Means of Grace

In this time of stress and burnout, Dr. Melanie Dobson guides us through the Square Breathing Practice. It's been proven to lower heart rate, de-stress and shift mental state …within just two minutes. We hope these meditations allow you to pause and take breath as the world begins to reopen.

Melanie is an ordained elder in the Western North Carolina Conference and an associate professor of Methodist Studies at the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia, SC. She is also a registered yoga teacher, teaching yoga at churches, in retreat settings, and for cancer survivors. She enjoys hiking, cycling, cooking, and being outdoors. She is a single mom to one son, Elijah.

Means of Grace will be transitioning to episodes twice a month for the summer and we hope you'll continue to follow along. We'll be back on June 1 with a new episode. Have any story ideas or topics you would like us to cover? Send a note to [email protected].

In this week's episode of the Means of Grace podcast, Luke catches up with Rev. David Hockett, Metro District Superintendent, and Rev. Dr. Stephanie Hand, Metro District Vitality Associate, to talk about some exciting things that are happening in their area. They share about churches that are hosting community vaccination clinics, how churches are re-missioning their properties, and the multicultural/multiethnic cohort happening in their district.

Resources:

Visit the Metro District onlineConnect with the Metro District on Facebook.Read about five Metro Districts that hosted vaccination clinics.Learn more about VaxVan mobile testing and vaccinations.

This edition of the Means of Grace podcast is a three-part series highlighting four ministries in Western North Carolina who are using green spaces in ministry. These ministries meet people where they are and invite them to something new – an orchard, a story walk, a worship service, exercise, a meal. Part 3 features George Eubanks, Mark Hovis, Sean Bloom, and Rev. Noel Sweezy, friends from the multi-faceted ministry, Common Ground, in Stanley.

These episodes are airing on the Tuesdays surrounding Earth Day as a way for leaders to consider how they might connect the earth and its Creator with the lives of people in their community. One of the many blessings of living in North Carolina is access to beautiful spaces and God's earth. These podcasts encourage you to think about your own outdoor space – it doesn't take much – and how it can be used in ministry. Don't Miss Part 1, featuring The Village Green in Cashiers and G.I.F.T Aquaponics & Shepherds Garden; and Part 2, featuring Way in the Wilderness: A Church Without Walls.

Resources:

Common Ground – First United Methodist Church of Stanley, NC (fumcstanley.org)

CommonGround of Stanley | Facebook

HOME | 24-7Prayer/Charlotte (charlotte24-7.com)

This edition of the Means of Grace podcast is a three-part series highlighting four ministries in Western North Carolina who are using green spaces in ministry. These ministries meet people where they are and invite them to something new – an orchard, a story walk, a worship service, exercise, a meal. Part 2 features "The Kevins" – Kevin Miller and Kevin Bates – who are starting a new outdoor faith community in the Swannanoa Valley called Way in the Wilderness: A Church Without Walls. These episodes are airing on the Tuesdays surrounding Earth Day as a way for leaders to consider how they might connect the earth and its Creator with the lives of people in their community. One of the many blessings of living in North Carolina is access to beautiful spaces and God's earth. These podcasts encourage you to think about your own outdoor space – it doesn't take much – and how it can be used in ministry. Listen to Part 1, featuring The Village Green in Cashiers and G.I.F.T Aquaponics & Shepherds Garden in Wingate. Part 3 drops next Tuesday, May 4th.

Resources:

Earth Day Sunday - CREATION JUSTICE MINISTRIES Worship resources for Earth Day 2021 - Global Ministries (umcmission.org) Caretakers of God's Creation (umccreationcare.org) – United Methodist Creation CareCreation Care (umc.org) – Creation Care in the United Methodist Social PrinciplesClimate • GBCS (umcjustice.org) – General Board of Church and Society resourceswww.unitedmethodistwomen.org – United Methodist Women resources (search "creation") Soil and Sacrament: A Spiritual Memoir of Food and Faith by Fred Bahnson (faithandleadership.com) Soil and Sacrament: A Spiritual Memoir of Food and Faith: Bahnson, Fred: 9781451663303: Amazon.com: Books About Us – Watershed Discipleship Watershed Discipleship: Reinhabiting Bioregional Faith and Practice: Myers, Ched, Nadeau, Denise M.: 9781498280761: Amazon.com: Books Koinonia Farm in Georgia: Home - Koinonia Farm

This edition of the Means of Grace podcast uses two episodes to highlight four ministries in Western North Carolina who are using green spaces in ministry. These podcasts are being made available near Earth Day as a way for leaders to consider how they might connect the earth and the Creator with the lives of people in their community. These ministries meet people where they are and invite them to something new – an orchard, a story walk, a worship service, exercise, a meal. The blessing of living in North Carolina is access to beautiful spaces and God's earth. These podcasts encourages you to think about your own outdoor space – it doesn't take much – and how it can be used in ministry. Part 1 features Ann Self, the executive director of The Village Green in Cashiers; and, Chris Harbin and Edmari Correya deCastro who share about the aquaponics and biodiverse orchard ministry.

Resources:

Earth Day Sunday - CREATION JUSTICE MINISTRIES

Worship resources for Earth Day 2021 - Global Ministries (umcmission.org)

Caretakers of God's Creation (umccreationcare.org) – United Methodist Creation Care

Creation Care (umc.org) – Creation Care in the United Methodist Social Principles

Climate • GBCS (umcjustice.org) – General Board of Church and Society resources

www.unitedmethodistwomen.org – United Methodist Women resources (search "creation")

From the Conversation with Ann Self

Home - The Village Green Of Cashiers (villagegreencashiersnc.com)

Home | Diana Butler Bass Grounded: Finding God in the World, A Spiritual Revolution

Google "Story Wall" to discover ways to exhibit a story in multiple frames.

Center for Action and Contemplation (cac.org) Richard Rohr The Universal Christ and Every Thing is Sacred

From the Conversation with Chris Harbin and Edmari Correya deCastro

G.I.F.T. Home (weebly.com)

G.I.F.T. Aquaponics & Shepherds Garden | Wingate UMC (wordpress.com)

Home Page | EndHunger Society of St. Andrew gleaning

In this episode, Brian talks with Greg Jarrell, founder of QC Family Tree in Charlotte and author of "A Riff of Love: Notes on Community and Belonging." Since 2005, Greg and his wife have been serving their neighborhood of Enderly Park in West Charlotte through QC Family Tree, an organization that seeks to build a better community through affordable housing, youth development, and art. Brian and Greg talk about building community, the dangers of white centrism in minority neighborhoods, and the work QC Family Tree is doing in Charlotte. The Mission Engagement Team will be hosting a virtual book club discussing "A Riff of Love" beginning April 21st

In this episode, Dr. Melanie Dobson shares a Lovingkindness meditation for Holy Week. This is a beautiful prayer practice that offers God's lovingkindness to each of us and gives us space to offer it to each other—both to those whom we love, and those who really bother us. It is called a "metta meditation." The word "metta" comes from the Buddhist tradition and means "lovingkindness": it is a way of offering and receiving goodness, grace, and wellness for ourselves and for others. As Christians, we understand that the source of lovingkindness is the three-in-one God whose very being is love (1 John 4:16). We receive this prayer as a gift from another tradition and practice it with the gentleness and respect it offers to us. This version is inspired by Gil Fronsdal's book The Issue at Hand, which has been freely given for communal use.

Melanie is an ordained elder in the Western North Carolina Conference and an associate professor of Methodist Studies at the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia, SC. She is also a registered yoga teacher, teaching yoga at churches, in retreat settings, and for cancer survivors. She enjoys hiking, cycling, cooking, and being outdoors. She is a single mom to one son, Elijah.

Resources:

Anxiety and meditation | The United Methodist Church (umc.org) GBHEM - The Awakened Life Curriculum

The Practice of Lovingkindness Meditation | Pacific Northwest UMC News Blog (pnwumc.org)

The Issue At Hand: Essays On Buddhist Mindfulness Practice | IndieBound.org

In today's episode Luke Edwards sits down with Carl Arrington, District Superintendent of the Appalachian District, and Gloria Hughes, District Vitality Associate. They share about some exciting things happening in the district. In particular, a weekly Zoom call where clergy in the district have found support and courage to learn in this challenging season.

In this episode, Melissa talks with Mary Ana Smith about her podcast for young women called Wisdom for the Journey. Mary Ana addresses topics like body image, perfectionism, social media, mental health and much more in an authentic, accessible way for teen girls.

You'll hear clips from several of her episodes and you may recognize some familiar voices – several WNCC clergy women have been guests on Wisdom for the Journey including Mary Ana's mom Rev. Toni Ruth Smith, Rev. Sally Queen, Rev. Sarah Watkins Davis, Rev. Carrie Wright and Rev. Susan Heafner-Heun. Wisdom for the Journey is produced by Mary Ana's dad Rev. Wes Smith.

Listen to Wisdom for the Journey on Apple Podcasts, YouTube or Spotify and follow her on Instagram @WisdomfortheJourney.

Today's conversation is with Jay Cobb, the Executive Director of Sanctuary Counseling Group. SCG is dedicated to the healing of heart, mind, and soul; providing excellent emotional, spiritual, and relational health care to all people of the Carolinas.

You can donate to SCG here.