Louisiana Now

Our Staying podcast series continues. In this episode, we are joined by Rev. John Winn. Listen as he shares why he is staying with the UMC. Hear insight and wisdom from over 70 years of pastoral experience.

Our Staying series continues as we visit with Rev. Quinn O'Bannon, who joined us remotely from Virginia. Quinn has a unique perspective as he serves as a Navy chaplain. "God looks past our differences because God uses each of us." Staying is a video/podcast series that focuses on the value of staying in the United Methodist Church. During this season of discernment, when some churches are talking...

In this episode of Staying, we visit with Rev. Katie Black. Both of the churches she serves are discerning their future. Meanwhile, Rev. Black has decided to stay with the UMC and the Louisiana Conference. Hear how she is navigating this unique time.

We continue with Staying, our video series on the value of staying with the United Methodist Church. In this episode, we catch up with Rev. Robert Johnson, a local pastor in the Louisiana Conference. If you have a question or an idea for the show, please email us: podcast@la-umc.org   For more on the Staying series, please head to our web site: www.la-umc.org/staying  

If you hold traditional views, you will always have a "seat at the table" in the United Methodist Church. Hear from Rev. Truman Stagg as to why he is #Staying in the UMC.   Staying is a video/podcast series that focuses on the value of staying in the United Methodist Church. During this season of discernment, when some churches are talking about leaving, this is the time to talk about what it mean...

In this episode of Staying, we visit with Katrena King. King brings a unique perspective as she is currently enrolled in seminary, pursuing the deacon track, and serves as a ministry intern. Staying is a video/podcast series that focuses on the value of staying in the United Methodist Church. During this season of discernment, when some churches are talking about leaving, this is the time to talk...

Our next episode of Staying features an interview with Kenny Beauvais. Kenny is a lifelong Methodist and, over the years, has come to embrace diversity. As he says, "it's Methodism 101." Staying is a video/podcast series that focuses on the value of staying in the United Methodist Church. During this season of discernment, when some churches are talking about leaving, this is the time to talk abou...

Wondering about seminaries and the pastoral path? In this episode of Staying, we are joined by Rev. Brady Whitton, who chairs the Board of Ordained Ministry of the Louisiana Conference.  Staying is a video/podcast series that focuses on the value of staying in the United Methodist Church. During this season of discernment, when some churches are talking about leaving, this is the time to talk abou...

"Deepening empathy can never be a bad thing." In this episode of Staying, we sit down with Jessica Trahan as she discusses the value of seeing life from another perspective. Staying is a video/podcast series that focuses on the value of staying in the United Methodist Church. During this season of discernment, when some churches are talking about leaving, this is the time to talk about what it mea...

What is the role of a district superintendent in the discernment process? It's listed as one of the first steps, and it's one of the reasons we thought it was important to catch up with one of our four district superintendents in Louisiana, the Rev. Karli Pidgeon. Staying is a video/podcast series that focuses on the value of staying in the United Methodist Church. During this season of discernmen...

What does it mean to give the Bible authority? In our conversation with Rev. Jay Hogewood, we lift up the centrality of scriptural authority to our common life and witness. Staying is a special series of conversations on the value of staying with the United Methodist Church. This video series is available on our Facebook page, our YouTube page and as a podcast, on our Louisiana NOW podcast platfor...

We continue our special series, Staying. During a time when some are discussing leaving the United Methodist Church, now is the time to talk about staying. Think you have to leave the UMC if you hold conservative viewpoints or consider yourself a traditionalist? Think again. We visit with Rev. Weldon Bares, Senior Pastor at First United Methodist Church in Lake Charles. Rev. Bares says there is tr...

In this episode of Staying, Todd Rossnagel catches up with his co-host of the series, Rev. Dr. Van Stinson. They preview some of the episodes that will be featured in the next few weeks. Staying is a video/podcast series that focuses on the value and importance of staying in the United Methodist Church. During this season of discernment, when some churches are talking about leaving, this is the ti...

In this debut episode of Staying, a special series of conversations on the value of staying with the United Methodist Church, we catch up with Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey. There is a lot of discussion about churches potentially leaving the United Methodist Church. We think now is the time to discuss, share and reflect on the value of STAYING. To be clear – the United Methodist Church is NOT split...

 In this episode of the Louisiana NOW podcast, we catch up with Rev. Ali Young and Rev. Van Stinson, both with the Louisiana Conference Office of Clergy Excellence. What does it mean to have an office focused on 'clergy excellence'. We unpack that and much more as we discuss what it means to pastor in today's divisive and ever-changing environment. Young and Stinson focus on how the Conference inv...

In this episode of Louisiana NOW, we are joined by Rev. Matt Rawle. The Louisiana pastor has written yet another book:  Jesus Revealed, The I Am Statements in the Gospel of John. In his latest book, Rawle explores  the seven "I am" statements as works of art that resonate throughout John and all of Scripture. He shows how these words point beyond themselves to the deep mystery of Jesus Christ.  Fo...

On the final day of Annual Conference, the Louisiana Conference delegates  overwhelmingly approved a resolution to urge the Louisiana Legislature to create a second majority-black Congressional district. But, the vote was not unanimous, and the scattered handful of "no" votes inspired Dez Dunn to address the conference. In this episode of Louisiana NOW, we catch up with Dez . We will re-visit his...

In this episode of the Louisiana NOW podcast , we visit with Rev. Dr. Jonathan C. Augustine. Jay Augustine will be one of several guest speakers at the 2022 Annual Conference in Baton Rouge, June 14-17. He is a nationally acclaimed social justice advocate and serves as senior pastor of St. Joseph African Methodist Episcopal Church in Durham, North Carolina, a law professor at North Carolina Centra...

Bishop Tracy Smith Malone will be a special guest at the 2022 Annual Conference. Bishop Malone will preach our opening worship and will also address the laity at the Laity Session. Our conversation focuses on her address to the Louisiana Conference and much more.    Bishop Malone was assigned to the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church effective September 1, 2016. As resident bishop...

In this episode of the Louisiana NOW podcast, we feature speeches from Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey and Bishop Thomas Bickerton. Both bishops recently addressed the Council of Bishops and the church during the most recent Council of Bishops meeting.  The bishops of The United Methodist Church completed their Spring meeting in a spirit of collegiality and love for one another and the worldwide deno...

In the latest Louisiana NOW episode, Todd Rossnagel is joined by Brady Shearer, YouTube influencer and CEO of Pro Church Tools. Brady's YouTube channel focuses on church communication and everything from how to video church services to designing church web sites. Rossnagel and Shearer discuss the 167 hours beyond church's Sunday services and navigating their ministries through the single biggest c...

In this episode of the Louisiana NOW podcast, we share the Easter Story. The reading by Todd Rossnagel comes from a variety of translations of each of the four gospels. Happy Easter everyone. 

In this episode, we catch up with Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey. We discuss the 2022 Annual Conference, storm recovery, disaffiliation matters, and Wordle. Bishop Harvey shares from the heart as she discusses the future of The United Methodist Church.    Here are some links that we mention during the show:  Annual Conference Registration:  www.la-umc.org/ac22 Algiers:  https://www.la-umc.org/newsde...

In this episode of the Louisiana NOW podcast, Todd Rossnagel is joined by Adria Kimbrough, the coach of Dillard University's mock trial team. Founded in 2016, Dillard Mock Trial has quickly proven itself to be a force in the college mock trial universe. Only two years after its founding, Dillard Mock Trial reached the opening round of the national competition. This year, the Mock Trial team has ad...

In the latest Louisiana NOW episode, Todd Rossnagel visits with Bishop Thomas Bickerton, resident bishop of the New York area and the newly elected and soon-to-be President of the Council of Bishops. Rossnagel and Bickerton cover a lot of ground, including an update on General Conference 2020. They also look back on the developments regarding COVID, Black History Month, and more on the future of t...