives at the i...

Seventy years ago, twelve words in The Methodist Church's Book of Discipline changed everything: "Women are included in all provisions of the discipline referring to the ministry." In our final episode of our special series, Rev. Ali Young sits down with Rev. Stephanie York Arnold, General Secretary of the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women (GCSRW), to reflect on the 70th anniversa...

We continue our special series on the 70th anniversary of the ordination of women in the United Methodist Church. Rev. Ali Young is sharing stories of call, leadership, and faith from across the Louisiana Conference. In this episode, we hear from our provisional elders, all of whom are women. Rev. Neva Joseph, Rev. Amy Castro, and Rev. Tricia Wilkinson join the show. 

The Louisiana NOW podcast continues its special series highlighting the 70th anniversary of women's ordination in The United Methodist Church . In this episode, host Rev. Ali Young is joined by Rev. Allison Sikes, Rev. Clair Carter , and Stacey Weber for a conversation rooted in one shared place, Grace Community United Methodist Church. Together, they reflect on how a local church can shape a call...

In this special episode of  Louisiana NOW , guest host Rev. Ali Young leads a meaningful conversation marking the 70th anniversary of the ordination of women in The United Methodist Church. This episode features a powerful roundtable with the Louisiana Conference's three District Superintendents; R ev. Karli Pidgeon, Rev. Dr. Frances Hooton, and Rev. Dr. Ramonalynn Bethley. Together, they reflect...

This is a special edition of the Louisiana Now podcast, a reading of the Easter Story by host Todd Rossnagel. This reading comes from all four gospels and various translations. To find a United Methodist church in the Louisiana Conference, please visit our directory: https://www.la-umc.org/churches To find a listing of online church services in the Louisiana Conference, please visit  here .  To fi...

What happens between the moment someone feels called to ministry and the day they stand before the Annual Conference for commissioning or ordination? In this episode of the Louisiana NOW Podcast, Todd Rossnagel sits down with Rev. Sonya Lars, Registrar for the Louisiana Conference of The United Methodist Church. Rev. Lars shares how her role as registrar involves far more than paperwork and timeli...

There are moments when the world feels so fractured, so loud, and so heavy that we find ourselves asking a simple but unsettling question: How do we speak faithfully now? In this episode of Louisiana NOW , we're joined by author and historian Dr. Ashley Boggan, along with Rev. Ali Young, Director of Equipping Ministries, for a conversation rooted in United Methodist history but aimed squarely at t...

Recently, leaders from our conference joined colleagues from across the South Central Jurisdiction in El Paso for the All Things in Common gathering. Bishops, conference staff, and leaders came together for worship, conversation, and honest storytelling about where the Church is and where God might be leading next. But El Paso wasn't just a meeting location. It was a place already deeply connected...

This episode of the Louisiana NOW features an interview with Steve Barlow, the new Director of Finance and Conference Treasurer, and Rev. Dr. Van Stinson, the Executive Director of the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. Together, we explore Steve's transition into his role and his connection to the Gulf Coast. Reflecting on his past experiences, Steve shares how his time caring f...

Clergy will be invited to make a healthcare plan selection during open enrollment beginning October 29 and ending November 13th. Currently, there are  six healthcare plans to choose from. Everyone is invited to utilize Wespath's online tool,  ALEX . Participants can use ALEX to estimate costs and receive a personalized recommendation for their 2026 HealthFlex elections.  ALEX will remain available...

Welcome to a very special series of the Louisiana NOW podcast, Hope Beyond the Storm. Ten episodes that tell the stories of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in South Louisiana. Twenty years after the storms, the recovery isn't just history—it's still shaping lives, churches, and communities across South Louisiana. This series shares first‑hand stories of resilience, hard choices, and pastoring from pas...

Welcome to a very special series of the Louisiana NOW podcast, Hope Beyond the Storm. Ten episodes that tell the stories of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in South Louisiana. Twenty years after the storms, the recovery isn't just history—it's still shaping lives, churches, and communities across South Louisiana. This series shares first‑hand stories of resilience, hard choices, and pastoring from pas...

Welcome to a very special series of the Louisiana NOW podcast, Hope Beyond the Storm. Ten episodes that tell the stories of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in South Louisiana. Twenty years after the storms, the recovery isn't just history—it's still shaping lives, churches, and communities across South Louisiana. This series shares first‑hand stories of resilience, hard choices, and pastoring from pas...

Welcome to a very special series of the Louisiana NOW podcast, Hope Beyond the Storm. Ten episodes that tell the stories of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in South Louisiana. Twenty years after the storms, the recovery isn't just history—it's still shaping lives, churches, and communities across South Louisiana. This series shares first‑hand stories of resilience, hard choices, and pastoring from pas...

Welcome to a very special series of the Louisiana NOW podcast, Hope Beyond the Storm. Ten episodes that tell the stories of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in South Louisiana. Twenty years after the storms, the recovery isn't just history—it's still shaping lives, churches, and communities across South Louisiana. This series shares first‑hand stories of resilience, hard choices, and pastoring from pas...

Welcome to a very special series of the Louisiana NOW podcast, Hope Beyond the Storm. Ten episodes that tell the stories of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in South Louisiana. Twenty years after the storms, the recovery isn't just history—it's still shaping lives, churches, and communities across South Louisiana. This series shares first‑hand stories of resilience, hard choices, and pastoring from pas...

Welcome to a very special series of the Louisiana NOW podcast, Hope Beyond the Storm. Ten episodes that tell the stories of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in South Louisiana. Twenty years after the storms, the recovery isn't just history—it's still shaping lives, churches, and communities across South Louisiana. This series shares first‑hand stories of resilience, hard choices, and pastoring from pas...

Welcome to a very special series of the Louisiana NOW podcast, Hope Beyond the Storm. Ten episodes that tell the stories of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in South Louisiana. Twenty years after the storms, the recovery isn't just history—it's still shaping lives, churches, and communities across South Louisiana. This series shares first‑hand stories of resilience, hard choices, and pastoring from pas...

Welcome to a very special series of the Louisiana NOW podcast, Hope Beyond the Storm. Ten episodes that tell the stories of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in South Louisiana. Twenty years after the storms, the recovery isn't just history—it's still shaping lives, churches, and communities across South Louisiana. This series shares first‑hand stories of resilience, hard choices, and holy grit from pas...

Welcome to a very special series of the Louisiana NOW podcast, Hope Beyond the Storm. Ten episodes that tell the stories of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in South Louisiana. Twenty years after the storms, the recovery isn't just history—it's still shaping lives, churches, and communities across South Louisiana. This series shares first‑hand stories of resilience, hard choices, and holy grit from pas...

Welcome to a very special series of the Louisiana NOW podcast, Hope Beyond the Storm. Ten episodes that tell the stories of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in South Louisiana. Twenty years after the storms, the recovery isn't just history—it's still shaping lives, churches, and communities across South Louisiana. This series shares first‑hand stories of resilience, hard choices, and holy grit from pas...

In this episode, we catch up with Rev. Dr. Ramonalynn Bethley, the newly appointed District Superintendent in the North District of The Louisiana Conference.  Bishop Delores J. Williamston has appointed Bethley as superintendent of the North District of The Louisiana Conference, effective July 1. This appointment marks a return to the role for Bethley, who previously served as a district superinte...

This is a special edition of the Louisiana NOW podcast - we travel west to Kerrville, Texas. After devastating flooding along the Guadalupe River, the community of Kerrville, Texas, turns to faith, prayer, and each other. In this episode, we hear from Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey and leaders at First United Methodist Church of Kerrville, located near Camp Mystic, where many lives were lost. Throug...

In this episode of The Louisiana NOW podcast, we are joined by Dr. Carla Cardoza, President of Lydia Patterson Institute and Bishop Delores J. Williamston. In a powerful response to an unfolding immigration crisis affecting the  Lydia Patterson Institute (LPI) , the Council on Finance and Administration of The Louisiana Conference, in partnership with the United Methodist Foundation of Louisiana,...