Ep 140: "Love Boldly: Voices from Annual Conference 2026"

Ep 140: "Love Boldly: Voices from Annual Conference 2026"

This week POD Strangely Warmed brings you into the conversations happening at Annual Conference 2026 as we talk with clergy and laity from around the Horizon Texas Conference. You'll hear thoughtful reflections on what it looks like to love boldly in real ministry, real community, and real life, along with the shared sense of hope that emerges when the church gathers to worship, connect, and listen for where God is at work. This episode isn't about recapping every vote or agenda item. It's about the people who shape Annual Conference through their presence, their stories, and their faithfulness. Whether you were in the room or didn't make it this year, these conversations offer a window into how bold love is being practiced, named, and lived out across our conference. Along the way, we also spend time with a few voices from the wider connectional ministry of The United Methodist Church, offering perspective on how this work extends beyond a single annual conference. You'll hear reflections that help trace where bold love is being seen across the Horizon Texas Conference and how that shared vision continues to guide the church forward. https://www.realizegrace.com/ [https://www.realizegrace.com/] https://www.youtube.com/@realizegrace [https://www.youtube.com/@realizegrace] https://www.cultiv8community.org/ [https://www.cultiv8community.org/] https://www.gbhem.org/ [https://www.gbhem.org/] https://umcmission.org/ [https://umcmission.org/] Website - htcumc.org [https://www.htcumc.org/] Facebook - @HTCUMC [https://www.facebook.com/htcumc] Instagram - @HTCUMC [https://www.instagram.com/htcumc/] TikTok - @horizontxumc [https://www.tiktok.com/@horizontxumc] YouTube - @htcumc [https://www.youtube.com/@htcumc] Spotify - Horizon Texas Conference [https://open.spotify.com/user/31rrdkq47aeb7qr2xaaxaqcwcfee?si=3498db6d39044a00]

Ep 138: Thriving in a Changing Community: Moving from Survival to Fruitfulness with Rev. Derek Jacobs & Rev. Christian Washington

Across the Horizon Texas Conference, many churches are navigating communities that are changing around them. The question is not only how churches survive that change, but how they become more fruitful, more welcoming and more connected to the people God has placed around them. In this episode of POD Strangely Warmed, Rev. Daniel Hawkins sits down with Rev. Christian Washington and Rev. Derek Jacobs at the Shifting the Atmosphere conference. Together, they talk about the work of the Black Church Academy, an initiative helping predominantly African American churches move from survival to fruitfulness through coaching, worship renewal, hospitality and deeper community connection. This conversation explores what it means for churches to "move the needle," why Sunday morning matters, how worship can become more intentional and what it looks like to welcome the stranger in a way that helps people truly belong. Christian and Derek also share stories of churches rediscovering their mission, strengthening their systems and learning how to thrive in a changing community. Whether you are a pastor, church leader, layperson or someone who cares about the future of the church, this episode offers a hopeful look at how God is still at work through communities willing to adapt, listen and love their neighbors well. https://realcoaching.net/ [https://realcoaching.net/] Website - htcumc.org [https://www.htcumc.org/] Facebook - @HTCUMC [https://www.facebook.com/htcumc] Instagram - @HTCUMC [https://www.instagram.com/htcumc/] TikTok - @horizontxumc [https://www.tiktok.com/@horizontxumc] YouTube - @htcumc [https://www.youtube.com/@htcumc] Spotify - Horizon Texas Conference [https://open.spotify.com/user/31rrdkq47aeb7qr2xaaxaqcwcfee?si=3498db6d39044a00]

Ep 136: "The 45 Parables: Encountering Jesus Through His Stories" with Rev. Andy Nixon

The Parables of Jesus are some of the most well-known in the world. But what if we've been moving through them too quickly to really hear what they're saying? In this episode of POD Strangely Warmed, Rev. Daniel Hawkins sits down with Rev. Andy Nixon to explore The 45 Parables and the deeper meaning behind the stories Jesus told. Together, they reflect on how parables invite us to slow down, ask better questions, and encounter Jesus in ways that go beyond surface-level understanding. This conversation is for anyone curious about faith, whether you've spent years in the church or you're still figuring out what you believe. Through storytelling, humor, and honest reflection, Andy shares why parables create space for both believers and skeptics to engage with Scripture in a meaningful way. Explore The 45 Parables by Andy Nixon: https://45parables.com/ [https://45parables.com/] Website - htcumc.org [https://www.htcumc.org/] Facebook - @HTCUMC [https://www.facebook.com/htcumc] Instagram - @HTCUMC [https://www.instagram.com/htcumc/] TikTok - @horizontxumc [https://www.tiktok.com/@horizontxumc] YouTube - @htcumc [https://www.youtube.com/@htcumc] Spotify - Horizon Texas Conference [https://open.spotify.com/user/31rrdkq47aeb7qr2xaaxaqcwcfee?si=3498db6d39044a00]

Ep 135: "Loving your Neighbor in a Changing Community" with Rev. Billy Echols-Richter and Katrina Watland

Across neighborhoods, cities, and communities, things are changing fast, and not everyone knows how to respond. In Frisco, Texas, a growing and increasingly diverse community has brought both opportunity and tension. When fear and harmful rhetoric began showing up in public spaces, local faith leaders and neighbors made a different choice: to show up, stand together, and respond with love. In this episode of POD Strangely Warmed, Rev. Kristin Warthen sits down with Rev. Billy Echols-Richter and Katrina Watland of Grace Avenue United Methodist Church to explore what it really means to love your neighbor in a changing community. Together, they reflect on real moments of division, the courage it takes to speak up, and how curiosity, relationship, and faith can move people beyond fear. This conversation begins in Frisco but echoes far beyond it. Communities across Texas and the country are navigating growth, diversity and change, and the question remains the same. How do we live together well? Website - htcumc.org [https://www.htcumc.org/] Facebook - @HTCUMC [https://www.facebook.com/htcumc] Instagram - @HTCUMC [https://www.instagram.com/htcumc/] TikTok - @horizontxumc [https://www.tiktok.com/@horizontxumc] YouTube - @htcumc [https://www.youtube.com/@htcumc] Spotify - Horizon Texas Conference [https://open.spotify.com/user/31rrdkq47aeb7qr2xaaxaqcwcfee?si=3498db6d39044a00]

Ep 134: "CLEAR: Clergy Responding in Faith" with Pastor Rocio Bamihe and Rev. Eric Folkerth

Across the country and here in North Texas, conversations around immigration, enforcement and public policy are often loud and divided. But what does it look like when people of faith step into these moments not with anger, but with prayer, presence and compassion? On this episode of POD Strangely Warmed, Rev. Daniel Hawkins and Rev. Kristin Warthen sit down with Rev. Eric Folkerth and Pastor Rocio Bamihe to talk about their involvement with CLEAR, the Clergy League for Emergency Action and Response. CLEAR is an interfaith coalition of clergy in the Dallas–Fort Worth area who respond to urgent issues where faith, justice and community life intersect. Within that broader coalition are clergy from many religious traditions, including several United Methodist pastors. In this episode, Eric and Rocio share about their experience participating in that work and offering a Christian witness rooted in prayer, compassion and accompaniment. They describe weekly prayer vigils and pastoral presence outside the Dallas ICE field office, where clergy gather to pray, offer quiet support to families navigating immigration appointments, and seek compassion and wisdom for everyone involved. The conversation also reflects on a recent gathering in Washington, DC, where United Methodist leaders across the connection joined together in worship, prayer and public witness around immigration and faith. Together, the conversation offers a thoughtful look at what it means to follow Jesus through presence, prayer and compassion in complex moments. https://www.cleardfw.org/ [https://www.cleardfw.org/] https://jfondfw.org/ [https://jfondfw.org/] https://www.umnews.org/en/news/united-methodists-lead-witness-for-immigrants [https://www.umnews.org/en/news/united-methodists-lead-witness-for-immigrants] Website - htcumc.org [https://www.htcumc.org/] Facebook - @HTCUMC [https://www.facebook.com/htcumc] Instagram - @HTCUMC [https://www.instagram.com/htcumc/] TikTok - @horizontxumc [https://www.tiktok.com/@horizontxumc] YouTube - @htcumc [https://www.youtube.com/@htcumc] Spotify - Horizon Texas Conference [https://open.spotify.com/user/31rrdkq47aeb7qr2xaaxaqcwcfee?si=3498db6d39044a00]