Potluck

Five districts in the Great Plains Conference have recently added positions specifically addressing justice issues in their area. In this episode of "Potluck," we talk to the four people facing those new tasks in an episode we're calling "Women of Justice."

After more than 40 years as a reporter with the Topeka Capital-Journal and now with WIBW television, Phil Anderson has entered the ministry. He's in the middle of course of study while serving as the pastor of Kansas Avenue and Oakland UMCs, both in Topeka. Anderson talks about his entry into ministry and compares his two vocations.

The warm welcome that visitors get when they enter the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood is all by design and — two of the hospitality leaders of the church say — is a reflection on the church's founding pastor, the Rev. Adam Hamilton.

Yvonne Gentile and Debi Nixon have written a book, "The Art of Hospitality: A Practical Guide for a Ministry of Radical Welcome," that is meant to help churches develop a culture to truly become a warm, welcoming place for people seeking an encounter with the Holy Spirit.

"Potluck" host David Burke's friendship with the Rev. Brenda Davids, pastor of Council Grove Dunlap-Wilsey UMCs in Kansas, goes way back — before they were born! They explain how their lives have intersected many times through the years, as well as her former career in baking and how she transitioned to becoming a pastor, as well as how her churches are surviving and thriving during the pandemic.