Meet in the Middle

Bishop Hector Burgos Nunez is Rev. Zayzay Kpadeh's guest. Bishop Burgos serves the Upper New York Conference, and is the first Latinx bishop of the United Methodist Church's Northeast Jurisdiction. He is also the first Puerto Rican bishop to serve in the United Methodist Church.  Together,  Zayzay and Bishop Hector talk about some of the challenges of the future of the church. 

Dr. Herbert V.R.P. Jones, the Founder and Director of the Heritage Gospel Chorale of Pittsburgh  and former Pittsburgh Gospel Choir, joins Rev. Renee Mikell to share his experiences and influences in music,  discuss ethnomusicology, and the celebration of music in community through community.

Rev. Dawn Lynn Check talks to Keisha Jimmerson, Associate Dean of Students for Diversity, Inclusion and International Student Services for Seton Hill University, and Graduate Assistant George DiMetriotis, a native of Cyprus. They share their experiences of students that come from different nations for education in the United States,

Pastor Zayzay Kpadeh is joined by members of the group Together We Can.  This group aims to create a multiracial and egalitarian society in America for all races including marginalized communities. 

Rev.  Renee Mikell talks with Rev. Dr. Josephine Whitely-Fields, the author of Pioneer Black Clergy Women.  Dr. Whitely-Fields shares why she wrote book, the clergywomen she featured in it, and her own personal experiences  of over 40 years in ministry.

 Rev. Renee Mikell is joined in conversation today with a variety of people from all over the country, to share their thought of Christmas in the past and future.

Rev. Zayzay Kpadeh sits down with Rev. Dr. Asa Lee,  President of the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and share how Dr. Lee came to PTS,  his thoughts on racism in America and the World, and his thoughts on the future of the church.

Jamal Craig, President of the Pittsburgh Coalition of Black Trade Unionists joins Re. Dawn Lynn Check as they discuss voter suppression. It's an ongoing situation in many areas, and it might be closer than you think. 

Rev. Renee Mikell talks with Rebekah Greenawalt, Program Director of  a camping  and retreat center. Rebekah shares her experiences and  plans to continue offering  a space that supports Beloved Community   values and puts them into action.

Rev. Zayzay Kpadeh leads a roundtable discussion with Beverly Lawrence, Denise Jones and Barbara Rumore of Together We Can in Venango County, PA. All three share their experiences growing up as children in Oil City, PA . 

Rev. Zayzay Kpadeh speaks with Rev. Timothy Harmon, Senior Pastor of 2nd Presbyterian Church of Oil City. They discuss the Litany of Repentance that was recently approved at the Presbyterian Church USA's 225th General Assembly held at the Presbyterian Center in Louisville, Kentucky this past June.

Rev. Zayzay Kpadeh join Rev. Julian Cook, and his wife, Sigourney Cook. Rev. Cook is the Director of Houghton College Bethel Program in Buffalo New York, and Mrs. Cook is a teacher and a talented opera singer. They talk about the March 14th shootings at a Buffalo grocery market that killed 10, and injured dozens of others. The Cook's will share how the community is coping after the incident. 

McKeesport Councilman Timothy Brown talks about the Men of Valor program for youth in his hometown.  Rev. Renee Mikell hosts the episode.

Rev. Zayzay Kpadeh welcomes back members of Together We Can. Clarion area therapist Jeff Polley, and Pastor Tim Harmon of the 2nd Presbyterian Church in Oil City join for a roundtable discussion. Also joining the conversation, is Abby Williams from Rocky Grove, and Franklin Area graduate Adam Luther, who were two of six winners in Together We Can's recent essay contest. Oil City native Barbar...

Rev. Renee Mikell talks with Mrs. Denise Bailey Myers,  author of the book, "Grandma's ABC's of Growing Up." The McKeesport native shares why she wrote the book, responds to some false narratives,  as well as the role of Grandmothers in today's society. Denise is also the founder of Grand-Marvelous. 

Lou Ransom, Jr., a Tipstaff for the family court of Allegheny County Common Pleas Court Judge Dwayne Woodruff, joins Rev. Dawn Lynn Check for a discussion about the closing of the Shuman Juvenile Detention Center last year, and the affect on the youth of Allegheny County since the closure.

Eight women sought to help women across the world. That energy led them to do more. Today we have United Women in Faith. Over 150 years of acting on their faith. Rev. Dawn Lynn Check talks with Linda Thayer, President of the United Methodist Women of Faith for Western Pennsylvania, and share it’s creation and how this group, formerly known as the United Methodist Women, are moving forward in servi...

Rev. Dawn Lynn Check talks with Rev. Lynette Moran, Deacon at Bethel UMC and PhD candidate and Mellon Fellow at the University of Pittsburgh. Lynette walks us through white fragility and white grief.

This interview comes on the heels of shootings in Buffalo New York, and California. Rev. Dawn Lynn Check speaks with Rabbi Sara Perman, a retired Rabbi from the Pittsburgh area and co-chair of the Westmoreland Diversity  Coalition, who gives us a glimpse into what it's like to be a targeted community  based on faith and or ethnicity. 

Rev. Dawn Lynn Check talks with  Lt. Colonel Rev. Dr. Jonathan Bell who is a chaplain serving in the 171st Air Fueling Wing out of Pittsburgh. Jonathan, who is a United Methodist pastor, is just back from a seven month deployment.  Bell shares his experiences of being a deployed liaison for religious faiths, compassionate care,  and personal freedoms .

Rev. Zayzay Kpadeh talks with Dr. Elizabeth Hoorn Petersen and Rev. Zukisa Fumba of the South African Faith and Family Institute, talking about struggles in Southern Africa, and how SAFFI works for the betterment of those in need. First of a two part show.

Meet in the Middle co-hosts Rev. Dawn Lynn Check and Rev. Renee Mikell discuss the Senate confirmation hearings of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to replace Justice Steven Breyer on the U.S Supreme Court.

Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton of the New York Conference joins Pastor Zayzay Kpadeh. Bishop Bickerton  helped to launch the Global Health Initiative and currently chairs United  Methodist Church's Global Health Initiative , which works on a variety of issues such as global poverty to the church's fight in eliminating and dismantling killer diseases. 

Rev.  Ryan Pusch of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) joins Rev. Renee Mikell this week to discuss the value of  Ecumenism and the benefit of a collaborative approach to social justice issues. 

Pastor Drew Gordon talks with Rev. Jeff Bobin, who brought his presentation on Human Trafficking to the Pastors of the Franklin District.  Jeff shares his insight, as well as helping us to remember that human trafficking can happen even at our back door.