The Weight

Christianity is often exhibited as a guide to truth and morality, but descriptions often fall short of its ability to help us access the fullness of beauty. Creatives are needed in Christianity to help guide the Church on a journey to engaging the fullness of God’s own creative power.  One creative who does this faithfully is Lo Alaman. Lo serves as the Director of Community Life at The Harvest Ch...

It is undeniable that sports have always played a significant role in our society. They have a unique way of uniting, inspiring, and exciting mass populaces in a manner that is irreplicable. For many communities in America, the sports scene plays a vital role in terms of general morale, and for many, economic vitality. Furthermore, sports have served as a therapeutic and restorative outlet for com...

A serious dialogue on race and equity is imperative for the life of the church, a truth that we are painfully reminded of in the aftermath of the murder of Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick, Georgia. How can the Church do better in its pursuit of justice for all? How can we pursue reconciliation that isn’t shallow or even callous, but rather is honest about the work that still needs to be done to bring a...

What could it look like to use this time of physical distancing to reclaim the transformational power of spiritual community?  In this week’s episode, we engage that question with Rev. Dr. Kevin Watson, Assistant Professor of Wesleyan and Methodist Studies at Candler School of Theology. Professor Watson’s research interests focus on the early Methodist practices of class and band Meetings: gatheri...

In the face of disruption brought about by COVID 19, businesses throughout the world are finding ways to adjust not only for the sake of themselves, but for the sake of their communities. One of those businesses is Blue Delta Jeans, a clothing manufacturer in North Mississippi that is known for their high-end, custom blue jeans.  When the pandemic became a reality in the United States, it forced B...

In times of adversity and crisis, it is helpful to seek the counsel of wise teachers. Our guest today, Don Saliers, Theologian in Residence at Candler School of Theology, is one of our wisest teachers. He’s handling social distancing, in part, by playing the piano, revisiting sacred music from Bach to the spirituals.  “There are times when I don’t have the words. And I don’t have the sense of what...

Chase Parham is well known in the Ole Miss community for his career in sports journalism. As a writer for Rivals.com and a podcaster for one of the most popular sports shows in Mississippi, Chase spends his time discussing topics and telling stories that pique the interest of Ole Miss fans throughout the state. Today, Chase is with us to talk about a much different story.  Chase joins us to discus...

Each one of us is struggling to find our way through this strange season brought on by COVID19. Many of us feel stuck—life has been unexpectedly interrupted. This week’s guest on The Weight, Rev. Sarah Heath, calls these unexpected and uninvited moments in life “plot twists” because they’re not endings, but moments when our story takes a new shape. In this week’s conversation we’ll hear about what...

There’s only so much weight we can carry before we need to lighten our load. This is a conversation about beauty, poetry, humanity, memory, love. We’re talking to the renowned poet, Aimee Nezhukumatathil. Aimee was born in Chicago, IL to a Filipina mother and a father from South India. She is the author of multiple volumes of poetry from Miracle Fruit (2003) to Oceanic (2018). Her work has appeare...

COVID-19 has impacted every dimension of our society. One of the consequences of the (necessary) decision to shut down public schools is that a lot of families find themselves suddenly reconfiguring the structure and rhythm of their lives. Today, we talk with Sarah Ligon, a seasoned homeschool parent of four children in our community, about the struggles of parenting for all of us in a global pand...

As leaders across sectors continue to make transitions necessitated by COVID-19, we sought the wisdom and guidance of veteran pastor Mike Slaughter, Pastor Emeritus of Ginghamsburg Church, about how to lead in a time of crisis. Drawing upon four decades of experience and a ministry marked by innovation, Mike helped us to really think about the gravity of what we are experiencing. Mike leveled with...

Coronavirus has cast the world into uncertainty and the constant news about the pandemic can feel relentless. The normal structures and rhythms of life are in upheaval. We know some of the things we’ve lost. We are bracing for others. It is taking a toll. How do we protect our mental health? Chris and Eddie bring in one of their good friends, Pat Ward. After a decade of leading a church in Oxford,...

Carolyn Moore is a United Methodist Pastor who planted in Mosaic UMC in 2003 and has served as Lead Pastor ever since. A leading voice in conversations about the future of Methodism, she has a passion for spirit-filled revival within the Wesleyan tradition as well as cultivating a new appreciation for what she calls “The Art of Holiness.” She is the Vice-Chair of the Wesleyan Covenant Association...

The Weight welcomes Bishop Ken Carter, the President of the Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church to discuss the ongoing debate of LGBTQ+ inclusion in the United Methodist Church. Carter has been an active participant in many efforts to bring about a resolution to the impasse that the church is in, including being one of the leaders who developed and proposed the Protocol for Reconcili...