In a noisy world, it can be hard to hear anything—let alone a whisper from God. So how do we know when God is speaking? And what gets in the way of our ability to listen?

Kicking off Season 4 of Perspectives FUMCSD Pastors Podcast and our four-week series “God Is Still Speaking: Listening in a Noisy World,” Revs. Trudy and Brittany explore the story of Samuel’s call in 1 Samuel 3:1-10—and what this ancient story might have to say to us today.

Samuel hears a voice calling his name but doesn’t recognize it as God. Eli, exhausted and caught between his responsibilities, his family and his faith, initially doesn’t recognize it either. Together, the female pastors of First UMC of San Diego explore what it means to listen for God when we’re overwhelmed, uncertain or simply too tired to hear.

In this conversation, they explore:

The story of Samuel reminds us that God’s voice may not always come as a dramatic revelation. Sometimes it is more like a whisper—a persistent feeling, question, conviction or invitation that we can't quite let go of.

This is the first conversation in our four-week series, “God Is Still Speaking: Listening in a Noisy World,” exploring what the voice of God might sound and look like in our lives today. Next week, we'll turn to Isaiah 6:1-8 and “A Voice in the Temple.”

Whether you're exploring progressive Christianity, deconstructing your faith, studying the Bible, pursuing justice, wrestling with theology, or simply asking honest questions about Scripture, we hope you'll join the conversation.

Reflection Questions

Continue the Conversation

Connect with our faith community in person or online as you reflect on the themes of this episode:

Timestamps

00:00   Are we missing God’s whispers?
01:29   Samuel hears a voice in the night
04:11   Why is God’s voice so hard to hear?
06:38   When the demands of life drown out God
09:50   Are we simply too exhausted to listen?
12:23   What healthy leadership looks like
16:54   What does it mean for God to speak to us?
17:38   What does God’s voice sound and feel like?
20:45   Hearing God amid anxiety, corruption and social turmoil
22:21   “The lamp is still burning”
25:51   Reflection questions

What does the story of David and Goliath really teach us about faith? Is faith simply believing that God will help us defeat our “Goliaths”—or is something deeper happening when we face fear, uncertainty, and circumstances beyond our control?

In this episode of Perspectives FUMCSD Pastors Podcast, Revs. Trudy and Hannah explore 1 Samuel 17 and the story of David and Goliath through the lens of faith, Scripture, progressive Christianity, and the challenges of our world today.

David and Goliath may be one of the most familiar stories in the Bible, but it is much more complicated than a simple underdog story. Beneath the familiar tale are questions about political change, power, technology, fear, biblical storytelling, and the evolving relationship between God and the people of Israel.

The female pastors of First United Methodist Church of San Diego ask what this ancient story can teach us about Christian faith in a changing world – especially when the “Goliaths” in front of us seem overwhelming.

In this conversation, they explore:

Perhaps the biggest question is this: Would David’s faith still have mattered if he had lost?

This episode is the final conversation in our five-week series, “What We Really Mean When We Talk About…”, exploring complicated theological concepts and what they mean for our lives today. Previous episodes explored grace, forgiveness, love, and peace.

Whether you're exploring progressive Christianity, deconstructing your faith, studying the Bible, pursuing justice, wrestling with theology, or simply asking honest questions about Scripture, we hope you'll join the conversation. 

Reflection Questions

Continue the Conversation

Connect with our faith community in person or online as you reflect on the themes of this episode:

 Time Stamps

00:00   What does David and Goliath have to do with faith?
02:53   David and Goliath: More than a children’s story
04:27   The historical and political world of 1 Samuel
07:40   Why this story is much more complicated than it seems
11:07   Was the David and Goliath story added later?
16:04   David faces Goliath: The battle begins
18:30   Faith, fear, armor, and the power of God
21:33   Would David’s faith matter if he had lost?
25:26   What faith really means: Seeing what we can’t see
27:26   Reflection questions for your own faith      

What if peace isn’t avoiding conflict but instead facing it without losing ourselves in the process?

In this episode of Perspectives, Rev. Drs. Hannah and Brittany explore what we really mean when we talk about peace through the story of Daniel—who continues to pray even when doing so puts his life at risk. Daniel doesn’t find peace by escaping a chaotic world. He finds a way to remain grounded in his faith, his values, and his sense of self while living amid political pressure, injustice, and uncertainty. So, what does Daniel have to teach us about finding peace when the world around us feels anything but peaceful?

Together, the female pastors of First United Methodist Church of San Diego explore:

Reflection Questions

This episode is part of our five-week series, “What We Really Mean When We Talk About…”, exploring complicated theological concepts and what they mean for our lives today. Next week, we'll explore what we really mean when we talk about faith. Whether you're deconstructing your faith, exploring progressive Christianity, pursuing justice, or simply asking honest questions about Scripture, we hope you'll join the conversation.

Continue the conversation:

Time Stamps
00:00   What if Peace Isn't the Absence of Conflict?
01:36   Daniel Chooses Faith in the Face of Danger
04:45   What Jealousy Can Teach Us About Knowing Who We Are
06:26   Faith, Integrity, and Living Under Political Power
07:20   Peace Doesn't Require a Perfect Situation
08:14   From a Meditation Retreat to the “Concrete Jungle”
11:15   Finding Joy and Peace in the Midst of Heartbreak
12:36   Is Daniel Practicing Mindfulness?
13:27   Peace Doesn’t Mean Giving Up the Fight
20:25   Peace Isn't Comfort—It Can Exist in Conflict

What does love actually look like when it’s difficult, uncomfortable, or undeserved?

In this episode of Perspectives, Revs. Trudy and Brittany explore what we really mean when we talk about love through the story of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet in John 13:3–9. And there's a particularly difficult question at the heart of the story: Why would Jesus wash Judas’s feet—even knowing Judas would betray him? 

Together, the female pastors of First United Methodist Church of San Diego discuss:

Reflection Questions

Continue the conversation:

This episode is part of our five-week series exploring “What We Really Mean When We Talk About…” – giving us the opportunity to reflect upon and explore tricky theological concepts. Next week, we'll explore what we really mean when we talk about peace. Whether you're deconstructing your faith, exploring progressive Christianity, pursuing justice, or simply asking honest questions about Scripture, we hope you'll join the conversation.

Time Stamps
00:00   Love Is More Than What You Say
01:47   Why Would Jesus Wash His Disciples’ Feet?
04:00   Why Love Can Be Radical, Ridiculous & Uncomfortable
06:15   Why Receiving Love Can Be So Difficult
08:32   Love Requires Vulnerability
09:41   Why Did Jesus Wash Judas’s Feet?
12:25   Why Is Unconditional Love So Hard?
13:53   Love, Grace & Forgiveness: What’s the Difference?
20:44   Love Isn’t a One-Way Street
22:54   Are You Better at Giving or Receiving Love?

People might throw you away, but God will never throw you away—and God will never throw away the people who have hurt you. This is what makes forgiveness both complicated and possible.

So, what does forgiveness actually mean? Does it require us to forget? To reconcile? To restore a relationship? And what does God ask of us when someone has hurt us?

In this episode of Perspectives, Rev. Trudy and Rev. Dr. Brittany explore forgiveness through the story of Joseph and his brothers in Genesis 45. Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery, yet years later Joseph chooses to welcome them, provide for them, and seek reconciliation. But does Joseph's story mean that forgiveness is always simple—or that forgiveness always means restoring a relationship? Together, they explore:

Reflection Questions

Continue the Conversation

This episode is part of our five-week series exploring “what we really mean when we talk about…” theological concepts. Next week, we'll explore what we really mean when we talk about love. Whether you're deconstructing your faith, exploring progressive Christianity, pursuing justice, or simply asking honest questions about Scripture, we hope you'll join the conversation:

Timestamps:
00:00   What makes forgiveness complicated—and possible
00:26   The story of Joseph and his brothers
02:14   Joseph reveals himself: Genesis 45
06:22   Why forgiveness is more complicated than we think
07:36   Family, trauma, and forgiveness
12:29   Does forgiveness require forgetting?
14:17   God's providence and finding meaning
20:27   Forgiveness — a one-time decision or a lifelong process?
23:48   Forgiveness doesn't always mean reconciliation
27:21   Why we shouldn't simplify forgiveness
28:48   Reflection questions

Grace isn’t just a name or a before-dinner prayer. So, what is grace? What does the Bible say about grace? And why can it be so difficult to offer grace to others?

In this episode of Perspectives, Rev. Trudy and Rev. Hannah explore grace through the story of Jonah, the reluctant prophet who resisted God’s call to extend grace to the people of Nineveh.

Whether you're exploring progressive Christianity, wrestling with questions about Scripture and faith, or studying the Book of Jonah, this conversation invites you to consider what grace means to you today.

Beginning with Jonah 1:1-3, this episode helps you discover:

Reflection Questions

Continue the Conversation
This is the first episode in a 5-week conversation series exploring “what we really mean when we talk about…” theological concepts. Join us next week as we tackle the concept of forgiveness. In the meantime, we invite you to continue this conversation. Whether you're deconstructing your faith, exploring progressive Christianity, pursuing justice, or simply asking honest questions about Scripture, we hope you’ll join us:

Timestamps
00:00   What We Really Mean When We Talk About Grace
01:54   Jonah, Nineveh & the Problem of Grace
03:39   The Historical Context of Jonah
05:23   Is the Story of Jonah Actually a Joke?
09:19   God's Grace Has a Universal Reach
13:04   Why We Struggle to Offer Grace to Our Enemies
15:31   Can We Accept a God Whose Grace Reaches Those We Exclude?
17:27   God Is the Subject of Grace
18:32   What Is Grace? An Ocean Metaphor
23:41   Questions for Reflection: Experiencing & Offering Grace

What does the Bible actually say about immigration? 

In this episode of Perspectives, Rev. Dr. Hannah Ka and Nyla Marson explore how Leviticus 19:33–34 challenges Christians to see migrants through the lens of the Image of God (Imago Dei).

Together they discuss holiness, discipleship, biblical justice, welcoming the stranger, and how faith moves beyond belief into action. Nyla also shares what she has witnessed while standing outside San Diego's federal courthouse with United Women in Faith, supporting migrants and families navigating the immigration system.

Whether you're exploring progressive Christianity, wrestling with questions about immigration, or studying Leviticus, this conversation invites you to consider what it means to love your neighbor as yourself.

In this episode you'll discover:

Reflection Questions

Continue the Conversation

Whether you're deconstructing your faith, exploring progressive Christianity, pursuing justice, or simply asking honest questions about Scripture, we'd love to continue the conversation:

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction – What Does Holiness Look Like?
01:14 The Bible's Command to Welcome the Stranger
02:19 Why Nyla Began Standing with Migrants
05:13 The Pink Shirt Ladies & Courthouse Ministry
08:18 Stories That Changed Everything
13:33 Seeing the Image of God Beyond Immigration Status
15:02 Holiness, Justice & Everyday Faith
18:10 Growing Up in a Multicultural Church
23:25 How Migrants Changed Our Church Community
27:02 Before Politics Comes Human Dignity
28:42 Practical Ways Christians Can Support Migrants
31:14 Final Reflections & Questions

What if children's ministry wasn't just about Sunday mornings? What if the church's calling is to show up for kids, youth, and families where they already are—with no strings attached?

In this episode of the Perspectives FUMCSD Pastors Podcast, Rev. Trudy Robinson talks with Kenton Reaves Hundley, Executive Director of Dream School of the Arts, about community outreach, mentoring young people, and how churches can serve children and families beyond the walls of the church.

This is Episode 3 of our four-part Imago Dei 2.0 series exploring the many ways God's image is reflected in the diverse people of our church community. Inspired by Joel 2:28 ("Your sons and daughters shall prophesy...your old shall dream dreams, and your young shall see visions"), this conversation explores what it means to help young people dream, grow, and flourish.

Inspired by the Bible passage Joel 2:28, this episode explores:

This conversation is for you if …

Reflection Questions

Continue the Conversation

This episode accompanies our sermon series, Imago Dei 2.0, exploring the many ways God's image is reflected in the people of our church community. Whether you're a Christian, deconstructing your faith, looking for an affirming church, interested in progressive Christianity, or simply curious about how faith can make a difference in the community, we'd love to continue the conversation!

Timestamps

00:00 Why Church Should Show Up for Kids Beyond Sunday

01:08 Joel 2 verse 28 and the Call to Help Children Dream

03:20 Building a Safe Place Where Kids Can Thrive

08:08 From Sunday School to Community Ministry

12:05 Living the Gospel Without Preaching It

16:28 Supporting Families Through Life's Hardest Moments

24:24 Dream School as a Community of Care

26:26 Helping Kids Navigate Loss and Grief

29:42 How Dream School Began

31:22 Reflection Questions: Honoring Children's Dreams

What happens when God calls us to leave behind not only familiar places, but familiar assumptions?

In Episode 2 of our four-part Imago Dei 2.0 series, Rev. Dr. Brittany Juliette Hanlin sits down with Kay Gilbert, a longtime member of First UMC San Diego and participant in the church’s Sankofa racial justice pilgrimages. As a self-proclaimed recovering racist, Kay reflects on her childhood in segregated Alabama, the questions she carried for decades, and why she’s dedicated her adult life to confronting history, telling the truth, and growing in understanding.

Inspired by Genesis 12:1–3, where God calls Abram to leave everything familiar and journey into the unknown, this conversation reflects on what can happen when we step outside our comfort zones and allow God to reshape our hearts and understanding.

This episode explores:

This conversation is for you if you're:

Reflection Questions

Continue the Conversation

This episode accompanies our sermon series, Imago Dei 2.0, exploring the many ways God's image is reflected in the people of our church community. Whether you're deconstructing your faith, pursuing racial justice, seeking a more inclusive Christianity, or simply curious about these conversations, we'd love to continue the journey with you.

First United Methodist Church of San Diego is an LGBTQ-affirming, progressive Christian congregation committed to justice, inclusion, and spiritual growth.

Timestamps

00:00 God calls us beyond what is familiar

01:00 Genesis 12 & introducing Kay Gilbert

03:19 Growing up in segregated Alabama

10:14 "I could have been them" — recognizing race and privilege

18:40 Racism and disparities in healthcare

25:03 Why Kay joined the Sankofa Pilgrimage

28:20 "I'm a recovering racist"

29:27 Visiting Bryan Stevenson's Legacy Museum to confront America’s history

33:44 How the pilgrimage deepened Kay's faith

38:11 Using our social capital for justice

40:06 Reflection questions

What does it mean to be made in the image of God as an LGBTQ+ Christian? 

Rev. Dr. Hannah Ka is joined by Benicio Casillas, a transgender Christian and member of First United Methodist Church of San Diego, for a conversation about faith, identity, Ecclesiastes 3, and trusting God when life refuses to fit into neat categories.

This is Episode 1 of our four-part Imago Dei 2.0 series celebrating the many ways the image of God is reflected in the diverse people of our church family. In this episode, Benicio shares his experience growing up Catholic, coming out as transgender, finding an LGBTQ-affirming church at First United Methodist Church of San Diego, and discovering what it means to embrace that he was created in God's image.

Inspired by the Bible passage Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, the episode explores:

This conversation is for you if you're:

Reflection Questions

Continue the Conversation

This episode accompanies our sermon series, Imago Dei 2.0, exploring the many ways God's image is reflected in the people of our church community. Whether you're an LGBTQ+ Christian, an ally, deconstructing your faith, or simply curious about inclusive Christianity, we'd love to continue the conversation:

First United Methodist Church of San Diego is an LGBTQ-affirming, progressive Christian congregation committed to justice, inclusion, and spiritual growth.

Timestamps
00:00 Life is richer than our categories
00:00:45 Imago Dei 2.0: Celebrating God's image in everyone
00:04:00 Ecclesiastes, mystery, and trusting God
00:05:32 A transgender Christian's faith journey
00:10:57 How life's seasons transformed faith
00:14:38 Finding the courage to live authentically
00:18:47 What "made in the image of God" means today
00:22:31 LGBTQ+, mental health, and God's unconditional love
00:24:10 Finding an LGBTQ-affirming church community
00:26:07 Reflection questions: Seeing God's image in others