More Than Sunday

There are some people who go through life feelings-first. They are emotionally centered and place deep focus and care on relationships. They are, in the world of the Enneagram, considered to be in the Heart triad. This week, we have the great privilege of talking with someone in this triad named Suzanne Stabile. But Suzanne is not merely familiar with the Enneagram; she is an internationally recog...

Have you heard of the Enneagram? As quirky as the name sounds, it is one of the most powerful and insightful tools we have for understanding ourselves and others. While the knowledge it imparts is vast, it narrows the way every single person in the world operates down to three categories: head (thinkers), heart (feelers), and hands (doers). To start this three part exploration, we welcome Dr. Andy...

When hearing a story, nothing brings a smile to one's face or a tear to one's eye quite like promise and wonder. Something about those things captures our imagination, and reminds us that there is still good in the world and hope for redemption. The Bible is full of promise and wonder, as is the story that Dr. Rebecca Bruff has set out to tell. She is an elder in the United Methodist Church turned...

Most people do whatever is in their power to avoid conflict and tension, seeking comfort and security instead. But if we look at the stories that inspire us, we see that facing and overcoming those very things is what leads to growth and resilience. So how do we embrace tension in our lives for the opportunity that it is? Noah Bunn, founder of Arc Content + Communications, has made a career and fu...

If there's one constant in good stories, it's that the characters we root for have a spine. They are able to face unexpected challenges with resilience. They are honest and vulnerable when something moves them. They keep an eye on the larger picture and find gratitude in all situations. Now six months into the More Than Sunday podcast, we've had the privilege of hearing stories from many of these...

Why are stories so central to our lives? According to JB Bryant, it's because we literally can't escape them. Everything and everyone has a story, and JB believes that's what knits us together. JB Bryant is an Associate Pastor at First United Methodist Church Richardson, and a familiar face to those attending Access every week. But, know him or not, you're about to hear pieces of his story that wi...

As we begin a new sermon series in Access called This Is My Story, we want to dig into why stories are important. What meaning do they hold? How do they affect our worldview? What power do they have to create positive change? To start this conversation, we welcome Dr. Josh Fitzpatrick to the podcast. He is the newest member of our staff at First United Methodist Church Richardson, and brings with...

This week, we bring you something a little different. Our two hosts, Rev. Julie Richter and Eric Czechowski, have a candid conversation with each other about political labels, and more broadly, how to engage people you are close to in honest and vulnerable discussion. Talking about politics can be challenging, but there are ways to do it with grace and compassion. Listen as these two coworkers and...

Sometimes, without even meaning to, we draw lines in the sand. We create a tribe, with our own interests at the center. At best, it gives us the illusion of organizing a chaotic and ever-changing world. At worst, it vilifies the 'other' and vindicates our own position. Social labels can cause harm before there's a chance to do any good. Bart Patton, Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry Educa...

When we see someone for the first time, we almost can't help but make a snap judgement based solely on appearance. Our brains want to categorize based on stereotypes and previous experience. But these labels too often build walls that have to be broken down for any kind of relationship or community to occur. So what would it look like to set the assumptions aside? To realize that everyone is creat...

Rich, poor, freeloader, trust fund baby - all words we use to group people by how much money they make and how hard they're willing to work for it. But as with all labels, they rarely tell the whole story and often cloud the deeper truths about a person's life. We've invited Micah Peacock to the podcast to talk to us about economic labels and the trouble they can cause when trying to foster real r...

Recently, concerns regarding mental health have taken center stage in our cultural discourse. Stigmas and labels perpetuate assumptions and stereotypes that breed fear and divisiveness. And in the middle of all of that, mental health concerns are a very real part of many people's daily lives. To help us navigate this complicated and important topic, we welcome Dr. Jason Berman to the podcast. He i...

Happy Independence Day! To celebrate the freedoms we have as Americans, we are bringing you a conversation about the freedom of speech. But not only the freedom - the power of speech, and the responsibility that comes with it. This week, we welcome Kim Caston to the podcast to talk with us about just that. She is an elected member of the Richardson Independent School District Board of Trustees, an...

We all make plans for our life - but what does it look like to consult God about those plans? It looks like the spiritual gifts of discernment and wisdom. These words carry an immense weight, so we've invited an expert to the podcast this week to break them down and show us how to put them into practice. Rev. John Thornburg has made a career out of guiding individuals and churches through the proc...

Even under the umbrella of Christianity, there are wildly different beliefs around faith, healing, and miracles - some that strengthen our faith and draw us closer to God, and some that can mislead or even harm. This week we welcome Rev. Billy Echols-Richter to the podcast to break down the stories of miracles and healing in the Bible, and help us see the miraculous ways that God is still moving i...

Evangelism - you'd have a hard time finding a word in the Christian faith with more social, political, and historical charge. As believers in this Good News that Jesus calls us to profess, how do we navigate those connotations? And what do the concepts of shepherding and teaching have to say to us about how we share our faith? We've invited Dr. Priscilla Pope-Levison, Associate Dean for External P...

Being a true leader is about more than a job title. This week on the podcast, we begin a discussion on spiritual gifts, starting with leadership. And to lead us through that topic, we welcome Carl Smith - a member of our church, and president/founder of Principal Discoveries. Carl shares his vast experience and lessons learned from years of coaching effective leadership, all personally grounded in...

Building meaningful relationships, fostering work ethic, finding healthy ways to navigate huge life changes - all helpful skills for people at any stage of life. But this week, we're talking about those topics and more through the lens of what recent high school graduates should know as they make the transition to college. You'll hear from Rod Bishop - a former youth director, current president of...

What is the Holy Spirit? Where did it come from, and how does it help us know where we're going? Join us, and our guest, Dr. Dan Flanagan, on the podcast this week as we take a look back at Pentecost: the giving of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Christian church. But it's not just something that happened 2000 years ago; it's something that affects our lives and our faith to this day.

Happy (belated) Mother's Day! We're taking this week on the podcast to talk with our good friend Connie Presley. She's the Executive Assistant and Wedding Coordinator here at First United Methodist Church Richardson, and also a mom - but her journey to that station in life looked a little different than most. Learn from Connie's experience before, during, and after raising two kids into adulthood...

No one is perfect, so it should come as no surprise that the Church, made up of imperfect people, is far from perfect as well. And if it's not perfect, is it even worth it? Gloria Scott certainly thinks so. She is the Director of Worship and Communications at First United Methodist Church Richardson, and joins us on the podcast this week to share real stories of stress, mishap, and even pain in he...

What does it mean to serve in the name of Jesus? If we look at Jesus' ministry, it looks less like providing for those in need from a distance and more like being in relationship with people. It looks a lot like what Project Transformation is doing in cities across the country. This week we welcome the Chief Executive Officer of Project Transformation National, Eric Lindh. He shares with us not on...

"God has already given Christians everything we need to fulfill God's plan on this earth; the challenge is getting us to steward those and manage those properly." This is just a small piece of the wisdom that Joe Park shares with us on the podcast this week. Hear the purpose behind why we are asked to give of our time, talents, and resources, as well as some practical tips on how to get started or...

What happens when you have a membership to a gym that you never attend? Does the membership itself get you into shape? Or is it showing up and putting in the effort that creates real change? Presence matters - at the gym and in your spiritual life. This week we welcome Rev. Arthur Jones to talk with us about why showing up matters and the difference it can make in our lives.

Prayer - so easy a toddler can do it, but so difficult that many adults profess they don't know how to pray. How can both be true? To answer that question and more, we welcome Rev. Marilyn Dickson to the podcast to talk with us about prayer. Marilyn is a retired United Methodist pastor, a Certified Spiritual Director, and former Adjunct Professor at Perkins School of Theology (SMU) for spiritual f...