Faith and Race Podcast

Welcome to the Faith and Race Podcast! The Faith and Race Podcast is designed to help churches host constructive dialogue about faith, race and the Church. Every episode has a specific focus on the intersection of history, institutions, scripture, prayer, race and justice. These episodes will bring the diverse insights and experiences into churches, homes and hearts across Missouri and beyond.

Episode 6: What We've Learned 06/09/2022

Episode 5: Social Justice and Taking a Stand at St. James UMC 06/02/2022

Episode 5: Social Justice and Taking a Stand at St. James UMC About This Episode Kansas City, Missouri. St. James United Methodist Church launched in 1973 when two small churches combined. Listen in as current pastor Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Cleaver III, Robert Silvan and Leola Evans share about the history and experience of the Historically Black Church. In This Episode 00:00: Church History Narration 4:30 1950s Change of Kansas City Landscape and the Beginning of St. James UMC 7:30 Taking A Stand and Doing Something About It 18:00 The Merging of a White and Black Church 22:20 Involvement in Politics 24:30 Raising Awareness in Younger People 26:00 A Long History of Involvement In Social Justice 28:30 Birthed Out of a Need for Social Justice and Action 30:30 The Congregation of St. James 35:00 How Would You Identify St. James 38:30 Leadership Demographics 44:00 White Flight and Neighborhood Churches 48:00 Disappointments with the Larger Church 54:00 Ivan Newton 60:00 Kansas City Police 65:00 Refocusing the Worship Effort About This Podcast The Faith and Race Podcast is designed to help faithful people host conversations about race, faith and the Church. Every episode has a specific focus to help listeners intentionally think about the intersection of history, institutions, scripture, prayer, race and justice. The audio recordings bring diverse insights and experiences into churches, homes, and hearts across Missouri and beyond. “The Saints Before Us” is the theme and focus of season three of the Faith and Race Podcast. It draws on both Hebrews 11, and its description of the cloud of witnesses, and Ephesians 4 with its directive to equip saints for the work of ministry. The phrase “saints before us” invites listeners to consider the duality of its meaning: In that, the new season of the podcast focuses on Missouri’s Black United Methodist Churches and highlights both the work of the saints that came before us and offers an invitation to the saints currently before us to carry that legacy. /episode/index/show/faithandracepodcast/id/23297879

Episode 4: Engaging the Community for Justice in St. Louis 05/26/2022

Episode 4: Engaging the Community for Justice in St. Louis About This Episode St. Louis, Missouri. Union Memorial was founded in 1846 on three foundations: Love which is a God-given light from heaven, a spark of that immortal fire which angels share. Faith which binds us to the infinite. Hope, the balm and life-blood of the soul. Union Memorial is unique in many ways, such as hosting W.E.B. Du Bois in 1913 and being the second largest structure of its kind in the United States (a hyperbolic paraboloid shell). The congregation at Union Memorial has a long, proud heritage of community-based social justice. In This Episode 00:00: A Rich and Proud History 6:21 People Felt Supported and Heard 7:30 An Honor to Be a Part of the Legacy 10:34 Connections to Africa University 13:20 Leaving Leffingwell and Pine Location 19:10 Mission and Vision 21:45 Debts and Apportionments 25:44 Restoration: To Restore the People and the Hearts of the People 29:30 Simplified Model of Church Governance 30:45 175 Years of Service and History 35:09 The Pandemic and After 38:14 Resilience in Our DNA 40:00 Fighting In and With the Methodist Church About This Podcast The Faith and Race Podcast is designed to help faithful people host conversations about race, faith and the Church. Every episode has a specific focus to help listeners intentionally think about the intersection of history, institutions, scripture, prayer, race and justice. The audio recordings bring diverse insights and experiences into churches, homes, and hearts across Missouri and beyond. “The Saints Before Us” is the theme and focus of season three of the Faith and Race Podcast. It draws on both Hebrews 11, and its description of the cloud of witnesses, and Ephesians 4 with its directive to equip saints for the work of ministry. The phrase “saints before us” invites listeners to consider the duality of its meaning: In that, the new season of the podcast focuses on Missouri’s Black United Methodist Churches and highlights both the work of the saints that came before us and offers an invitation to the saints currently before us to carry that legacy. /episode/index/show/faithandracepodcast/id/23231006

Episode 3: Keeping Time in KC's Jazz District 05/19/2022

Episode 3: Keeping Time in KC's Jazz District ABOUT THIS EPISODE Kansas City, Missouri. In 1907, Asbury Chapel and Burn Chapel consolidated to form one church: Centennial Methodist Episcopal Church. In this episode, Rev. Jason Bryles (Centennial’s pastor since July 2016), Paula King (member since 1962), Ramada Davis (member for 48 years) and Donald Rogerson (member for 70 years) discuss Centennial United Methodist Church’s the history and influence on its community — beginning at its founding, continuing through the civil rights movement and into today. IN THIS EPISODE 1:00 History and Founding of Centennial UMC3:31 Introduction to Interviewees4:15 The Forming of CUMC and the Surrounding Community10:50 Jazz and Other Local Influences14:03 Church Music History and Its Life Cycle18:20 The Beginning of A Big Change 24:30 Centennial’s Position in the World and in the Methodist Church36:00 What The Black Church And Centennial Bring to the Church at Large ABOUT THIS PODCAST The Faith and Race Podcast is designed to help faithful people host conversations about race, faith and the Church. Every episode has a specific focus to help listeners intentionally think about the intersection of history, institutions, scripture, prayer, race and justice. The audio recordings bring diverse insights and experiences into churches, homes, and hearts across Missouri and beyond. “The Saints Before Us” is the theme and focus of season three of the Faith and Race Podcast. It draws on both Hebrews 11, and its description of the cloud of witnesses, and Ephesians 4 with its directive to equip saints for the work of ministry. The phrase “saints before us” invites listeners to consider the duality of its meaning: In that, the new season of the podcast focuses on Missouri’s Black United Methodist Churches and highlights both the work of the saints that came before us and offers an invitation to the saints currently before us to carry that legacy. /episode/index/show/faithandracepodcast/id/23150654

Episode 2: New Life and Legacy in St. Louis 05/12/2022

Episode 2: New Life and Legacy in St. Louis ABOUT THIS EPISODE St. Louis, Missouri. After the 1917 East St. Louis Race Riots in Illinois, much of East St. Louis’s Black population fled the death and destruction and sought new economic opportunities across the river into St. Louis, Missouri. This birthed a new Methodist congregation under Rev. Martin Luther Jackson at Good Samaritan Methodist Episocopal Church. The goal was peace and shelter in a new urban environment. Despite hardships, the congregation is still alive today. Listen in as Pastor Ivan James and longtime church members discuss the life, times and legacy of Samaritan UMC. Note: Since the recording of this podcast, Samaritan UMC has merged with Asbury UMC to form New Horizons UMC. IN THIS EPISODE 00-7:36 History of the Church Beginnings 8:45 Poetry Reading 11:45 The Building on Washington and Memories 14:30 How the Race Riots Led to the New Church and Early History 18:00 A Rich and Deep Local Community 19:50 A Front-End Problem and the Three P’s 23:05 An Example of Faithfulness 27:00 How Segregation Impacted the Local Black Church 27:26 Remembering Church as a Child and Her Family’s Dedication 32:00 We Had Everything We Needed in the Community 33:45 The Children of Good Samaritan 39:00 Changes Come 41:37 Hopes for The Future 42:45 Living the Gospel and Needed Changes ABOUT THIS PODCAST The Faith and Race Podcast is designed to help faithful people host conversations about race, faith and the Church. Every episode has a specific focus to help listeners intentionally think about the intersection of history, institutions, scripture, prayer, race and justice. The audio recordings bring diverse insights and experiences into churches, homes, and hearts across Missouri and beyond. “The Saints Before Us” is the theme and focus of season three of the Faith and Race Podcast. It draws on both Hebrews 11, and its description of the cloud of witnesses, and Ephesians 4 with its directive to equip saints for the work of ministry. The phrase “saints before us” invites listeners to consider the duality of its meaning: In that, the new season of the podcast focuses on Missouri’s Black United Methodist Churches and highlights both the work of the saints that came before us and offers an invitation to the saints currently before us to carry that legacy. /episode/index/show/faithandracepodcast/id/23051525

Episode 1: Faith and Resilience at Pitt's Chapel 05/05/2022

Episode 1: Faith and Resilience at Pitt's Chapel ABOUT THIS EPISODE Springfield, Missouri. Pitt's Chapel is a testament to strength in adversity: beginning in times of slavery, through the lynchings of innocent Black men and the subsequent shift that brought Springfield from a population that was 25% Black to the under 5% it is today. Current pastor Rev. Tracey Wolff, Kim Jones, John Huddleston and Charlotte Hardin talk through the history of Pitt's Chapel from its onset through tragedy and onward during the civil rights movement into today. IN THIS EPISODE 1:00 Introduction and History of Pitt's Chapel7:30 Introductions: Rev. Tracey Wolff, Kim Jones, John Huddleston, Charlotte Hardin8:12 The Current Building and How it Relates to the History of Pitt's Chapel14:45 Raising Up Younger Generations17:30 The Relationship Between Ferguson and the Lynchings20:50 Words Without Actions, Forgiveness Without Repentance24:45 Arrogance, Power and Scarcity Mindsets27:25 What The Methodist Church Can Do34:30: What Gives You Hope ABOUT THIS PODCAST The Faith and Race Podcast is designed to help faithful people host conversations about race, faith and the Church. Every episode has a specific focus to help listeners intentionally think about the intersection of history, institutions, scripture, prayer, race and justice. The audio recordings bring diverse insights and experiences into churches, homes, and hearts across Missouri and beyond. “The Saints Before Us” is the theme and focus of season three of the Faith and Race Podcast. It draws on both Hebrews 11, and its description of the cloud of witnesses, and Ephesians 4 with its directive to equip saints for the work of ministry. The phrase “saints before us” invites listeners to consider the duality of its meaning: In that, the new season of the podcast focuses on Missouri’s Black United Methodist Churches and highlights both the work of the saints that came before us and offers an invitation to the saints currently before us to carry that legacy. /episode/index/show/faithandracepodcast/id/23009669

Faith and Race Podcast Season 3 Trailer - "The Saints Before Us" 04/11/2022