Means of Grace, a podcast from the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, equips church leaders through expertise and examples. Twice a month, we feature local experts on a variety of topics from leadership to innovation and share examples of churches in our conference reaching their communities in news ways through mission engagement, Fresh Expressions and much more.
John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, defined Means of Grace as the outward signs, words or actions that are the ordinary channels conveying God's grace to the souls of people. So when we're talking about leadership or discipleship or an outreach initiative, it's about more than doing a program well, it's a means of God's grace to the world.
Publisher
Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church
Living Into Our Vision with John Crane & Rev. Dr. Stephanie Moore Hand
In this episode, Rev. Dr. Stephanie Moore Hand and John Crane explore how churches can live beyond their walls, connect evangelism with missional outreach, and collaborate effectively to make a faithful impact. The challenge is to find new ways to love boldly, serve joyfully, and lead courageously.
The three-part webinar series will equip laity and clergy with practical strategies and resources to help their churches more effectively connect with their community, build missional partnerships, and transform their communities by reaching others with the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Format: Online, via Zoom
Dates: October 26, November 2, November 9
Time: 7pm - 8pm
Registration Link: https://wnc-reg.brtapp.com/LivingIntoOurVision
Registration Deadline: Sunday, October 25, 2026
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the series and guest introductions
00:23 Overview of the conference's focus on love, service, and leadership
00:45 The role of laity in church leadership and outreach
01:05 The biblical foundation of the church's mission 02:14 The importance of loving boldly and serving joyfully
05:04 What it means to lead courageously in today's context
07:25 Love for enemies and courageous service
08:52 The Holy Spirit's empowerment for evangelism
12:30 Addressing fears and resource challenges in church outreach
16:27 The movement of Christendom and evangelism in history
20:23 Transformative power of evangelism and personal stories
27:22 Upcoming learning series details and expectations
33:29 Final thoughts and encouragement to participate
24 Sept 2026
Wesley Pilgrimage Reflections with Rev. Hannah Howell and Rev. Blake Smarr
In this episode, Hannah Howell and Blake Smarr reflect on their pilgrimage through England, retracing Wesleyan history, and explore how the experience deepened their faith, understanding of history, and sense of community. They discuss the spiritual insights, surprising discoveries, and ongoing impact of walking in the footsteps of John Wesley.
Read the Article here
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction: The Wesleyan pilgrimage
01:38 Meet Hannah Howell and Blake Smarr
03:43 Hopes for the pilgrimage
05:17 Discovering new sides of John Wesley
07:22 Letting go of expectations and being present
08:44 Spiritual moments at Epworth and Aldersgate
12:30 Susanna Wesley's influence and daily discipline
15:33 Oxford, the Holy Club, and forming a personal faith
19:52 Communion and the connection across generations
23:00 Wesleyan history, slavery, and abolition
29:05 Whose stories are missing or overlooked?
33:08 Bringing the pilgrimage's lessons home
39:00 Finding grace in ordinary moments
42:43 Building community and lasting connections
45:57 "I left for England thinking…"
47:20 Closing reflections
10 Sept 2026
Healing from Religious & Spiritual Abuse
In this episode, Dr. Hannah Sutton-Adams, Rev. Dr. Susan Heafner-Heun & Rebecca Yates explore the concept of healing within the church, addressing religious trauma, spiritual abuse, and how churches can become safe spaces for healing and growth. Featuring experts from Matthews United Methodist Church, this conversation offers practical insights and spiritual reflections on transforming church communities.
You are invited, on October 25, 2026, Matthews United Methodist Church will host a workshop titled Recognizing and Resisting Trauma - Faith Community
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
318,674
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
17 ratings
Spotify
3.7 / 5
3 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 81 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
96
Social presence
0
YouTube
86
Engagement
77
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Guest appearances
Books guests
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