Means of Grace

In this episode of the Means of Grace podcast, host Brian Mateer, WNCC Director of Missional Engagement, and Rev. Peter Constantian, a fourth generation Armenian American and UMC pastor in our Conference, share a conversation about their recent trip to Armenia. They discuss their visit with the staff of Project AGAPE and the upcoming 30 th  anniversary of the partnership between the two North Caro...

In this episode of the Means of Grace podcast, hosts Jesse Enniss and Kim Ingram talk to Rev. Katherine Sherrill, a therapist, and United Methodist deacon, about the pervasive state of anxiety in our lives. They discuss how our relationship with God through the church can give hope and methods for de-escalating our worries. Share this holy conversation with a friend.   Show notes: Leadership Engag...

This week, we spend some time thinking about the people who have shaped our personal faith, and the faith of our Church. We remember the saints of scripture and the saints of our stories. We offer gratitude for our "cloud of witnesses." Resources: Discipleship Ministries | A Prayer Meditation for All Saints Day (umcdiscipleship.org)

What could it mean for our congregations, for our communities, if we flipped the script on how we "do church"? In this week's episode Rev. Rob Parsons, pastor of Saluda UMC and a new church start called WithALL, shares how these two congregations are doing just that. He describes their ministry style as "church in reverse," and for them, their ministry does not start in the sanctuary, or a food pa...

In this episode of Means of Grace, Jesse Enniss and Kim Ingram talk with the Rev. Dr. Cathy Davis and the Rev. Dr. Heather Kilbourne about their DMin learning connected to community engagement.  Our guests introduce us to Asset Based Community Development and Community Organizing as similar ways to connect disciples with the needs of the community in order to create change.  The conversation is ri...

In this conversation with Susan Heafner-Heun, she talks with Jesse and Kim about the opportunity for a church to connect with the needs of the world through ministries of justice.  They discuss the difference between service and justice and Susan offers insight about the role of the church to make the Body of Christ whole. References:   James Cone  Biography of James Cone | James Cone Symposium (n...

In this episode, we have a guest host, Rev. Parker Haynes, pastor of and member of the Leadership Development Team. He interviews the Rev. Dr. Samuel Wells, Vicar of St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London, parish priest of the Church of England, and former Dean of Duke Chapel, and research professor of Christian ethics at Duke Divinity School. Dr. Wells speaks to us as a follow-up to a recent webinar...

This edition of the Means of Grace features a conversation with Rev. Joel Simpson, pastor of First UMC in Taylorsville, NC.  Joel has a heart for justice and the poor and marginalized.  In April, Joel, along with Shane Claiborne, led participants through the stations of the cross.  The stations included images that portrayed the execution of Jesus as painted by men awaiting their own execution of...

This week we are hosting a guest episode for Stories Along the Journey, a podcast by the Appalachian District. In this episode, Gloria Hughes and Lory Beth Huffman have a conversation with author, activist, and speaker, Shane Claiborne about how he passionately lives out the gospel message of love. His advocacy has led him to spend time with Mother Teresa in Calcutta and founded The Simple Way in...

In this week's episode we get to listen in on a conversation that took place during the 2022 Annual Conference. On Thursday evening, Bishop Carter, along with a group of clergy from across the conference, of various races, ages, genders, and ministry roles sat down for a panel discussion on the future of the UMC. Their goal was to answer a question you may have asked yourself a time or two – will...

In this episode, Bishop Ken Carter shares a helpful technique for thinking about and grappling with the various aspects of our callings and our lives.  As members of and leaders in the United Methodist Church, we are called to create disciples, to participate in our denomination, and to care for and nurture our own spiritual selves. This is abundance. If we neglect to care for any of these parts,...

Jesse Enniss and Kim Ingram, podcast hosts, talk with Rev. Dr. Preston Davis, Minister to the University at High Point University about his DMin focus on Christian practice for addressing the increase in fear and anxiety in young adults.  They talk about the role of mentors, churches, and parents in the lives of young people and how to help young adults belong. Preston shares knowledge, experience...

In this episode, Dr. Bill White, Jr., Conference Director of Equity and Justice Ministries has a conversation with members of the Just Compensation Task Force for an update on their petition for Annual Conference. Rev. Amy Coles, Assistant to the Bishop, Rev. Norma Villagrana, Chair of the Order of Elders and Rev. Brandon Lazarus share about the status of equitable compensation and the learning an...

In this episode, Bishop Ken Carter has a conversation with Kate Bowler on her book No Cure For Being Human (And Other Truths I Needed to Hear). This conversation was originally shared as a clergy leadership webinar jointly offered by the Florida and Western North Carolina Annual Conferences.

Description:  Members of the WNC Delegation to the General and Jurisdictional Conferences give an update about where the conferences currently stand and the decisions that are waiting from the Judicial Council.  They share about the work of the delegation that was elected by the Annual Conference in 2019. In addition, they offer their hopes and dreams for the future of the United Methodist Church...

In this episode, Bishop Ken Carter has a conversation Tod Bolsinger on his book  Tempered Resilience: How Leaders are Formed in the Crucible of Change . This conversation was originally shared as a clergy leadership webinar jointly offered by the Florida and Western North Carolina Annual Conferences. Clergy colleague and study groups will be offered for 8 sessions following the webinar.  One will...

In this episode, a few members of our hosting panel share how the United Methodist Church has shaped their faith and their calling as well as their hopes for its future. As part of United Methodist Communications #BeUMC initiative, we also invite you to join the conversation and share your own stories of what being United Methodist means to you, using the hashtags #BeUMC and #WNCCUMC.

In this episode, Kim and Jesse speak with three United Methodist seminary students who are in the candidacy process in the Western North Carolina Conference. They discuss the United Methodists who have impacted their faith journey, the incredible power of seminary education and community, and their hopes for the future of the United Methodist Church. Ways that non-seminary students can access semi...

( English translation below. ) En el episodio de hoy, Luke habla con cuatro miembros de nuestra conferencia, Rev. Sonia Baca-Zuniga, Rev. David Ortigoza, Jaidymar Smith, y  Rev. Chris Smith sobre las congregaciones Hispanas / Latinas de la Conferencia Oeste de Carolina del Norte.  Juntos, exploramos cómo Dios se está moviendo en las congregaciones hispanas /lastinas en nuestra conferencia, los ret...

Over the past two years, the world has changed dramatically and our ways of doing church have been disrupted.  In this episode, Bishop Carter explores four interrelated pathways to the Post-Covid Church. This is a journey we are called to walk together.  This conversation was originally part of our 2022 Winter Leadership Webinar Series. You can watch them all in full our website here:  https://www...

In this episode, the Rev. Dr. Bill White, Jr. has an important conversation about justice with the Rev. Dr. T. Anthony Spearman, immediate past president of the NC NAACP and an ordained minister in the AME Zion Church.

As we begin 2022, Bishop Ken Carter offers a spiritual practice for the new year. This Examen in the Wesleyan Tradition walks listeners through a prayerful review of their day, rooted in our tradition as followers of Jesus in the Wesleyan Tradition. We hope this prayer meditation helps you center yourself in grace, repentance, confession, faith and love in this new year. Bishop Carter began work o...

In the midst of the busiest time of the year, listen in on a conversation with Rob Hutchinson and Ashley Thomas about what it's like "Being Still and knowing God" is present – even when you can hardly sit still.

With much anxiety due to the pandemic and uncertainty about the future of the United Methodist Church, a significant number of pastors have considered quitting full-time ministry in the past 18 months. In this episode, Kim Ingram and Jesse Enniss converse with some of our younger leaders, Rev. Meredith Martin, Rev. Duncan Martin, and Rev. Paul Brown, about their hopes for the future of the United...

In this episode, Melissa, Luke and Aimee share a reflection for Thanksgiving from John Wesley's commentary on 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. As we enter this season of gratitude, we prayerfully reflect upon the words of our tradition's founder, seeking to root our spiritual lives in gratitude to the one who has given us every good and perfect gift. You can find the full text of Wesley's commentary here:...