‘Tis the season for all things merry and bright. Except when you’re feeling sad, lonely and perhaps grieving.

Retired United Methodist pastor and current spiritual director Cindy Serio discusses why Christmas can be a challenging season for some folks and shares a guided meditation that acknowledges that you might feel blue at this time of the year while offering encouragement for finding hope, even on the longest night.

More information and a full transcript of this conversation are available here.

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Connect with The United Methodist Church by visiting UMC.org.

What if, instead of having faith in Jesus, you had the faith of Jesus? Rev. Rebekah Simon-Peter, who has integrated the Jewish faith of her birth with her chosen identity as a United Methodist, urges all of us to embrace our inner divinity to live a more purposeful life, one in which we move beyond simply believing in Jesus to believing like Jesus.

More information and a full transcript of this conversation are available here.

Learn more and/or purchase Simon-Peter’s book, “Believe Like Jesus: Rising from faith in Jesus to the faith of Jesus.”

Have a question or comment? Email us at [email protected]

Connect with The United Methodist Church by visiting UMC.org.

Always being joyful and finding meaning in life can be challenging for many of us.  In his new book, “A Full-Hearted Life: Following Jesus in This Secular Age,” Bishop Jake Owensby offers a guide for navigating our culture’s complexities by encouraging us to embrace our true selves, cultivate genuine relationships and walk through life as Jesus did, offering wisdom and love to all we meet.

More information and a full transcript of this conversation are available here.

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Clarity, consistency, communication and compassion. Learn how the 4 Cs that Rev. Calvin Yashie Hill used to train wild mustangs guides us in building authentic relationships across cultures.

Today’s “Get Your Spirit in Shape” episode is the second in a two-part conversation with Rev. Hill as we learn more about the culture and rituals of indigenous people and how we can better live together in the world and the church.

More information and a full transcript of this conversation are available here.

You can listen to part one here.

Have a question or comment? Email us at [email protected]

Connect with The United Methodist Church by visiting UMC.org.

When the Rev. Calvin Yashie Hill discovered the Wesleyan Quadrilateral as a seminary student, the Navajo holy man knew he had found his denominational home. Discover how Wesleyan discipleship aligns with indigenous spirituality and how understanding both can lead to a more welcoming church.

Today’s “Get Your Spirit in Shape” episode is part one of a two-part conversation with Rev. Hill as we learn more about the culture and rituals of indigenous people and how we can better live together in the world and the church.

More information and a full transcript of this conversation are available here.

Have a question or comment? Email us at [email protected]

Connect with The United Methodist Church by visiting UMC.org.

As we honor Hispanic Heritage Month, the Rev. Dr. Lydia Munoz reminds us of the importance of listening to one another’s stories and respecting one another’s journeys as we live into a diverse and inclusive church that encompasses a rich tapestry of Hispanic and Latine heritage in the U.S.

More information and a full transcript of this conversation are available here.

Have a question or comment? Email us at [email protected]

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“Racism is the air we breathe, the water we swim in,” says the Rev.  Dr. Donnell FitzJeffries.

In this conversation about the complexities of racism, and the challenges of honest conversations, we are encouraged to be “holy surprised” at how the church an lead the way to be transformed by our collective diversity.

More information and a full transcript of this conversation are available here.

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In a poignant and powerful conversation about faith and loss, Julie Hilliard Wood, a lifelong United Methodist, shares her family’s story of how homophobia and rejection within the church had devastating consequences and reminds us of how critically important it is to create safe and loving spaces for all of God’s children.

More information and a full transcript of this conversation are available here.

For more information or to purchase Wood’s book, “Changing the Message: Cruelty to Persons Who are Gay is Incompatible with Christian Teaching,” visit this link.

Have a question or comment? Email us at [email protected]

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Even as we believe our differences are our downfall, scripture tells us that diversity is the source of our beauty. The Rev. Beth Crissman discusses the Purple Church Initiative, a guide to harmony that challenges us to take up Jesus’ call to be ambassadors of peace, and how, as John Wesley taught, to be of one heart though we are not of one opinion.

More information and a full transcript of this conversation are available here.

Learn more about The Purple Church Initiative, a resource for members and leaders of The United Methodist  Church.

Have a question or comment? Email us at [email protected]

Connect with The United Methodist Church by visiting UMC.org.

We live in a delight-deficient world, one where we, as adults, are driven to be productive and where play is seldom prioritized. The Rev. Tyler Strange reminds us that soul care means living from the inside out and that by rediscovering joy, we can unlock a playful spirit.

More information and a full transcript of this conversation are available here.

Learn more about and/or purchase Strange’s book, “What I Want My Children (and Me) to Know: Building Better Humans One Napkin at a Time,” here.

Have a question or comment? Email us at [email protected]

Connect with The United Methodist Church by visiting UMC.org.

Protecting sacred spaces is a passion for Selena Ruth Smith. A firefighter and deaconess, the cradle United Methodist shares tips for how all of us can promote fire safety in our local congregations.

More information and a full transcript of this conversation are available here.

Have a question or comment? Email us at [email protected]

Connect with The United Methodist Church by visiting UMC.org.