Beyond Sunday

Dr. Peter Storey is former president of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, past president of the South African Council of Churches, and was Methodist Bishop of the Johannesburg/Soweto area for 13 years. A native South African with a 60+ year track record in urban and Justice ministry, Professor Storey founded a network of crisis intervention centers in South Africa in the 1960s and served as chaplain to Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners on Robben Island.

In the 1980s he became a national leader in the church struggle against apartheid and co-led an ecumenical delegation to the United Nations, the U.S. Congress and Europe. Committed to non-violence and reconciliation, Professor Storey founded the Methodist Order of Peacemakers and Gunfree South Africa, he co-chaired the regional Peace Accord, Truth and Reconciliation Commission, appointed by President Nelson Mandela. He presented the Franklin S. Hickman Lectures at Convocation & Pastors' School at Duke Divinity School in 1987. The Peter Storey Papers document Storey's leadership.

We discuss what it means for the Church to be in Ministry with God's world.

Resources

Books:

1. Storey, Peter. With God in the Crucible: Preaching Costly Discipleship. Abington Press. 2002
2. Storey, Peter. Protest at Midnight: Ministry in a Nations Darkest Hour
3. And are We Yet Alive? Revisioning our Wesleyan Heritage in a New Southern Africa (Methodist Publishing House, Cape Town, 2004)
4. Listening at Golgotha (Upper Room, 2004).

Articles:

1. The Fig Tree: South African retired bishop challenges American congregations. https://www.thefigtree.org/sept05/090105storey-churches.html
2. Peter Storey papers, 1950-2014. https://archives.lib.duke.edu/catalog/storeyp

Music by - Lucas Britt - "TBD Lucas and Z"

A conversation with Rev. Ellis Carson, Pastor of Ceila Phelps UMC, a 116 year old congregation of the United Methodist Church, in Western North Carolina. We unpack the now and the rebuilding process, after facing a devastating 3:00 a.m. fire on August 6, 2021.

A call to action from the community and the connectional church to support financially, and cards/letters of hope and encouragement as Pastor Ellis and the people of Ceila Phelps Memorial UMC journeys "Through these Uncharted Territories." We believe they will rise from the ashes, to impact their communities in fresh, new and innovative ways, like the Phoenix.

Resources

To help support the rebuilding efforts at Ceila Phelps UMC, please click here or sent your donations to the address below:

Ceila Phelps UMC

℅ Rev. Ellis Carson

3709 Groometown Road

Greensboro, NC 27407

A conversation with Rev. Dan Pezet, the new Metro District Superintendent in the Western NC Conference of the United Methodist Church, about leading and triving through these Uncharted Territories as the church.

The Metro District is the largest district out of the eight in WNCC. The general population, according to the NC census, is the most diverse population in North Carolina. The question we must ask ourselves as the church, and as leaders in our communities, How do TRIVE, Pivot, Re-set through these Uncharted Territories into the global NEW Normal? - Culturally, Economically, Innovatively, Justice and Equity, closing the gaps that divide us.

Visit the Metro District of the Western North Carolina Conference UMC here.

Miriam Swanson, is a leader within Fusion, a movement born out of the United Kingdom. Over twenty years ago, the pioneers of Fusion were gathering to pray for a move of God amongst the exploding university student population, spurred on by the clear need to reach 18s-30s who were largely not connected to church. From these prayer meetings, Fusion was born. Fusion helps local churches reach college students, and helps college students find hope in Jesus and home in the local church. They equip youth ministry leaders to prepare their high school leavers for college and transition them in faith and life as they enter young adulthood. They train churches, young adult leaders and student leaders to be the missional body of Christ to universities, colleges, and community colleges, to discover what it really means to be imitators of Christ and share the love of Jesus with others. Miriam is passionate about MISSION, YOUNG ADULTS and LOVING our NEIGHBORS, which doesn't stop in high school but goes throughout college and beyond. She has served in Europe for the past ten years, now living in Jacksonville Florida, with plans of setting up Fusion partnerships thought out the USA. What can you learn from the Fusion Ministries?

Resource links:

Fusion's main website: https://www.fusionmovement.org

Miriam's blog series on the US church & young adults: "Lessons from a European student worker"

Student Linkup and preparation for university: https://www.studentlinkup.org

and obviously social media: https://www.instagram.com/hellofusionmovement/

A candid conversation with the National Coordinators of Black Methodists for Church Renewal Inc., leaders, Rev. Antoine "Tony" Love, and Ms. Deborah Bass. Joining the conversation is the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church BMCR Coordinator, and Metro District new church start pastor, Rev.Charlie Rivens. The conversation centers and engages the questions, "Why was BMCR important (history) for the merger with Evangelical United Brethren church, the Methodist church and the Central Jurisdiction Black Methodists? How are we doing now? (present), and What's Next for BMCR (future) and the United Methodist Church, as we serve One God, serve the mission of the Kingdom, and live fully into being the church God called into existence?

A conversation with Rev. Kyle Thompson states, for 20 years, Sharon United Methodist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, faced declining membership, and community engagement, despite its location being one of Charlotte's fastest-growing, upscale communities, where the church was across the street from the luxurious SouthPark mall.

So when the leadership began to discuss renovating the building, with its distinctive "ski-slope steeple", the Rev. Kyle began to think even bigger. "What if we could create an environment where we would do life together, where sacred and secular would intersect, where we could be the soul of SouthPark?" he said. "What if we could start from scratch?"- Re-Launch

Resources

1. Smart Church Solutions

https://www.smartchurchsolutions.com

Tim Cool, Chief Solutions Officer

This is our owner's representative and project manager. Have been with us from the beginning, guiding us through the process. Great resource for churches looking to clarify a vision and/or to pursue the vision logistically - especially regarding buildings, property, mixed-use, etc.

2. Childress Klein Properties

www.childressklein.com

Chris Thomas, Partner: [email protected]

Our development partners

3. Choate Construction

https://www.choateco.com

Our builder

4. Lodestar Law: Commercial Real Estate

https://lodestarlaw.com

Suzanne Schaffer: [email protected]

Our attorney

5. Picnic Table Productions

https://www.picnictablevideo.com

We contract with them to make our videos.

6. Generis

www.generis.com

Alan Wildes: [email protected]

Our capital campaign consultant

7. First United Methodist Church, Chicago (The Chicago Temple)

https://www.chicagotemple.org

The church owns its own skyscraper, in which the church is housed. We learned a lot from them.

A conversation with Rev. Dr. Nancy Rankin. We started the 2020 New Year, with every faith community in the WORLD, I hope, having a Mission Statement, A FRESH 2020 Vision, and A Plan of Engagement, ready to forge ahead into this NEW Decade. Then the world paused, due to the destructive GLOBAL PANDEMIC, the new narrative arose in America: ESSENTIAL Vs. NON-Essential workers and the word Sheltering in Place. I am grateful for - front line essential workers. Then the faith communities, we were called to Shelter in Place, the Doors of our physical buildings were closed, BUT we the people, remained open and active. The questions and topics that were discussed during my coaching conversations throughout the Metro District with local church leaders and community leaders have been, how do w PIVOT into this New NORMAL? How do we transition through these PHASES of re-opening? How do we become RELEVANT and AGILE at the same time? WHAT'S NEXT for MINISTRY. All these answers and more on today's podcast.

Resources

Jim Harnish, You Only Have To Die: Leading Your Congregations to New Life.

Will Mancini, God Dreams: 12 Vision Templates For Finding Focus.

Susan Beaumont, How to Lead When You Don't Know Where You Are Going.

Bob Farr, Renovate Or Die

David Cooperrider (Author), Diana D. Whitney Appreciate Inquire: A Positive Revolution to Change

A conversation with Erin Hawkins - General Secretary of The Commission on Religion and Race a Global Agency of The United Methodist Church. Ms. Hawkins during our conversation pertaining to membership stated, "We want people to believe, in order to belong. But what if we started creating places of belonging, in order to bring people to a place of believing?"

This past week on our three part podcast series of Leading Through Uncharted Territories - Race, Racism and the Church's Clarion Call to Action. We've had "Truth Talk" and I am grateful for the feedback, the calls, text, email of our African Americans siblings saying thank you, some of our Anglo siblings saying we don't know what to do, others saying I'm ready to listen and hear the historical and present narratives, while still others challenge the language of Black Lives Matter, and inserting ALL lives Matter, and yet others saying all lives matter when Black Lives Matter - George Floyd . Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, Mother Emmanuel AME Church, Tamir Rice, and the list goes on and on. - The risk and challenges of reconciling, repentance, cultural shifts, trust issues, because of the historical atrocities of sin.

Where do we go from here? What does it mean to be the church? What does it mean to be a follower of Jesus Christ? Siblings, together we can discover in our diverse world, how we can pivot in our local churches and institutions, so that collaboratively, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can impact our communities and the world into becoming just and equitable societies for ALL people.

Resources:

General Commission on Religion and Race

Deconstructing White Privilege

Continued Struggle in American Race Relations

The Continued Struggle in American Race Relations

Racial Justice Conversation Guides

In light of the murder of George Floyd - Minneapolis, Ahmaud Arbery - South Georgia, Breonna Taylor- Kentucky, the Mother Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church massacre - Charleston SC. The protest, the riots and the list goes on and on. As difficult as it has become, as Christians we must speak truth about race, racism in America, and how the Church can no longer be silent, sit on the sidelines, believe that there is not a problem, that it is not my problem, I didn't cause this problem etc… As people of God, each of us has a mandate on our lives by God. Matthew 25:31-46 reminds us all, "The son of man will judge the nations. Each person individually, and collectively will have to answer to our response to the clarion call. There is much Kingdom work to be done. Who's in? Contact Dr Stephanie Moore Hand, [email protected]

OUR GUEST:

Dr. Mark DeYmaz, recognized leader in the Multi-ethnic Church Movement in America. He is the "Directional Leader" of Mosaic Church of Central Arkansas. Mark co-founded the Mosaix Global Network with Dr. George Yancey and today serves as its president, and convener of the triennial National Multi-ethnic Church Conference. Mark has written six books including his latest, Disruption: Repurposing the Church to Redeem the Community (Thomas Nelson, March 2017); and Multiethnic Conversations: an Eight Week Guide to Unity in Your Church (Wesleyan Publishing House, October 2016).

Resources:

Be The Bridge: Pursuing God's Heart for Racial Reconciliation by Latasha Morrison

Building a Healthy Multi Ethnic Church, by Mark Demaz

Multiethnic Conversation, by Mark DeYmaz

Divided By Faith by Michael Emerson

The Color of Compromise by Jemar Tisby

White Awake: An onset Look at What it Means to be White by Daniel Hill

In light of the murder of George Floyd - Minneapolis, Ahmaud Arbery - South Georgia, Breonna Taylor- Kentucky, the Mother Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church massacre - Charleston SC. The protest, the riots and the list goes on and on. As difficult as it has become, as Christians we must speak truth about race, racism in America, and how the Church can no longer be silent, sit on the sidelines, believe that there is not a problem, that it is not my problem, I didn't cause this problem etc… As people of God, each of us has a mandate on our lives by God. Matthew 25:31-46 reminds us all, "the son of man will judge the nations." Each person individually, and collectively will have to answer to our response to the clarion call. There is much kingdom work to be done. Who's in? Contact Dr Stephanie Moore Hand, [email protected]

OUR GUEST:

1. Rev. Junius Dotson A nationally recognized leader, speaker, and author. He is presently the General Secretary (chief executive officer) of Discipleship Ministries, an international agency of The United Methodist Church an organization with a staff of more than 130. Rev. Dotson is the author of Soul Reset: Breakdown, Breakthrough, and the Journey to Wholeness (Upper Room Books). Dotson was Senior Pastor of Saint Mark United Methodist Church in Wichita, Kansas, where he was instrumental in transforming the 3,500-member church into a multi-campus congregation.
2. Dr. Lovett Weems Jr., recognized leaders in the United Methodist Church in America. He is a relevant, distinguished professor of church leadership and senior consultant of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC. Weems was the founding director of the Lewis Center in 2003, coming to the position after 18 years as president of Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, Missouri. Prolific leaders with a passion.

Resources:

Kendi, Ibram X. Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America. New York: Nation Books, 2016.

Williams, Chad, Kidada E. Williams, and Keisha N. Blain, eds. Charleston Syllabus: Readings on Race, Racism, and Racial Violence. Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 2016.

Jennings, Willie James. The Christian Imagination: Theology and the Origins of Race. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2010.

Lovett, Weems jr., High Yield: Seven Disciplines of the Fruitful Leader (with Tom Berlin), Abingdon Press, 2014

Lovett, Weems jr., Overflow: Increase Worship Attendance & Bear More Fruit (with Tom Berlin), Abingdon Press, 2013

Lovett, Weems jr., Focus: The Real Challenges Facing The United Methodist Church, Abingdon Press, 2012

Lovett, Weems jr., Bearing Fruit: Ministry with Real Results (with Tom Berlin), Abingdon Press, 2011