Author: Joe Iovino

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Sharing our faith where people commonly gather is a concept as old as John Wesley. The Rev. Dr. Adam Sowder believes, if Wesley were alive today, the founder of Methodism definitely would be gaming on Twitch, chatting on Discord and streaming his sermons across social media. Methodist Gaming, which Adam started, is an online community found on  streaming platforms like Twitch. Adam shares how church is happening at Methodist Gaming and how we also can find connection in these digital spaces.

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Have a question or comment? Email us at gysis@umcom.org

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Trauma is universal and trauma, especially unaddressed, can affect how we engage with one another both inside and outside of our church communities. The Rev. Christy Miller White discusses how our behaviors can bring healing and offers practical tips for helping others and ourselves develop resiliency to live with trauma.

More information and a full transcript of this conversation are available here.

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Courageous conversations have nothing to do with being nice and everything to do with being kind, gentle and loving. The Rev. Dr. Scott Hughes of The United Methodist Church’s Discipleship Ministries asserts that engaging in structured dialogues of learning – or courageous conversations – could create space for the most radical hospitality of all, a place of deeper and more welcoming community within the church.

More information and a full transcript of this conversation are available here.

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Crying out in grief. Thanking God for mercy. Asking for strength. Like a psalmist, Stephon Void used poetry to express how he felt as he navigated his father’s terminal cancer diagnosis, as well as his own chronic health concerns. Stephon’s new book, “A Healing Journey,” chronicles the cradle United Methodist’s path that eventually brought him to a place of peace.

More information and a full transcript of this conversation are available here.

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When Bishop Cedrick Bridgeforth was 9 year old, he prayed aloud at his small Alabama church, resulting in a standing ovation. His grandma then squeezed his cheeks and proclaimed that her grandson would preach one day. Though he was intent on becoming an architect, a stint in the U.S. Air Force set the teen on a path of discernment that ended with his call to ordained ministry being affirmed while serving communion to those living on the streets of South Los Angeles.

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Have a question or comment? Email us at gysis@umcom.org

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United Methodist Andrea Gauldin-Rubio, a white woman who grew up in the rural south, shares about examining biases and recognizing white privilege, while acknowledging that anti-racism work should be ongoing and focused as much on action as on education.

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At a young age, ViaFaith McCullough learned that people are more than their circumstances. After spending a summer as a college intern with The United Methodist Church’s General Board of Church and Society, this cradle United Methodist discovered a deeper understanding of justice and found that, when we work together, even our simplest ideas can impact social inequities.

More information and a full transcript of this conversation are available here.

Have a question or comment? Email us at gysis@umcom.org

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People have told Pete Wright that, from the outside, his life looked trouble-free: loving wife and kids, fulfilling career, all the signs of success. On the inside, Pete has struggled for years with chronic depression. He shares the story of his journey, from a place where he once attempted suicide to discovering joy in the everyday details of life.

More information and a full transcript of this conversation are available here.

Have a question or comment? Email us at gysis@umcom.org

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Many of us seek God in the natural world, whether we backpack in the mountains, walk through a forest or relax by a lake. The Rev. Beth Jones shares how the discipline of slowing down and noticing God’s creation has the ability to heal us physically, emotionally, and spiritually, as well as repair and renew our relationships with one another, ourselves and God.

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In this special “Meet a bishop” episode of “Get Your Spirit in Shape,” we meet the Rev. David Wilson who recently made history as the first Native American to be elected as bishop of The UMC. Bishop Wilson tells us how growing up in The UMC prepared him for his current ministry role, the highest leadership position in the denomination.