Pod Strangely Warmed

This week, POD Strangely Warmed comes to you from Cedarbrake Retreat Center, where clergy from across the Horizon Texas Conference gathered for the Do Justice Retreat. The three-day gathering created space for worship, spiritual formation, honest conversation and discerning how the church can faithfully pursue justice together. Kristin Warthen is joined by Rev. Debra Crumpton and Rev. Julie Harding for a conversation about the connection between justice and discipleship. They discuss the courage to speak up, the importance of seeing every person as made in the image of God and the spiritual practices that help keep justice work from becoming isolating or exhausting. If you care about justice but do not know where to begin, this episode offers a practical and hopeful reminder: start by listening for God, take the next faithful step and do not do it alone. Book mentioned in this episode: Tarry Awhile: Wisdom from Black Spirituality for People of Faith by Dr. Selina Stone For more content from the Horizon Texas Conference, follow our social media channels! Website - htcumc.org Facebook - @HTCUMC Instagram - @HTCUMC TikTok - @horizontxumc YouTube - @htcumc Spotify - Horizon Texas Conference

For Maye and Isaac Saenz, cheering for the Dallas Cowboys has always been about more than football. It is a family tradition rooted in shared Sundays, memorable road trips and the joy of experiencing the game together. In this episode of POD Strangely Warmed, they share how Cowboys fandom became woven into their family's story. Maye reflects on raising her children with Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. and keeping Christian faith at the center of their home. Isaac shares how those family traditions shaped his life and his journey into professional sports media. Together, they explore how faith, family and football can bring people together, carry us through disappointment and remind us that we belong to something bigger than ourselves. Follow Isaac Saenz's work https://www.facebook.com/footballforeverhq/ https://www.instagram.com/footballforever https://x.com/fballforeverhq For more content from the Horizon Texas Conference, follow our social media channels! Website - htcumc.org Facebook - @HTCUMC Instagram - @HTCUMC TikTok - @horizontxumc YouTube - @htcumc Spotify - Horizon Texas Conference

Bestselling author and historian Kristin Kobes Du Mez joins Rev. Kristin Warthen and guest co-host Rev. Raegan Gilliland to discuss Live Laugh Love: The Secret History of White Christian Women and the World They Made. The conversation explores how Christian media, consumer culture, and messages about women's roles have shaped the faith of generations of Christian women. Kristin Kobes Du Mez traces connections among holiness traditions, evangelicalism, power, submission, and the promise that the right beliefs and behaviors will lead to happiness and success. These themes are central to the book's historical examination of popular Christian culture and white Christian womanhood. The discussion then turns toward deconstruction, doubt, and the difference between questioning a religious system and abandoning God. Together, the guests consider how churches can make room for curiosity, complexity, accountability, and a faith that remains honest when simple answers no longer work. Buy Live Laugh Love: https://kristindumez.com/books/live-laugh-love/ Follow Kristin on socials:https://www.instagram.com/kkdumez/ https://www.facebook.com/kkdumez https://www.youtube.com/@kristinkobesdumez3072 Learn more: Visit Kristin Kobes Du Mez's website Subscribe to Du Mez CONNECTIONS Use the Live Laugh Love book-club discussion guide Follow The Convocation Unscripted For more from the Horizon Texas Conference UMC: Website - htcumc.org Facebook - @HTCUMC Instagram - @HTCUMC TikTok - @horizontxumc YouTube - @htcumc Spotify - Horizon Texas Conference

In Matthew 25, Jesus said, "What you've done to the least of these, you've done to me." What does that mean for our neighborhoods today? Rev. Billy Lane and Dr. India Stewart of the Innercity Community Development Corporation (ICDC) join Rev. Daniel Hawkins to share how their work in sunny South Dallas is helping families put down roots, build stability, and create stronger neighborhoods. Through stories from their work, they explore how homeownership creates opportunity, why communities are strongest when everyone has a voice, and what it looks like to walk alongside neighbors as they shape the future of their own communities. This episode is about seeing Christ in our neighbors and discovering that building stronger communities is not separate from the Gospel. Billy and India describe a ministry that walks with people, helps them find their voice, and creates pathways toward lasting change. It's a conversation about faith, dignity, and what can happen when Christians take seriously the call to love their neighbors. To learn more about Innercity Community Development Corporation: https://www.icdc.biz/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085055830212 https://www.instagram.com/southdallasfairparkicdc/ Website - htcumc.org Facebook - @HTCUMC Instagram - @HTCUMC TikTok - @horizontxumc YouTube - @htcumc Spotify - Horizon Texas Conference

In this episode of POD Strangely Warmed, Rev. Kristin Warthen sits down with Rev. Dr. HiRho Park, Director of Belonging, Inclusion and Cultural Engagement for the Horizon Texas Conference. From serving a local church in Maryland to developing clergy through the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, HiRho reflects on the experiences that prepared her for this new chapter of ministry in the Horizon Texas Conference. Listen in to hear about the difference between diversity, inclusion and belonging, the spiritual practice of listening and the question HiRho returns to again and again: What else might be possible? It is a hopeful conversation about building beloved community and becoming the kind of church God is calling us to be. Horizon Texas article Introducing Dr. Park: https://www.htcumc.org/news/tf2u77875vwrugkdm7wtl7m7k62r0o Website - htcumc.org Facebook - @HTCUMC Instagram - @HTCUMC TikTok - @horizontxumc YouTube - @htcumc Spotify - Horizon Texas Conference