Discipleship, it has been said, is learned on the inside of the church and lived on the outside. Deacons are a special order of ministry in The United Methodist Church that lives out this life of service and compassion beyond the pews and pulpits in ways that make the church relevant and meaningful. Join Bishop LaTrelle Easterling as she talks to two well-storied Deacons, the Revs. Leo Yates and Stephanie Moore Hand, as they explore how each of us is called to bring our best gifts to the table.

Guest Bios

Rev. Dr. Stephanie Moore Hand is a Deacon who works as a vitality strategist in the Western North Carolina Conference. Before being called into ministry, she was an executive for a Fortune 500 company. During her time in the corporate arena, Hand was one of the youngest African-American executives in America running airports. She earned a doctorate from Wesley Theological Seminary, with a concentration in transformational leadership.

Rev. Leo Yates is a Deacon serving as a chaplain at the Western Region Hospital Center and the BWC’s coordinator of Accessibility and Inclusion. He is a nationally known activist and advocate for Deaf and hard of hearing ministries. Yates’ secondary appointment is at Emmanuel UMC in Laurel. In addition, he holds a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor license in the state of Maryland and is a board-approved clinical supervisor. Yates chairs the BWC’s Order of Deacons.

In this episode of Thursdays At the Table, Bishop LaTrelle Easterling explores the importance of a variety of theological perspectives with guests the Rev. Drs. Shively Smith, an Assistant Professor at Boston University School of Theology, and Theresa Thames, Associate Dean of Religious Life and the Chapel at Princeton University. Theology or “God-talk” is not situated in one culture, people or time. Rather, all of creation extols the glory and represents aspects of the Divine and therefore needs to speak into this conversation. To privilege one group over another de-centers those whose voices are often excluded and attempts to wrongly make one experience, culture or worldview normative and limits our understanding of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Bishop Easterling and her guests delve into “the radical boldness of saying yes,” and the importance of “possibility models,” and interrogating the text. Together, they explore overcoming biblical illiteracy and moving beyond a fairy-tale faith to capture the truth and implications of the Gospel message through the lived life of Jesus.

The Rev. Dr. Shively Smith is a lifelong student of sacred texts and dedicated to the life of the mind and the journey of the spirit. She is a renowned scholar, teacher, author, and preacher, currently serving as Assistant Professor of New Testament at Boston University School of Theology and Affiliate faculty for the PhD Concentration in Homiletics. She is also Resident Scholar and an itinerant elder at the historic Metropolitan AME Church of Washington D.C.  She is currently researching the work of theologian Howard Thurman and her ministry often focuses on providing life-transforming answers to the question “What bridges am I building and crossing for future generations today?” Learn more.

The Rev. Dr. Theresa S. Thames has a passion for things at the intersections of theology, gender, organizational development, and social justice. An Elder in The United Methodist Church, she is the Associate Dean of Religious Life and the Chapel at Princeton University in New Jersey. A sought after teacher and preacher, she is also the founder of Soul Joy Coaching & Yoga, LLC, an in-person and online gathering that invites women of color to honor their whole divine selves and tap into radical joy. Before moving to Princeton, she served as a pastor in Washington, D.C. for nine years. Thames “prioritizes self-care and believes that freedom is not optional, rest is her strength, and radical joy is her resistance.” Learn more.

In this episode of At the Table, three white men, all leaders in The United Methodist Church, talk about racism and the realities of white supremacy. They share stories with Bishop LaTrelle Easterling of bearing witness to lynchings, confronting how racism was woven into their own histories, and how their privilege affects the ways they are learning use their voices to advocate for justice.

In a candid and courageous conversation, Bishop Easterling talks with David Abbott, Director of Stewardship for the United Methodist Foundation of New England; Dr. David Scott, Director of Mission Theology for the denomination’s Board of Global Ministries; and Bill Waddell, an attorney from Arkansas who provides legal counsel to The United Methodist Church. Together, they explore the personal and cultural intersections of whiteness, privilege, racism, Scripture, and justice.

Learn more here

Draw up a seat at the table with me and my guests where we tell the whole truth, offer grace, and stay curious. At the table there’s always room for more.

Episode 1 premieres January 5, 2023. Let's listen together