The Common Ground: Recent Episodes
mpumccommonground
God is at work throughout our communities and in the lives of all people. In my work as a pastor and pioneer of new things, I get to work with, coach, and learn from others, tilling soil, planting seeds and praying for rain as we dig in and engage our communities for the mission of God. Finding Common Ground moves us to be present in the places where space might be cultivated for connection and relationship that becomes rooted in the Christian community. Join me as we share stories from the field in the Common Ground Podcast.
Heather Jallad gives a recap of season 1 of the Common Ground Podcast. She also shares with us an encouragement to continue on in our endeavors of finding common ground in our community.
Chris and Kelly are transplants to Georgia by way of Texas. Having been exposed to 3DM disciple-making before learning of Fresh Expression at Mount Pisgah, the two worlds converged in a Fresh Expression called Wind Down Wednesdays at the peak of the pandemic. Bringing more questions than answers and a genuine desire to build relationships with and love their neighbors, Chris and Kelly are leaning into where the Holy Spirit is leading and finding new trust and patience in the journey.
- Contact-chrisphenderson@me.com
- Reading; Finding Common Ground by Tim Downs; Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mez
Rev. Tyler Jackson serves as an associate pastor at Mountain Park UMC in Stone Mountain, GA where they are experimenting with new forms of church and what might be possible in the near future. Tyler and I discuss the importance of patience in the fresh expressions journey, bringing people on the journey with you, and the messiness of it all.
- Contact-tyler.jackson@ngumc.net
- Reading; Contextual Intelligence by Michael beck and Leonard Sweet, Prophetic Lament: A Call for Justice in Troubled Times by Soong-Chan Rah, Building a Healthy Multiethnic Church by Mark DeMayz, Everybody Has a Podcast Except for You by The McElroy brothers, We are the Weather by Jonathan Safran Foer
- Listening to: Anything funny!
This week we continue our conversation with Cheryl McCarthy. She is the Director of the Ananias Project and prayer intercessor for Fresh Expressions US. In this week's episode, Cheryl and I discuss the importance of prayer support for the pioneer apostles on the front lines of forming new faith communities in an ever-changing world. We also discuss the call to intimacy, vulnerability, and transparency necessary for pioneers to embrace.
- Contact; Cheryl.mccarthy@freshexpressionsus.org, Facebook-Ananias Project
- Reading; The Bible; 1 John 2:27
Cheryl McCarthy is the Director of the Ananias Project and prayer intercessor for Fresh Expressions US. In this week's episode, Cheryl and I discuss the importance of prayer support for the pioneer apostles on the front lines of forming new faith communities in an ever-changing world. We also discuss the call to intimacy, vulnerability, and transparency necessary for pioneers to embrace.
- Contact; Cheryl.mccarthy@freshexpressionsus.org, Facebook-Ananias Project
- Reading; The Bible; 1 John 2:27
Luke Edwards is the Associate Director of Congregational Development in the Western North Carolina Conference of the UMC and a Trainer and Mission Strategist for Fresh Expressions (FX) US. This week Luke and I discuss the beginnings of the FX movement in the US and how he became a part of it, what is happening with the movement in North Carolina, and the new book he has written on the Fresh Expressions journey, “Becoming Church.”
- Contact; ledwards@wnccumc.net, Instagram @lukesedwards, new website/podcast/blog- faithfulcommunity.com
- Reading; Get Together: How to Build a Community with Your People by Bailey Richardson, Kai Elmer Sotto, and Kevin Huynh and listening to the podcast by the same name, https://gettogether.fm/
Luke Edwards is the Associate Director of Congregational Development in the Western North Carolina Conference of the UMC and a Trainer and Mission Strategist for Fresh Expressions (FX) US. This week Luke and I discuss the beginnings of the FX movement in the US and how he became a part of it, what is happening with the movement in North Carolina, and the new book he has written on the Fresh Expressions journey, “Becoming Church.”
- Contact; ledwards@wnccumc.net, Instagram @lukesedwards, new website/podcast/blog- faithfulcommunity.com
- Reading; Get Together: How to Build a Community with Your People by Bailey Richardson, Kai Elmer Sotto, and Kevin Huynh and listening to the podcast by the same name, https://gettogether.fm/
Glenn is a longtime church and community member that is pioneering a fresh expression of church in a local strip mall. In this weeks episode Glenn shares about how she became involved in the Fresh Expressions movement, why she thinks its important, and what God has shown her in the process of starting a fresh expression.
- Contact; glennhparis@gmail.com
- Reading; Welcome to Dinner, Church by Verlon Fosner; Contextual Intelligence by Michael Beck and Leonard Sweet; 10 Keys to Reality by Frank Wilczek
This week we continue our conversation with Rev. Dr. Johannah Meyers. She is a UMC pastor in South Carolina and is a practitioner, trainer, and Associate Director for Messy Church USA. Messy Church is a worldwide Christian movement that began in the UK around the same time that the Fresh Expression movement began. Messy Church seeks to engage people of all ages in multi-generational and interactive worship and has had great success in building community, making disciples, and birthing new connection to people that are not a part of any church. “A way of being church for all-ages to join in experiencing fun and faith formative activities. Found throughout the globe. Based on the values of all-ages together, celebration, creativity, hospitality, and centering ourselves in Christ”
- Messy Church USA https://messychurchusa.org/
- Contact- johannah@messychurchusa.org
- Reading; Anything about Sabbath keeping
- Listening- Sandra McCracken’s Psalms
Rev. Dr. Johannah Meyers is a UMC pastor in South Carolina and is a practitioner, trainer, and Associate Director for Messy Church USA. Messy Church is a worldwide Christian movement that began in the UK around the same time that the Fresh Expression movement began. Messy Church seeks to engage people of all ages in multi-generational and interactive worship and has had great success in building community, making disciples, and birthing new connection to people that are not a part of any church. “A way of being church for all-ages to join in experiencing fun and faith formative activities. Found throughout the globe. Based on the values of all-ages together, celebration, creativity, hospitality, and centering ourselves in Christ”
- Messy Church USA https://messychurchusa.org/
- Contact- johannah@messychurchusa.org
- Reading; Anything about Sabbath keeping
- Listening- Sandra McCracken’s Psalms
This week we continue our discussion with Sam Hubbard as we discuss our shared broken heartedness and love for the church, new forms of evangelism, how our theology and anthropology inform each other and of course, Fresh Expressions. Sam is an elder in the UMC that serves as the Associate Director of Congregational Development and Transformation in the Louisiana Conference of the UMC and as the Wesley Organizational Pastor at Southeastern Louisiana University.
- Contact; sjhubbard@gmail.com Sam Hubbard on Facebook and Sjhubbard2 on Instagram
- Reading-Universal Christ by Richard Rohr (or anything else by Rohr), Alan Hirsch, Crucifixion of the Warrior God; Crucifixion of the Warrior God, all things Michael Beck
- Listening to Podcasts-The Bible for Normal People, Church Pulse Weekly, NT Wright, Freakonomics, “Stuff They Don’t Want You to Know”
This week Sam Hubbard and I discuss our shared broken heartedness and love for the church, new forms of evangelism, how our theology and anthropology inform each other and of course, Fresh Expressions. Sam is an elder in the UMC that serves as the Associate Director of Congregational Development and Transformation in the Louisiana Conference of the UMC and as the Wesley Organizational Pastor at Southeastern Louisiana University.
- Contact; sjhubbard@gmail.com Sam Hubbard on Facebook and Sjhubbard2 on Instagram
- Reading-Universal Christ by Richard Rohr (or anything else by Rohr), Alan Hirsch, Crucifixion of the Warrior God; Crucifixion of the Warrior God, all things Michael Beck
- Listening to Podcasts-The Bible for Normal People, Church Pulse Weekly, NT Wright, Freakonomics, “Stuff They Don’t Want You to Know”
Tom has a love for the Cleveland Browns that became the birthplace of a Fresh Expression of Church called “Game Day Church.” Since then Tom continues to lean in to where the Spirit is inviting relationships to form that meet people and God where they are already. Tom is also inviting others to pray and dream about where their passions are and how God might be inviting them to building relationships around these affinities and common ground that might bear fruit for the Kingdom of God.
- Background- Tom Compton is an ordained elder in the UMC and serves as the lead pastor of Old Camp Church in Carrollton, GA. Tom is both a pioneer and a permission giver of Fresh Expressions
- Contact-tom.compton@ngumc.net
- Reading; God Outwitted Me by Maxie Dunnam; Why I Am Still Surprised by the Power of the Spirit; An Equal Justice by Chad Zunker
- Listening to- 7 Minute Seminary Podcast, The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe
Also mentioned in this episode; Conspiracy of Kindness by Steve Sjogren
Jacob Burson tells the stories of his various roles within the Methodist Church as a lay person and how God has led him to be serving as a bivocational local pastor, now embracing the fresh expressions movement. His context and the Holy Spirit have led him to start a food pantry in collaboration with other churches and organizations in the community as well as to start a dinner church. Jacob is more and more convinced that when you bring people together around food, relationships are formed and community is built that is modeled after Jesus’s example and has a depth we can’t measure.
- Background-Jacob is a Licensed Local Pastor in the North Georgia Conference of the UMC and serves bivocationally, also working with a the non profit Orphan Aid Liberia.
- Contact; Jacob.burson@ngumc.net Facebook Jacob Burson
- Reading; Tablet to Table by Leonard Sweet, Sacrilege by Hugh Halter, and 40 day Backyard Pilgrim
- Also mentioned in this podcast; BiVo by Hugh Halter and Barefoot Pastor by Brandon Hatmaker
- Jacob also hosts his own podcast; The Love Period podcast
Isabel is a compassionate and passionate follower of Jesus and shares the story of how missionaries shared the gospel with her family in Angola and she has come to the states with the same mission. Hear about how God called her to start a fresh expression of church in a local mobile home park where she and her church was serving.
- Background-Isabel is a native Angolan, mother, daughter of a bishop, and the wife of a United Methodist Pastor.
- Contact; Facebook Isabel Fernandes de Sousa
- Reading; How to Gain Control of Your Finances by Stan Toler
Bishop Sue fully embraced the FX movement while serving as a DS in the Florida Conference where there are now about 100 Fresh Expressions of church across the conference and brought fresh expressions to the North Georgia Conference when she became the bishop. Bishop Sue has a passion for the church to be the priesthood of all believers it is meant to be and for the people that lead them to do the work of “equipping the saints for the work of the church.
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Background-Bishop Sue has just begun her 5th year as episcopal leader of the North Georgia Conference of the UMC and is a firm believer in the Fresh Expressions movement and all it has to teach us and remind us of what it means to be the church in the world.
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Contact; bishop@ngumc.org
- Reading; A Man Called Ove by Frederik Backman and playing the movie “UP” on a loop.
Bishop Sue fully embraced the FX movement while serving as a DS in the Florida Conference where there are now about 100 Fresh Expressions of church across the conference and brought fresh expressions to the North Georgia Conference when she became the bishop. Bishop Sue has a passion for the church to be the priesthood of all believers it is meant to be and for the people that lead them to do the work of “equipping the saints for the work of the church.
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Background-Bishop Sue has just begun her 5th year as episcopal leader of the North Georgia Conference of the UMC and is a firm believer in the Fresh Expressions movement and all it has to teach us and remind us of what it means to be the church in the world.
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Contact; bishop@ngumc.org
- Reading; A Man Called Ove by Frederik Backman and playing the movie “UP” on a loop.
Mitch Marcello is the Director of the Acts Network at First Church Williamsport in Williamsport, PA
Mitch shares about his entry into the Fresh Expressions movement as a nonclergy person, the value of spending time in the community, what it takes to build a culture of fresh expressions , and the rewards found in experimentation and risk taking to share the gospel and make disciples.
Mentioned in this episode; Thinkertoys by Michael Michalko
- Contact; mitch.marcello@freshexpressionsus.org
- Reading; Create vs. Copy by Ken Wytsma
- Listening; Joby Martin, Florida Pastor; https://www.coe22.com/
Mitch Marcello is the Director of the Acts Network at First Church Williamsport in Williamsport, PA
Mitch shares about his entry into the Fresh Expressions movement as a nonclergy person, the value of spending time in the community, what it takes to build a culture of fresh expressions , and the rewards found in experimentation and risk taking to share the gospel and make disciples.
Mentioned in this episode; Thinkertoys by Michael Michalko
- Contact; mitch.marcello@freshexpressionsus.org
- Reading; Create vs. Copy by Ken Wytsma
- Listening; Joby Martin, Florida Pastor; https://www.coe22.com/
Allyson Lawrence is an ordained elder in the UMC serving as an associate pastor at Fayetteville First UMC in Fayetteville, GA. Her Fresh Expression, Creative Faith, has birthed additional Fresh Expressions and a new understanding of what it means to be the church in her community.
- Contact; @therevally on Instagram; Allyson Fowler Lawrence on Facebook; allyson.lawrence@ngumc.net
- Reading and Listening; The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan, An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor
- Also mentioned; Nadia Bolz-Weber, Brene Brown
Rev Brett DeHart is the Lead Pastor of Aldersgate UMC in Augusta, Georgia and permission giver in forming Fresh Expressions of church.
Brett DeHart is serving a new appointment in the UMC and was a coconspirator and permission giver to the Fresh Expression of Church that became the now nearly 3 year-old Douglasville Dinner Church. Brett discusses some of the key things learned in the process of a tried and failed experimental worship experience, the importance of the ownership and empowering of the whole people of God, names some of the challenges in this paradigm shift, and the unexpected yet welcome blessing in the growth of disciples that are a part of the Fresh Expressions journey.
- Contact-brett.dehart@ngumc.net
- Reading and rereading; The Power of Moments by Chip and Dan Heath, The Vision Driven Leader by Michael Hyatt, Missional Renaissance and Kingdom Collaborators by Reggie McNeal,
- Listening; Preachers-Carey Nieuwhof, Andy Stanley, Craig Groeschel, Tony Morgan; Business-Michael Hyatt, Patrick Lencioni, Donald Miller, Jessie Cole, Dan Cockrell
Laura Patterson shares how and why “Not Church” came to be, the common ground she is finding in the big questions of faith and life, and how our actions and beliefs are intrinsically connected.
Laura is a UMC Pastor serving as pastor in charge of a church in Elbert county and the pioneer of “Not Church” a fresh expression of church that centers around a potluck meal and the big questions of life and faith
- Contact-laura.patterson@ngumc.net
- Listening; The Pulpit Fiction Podcast, 2 Feminists Annotate the Bible/Beatified Podcast
- Also mentioned- The Bible Binge Podcast
Cindy has taken a failure to engage community kids in VBS at the church to a successful FX of church in a local nursing home and rehab facility.
- Background-Cindy is an ordained elder and Lead Pastor in the North Georgia Conference at Clarkdale UMC and the pioneer of Anderson Adult VBS.
- Contact; cindy.conner@ngumc.net; FaceBook Cindy Conner or Clarkdale UMC
- Reading; Canoeing the Mountains by Tod Bolsinger Hallelujah Anyway by Anne Lamott
Michael has pioneered multiple Fresh Expressions from his once small declining church and has recaptured the Wesley’s vision in truly seeing the world as his parish. We discuss how he became a part of the FX movement, what he has learned from his failures, and what FX looks like in a pandemic world.
- Background-Rev. Dr. Michael Adam Beck is an ordained elder in the UMC, Co-pastor of Wildwood UMC in Wildwood, Florida, Lead Cultivator of FX in the Florida Annual Conference of the UMC, and Director of Re-Missioning for FXUS and author of Deep Roots, Wild Branches and The Field Guide to Methodist Fresh Expressions (with Jorge Acevedo)
- Contact; michaeladambeck.com; Facebook Michael Beck; Insta reverendwild1
- Reading; Refounding the Church by Gerald Arbuckle, the works of sociologist Manuel Castells
Tim is finding common ground in the suffering of others and is cultivating a fresh expression of church in a local apartment complex with a “community lunch”
- Background-Tim is a licensed Local Pastor in the North Georgia Conference of the UMC serving a 2 point charge and a retired school teacher.
- Contact-Tim.savelle@ngumc.net
- Reading; In Search of Paul and The First Paul by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan
Melissa shares stories from the field in forming new communities around a love for coffee and a desire to love and serve neighbors. Like so many she too is working to navigate uncharted territory in our current reality, what it means to be the church, and how many more are now leaning into new possibilities.
- Background-Melissa is an ordained elder in the North Georgia Conference and currently serves as an Associate Pastor at Roswell UMC. She is the pioneer of Table Hours a FX that meets in a coffeehouse and is never afraid to try something new to build community around the good news.
- Contact-mhall@rumc.net, FaceBook-Melissa Kime Hall, Insta-preacherlady13
- Reading-Canoeing the Mountains by Tod Bolsinger; From Tablet to Table by Leonard Sweet
Fresh Expressions are new forms of church for our changing world created primarily for people that are not yet a part of any church. Finding common ground is all about looking for ways to meet people where they are, build community and begin to grow and explore what it means to follow Jesus together. This episode shares the what along with some of the why and how of the movement.
Mentioned in this episode; Mission Shaped Church Report, Mission Shaped and Rural
- Background- Common Ground and the Fresh Expressions Movement
- Contact- heather.jallad@ngumc.net
- Reading; Field Guide to Methodist Fresh Expressions by Michael Beck and Jorge Acevedo, Entrepreneurial Church Planting by Jay Moon
- Rereading; Canoeing the Mountains by Tod Bolsinger