The Looney Sessions

What if some of the holiest moments of your life happen nowhere near a church? With Rev. Barry Kidwell and Rev. Kim Goddard, Bishop Richard Looney looks for God in workplaces, neighborhoods, relationships and the routines we usually overlook. They explore what it means to follow Jesus beyond Sunday—and discover that ordinary life may not be quite so ordinary after all.

Sometimes a life changes slowly. Sometimes it takes one conversation, one calling or one encounter you never saw coming. With Rev. Jonathan Jonas and Bishop James Swanson, Bishop Richard Looney shares stories of the people and moments that changed their direction, challenged their assumptions and helped them see where God might be leading next.

Jesus rarely settled for simply making a point when he could tell a good story instead. With Rev. Charles Maynard and Rev. Angela Akers, Bishop Richard Looney swaps stories and explores why the ones we remember can reveal truth better than any lecture. From Jesus’ parables to stories gathered over a lifetime of ministry, they consider how our own experiences can help people recognize themselves—and God—in the telling.

Why does faith sometimes feel so heavy when the angels announced “good news of great joy?” With Rev. Sarah Varnell and Rev. Will Shelton, Bishop Richard Looney talks about the God who doesn’t “zap” us, why Jesus may have laughed more than we imagine, and how joy survives even the hardest seasons of life. It’s a conversation about grace, humor and learning to enjoy the abundant life God has already given us.

What can nearly seven decades of ministry teach us about living a faithful—and joyful—life?

In The Looney Sessions, 92-year-old retired United Methodist Bishop Richard Looney sits down with pastors, bishops and friends whose lives and ministries have intersected with his own. Together, they swap stories, share plenty of laughter and explore some of the lessons Looney has learned across a lifetime of ministry.

Over six episodes, the conversations explore why joy matters, the power of a good story, the moments that change the direction of our lives, finding God in the ordinary, figuring out what actually matters, and even preparing for death.

It’s part storytelling, part conversation and part reflection on a life spent serving the church—and on what the rest of us might learn from it.

Episodes will be released every Saturday for six weeks beginning Sept. 12, 2026.

The Looney Sessions are funded by an award from the permanent endowment of the First Centenary United Methodist Church in Chattanooga.