Podcast hosts Rev. Sharon Williams, Rev. Russell Ewell and Rev. Fabian Gonzalez discuss some of the things they learned as they interviewed members of the historic Black churches of the Missouri Conference throughout this season.

01:16: Thoughts and Learning Opportunities for the Denomination
4:15 The Place of Lament
9:00 A Tight Knit Community of Life
10:10 Discipleship Begins with Relationship
12:35 We Cannot Lose Those Rich Stories
14:00 It Is Their Faith that Keeps Them Going
16:53 The Missouri Conference
18:45 Understand the Context and Recognizing the History
22:00 If You Love Something You will Challenge It
25:45 Abundance and Lean
27:00 The Saints That Are Before Us

The Faith and Race Podcast is designed to help faithful people host conversations about race, faith and the Church. Every episode has a specific focus to help listeners intentionally think about the intersection of history, institutions, scripture, prayer, race and justice. The audio recordings bring diverse insights and experiences into churches, homes, and hearts across Missouri and beyond.

“The Saints Before Us” is the theme and focus of season three of the Faith and Race Podcast. It draws on both Hebrews 11, and its description of the cloud of witnesses, and Ephesians 4 with its directive to equip saints for the work of ministry. The phrase “saints before us” invites listeners to consider the duality of its meaning: In that, the new season of the podcast focuses on Missouri’s Black United Methodist Churches and highlights both the work of the saints that came before us and offers an invitation to the saints currently before us to carry that legacy.