PODCAST · religion
Affirming Methodism
by Affirming Methodism
Rev. Marianne Romanat and Dr. Brittany Bethel of Light of Christ UMC, envision a new way of being the church by taking steps to become a more multicultural, affirming, and diverse community.
Episodes
-
Christian Nationalism is Not Good News | Rev. Jonathan Coppedge-Henley
This month, Marianne sits down with Rev. Jonathan Coppedge-Henley, pastor of Woodlawn Community Church, a United Methodist congregation in Charlotte. Together they take a hard look at Christian nationalism: where it comes from, why it's a misunderstanding of the gospel, and how it damages the...
-
New Beginnings | Jay Boylan and Courtney Drakulic
This month, Marianne and Brittany sit down with Jay Boylan and Courtney Drakulic of New Beginnings — an Alcoholics Anonymous group that meets daily in the sanctuary at Light of Christ UMC. They share their personal journeys with alcoholism, reflect on what 12-step communities can teach the Church...
-
Why We Keep the Lights On | Susan Cherin & Nicole DePietro
Brittany and Pastor Marianne sit down with Susan Cherin of The LOTUS Project and Nicole DePietro of RAH! Theatre Company to talk about what draws people to theater, why youth performance spaces matter, and how a church building becomes something more when it opens its doors to the community....
-
Restored in Community | Rev. Dustin Mailman
What does it look like when a church takes seriously its belief in redemption, dignity, and second chances — not just as words, but as a way of life? Rev. Dustin Mailman joins Brittany and Marianne to talk about Deep Time Coffee, a ministry walking alongside people impacted by incarceration…
more -
Justice, Vitality, and the Gospel We Proclaim | Rev. Darryl Dayson
This month on Affirming Methodism, Marianne sits down with Rev. Darryl Dayson of South Tryon Community UMC in Charlotte. From his formation in campus ministry at App Wesley to his leadership in justice and advocacy today, Darryl shares what makes a local church truly vital—especially in a time...
-
Holy Chaos, Abundant Grace | Rev. Brian Combs
This month on Affirming Methodism, we’re joined by Rev. Brian Combs, Lead Pastor of Haywood Street Congregation in Asheville, NC, for a deep conversation about radical hospitality and what it means to center people pushed to the margins. Together, we explore moving beyond charity and saviorism...
-
Disruptive Discipleship | Rev. Joel Simpson
Rev. Joel Simpson joins Affirming Methodism for a powerful conversation on faith that refuses to stay confined to the pulpit. As a pastor, moral-justice organizer, preacher, and scholar, Joel reflects on the moments that shaped his calling to move from sermons to organizing, protest, and deep...
-
Little Angels, Big Impact | Patti Kreis & LOC Kids
In this month’s episode of Affirming Methodism, Marianne & Tracy sit down with Patti Kreis to explore the story and impact of Light of Christ’s Angel Tree—how it strengthens our partnerships, supports families locally and globally, and reflects our mission as a church. We also hear from Kayla,...
-
Transformation Through Community | Brittany Bethel & Makena Bellamy
This month on Affirming Methodism, we’re joined by Brittany Bethel and Makena Bellamy of Cross Connection to explore the inspiring transformation happening at Parkview Community Center. Through adaptive leadership and deep listening to the neighborhood’s needs, Parkview has become a living…
more -
The Call to Be a Missional Church | Rev. Nathan Arledge
In this month’s episode of Affirming Methodism, hosts Marianne and Taylor sit down with Rev. Nathan Arledge, Senior Pastor of Harrison UMC, to talk about what it means to be an outward-focused missional church. Together, they explore how congregations can respond to injustice, gun violence…
more -
Supporting Students, Honoring Teachers | Tracy Vassil, Kari Wimbish, Lynn Wilson
This month on Affirming Methodism, host Marianne is joined by guest co-host Tracy Vassil, our Director of Children’s Ministry and a former teacher, for a conversation about the education system in North Carolina. Together with two LOC members who are current teachers, we discuss the challenges...
-
Called to Serve | Allie Black, Marisa, Romanat, & Austin Romanat
In this month’s episode of Affirming Methodism, we’re joined by Allie Black, Marisa Romanat, and Austin Romanat—directors for this summer for Cross Connection. They share life updates, reflect on how Light of Christ and Cross Connection have shaped their journeys, and offer a look into what’s…
more -
Rooted in Justice | Rev. Dawn Hand
In this month’s episode of Affirming Methodism, we’re joined by Rev. Dawn Hand, Director of Equity and Justice for the Western NC Conference. We talk about her past ministries, her passion for justice, and how her work is shaping a more inclusive future for our churches and communities.
-
Empowering Change | Rev. Emily Bagwell
This month on Affirming Methodism, we’re joined by Rev. Emily Bagwell, Director of Resource Management & Development at Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN). We discuss her role at RMN, their current initiatives, and their vision for the future. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about the...
-
Faith in Action | Hurricane Helene Relief
In this month's episode of Affirming Methodism, Marianne is joined by Neil Hartly, Hope Gamble, and Kyle Romanat to discuss their recent trip to Boone, NC, where they put their faith into action by helping communities affected by Hurricane Helene.
-
A Place at the Table | Rev. David Hockett
This month, we are joined by Reverend David Hockett of Davidson UMC to explore the United Methodist practice of Open Table. Together, we discuss what it means to welcome all to Christ’s table and how we can embody this radical hospitality in our daily lives.
-
Guests We Loved, Steps We Took | Recapping 2024
In this special year-end episode of Affirming Methodism, co-hosts Marianne and Taylor share their favorite moments with guests from 2024. They also celebrate Light of Christ UMC’s historic vote to become a Reconciling Church and dive into the importance of this milestone for the church’s mission...
-
Celebrating 25 Years of LOC | Rev. Dr. Maria Hanlin, Rev. Beth Crissman, & Rev. Kyle Thompson
This month on Affirming Methodism, we celebrate the 25th anniversary of Light of Christ UMC with a special conversation featuring former pastors Rev. Dr. Maria Hanlin, Rev. Beth Crissman, and Rev. Kyle Thompson. Together, we look back on their impactful years at LOC, discuss our present growth…
more -
Indigenous Voices in the Church | Bishop David Wilson
In this episode of Affirming Methodism, we welcome Bishop David Wilson of the Great Plains Conference, the first Native American bishop in the United Methodist Church. Together, we explore the historical injustices and displacement Indigenous peoples have faced, including the role the church has...
-
Cultural Heritage | Juanfer Rodriguez & Kyle Romanat
In this episode of Affirming Methodism, Juan Rodriguez and Kyle Romanat join us to explore the significance of Hispanic Heritage Month. Together, we dive into the cultural and spiritual differences between churches in the United States and those in Latin America, and reflect on how diverse…
more -
Nurturing Faith | LOC Kids
In this lighthearted and laughter-filled episode of Affirming Methodism, we sit down with our Director of Kids Ministry, Grace Zelen, to explore what she’s doing with LOC Kids. We also hear from parents—Holly & Kelly Brady and Melissa Sage; kids—Reese & Taryn Brady, Robby Sage, and Grace…
more -
Revitalizing Faith | Bishop Ken Carter & Kim Ingram
In this episode, we welcome Bishop Ken Carter and Kim Ingram from the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. We delve into the recent General Conference and explore a renewed vision for creating vitality in local congregations. Our guests share their insights on…
more -
A New Day | Sarah Howell-Miller
In this episode, we sit down with Rev. Sarah Howell-Miller to explore the innovative and inclusive work being done at Green Street United Methodist Church. Discover how they're fostering a welcoming community, advocating for social justice, and redefining what it means to be a church in today's...
-
Faithful Identities | Ophelia Hu Kinney
Join us for a heartfelt conversation with Ophelia Hu Kinney as we delve into the rich tapestry of intersecting identities. Ophelia, shares her insights on navigating faith, embracing queerness, and honoring her Asian American heritage. Together, we explore the challenges and triumphs of living...
-
Praying for Progress: General Conference 2024 | Carter Ellis
In preparation for the upcoming United Methodist General Conference we sat down with Carter Ellis, a delegate from the Western North Carolina Conference, to discuss how we can be in prayer for the upcoming global gathering of our church.
-
Year One Reflections
This month we decided to reflect on some of our previous episodes and dream about the future. We also announce that our co-host Brittany Bethel is taking a step back from Affirming Methodism to launch her own podcast with Carolina Cross Connection called Daring Grace. While we will miss Brittany,...
-
Building Bridges
In honor of Black History Month, we're delving into the vital importance of acknowledging Black history and addressing the systemic racism that has plagued our country and our Church. Thank you to all of our friends who participated in this conversation: Nina Johnson, Jade Mason, Javier Castelan,...
-
Believe in Balance: Faith and Mental Health
This month, we are joined by Dan Huang and Christopher Raleigh, two Light of Christ members who are also mental health professionals, to talk about the intersection of faith and mental health.
-
Chosen Family
For December, we asked some of our friends who live alone how we can best support them. You'll here from Patti Kreis, Denise Hembree, and Sylvester James tell us what Light of Christ's community means to them. TW: Suicide
-
Belonging Beyond Borders
This month, we had the privilege to sit down and talk with Miriam & Michele Ciscato and Marcela Meneses & Javier Castelan, two immigrant families in our congregation. They share how they came to be part of our community and ways that we can continue to affirm and support all cultures.
-
Disaffiliation: What is it and how can we help?
This month we sat down with Jen Hedrick of and Allison and John Brady of Light of Christ, to hear how the disaffiliation process impacted them.
-
Paving the Way | Val Rosenquist, M.DIV., PH.D.
This month we had the opportunity to learn from Val Rosenquist, M.DIV., PH.D., who is the Senior Pastor at First United Methodist Church in Charlotte, NC. Val shares how First UMC embraces diversity and advocacy in the Charlotte area.
-
A Long Road
This month we hear from Toni Stone- Brinson and Kim Lindsley about being LGBTQ+ members of the church. TW: Suicide, Religious Trauma
-
Faith as a Student
This month we had an insightful conversation about navigating your faith in middle and high school with two students from Light of Christ, Austin Romanat and Camille Barber.
-
Faith in College
This month we talk with Marissa Romanat and Colton Brinson, two college students at Light of Christ, about navigating personal faith while in school.
-
Looking Back
This month, we sit down with Denise Hembree and Nina Johnson, to discuss where we started and how we envision our future.
-
Affirming Methodism Introduction
Rev. Marianne Romanat and Dr. Brittany Bethel introduce Affirming Methodism and share their vision for the podcast.
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
Rev. Marianne Romanat and Dr. Brittany Bethel of Light of Christ UMC, envision a new way of being the church by taking steps to become a more multicultural, affirming, and diverse community.
HOSTED BY
Affirming Methodism
CATEGORIES
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Affirming Methodism have?
Affirming Methodism currently has 37 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Affirming Methodism about?
Rev. Marianne Romanat and Dr. Brittany Bethel of Light of Christ UMC, envision a new way of being the church by taking steps to become a more multicultural, affirming, and diverse community.
How often does Affirming Methodism release new episodes?
Affirming Methodism has 37 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Affirming Methodism?
You can listen to Affirming Methodism on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Affirming Methodism?
Affirming Methodism is created and hosted by Affirming Methodism.
URL copied to clipboard!