The Methodist Church Podcast

We hear from Methodist Central Hall Westminster about plans for her funeral, consider the relationship between the monarchy and the Methodist Church, talk to a minister from Canada about the Commonwealth and Lord Leslie Griffiths shares his memories of the Queen and her faith. 

We are facing an economic crisis the like of which Britain hasn't seen in decades. As living costs continue to skyrocket, families are unable bridge the gap. Despite the additional support from government, millions of people are at risk of being pushed deeper into poverty by forces outside of their control.In this week's podcast, we chat with two people who are living in the benefits gap and hear how they are planning on coping with the cost of living rises. We talk to a Deacon from Gateshead on how her church will be providing a warm space for people.

Supported by the Methodist Church, dozens of faith groups, charities and politicians have joined the former prime minister Gordon Brown in calling on the government to take urgent action to bridge the cost of living gap.In this week's podcast we talk to the author of a report that illustrates the perilous situation for those on low incomes and the Joint Public Issues Team explains what the findings of the report could mean for families and the churches that support them.

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown talks to President of the Conference the Revd Graham Thompson about the cost of living crisis in the UK.

Following Covid and the Methodist Church vote for same sex marriage, this week's podcast celebrates a special wedding season.  We hear from one of the first same sex couples to be married in a Methodist church, we talk to a minister about how to plan for the day and we hear from a couple whose wedding is yet to come.

The Methodist Conference met in Telford 23 to 30 June.In this week's Methodist Podcast, we talk with the Secretary of the Methodist Conference, the Revd Dr Jonathan Hustler, about how the  Conference went, we meet the new President and Vice President of the Methodist Conference and we chat with Lord Paul Boateng, speaker at this year's Beckly Lecture.  

For this week's podcast we join the service of celebration and commitment held at St Michael's Garrison Church, Tidworth on Sunday 12 June to welcome Revd Michael D Parker as the new Chaplain General and Revd David Barrett as the Deputy Chaplain General to Her Majesty's Land Forces.

The Revd Dr Jonathan Hustler previews this year's Methodist Conference, taking place in Telford, 23-30 June and considers the discussion on oversight and trusteeship.

In this Methodist Podcast we report on the how the United Methodist Church in Poland is taking care of its guests from Ukraine finding them accommodation in chapels and officers and we hear from the Methodist Charity All We Can about the joint appeal with the Methodist Church in Britain.

#MyJusticeJourney is a social media campaign, organised by the Methodist Walking with Micah justice project and Methodist Heritage, to share stories and artefacts of personal “justice journeys” past and present.  The idea brings together Methodist organisations, heritage sites, churches and individuals, and illustrates our response over time to the Christian call to be a justice-seeking people.In this podcast we hear about the history of justice in the Methodist Church and discover some of the objects that reveal some surprising stories  of Justice Journeys 

In this week's podcast, the Revd Jenny Pathmarajah considers Aldersgate Sunday, a day when Methodists celebrate the occasion in May 1738 when John Wesley attended worship in Aldersgate Street, London and felt his "heart strangely warmed", experiencing God's love in a most personal and life-giving way.In this podcast, we learn about the historic significance of Aldersgate Sunday, its place in Methodism and we hear from Methodist members on the island of Jersey, who share testimony about those times when they have felt their hearts warmed. 

In this first of two special podcasts we travel to Poland to hear how the Methodist Church is coming together to provide those escaping  Ukraine with safety and sanctuary as the war there continues.

In the week's Methodist Podcast, the Revd Jenny Pathmarajah talks with friends and family about the impact the choices we make each day have on the planet. 

As the war in Ukraine continues, this week's podcast talks to a Methodist minister who has returned from Poland matching families seeking sanctuary with offers of homes here in the UK, we hear from a learning network coordinator who is waiting for a family of 11 to join her and we talk to a minister from Birmingham who supported a family from Syria about how we welcome people escaping war.

In this week's Methodist Podcast we learn about the Eco Church scheme, and visit an eco-award winning Methodist Church in Yorkshire.

In this week's Methodist Podcast learn how we are working to be an inclusive Methodist Church and hear from some of our diverse communities. 

In this week's Methodist Podcast we talk to two Methodists in Ukraine who are fleeing from the invasion to find safety, we hear how peace can stand up to aggression and learn how to talk to children about worrying news events.

In this week's Methodist Podcast we explore Walking With Micah, the Methodist Church's new initiative to explore Justice. We hear about justice conversations, how justice works locally and consider justice theology. 

In the second podcast for LGBT+ history month, we visit the Inclusive Gathering in Birmingham and learn about Queer Theology.

February is LGBT+ history month and we celebrate by taking a look at the background to last year's historic vote permitting same sex marriage within the Methodist Church.We talk to Revd Ken Howcroft who chaired the group behind the God in Love Unites us report considered by the Conference and we chat with a couple whose lives have been changed by the vote and who plan to marry this summer.

A Methodist Way of Life provides a set of commitments and practices that encourage and equip people to live a Christian life. In this podcast we learn what it means to lead A Methodist Way of Life. 

Christmas is busy for ministers everywhere. The Revd Jenny Pathmarajah, chats about this most wonderful time of the year with two friends and colleagues.

In this week's podcast we hear how people of faith around the world are persecuted for their beliefs.We talk to people who have experienced oppression and prejudice because of their religion, those who are raising awareness of the situation and hearing how some are bringing people of faith together.

To mark Remembrance, this week's Methodist Podcast hears from a military chaplain and those serving past and present, plus we learn of the sacrifices made by animals during conflict and the legacy of the German graves on the island of Jersey.

The Methodist Podcast talks to some of the Methodists involved in the COP 26 climate change summit taking place in Glasgow. 

Whilst interviewing the Leadership on a Journey nominees about their lives and work, Deanna Lyncook, Oral History and Project Officer at Wesley's Chapel and Leysian Mission, also asked them whether the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent reignition of the Black Lives Matter movement had an impact on them.Whilst some spoke of the impact it had on them personally, a few spoke about their reaction to the movement at the time, and others what it meant for their work. This episode shares and explores their response, featuring conversations with Revd Sonia Hicks, Revd Inderjit Bhogal OBE, Mr Norman Mullings MBE, Dr Margaret Byron and Mr Bala Gnanapragasam.

We look at Harvest on the 250th anniversary of the corn riots, what Harvest means for city centre churches, and what happens at a foodbank during Harvest.

Celebrations have been taking place to mark 250 years since Francis Asbury's missional journey from England to America. In this week's podcast we learn more about the life and legacy of Francis Asbury from Sarah Hollingdale, Methodist Heritage Officer and Ashley Boggan Dreff, General Secretary  of the UMC Commission on Archives and History. The Vice-President of the Methodist Conference, Barbara Easton, explains why she is one of Asbury's biggest fans. 

This week we look at the relaunch of the Methodist Modern art Collection. Selected works from the collection will go on show in churches across Coventry this weekend as part of the city's celebration as designated UK City of Culture.

The Revd Jenny Pathmaraja, a minister stationed on Jersey, talks with colleagues about the sometimes difficult subject of funerals.

Parents are already having to think about how they will afford uniforms for the return to school this September. With schools now considering themselves "brands", the costs involved in meeting a school's demands can be considerable. In this week's Methodist Podcast we talk to two Methodist churches who are helping families by recycling school uniforms.

In this week's Methodist podcast, we chat with Paul Chilcote, a Methodist theologian and the Director of the Centre for Global Wesleyan theology at Wesley House Cambridge. Paul has written a new course, Living the Wesleyan Way, that evaluates and explores the Wesley's impact on our lives. 

The Theology of Safeguarding report received by the Methodist Conference considered safeguarding in the context of faith.  To discuss the report, the Methodist Podcast talks with Tim Carter, Director of Safeguarding; Vivian a survivor of abuse, a local preacher and member of the Methodist survivor's group and Nicola Price-Tebbutt the secretary of Faith and Order Committee. 

The Methodist podcast reports from the Methodist Conference 2021 held in Birmingham.We hear about the historic vote on marriage and relationships, discuss online communion, cosider the Justice, Dignity and Solidarity report and hear from the Methodist Youth President. 

A special podcast for Refugee Week, highlighting the challenges that people seeking sanctuary face and including conversations with those who advocate for them.

The Methodist Church has launched a Reconciliation and Mediation pilot project in partnership with the charity Place for Hope.The pilot, running from 2021-2023, will provide a trained team of 20 accredited reconcilers and mediators to support groups and individuals at times of change or conflict, and to accompany sensitive or difficult group conversations and will deliver services within the Learning Network regions of the Eastern England, London, North West and Mann.In this podcast we discuss the need for the service, how it is going to operate and talk to those who will be staffing the scheme.

As we continue to consider vocation, podcast co-presenter Revd Jenny Pathmarajah lets us accompany her on an average weekday ministering to the people of Jersey in the Channel Islands

In this podcast we consider vocation and calling.What is a vocation, what is a calling and how do we respond?  We talk to Alison Ransome, Connexional Vocations Advisor and hear from people around the Connexion who share their vocations, both inside and outside of the Church. 

In this podcast to mark Earth Day, we hear about the eco-district initiative and the importance of the COP 26 climate summit. The youth president tells us how young Methodists feel about the planet they are going to inherit and we consider meta ethics, faith and the environment over the kitchen table.

In this week's podcast we consider prayer.We hear what defines prayer from The Revd Carole Irwin, Director of Studies at Wesley House. The Revd Dr Roger Walton discusses prayer and Methodism and we talk to experts about three distinct types of prayer; liturgical, meditative and extemporary.

An estimated six million people in the UK have fallen behind on one or more household bill as a result of Covid-19. With the biggest increases in debt amongst the poorest households, the Methodist Podcast hears from JPIT about the Reset the Debt campaign and talks to Methodists in Walsall and Newcastle about the practical and emotional impact of debt. 

As some children and young people return to school, the latest edition of The Methodist Podcast considers the impact of the pandemic on education. We talk to a head teacher, a parent, pupils, the Methodist Youth President and the principal of Cliff College.

To mark the end of this year's LGBT+ history month, this week's Methodist Podcast reflects on some of the personal stories we have heard with the help of the Rev'd Delyth Liddell and includes a message from the Secretary of the Methodist Conference.You can find all of the resources and materials from the month here.

In this special Methodist Podcast, we explore vaccination and faith. We talk to a Methodist on the frontline working in an A&E Unit about the importance of all communities participating in the Covid vaccination programme. We hear from a Methodist Church that has become a vaccination hub. We hear about the science behind the vaccine and a theologian explores the relationship between God and inoculation.

In this podcast:Mental health and chaplaincy, a presbyter's personal story Peer Talk, a Methodist supported national charity encouraging conversations around mental well-being A Connexional Well-being Officer offers advice on taking care of ourselves at work

A special edition of the Methodist Podcast. The first of two episodes looking at how we can maintain good mental health during lockdown.

In this week's episodeA minister responds to the extreme poverty in her Middlesbrough communityWe talk Youth President ElectionsThe new 5:17 prayer initiativeDrive-in carolsChristmas messages from the President and Vice-President

In this week's episode:Christmas Covid guidance for churchesYouth Rep ElectionsQueen Victoria Seamen's RestChurch Covid Cartoons

In this week's episode:We hear about the Methodist Christmas campaign for 2020, #GodIsWithUsWe learn about a service to remember those who have died in hospitalThe winner of this year's Bake Off

Matt Beckingham is the director of the National Methodist Choir of Great Britain.