Podcasts about texas impact

This week, Scott was joined by Rev. Marcus Jones, author and University Chaplain at Huston Tillotson University in Austin after having previously served as the Executive Director of the Wesley Foundation at Midwestern State University, leader of the MOSAIC Cross-Cultural Center, and as Executive Director of UTA Wesley at the University of Texas at Arlington. Rev. Jones has extensive experience working on college campuses and has written books on the topic, so Scott talked with him about serving in an HBCU in this political climate, what students are thinking about what is happening in our civic life and what the broader faith community can learn from their advocacy and experiences. We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.   Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org.   

This week, Scott was joined by Rev. Dr. Jim Rigby, who has served as the pastor of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Austin for 40 years. Rev. Rigby has garnered attention over the decades for his commitment to justice and a progressive brand of Christianity, and he has been in the news recently as Senate candidate James Talarico's pastor.  Rigby is getting more attention than a typical candidate's pastor, probably because Rep. Talarico is a seminarian who is putting his faith at the forefront of his candidacy. To be clear, Texas Impact does not endorse candidates for public office. This episode of Weekly Witness is not about a candidate for office. Instead, like every episode of Weekly Witness, it's about a particular Texas faith leader and how they are doing ministry in their particular context. Currently, Jim Rigby's context includes having a parishioner with more than the usual amount of name recognition. So, this episode brings you a conversation about what it is like to do ministry from that perspective.  We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.  Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org. Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Scott was joined by Dylan Corbett, founder and executive director of Hope Border Institute in El Paso. Dylan is a leader in the immigration space, working with and advocating for immigrants in communities across the globe before he landed in Texas. Dylan is especially influential in the Catholic Church when it comes to immigration concerns. He met with Pope Leo at the Vatican to share stories of migrants and was recently named by the Pope to serve on the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.  Scott and Dylan discussed his journey in faith, the importance of people of faith advocating for migration and the role of faith and Catholic social teachings in the public square. Scott also pressed him to invite the Pope to join us for a Weekly Witness episode, so watch this space for that.  We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.  Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Scott was joined by Rev Tamika Nelson, executive director of United Campus Ministries of Greater Houston. Rev. Nelson was ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); has served a United Methodist Church; and now works in a campus ministry affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and the United Church of Christ. United Campus Ministry serves the UT School of Medicine, HCC locations, Texas Southern University, UHD, and Rice University.   Tamika has also participated in Houston Faith Votes, so Scott and Tamika discussed her ministry with young adults and how they are talking about our current policy climate, their leadership in the civic engagement space, and their barriers to participation.  We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org. Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Scott was joined by The Rev Becky Fox, pastor and head of staff at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Lubbock. Covenant has a long history of engaging in justice ministries and advocacy in Lubbock and beyond. Scott and Becky discussed the important role churches like Covenant play in rural Texas and the role faith communities and faith leaders play in responding to the current political moment. With faith being in focus this election season, Becky discussed what it is like to have her denomination and mainline faith communities being discussed in mainstream culture. We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.     Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org.

This week, Scott was joined by The Rev Becky Fox, pastor and head of staff at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Lubbock. Covenant has a long history of engaging in justice ministries and advocacy in Lubbock and beyond.  Scott and Becky discussed the important role churches like Covenant play in rural Texas and the role faith communities and faith leaders play in responding to the current political moment. With faith being in focus this election season, Becky discussed what it is like to have her denomination and mainline faith communities being discussed in mainstream culture.  We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.  Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Scott was joined by Sister Denise LaRock, a Daughter of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, who has been working in the San Antonio area in ministries related to immigration for the last decade.  Sr. Denise discussed her religious order and their focus on justice and compassion ministries. She also talked about her work in the immigration space and the role the faith community plays in advocating for our immigrant neighbors.  Also, spoiler: Sister Denise has not met Pope Leo, but she and Scott talked about the impact the "American Pope" is having on our current culture and climate.  We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.  Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Scott was joined by Rev. Brooke Dooley, associate pastor of youth and young adults at Friends Congregational Church in College Station. Brooke also serves as the youth director for the South Central Conference of the United Church of Christ. Brooke discussed her call to ministry, from a closeted youth trying to find a space in College Station to a liberal activist; then, her journey to seminary and serving as a pastor back in the town she grew up in, where she is now able to provide hope and guidance for the next generation of kids needing a safe space. Scott and Brooke talked about the current political landscape, the questions young people are asking, and how faith communities can support younger generations. We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org. Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Scott was joined by Rev. Brooke Dooley, associate pastor of youth and young adults at Friends Congregational Church in College Station. Brooke also serves as the youth director for the South Central Conference of the United Church of Christ.    Brooke discussed her call to ministry, from a closeted youth trying to find a space in College Station to a liberal activist; then, her journey to seminary and serving as a pastor back in the town she grew up in, where she is now able to provide hope and guidance for the next generation of kids needing a safe space.    Scott and Brooke talked about the current political landscape, the questions young people are asking, and how faith communities can support younger generations.    We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us!   To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.   

This week, Scott was joined by Rev. Jody Harrison, a Baptist minister, member of the Baptist Women in Ministry Board, and a former chaplain and Capitol staffer. Jody is a member of several Texas Impact teams as well as a veteran of numerous political campaigns. Jody joined the pod for a fascinating conversation about her path from policy and campaign staffer to Baptist minister, reflecting on both her faith and policy journey. As a leader in the fight against Christian Nationalism, she discussed her advocacy work in the public education and reproductive health spaces and talked about how listeners could be effective advocates in our current political climate. We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.     Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org.

This week, Scott was joined by Rev. Mel Caraway, a retired United Methodist pastor and long-time Texas Impact Board Member. Mel is a leader in the faith-based climate advocacy space at the denominational level and international level as a long-time COP attendee.  Rev. Caraway joined the conversation to talk about his faith journey and how climate advocacy became his area of focus.  He also talked about the work listeners could take to engage their community and congregation in effective climate work—a perfect conversation for this Earth Day.  We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.  Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Scott was joined by Almas Muscatwalla, co-founder of Faith Forward Dallas at Thanksgiving Square. Almas provides leadership in a number of North Texas faith spaces and is a leader in encouraging pluralism and interfaith dialogue.  Almas talked about her Ismaili Muslim faith tradition and how it encourages a commitment to community. She also discussed challenges facing our communities in our current political climate.  She challenged listeners to work to connect with those with whom we disagree, even discussing a recent encounter with a January 6 leader at the Dallas No Kings Rally.  We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.  Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org. Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Scott was joined by Imaad Khan, a former policy analyst with Texas Impact who made numerous appearances back in the early days of the podcast. Imaad talked about his faith and advocacy journey pre-Texas Impact, including how his faith and family shaped his desire to study and work in the public policy space. He also offered reflections on his work post-Texas Impact and how he views our current challenges here in Texas and throughout the world through his faith lens.  This conversation was well-timed, because the three major Abrahamic faith traditions (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam) recently celebrated significant holy days/seasons—and Imaad offers reflections from his Ramadan journey.  But, coming out of the holy days/seasons, we are once again seeing an increase in anti-Muslim rhetoric, so Scott and Imaad reflected on that and the role people of faith play in creating a more supportive and inclusive community.  We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us! To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org.  Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org.  Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

Champions Tour golfer Jason Bohn joins the show Cam Coleman a Major Impact for Texas? Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer says the Alabama Football portal additions are better than what Alabama had before and, not at an extreme cost. The Final Four starts Saturday on TBS: Illinois Illini (-1.5) vs. UConn Huskies 5:09 CT Michigan Wolverines (-1.5) vs. Arizona Wildcats 7:49 CT PLUS, LT's Trash presented by Bud Light! SUBSCRIBE: @NextRoundLive - / @nextroundlive FOLLOW TNR ON RUMBLE: https://rumble.com/c/c-7759604 FOLLOW TNR ON SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/7zlofzLZht7dYxjNcBNpWN FOLLOW TNR ON APPLE PODCASTS: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-round/id1797862560 WEBSITE: https://nextroundlive.com/ MOBILE APP: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-next-round/id1580807480 SHOP THE NEXT ROUND STORE: https://nextround.store/ Like TNR on Facebook: / nextroundlive 267,216 Follow TNR on Twitter: / nextroundlive Follow TNR on Instagram: / nextroundlive Follow everyone from the show on Twitter: Jim Dunaway: / jimdunaway Ryan Brown: / ryanbrownlive Lance Taylor: / thelancetaylor Scott Forester: / scottforestertv Tyler Johns: /TylerJohnsTNR Sponsor the show: sales@nextroundlive.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Scott was joined by Rev. Trent Ormsbee-Hale, pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church in Weatherford, TX. For long-time listeners, that congregation might be familiar, because he served with and then followed Texas Impact's past Board President, Rev. Franz Schemmel as the pastor upon Franz's retirement. Scott and Trent reminisced on their shared history. Scott knew Trent and his husband Anthony while they were undergraduate students. At that time, Trent was discerning his journey in ministry, coming out of a Fransiscan background in a journey that led him to now serving as an Evangelical Lutheran pastor. The conversation centered on what faithful advocacy and justice work looks like when faith leaders serve communities that might not always share all of our values. There are countless faith leaders serving in contexts where many in their congregations feel isolated or worried and find comfort in their congregation being a safe place to worship, gather and/or engage in justice work. Trent gave voice to concerns, challenges and opportunities experienced by many faith leaders living and working in rural Texas. To learn more or get involved, check out Texas Impact's Action Center at texasimpact.org. We hope you enjoy this episode and invite a friend to listen along. If you share it in your social media, make sure to tag us!     Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org.

This season on Weekly Witness, we are highlighting faith leaders who advocate for justice and equity. Our conversation this week is a great reminder that "faith leader" does not always mean "clergy." As a lay-person, Robert Rivera has been a leading faith voice in the communities he has served, including in high levels of leadership with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and as the Director of the St. James Family Life Center in Houston. Robert is a leader in connecting our faith institutions with immigrant communities, where he has spent decades organizing. He is also a leader in the Houston Faith Votes movement. We are excited to bring you this conversation with Robert to challenge all of us to think about our work in immigration advocacy and civic engagement. If you want to get involved in Texas, check out Texas Impact's Action Center and consider signing up. We want to give a special shout out this week to the Texas Faith Votes team and the Immigration Action Team and hope you will consider joining. We hope you enjoy this episode. and hope you share it in your social media feed. Make sure to tag us, and invite a friend to listen along. Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org.

This season on Weekly Witness, we are highlighting faith leaders who advocate for justice and equity. Our conversation this week is a great reminder that "faith leader" does not always mean "clergy." As a lay-person, Robert Rivera has been a leading faith voice in the communities he has served, including in high levels of leadership with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and as the Director of the St. James Family Life Center in Houston.  Robert is a leader in connecting our faith institutions with immigrant communities, where he has spent decades organizing. He is also a leader in the Houston Faith Votes movement. We are excited to bring you this conversation with Robert to challenge all of us to think about our work in immigration advocacy and civic engagement.  If you want to get involved in Texas, check out Texas Impact's Action Center and consider signing up. We want to give a special shout out this week to the Texas Faith Votes team and the Immigration Action Team and hope you will consider joining.  We hope you enjoy this episode. and hope you share it in your social media feed. Make sure to tag us, and invite a friend to listen along.  Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org.  Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Scott welcomes Rabbi Josh Fixler, associate rabbi at Congregation Emanu El in Houston to the conversation. Josh is a friend of the program—so much so, in fact that we had trouble narrowing down the conversation because Rabbi Fixler has a wide-ranging justice portfolio. We landed on Christian Nationalism and civic engagement, because Rabbi Fixler has extensive expertise in those areas, and both have been at the forefront of the policy conversation in Texas over the last few weeks. Christian Nationalism has been a leading factor in harmful public policies in the reproductive health and public education policy areas, and it will require intentional civic engagement work from people of faith and good conscience to turn the tide. Rabbi Fixler talks about these policy areas and gives listeners tips and best practices for civic engagement. If you want to get involved in Texas, check out Texas Impact's Action Center and consider signing up. We want to give a special shout out this week to the Texas Faith Votes team and resources, as election season continues. We hope you like the new format. If so, make sure to subscribe, like and share the content with your networks.     Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org.

This week, Scott welcomes Rabbi Josh Fixler, associate rabbi at Congregation Emanu El in Houston to the conversation. Josh is a friend of the program—so much so, in fact that we had trouble narrowing down the conversation because Rabbi Fixler has a wide-ranging justice portfolio. We landed on Christian Nationalism and civic engagement, because Rabbi Fixler has extensive expertise in those areas, and both have been at the forefront of the policy conversation in Texas over the last few weeks. Christian Nationalism has been a leading factor in harmful public policies in the reproductive health and public education policy areas, and it will require intentional civic engagement work from people of faith and good conscience to turn the tide. Rabbi Fixler talks about these policy areas and gives listeners tips and best practices for civic engagement. If you want to get involved in Texas, check out Texas Impact's Action Center and consider signing up. We want to give a special shout out this week to the Texas Faith Votes team and resources, as election season continues. We hope you like the new format. If so, make sure to subscribe, like and share the content with your networks. Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week, Scott was joined by Rev. Mara Bim for a conversation about her faith journey and work in the immigration space. She is familiar to many in the Texas Impact audience as a longtime friend and advocate, and she was recently a featured speaker at the Texas United Women in Faith Legislative Event. Rev. Bim serves as the Justice and Advocacy Fellow at Royal Lane Baptist Church in Dallas and as a writer with Baptist News Global.  The timing for the conversation was great, because it was the same week as the Faithful Resistance: A Public Witness for Immigrant Justice event in Washington, D.C. Thousands of people faith marched on the U.S. Capitol for a rally and for legislative visits, after a moving morning of worship with a powerful sermon by United Methodist Bishop Latrelle Easterling. (Event resources to stay engaged are linked at the bottom of this page) If you want to get involved in Texas, check out Texas Impact's Action Center, and consider signing up to get involved. If you are particularly interested in immigration advocacy, consider joining the Immigration Action Team.  We hope you like the new format. If so, make sure to subscribe, like and share the content with your networks.       Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org.

This week, Scott was joined by Rev. Mara Bim for a conversation about her faith journey and work in the immigration space. She is familiar to many in the Texas Impact audience as a longtime friend and advocate, and she was recently a featured speaker at the Texas United Women in Faith Legislative Event. Rev. Bim serves as the Justice and Advocacy Fellow at Royal Lane Baptist Church in Dallas and as a writer with Baptist News Global.  The timing for the conversation was great, because it was the same week as the Faithful Resistance: A Public Witness for Immigrant Justice event in Washington, D.C. Thousands of people faith marched on the U.S. Capitol for a rally and for legislative visits, after a moving morning of worship with a powerful sermon by United Methodist Bishop Latrelle Easterling. (Event resources to stay engaged are linked at the bottom of this page) If you want to get involved in Texas, check out Texas Impact's Action Center, and consider signing up to get involved. If you are particularly interested in immigration advocacy, consider joining the Immigration Action Team.  We hope you like the new format. If so, make sure to subscribe, like and share the content with your networks. Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org. Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

The Texas Impact team started the week with Bee and Rev. Dr. Becca discussing the scientific method and the idea that government officials can't unilaterally repeal science following an announcement from the administration that they had "repealed a scientific finding." So, it seemed particularly well-timed (shall we call it divine?) that we had already scheduled Regina Banks to join the podcast for this week. For those of you who followed along with Texas Impact's COP30 coverage, you will remember that Regina Banks is the Director of the Lutheran Office of Public Policy-California. Regina is a leader in the ELCA Advocacy space, an expert in the intersection of faith and climate policy, and was a star of our COP30 coverage.  Scott talked with Regina about her faith and advocacy journey that has led her to this point, as well as her reflections on COP30 and where climate advocates go from here when the federal government seems unwilling to even acknowledge the problem.  Let us know what you think about the new format, and make sure to like, share and subscribe.  Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org. Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

Weekly Witness is back with a new look and a new sound, as well as new content. The Texas Impact team recognizes that this is a unique moment in history, and we believe it is especially important for people of faith to lead and engage. So, we want to use the podcast to highlight faith voices who are leading in the areas of justice and advocacy. We want to give them a platform to inform, inspire and motivate us in the long journey that lies ahead as we prepare for elections and the Texas Legislature returning to Austin next January. And, who better to kick off this new season of Weekly Witness than Rev. Phil Dieke? Phil is an ordained deacon in the Horizon Texas Conference, where he serves as Chair of the Conference Board of Church and Society. He also works in an advisory capacity with the General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church. He serves many other great causes, including at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary with the 787 Collective and Houses of Hope, as well as president of Texas Impact's board. When most people think of Phil, they immediately think of his commitment to justice and equity—and maybe his fantastic hair. Scott had a chance to talk with Phil about the current political realities we are facing in the United States and how faith leaders and people of faith are called to respond in this moment. Phil talks about people who inspire him, who he takes his cues from (an answer that might include some familiar names), and what it looks like to faithfully live out our call to be co-creators of a world that is more loving and just. Check out the new and improved Weekly Witness and let us know what you think.       Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org.

Weekly Witness is back with a new look and a new sound, as well as new content. The Texas Impact team recognizes that this is a unique moment in history, and we believe it is especially important for people of faith to lead and engage. So, we want to use the podcast to highlight faith voices who are leading in the areas of justice and advocacy. We want to give them a platform to inform, inspire and motivate us in the long journey that lies ahead as we prepare for elections and the Texas Legislature returning to Austin next January.  And, who better to kick off this new season of Weekly Witness than Rev. Phil Dieke? Phil is an ordained deacon in the Horizon Texas Conference, where he serves as Chair of the Conference Board of Church and Society. He also works in an advisory capacity with the General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church. He serves many other great causes, including at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary with the 787 Collective and Houses of Hope, as well as president of Texas Impact's board. When most people think of Phil, they immediately think of his commitment to justice and equity—and maybe his fantastic hair.  Scott had a chance to talk with Phil about the current political realities we are facing in the United States and how faith leaders and people of faith are called to respond in this moment. Phil talks about people who inspire him, who he takes his cues from (an answer that might include some familiar names), and what it looks like to faithfully live out our call to be co-creators of a world that is more loving and just. Check out the new and improved Weekly Witness and let us know what you think.   Weekly Witness is hosted by Scott Atnip and engineered and produced by David Vassallo. Our executive producer is Bee Moorhead. Theme music by Kimberly Zielnicki, Hayden Havard and Andres Garcia-Bonilla. The opinions expressed on Weekly Witness are those of Texas Impact and our guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views of our sponsors. Weekly Witness is a product of Texas Impact. Visit us online at texasimpact.org. Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

We have finally made it to the end of 2025, or, at least the end of the 2025 Weekly Witness recording calendar. And, what a year it has been-from regular and special sessions with both good news and news that made us question those in power, the Texas Impact team has walked with you to effectively advocate on issues important to Texans of faith. Joining Scott for the year-end review are members of the Texas Impact Policy Team, Rev. Dr. Becca Edwards, Rev. Kyle Riley, Rev. Keats Miles-Wallace, Gracie Bonilla and Rebecca McIlwain. The Weekly Witness team looks forward to being back with you in 2026. We wish everyone a meaningful and relaxing holiday season! Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

We have finally made it to the end of 2025, or, at least the end of the 2025 Weekly Witness recording calendar. And, what a year it has been-from regular and special sessions with both good news and news that made us question those in power, the Texas Impact team has walked with you to effectively advocate on issues important to Texans of faith. Joining Scott for the year-end review are members of the Texas Impact Policy Team, Rev. Dr. Becca Edwards, Rev. Kyle Riley, Rev. Keats Miles-Wallace, Gracie Bonilla and Rebecca McIlwain. The Weekly Witness team looks forward to being back with you in 2026. We wish everyone a meaningful and relaxing holiday season!

This week we continue our year-end series talking with the Texas Impact team about where we see public policy in 2025 as we prepare for a big year in 2026. Last week we talked to Membership Manager Kat Karbach about Texas Impact membership and this week we continue the series with Texas Impact's Executive Director Bee Moorhead and outside legislative counsel Beaman Floyd. As we reflect on public policy in 2025, it is probably fair to say that the system is not working as well as we would hope. That is true not just in terms of policy outcomes, but also our policy processes. Bee and Beaman will talk about that and much more as we consider how we can navigate the often troubled waters of public policy and how people of faith can play a substantive role in both navigating those waters and creating a better future on the other side. As always you can more way to get involved on our website https://texasimpact.org/Join us on Substack https://texasimpact.substack.com/ Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week we continue our year-end series talking with the Texas Impact team about where we see public policy in 2025 as we prepare for a big year in 2026. Last week we talked to Membership Manager Kat Karbach about Texas Impact membership and this week we continue the series with Texas Impact's Executive Director Bee Moorhead and outside legislative counsel Beaman Floyd. As we reflect on public policy in 2025, it is probably fair to say that the system is not working as well as we would hope. That is true not just in terms of policy outcomes, but also our policy processes. Bee and Beaman will talk about that and much more as we consider how we can navigate the often troubled waters of public policy and how people of faith can play a substantive role in both navigating those waters and creating a better future on the other side. As always you can more way to get involved on our website https://texasimpact.org/ Join us on Substack https://texasimpact.substack.com/ 

This week we kick off our year-end series talking with the Texas Impact team about where we see public policy in 2025 as we prepare for a big year in 2026. Membership Manager Kat Karbach kicks us off to talk about Texas Impact membership.  Many listeners have participated in Texas Impact teams, joined us for advocacy events, made calls as part of the Rapid Response teams, and you obviously love the Weekly Witness podcast. All of that is supported by faithful Texas Impact members.  As we near year-end, it is a perfect time to encourage friends and neighbors to renew their Texas Impact membership, so we are excited this week to welcome Kat to the program to talk about the incredible work of Texas Impact members throughout the state and highlight the importance of membership. Ready to put your faith into action? Become a member or make a donation today on our website texasimpact.org/donate Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week we kick off our year-end series talking with the Texas Impact team about where we see public policy in 2025 as we prepare for a big year in 2026. Membership Manager Kat Karbach kicks us off to talk about Texas Impact membership. Many listeners have participated in Texas Impact teams, joined us for advocacy events, made calls as part of the Rapid Response teams, and you obviously love the Weekly Witness podcast. All of that is supported by faithful Texas Impact members. As we near year-end, it is a perfect time to encourage friends and neighbors to renew their Texas Impact membership, so we are excited this week to welcome Kat to the program to talk about the incredible work of Texas Impact members throughout the state and highlight the importance of membership. Ready to put your faith into action? Become a member or make a donation today on our website texasimpact.org/donate

This week, we continue coverage of the United Nations climate negotiations known as COP30 held this year in Belém, Brazil. Last week, we had the Texas Impact team reporting from Belém, and today, Rev. Dr. Becca Edwards joins the program soon after returning from the COP to talk to us about the latest from the conference with a few days remaining. Becca wears two hats—one as Dr. Becca Edwards, the climate scientist, and the other as Rev. Becca Edwards, United Methodist pastor. So, she will share her perspective as both a scientist and a pastor who has been writing about the role faith and morality played at the COP and the role people of faith have in responding to the climate crisis.  Check out our team's work on Texas Impact's substack and YouTube as well as through Texas Impact's media partnerships with the Austin Chronicle, Baptist News Global, and United Methodist Insight.  Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week, we continue coverage of the United Nations climate negotiations known as COP30 held this year in Belém, Brazil. Last week, we had the Texas Impact team reporting from Belém, and today, Rev. Dr. Becca Edwards joins the program soon after returning from the COP to talk to us about the latest from the conference with a few days remaining. Becca wears two hats—one as Dr. Becca Edwards, the climate scientist, and the other as Rev. Becca Edwards, United Methodist pastor. So, she will share her perspective as both a scientist and a pastor who has been writing about the role faith and morality played at the COP and the role people of faith have in responding to the climate crisis. Check out our team's work on Texas Impact's substack and YouTube as well as through Texas Impact's media partnerships with the Austin Chronicle, Baptist News Global, and United Methodist Insight.

The Texas Impact team is on the ground and churning out great content from the  United Nations climate negotiations known as COP30 Belém, Brazil. Make sure you are following along on Texas Impact's substack and YouTube as well as through Texas Impact's media partnerships with the Austin Chronicle, Baptist News Global, and United Methodist Insight.  This week on Weekly Witness, members of that delegation–Bee Moorhead, Rev. Becca Edwards, Dylan Le and Regina Banks join the conversation with updates from COP30. This content is important to help us understand the global climate emergency and how the negotiations can shape our future work at the federal, state and local levels as well as in the corporate, NGO and faith community spaces–and help us understand the role the faith community plays in that work. Follow along with updates on Texas Impact's Substack, social media and via our media partners.   https://texasimpact.substack.com/ https://www.austinchronicle.com/cop30/ https://baptistnews.com/  https://um-insight.net/in-the-world   Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

The Texas Impact team is on the ground and churning out great content from the  United Nations climate negotiations known as COP30 Belém, Brazil. Make sure you are following along on Texas Impact's substack and YouTube as well as through Texas Impact's media partnerships with the Austin Chronicle, Baptist News Global, and United Methodist Insight.  This week on Weekly Witness, members of that delegation–Bee Moorhead, Rev. Becca Edwards, Dylan Le and Regina Banks join the conversation with updates from COP30. This content is important to help us understand the global climate emergency and how the negotiations can shape our future work at the federal, state and local levels as well as in the corporate, NGO and faith community spaces–and help us understand the role the faith community plays in that work. Follow along with updates on Texas Impact's Substack, social media and via our media partners.   https://texasimpact.substack.com/ https://www.austinchronicle.com/cop30/ https://baptistnews.com/  https://um-insight.net/in-the-world  

The election is over, and even though there weren't big statewide or federal races on the ballot, local elections and good public policy matter, and so we are excited to welcome Texas Impact's Outside Legislative Counsel Beaman Floyd back to the program to talk about the election results and where we go from here in the legislative calendar.  Now that the constitutional amendment election is in the rearview mirror, we expect at some point to begin tracking interim hearings. The candidate filing deadline for Texas races is about a month out, so primary election season will be upon us soon. As always, Texas Impact has tools and resources to help you stay engaged. Learn more at texasimpact.org.    Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

The election is over, and even though there weren't big statewide or federal races on the ballot, local elections and good public policy matter, and so we are excited to welcome Texas Impact's Outside Legislative Counsel Beaman Floyd back to the program to talk about the election results and where we go from here in the legislative calendar. Now that the constitutional amendment election is in the rearview mirror, we expect at some point to begin tracking interim hearings. The candidate filing deadline for Texas races is about a month out, so primary election season will be upon us soon. As always, Texas Impact has tools and resources to help you stay engaged. Learn more at texasimpact.org.

This week we are recording during early voting before election day next Tuesday, November 4, and we know that all of you are doing everything you can to make sure your friends, neighbors and communities of faith are taking this election season. For many of us, the policy implications of what's going on in the world right now are hitting close to home. The government shutdown and corresponding freeze of SNAP benefits, and so many other vital programs, is impacting our communities, and that requires our attention. There are important elections on the ballot right now. The constitutional amendments matter. Many of your communities have school board races, local government elections and bond elections. Those matter too—so we hope you have voted or are making a plan to vote. Here to talk to us about elections, both the current November 4 election and our election infrastructure, is Natalia Contreras, reporter with Votebeat Texas. Visit the Votebeat Texas website and sign up for the newsletter at www.votebeat.org/texas Want to know more about the constitutional amendments on the ballot? Visit Texas Impact's Substack to read Rebecca McIlwain's four part series texasimpact.substack.com/p/dig-in-then-vote Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week we take a break from the news of the day to talk about work important to many of us in the faith community—caring for our siblings who are being systematically marginalized by harmful public policy. Our transgender friends and neighbors have been specifically singled out for attack since at least 2017 in high profile and public ways starting most prominently in Texas when the first "bathroom bills" started coming to the forefront. For many Texans, there is a lot of ignorance on the subject, so we thought this week we would bring in an expert to talk to us about the science and help us understand this topic from a medical perspective so we can be more effective advocates. Texans of faith who care about equity need to stand up in support of our transgender neighbors specifically with our faith hats on because the attacks are largely coming from Christians and we need to speak up to say clearly—you do not speak for us. There are people of faith and good conscience who believe in equality. So, joining us for the conversation this week is Dr. Lolly Lockhart, who has been an RN for over 60 years and loves nursing. She has been an active member of the American Nurses Association, Texas Nurses Association and has served as a consultant, and seemingly every other position, in the nursing world a person could hold in addition to providing expert testimony at the Capitol on behalf of herself and others. Lolly is a treat, and I hope you enjoy the conversation this week. Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week we are excited to be joined by State Representative Mickey Dollens from Oklahoma. You might ask why Texas Impact would have an Oklahoma state representative on the program. That's a great question—and we have an answer. We met Rep. Dollens at a recent event focused on combating Christian Nationalism sponsored by Interfaith Alliance. He shared his story of crashing a meeting with the National School Chaplain Association and how that group and similar groups are pushing a Christian Nationalist agenda in state legislatures across the country. He has been leading the fight to protect Oklahoma public school students from a religious takeover of their schools and shares some insights for those of us fighting the same fight here in Texas. For those of us who are people of faith, we hope this conversation creates a sense of urgency to do our part to speak up and organize against efforts to implement Christian Nationalism in every facet of our society. For more ways you can get involved visit us on our website at texasimpact.org Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

This week we are excited to be joined by State Representative Mickey Dollens from Oklahoma. You might ask why Texas Impact would have an Oklahoma state representative on the program. That's a great question—and we have an answer. We met Rep. Dollens at a recent event focused on combating Christian Nationalism sponsored by Interfaith Alliance. He shared his story of crashing a meeting with the National School Chaplain Association and how that group and similar groups are pushing a Christian Nationalist agenda in state legislatures across the country.  He has been leading the fight to protect Oklahoma public school students from a religious takeover of their schools and shares some insights for those of us fighting the same fight here in Texas. For those of us who are people of faith, we hope this conversation creates a sense of urgency to do our part to speak up and organize against efforts to implement Christian Nationalism in every facet of our society.  For more ways you can get involved visit us on our website at texasimpact.org

This week we have a special treat: instead of our usual interview format, we're giving you a front-row seat to a special episode of Texas Impact's award winning Faith in Democracy series, hosted by Executive Director, Bee Moorhead. This episode talks about the importance of voting. Bee says that voting is a matter of faith, citizenship, and democracy. We hope you believe that and recognize how important it is for everyone to participate in every election. That is how our democracy works best: when the whole of the community determines who represents us. Our system of voting has been changing. Some for the good, and some...not so much. This special episode of Faith in Democracy takes us from the 2000 election to current day; from hanging chads and butterfly ballots, to the current lawsuit to close Texas Primary elections. It is a helpful tool for you to understand where we are today and how we got here.  You can listen to the episode as a podcast, but we encourage you to watch it on YouTube to get the full effect. Whether you watch or just listen, we hope you'll give it a like or comment and share it on your social media channels.  Watch it here: Elections for Everybody | Faith in Democracy Season 2 Election Special  

The legislature has left the building, but the Texas Impact team has been hard at work. Last week, we welcomed Texas Impact's Leadership Council to Austin for its annual in-person meeting. We left there, and several of us went to Dallas for a convening of organizations standing up against Christian Nationalism dubbed Religious Freedom in Public Schools Summit convened by Interfaith Alliance. Joining us to talk about both events are two of two of Texas Impact's newest policy fellows, Alexandra Lang and Dylan Le.       

This week we are talking with friend of Texas Impact, Cyrus Reed, Legislative and Conservation Director with the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club. There has been a lot of talk about flooding following the July 4 floods, but spoiler–folks were actually talking about this during the regular session, and a lot of the conversations came through the budget bills. We'll walk down memory lane, all the way back to budget night and see where legislation on water and flooding landed by the end of the last (for now) special session. Read Cyrus' breakdown of the $338 billion budget at www.sierraclub.org/texas/blog/2025/07/whats-in-the-texas-budget

Monologue:Hays County Roads MeetingsSnake Wranglers Are HiringDe Minimus Tariff Rule EndsNo Land For YouLocal News and Luby'sGuest:Pastor Candice joined New Life Lutheran in May 2021 as Spiritual Director. A former computer engineer, she followed her calling into ministry, earning her degree at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 2016 and completing Lutheran studies through Luther Seminary. She has served at Triumphant Love (intern), Shepherd of the Hills (Family Ministry), and Immanuel, Pflugerville (transition pastor), and was previously a guest preacher at New Life. Beyond the church, Candice volunteers with Interfaith Action of Central Texas (iACT) and advocates with Texas Impact. She loves running, science fiction—especially time-travel movies—and enjoys life with her husband of 23 years and their three children. Based in Dripping Springs, Steve Mallett and Michelle Lewis invite you into their world of engaging conversations with guests who bring fresh ideas, humor, and wisdom to the table. They dive into everything from life's absurdities to community quirks, adding their signature twist of small-town charm and bold candor. Think of them as the funny neighbors with the best stories, the ones who always tell it like it is. With a healthy dose of Hill Country spirit, they explore local gossip and topics that connect us all—proving you don't need to be famous to be extraordinary; you just need a microphone and the courage to share your voice. Every episode is a mix of laughter, insight, and connection, making this podcast one you won't want to miss! Send us a textSupport the showSPONSORS: The Real Estate Pro's at The Mallett Integrity Team. Call-512-627-7018 Serving all of Central Texas since 2003. "Real Estate Done Right" SouthStar Bank a tradition of full-service community banking for over 100 years. Your neighborhood Bank. www.southstarbank.com The Deep Eddy Vodka Tasting Room is in the Texas Hill Country just outside Austin, TX. The venue welcomes over 75,000 visitors annually and sits within the former bottling plant. Family Friendly Fun in the Hill Country! events@deepeddyvodka.com Jovie Belterra-Nestled within the Belterra community, discover your path to joy and wellness at the exquisite 55+ apartment community. Follow us, leave a review, TELL A FRIEND!AppleInstagramWebsitemallettandmichelle@gmai...

This week, just hours after the Texas Legislature adjourned sine die, we sat down with Texas Impact's Executive Director, Bee Moorhead, to get an initial response and lay of the land as we (hopefully) move into the legislative interim. Texans of faith did some incredible work throughout this year, but as a state, we can do better. We look forward to conversations about how Texans of faith can visit with legislators and begin the civic engagement work necessary during the interim. If you have ideas for ways Texas Impact can resource your advocacy efforts, please reach out at texasimpact.org For now, thanks for tuning in during the multiple legislative sessions this year.

As we prepare to head into the Labor Day weekend, many of us thought the second special session would be over, but the work will continue after the long weekend. The Legislature has already passed racially discriminatory redistricting but is still working to finalize bills related to bathrooms, medication abortions and more, while ignoring real problems our communities face like upcoming cuts to health care, disasters, gun violence, and more. Joining the program this week to talk about all of that and more is Texas Impact's Executive Director Bee Moorhead. As always, look for ways you can get involved during the (hopefully) upcoming interim at texasimpact.org

Texas Impact, our members and many others have been filling the Capitol this week. Texans of faith have hosted daily pop-up worship experiences highlighting our shared faith values and have fully engaged in the process because of the unprecedented assault on faith and faith values during the Texas Legislature's second called special session. We were lucky enough to speak with some representatives both during and after the Texas House debated the mid-decade congressional redistricting bill. Representatives Rhetta Bowers, Salman Bhojani and Jon Rosenthal join Scott to discuss how crucial the involvement of Texans of faith and conscience are to the process both in the Capitol and at home in the district.   The bill is in the hands of the Texas Senate now with hours of debate expected, it's not too late to get involved, make a call, send an email or show up to make your voice heard. Find more opportunities in our Legislative Action Center on the Texas Impact website.

Texas Impact, our members and many others have been filling the Capitol this week. Texans of faith have hosted daily pop-up worship experiences highlighting our shared faith values and have fully engaged in the process because of the unprecedented assault on faith and faith values during the Texas Legislature's second called special session. We were lucky enough to speak with some representatives both during and after the Texas House debated the mid-decade congressional redistricting bill. Representatives Rhetta Bowers, Salman Bhojani and Jon Rosenthal join Scott to discuss how crucial the involvement of Texans of faith and conscience are to the process both in the Capitol and at home in the district. The bill is in the hands of the Texas Senate now with hours of debate expected, it's not too late to get involved, make a call, send an email or show up to make your voice heard. Find more opportunities in our Legislative Action Center on the Texas Impact website. Get full access to Texas Impact at texasimpact.substack.com/subscribe

The second called session of the 89th Texas Legislature is on and reproductive rights are back on the call. Once again bills have been filed to ban medications that induce abortions—but what is flying under the radar in the Senate version of the bill is a provision that would limit the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act or Texas RFRA. The Texas RFRA has historically been a respected, bipartisan law that protects religious institutions and, if passed, this carve out would be an unprecedented breach in the protections those institutions rely on.  Here to discuss these attacks on reproductive rights and religious freedom is Texas Impact board member Rev. Laura Walters, Coordinator of Community Engagement and Public Witness with Grace Presbytery and Rev. Kyle Riley, Public Witness mobilizer with Texas Impact. 

President Donald Trump just signed his so-called 'big, beautiful' massive tax and spending bill over the July 4th holiday weekend. Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican strategist Brian Robinson and host Lisa Rayam react to the latest. Plus, Georgia Republican U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter wrote on X on Sunday that his granddaughters are safe after attending a summer camp in Central Texas that flooded over the weekend -- but one of their cousins has died.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.