People Like Me: The Ministry of Inclusion and Invitation
Louisiana Now
We are gearing up for a special event - People Like Me - a two-day immersive retreat focused on building intercultural competency, strengthening inclusive leadership, and helping churches reflect the rich diversity of their communities. Led by our very own, Rev. Katrena King, our Conference’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Specialist, the retreat offers tools like the Intercultural Development Inventory, also known as the IDI - it will also include space for authentic storytelling, which will be done in a very unique way – and workshops on everything from tough conversations to vision...
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Encore Episode: The Easter Story
Louisiana Now
This is a special edition of the Louisiana Now podcast, a reading of the Easter Story by host Todd Rossnagel. This reading comes from all four gospels and various translations. To find a United Methodist church in the Louisiana Conference, please visit our directory: https://www.la-umc.org/churches To find a listing of online church services in the Louisiana Conference, please visit . To find a United Methodist church near you, please visit: https://www.umc.org/en/find-a-church
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The Final Days, A Lenten Journey with Rev. Matt Rawle
Louisiana Now
This Lent, ponder the themes of justice, poverty, freedom, and love. The four New Testament Gospels aren’t the same story, but they offer the same Resurrection hope. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John devote most of their story detailing Jesus’ last week in Jerusalem, all highlighting Jesus’ triumphant entry into the city, the suffering and humiliation of the cross, and the empty tomb come Sunday morning, but the stories they tell aren’t quite the same. Each Gospel offers a different lens through which we understand Jesus’ Passion. One portrait reveals Jesus to be in control, while...
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Common Ground Youth Retreat
Louisiana Now
The Common Ground Youth Retreat is set for February 21-23, 2025, at Camp Istrouma, offering a weekend of connection, faith-building, and fun for United Methodist youth in grades 6-12 across Louisiana. Organized by youth directors from the Louisiana United Methodist Conference, the retreat invites young people to deepen their relationship with Christ and each other in a supportive environment. Registration for the retreat (closes January 31st) is $30 per participant, covering meals, activities, and costs for speakers and musicians. Register . Question? Email us.
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People Like Me
Louisiana Now
Join us for – a two-day immersive retreat led by Rev. Katrena King, our Conference's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Specialist. This event, January 10-11 in Woodworth, is designed for anyone ready to take bold steps toward deeper intercultural competency and create stronger, more inclusive faith communities. At this retreat, you'll participate in hands-on workshops, engage in courageous conversations, and explore your own development through tools like the Intercultural Development Inventory. Through storytelling, skill-building, and conflict-resolution sessions, we’ll create a...
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Listening for the Future; Black Church Vitality
Louisiana Now
"They don't want to die; they want to grow!" It's a powerful realization for Rev. Robert Johnson who just completed four listening sessions all across The Louisiana Conference; listening sessions focused on the future of the Black Church. Johnson serves as the Black Church Vitality strategist in The Louisiana Conference and is our guest on this episode of the Louisiana NOW podcast. We discuss what he heard during the listening sessions, the strength of the Black Church in this moment, the value in listening and what's next as we prepare for huge event in 2025.
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Recognizing and Responding to Christian Nationalism
Louisiana Now
In this episode of Louisiana NOW, Karrie Gaspard joins the show. Gaspard is a doctoral student at Tulane University, and is an expert in dissecting the complexities of Christian Nationalism and its encroachment into the fabric of Christianity. As a former educator and licensed social worker with a profound understanding of the intersections between religious and political spheres, Karrie offers invaluable insights into the origins and manifestations of Christian Nationalism. The conversation explores practical methods for identifying and challenging these narratives, assessing when patriotic...
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"Look! I am Doing a New Thing!"
Louisiana Now
Hurricane Francine brought a positive development to two United Methodist Churches in Louisiana. Both and Cornerstone United Methodist Church partnered with Together New Orleans to be a part of the Community Lighthouse project, a bold initiative to create a network of solar-powered churches and community centers across the city. The result? The largest off-grid energy project in the world. And it worked during Hurricane Francine. In this episode, Bishop Delores J. Williamston chats with Rev. Shawn Anglim of First Grace United Methodist Church about the project and the hope that it...
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Lay Leadership in The Louisiana Conference
Louisiana Now
In this episode of Louisiana NOW, we sit down with John Smith, the new Conference Lay Leader, and Susie Cox, the new Associate Lay Leader. Together, we explore the crucial role of lay leadership in the United Methodist Church. We reflect on their personal journeys of faith and what inspired them to step into leadership roles within their local congregations. They share insights on the difference between clergy and lay leaders, offering unique perspectives from the laity that help shape the future of the Church. If you'd like to reach the show, please send us an email: Thanks for...
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Grieving Well; Upcoming Clergy Retreat
Louisiana Now
In this episode, we are joined by Rev. Dr. Vicki Loflin Johnson and Rev. Ali Young, Director of Clergy Excellence in The Louisiana Conference, to talk about the upcoming clergy retreat called . Clergy are expected to share the burden of others’ grief as well as the collective grief of the institutions we serve. In the midst of caring for others, how can we make space for tending our own souls? In this one-day retreat we will consider ways that we as leaders might faithfully tend our own grief while teaching and encouraging our congregations to do the same. We will share ideas and...
info_outlineIn this episode, we catch up with John Wimberly and Rev. Dr. Van Stinson.
Like all mainline denominations today, United Methodist conferences and jurisdictions are facing the need to make dramatic adaptations from past ways of operating. A convergence of factors—declining congregational membership, the evolution of communication channels, remote work environments, virtual gatherings, and ever-evolving mission opportunities—has ushered in a new era where the conventional ways of doing things no longer suffice in carrying out God's divine work.
Amid so much ecclesial, cultural, and economic change, the Bishop and Extended Cabinet have identified the need for a planning and implementation process to create a flexible, agile operational system that can adapt quickly to the known and unknown ministry opportunities that lie ahead.
The Louisiana Conference has enlisted the expertise of John Wimberly, an experienced church consultant, to help us think about the future organizationally (conference structure, staff design, governance system, etc.). He has done similar work with Great Plains and Mountain Sky Conferences. He recently finished a similar job with Central, North, and Northwest Texas Conferences.
His approach centers on the art of listening, engaging in interviews and focus groups to glean insights into people's perceptions of our current systems and their aspirations for the future. The ultimate goal is to articulate a clear and concise mission statement that will guide our pivotal decisions and strategies, aligning our organizational structure and operations with our mission.
To learn more, head here.