Stories of Becoming is a podcast from Reconciling Ministries Network sharing the real stories of people and communities living into God’s inclusive love. Through honest conversations about faith, courage, and transformation, we explore how The United Methodist Church—and the people who call it home—are being reshaped by grace. Each episode invites listeners to see the beauty in becoming: the ongoing journey of a church learning, growing, and loving more fully. These are stories of hope and holiness, told by those who believe God’s kin-dom is still unfolding among us.
If you’d like to listen, you can do so on Spotify and Youtube.
Episode 1 | Organizing, Hope, and the Work Still Ahead
Episode Summary:
In this episode, Julia Buckner sits down with Laura Young, a Deaconess from the Texas Annual Conference and longtime staff member of Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN). Laura shares how she first connected with RMN through local advocacy, what it was like organizing for LGBTQ+ inclusion at General Conferences past and present, and why the work of becoming a fully inclusive church is far from over.
From the behind-the-scenes stories of early RMN organizing to the “Monday morning inbox” that still brings heartbreaking messages from those harmed by the church, Laura offers both a sobering and hope-filled perspective on the ongoing journey toward justice. She and Julia also talk about what gives her joy (spoiler: baseball and Rush!), what becoming means to her, and how RMN is preparing for the next chapter of the UMC through new resources, toolkits, and local support.
Whether you’re a Reconciling United Methodist, a church exploring next steps, or someone curious about how inclusion becomes lived reality, this conversation offers a glimpse into the heart and grit behind the movement.
🔗 Resources & Mention
- Love Alike — small-group resource on faith, politics, and inclusion
- Virtual Porches — conversations and videos on trans justice and inclusion
- Stages of Inclusion — tool for assessing where your church is in the reconciling process
- Reconciling Process Overview — how to officially affiliate as a Reconciling Church
- Upcoming Toolkit for Queer Clergy Appointments — coming soon!
- Support the work of RMN!
Episode 2 | The Grace That Keeps Us Here
In this episode of Stories of Becoming, Julia sits down with ministers Michelle Levan (she/her) and Angie Cox (she/her) — two leaders whose journeys toward ordination have been marked by resilience, heartbreak, courage, and a stubborn kind of grace that refuses to give up.
Both Angie and Michelle know what it’s like to hear not yet or no from the Church they love. And yet, they stayed. They kept serving, kept believing, and kept showing up for the people God entrusted to them.
Together we explore questions like:
- What does it mean to stay when it would be easier to walk away?
- How does grace carry us when systems fail us?
- What does it look like to reclaim your call after being told you don’t belong?
- And now that the UMC has changed—what still needs healing?
With honesty, humor, and a deep love for the United Methodist Church, Michelle and Angie share how they held on to God, held on to themselves, and held on to hope through 2019, through the long years of waiting, and into the new future that 2024 opened.
If you’ve ever wrestled with your place in the UMC—or wondered why anyone would stay when staying hurts—this episode is a balm.
Episode 3 | The Church We Dreamed Of
In “The Church We Dreamed Of,” Julia sits down with three trailblazers whose lives helped shape the Reconciling movement long before there was policy language to fight or even an organization called RMN. Rev. Beth Richardson, Mark Bowman, and Rev. Dr. Pamela Lightsey look back to the late 1970s and 80s—sharing how crushing General Conference votes, deep personal losses, and grassroots organizing sparked a dream for a different kind of church.
Together, they talk about the cost of their witness, from lost ordination and closeting at church agencies to protests, arrests, and the wounds that still linger. They also name the movement’s early whiteness and reflect on what intersectional justice asks of us now. Finally, Beth, Mark, and Dr. Lightsey look ahead: to congregations practicing justice on the ground, to young LGBTQIA+ people holding onto hope, and to a United Methodist Church still becoming more fully inclusive, affirming, and brave.
Episode 4 | Leading with Authenticity
In this episode of Stories of Becoming, Taylor Whitley (she/her) sits down with Reverend Dr. Phillippa Phaneuf (she/her), who recently came out to her congregation at North Chili United Methodist Church in Rochester, New York as transgender. Phillippa shares what led her to that moment, why she describes her transition as “giving up pretending,” and what it has been like to experience such an outpouring of support, curiosity, and trans joy. Together, Taylor and Phillippa talk about faith, call, and the church’s capacity to become a place of real welcome, not just in theory, but in practice. Phillippa reflects on what it means to lead with authenticity, how her congregation has modeled community care, and why the work of building inclusive churches is far from finished. Stories of Becoming is a production of Reconciling Ministries Network, sharing conversations that help build a church where all people can live fully into who God has created them to be.
Episode 5 | Carrying the Work Forward: A Conversation with Jan Lawrence
In this episode of Stories of Becoming, Jan Lawrence reflects on her years of leadership as Executive Director of Reconciling Ministries Network and the season of change that reshaped both RMN and The United Methodist Church.
Jan shares what it took to lead through conflict, growth, and historic change—from the pain of the 2019 General Conference to the removal of discriminatory language from the Book of Discipline in 2024. More than a look back, this conversation explores legacy, ongoing responsibility, and why the work of transforming hearts and communities continues beyond policy change.
This episode marks a leadership handoff, not a farewell, and offers a thoughtful reflection on carrying the reconciling movement forward.
Episode 6 | Queer Joy is Holy
In this episode of Stories of Becoming, Taylor Whitley (she/her) is joined by Rev. Lora Andrews (she/her) and Rev. Carter Ellis (she/her), a queer clergy couple whose lives and ministries are rooted in justice, community, and embodied joy. Together, they reflect on their calls to ministry, what it cost to live and lead openly in the United Methodist Church, and why “inclusion” is not the same as liberation.
Lora and Carter share honest stories about fear, resilience, and the day they realized they weren’t afraid anymore. They talk about what queer joy looks like in real life and real ministry, why representation and proximity matter, and what churches can do beyond good intentions to create spaces where LGBTQ+ people—especially trans and nonbinary folks—are truly safe and celebrated. This conversation is both tender and challenging: a reminder that healing is ongoing, allyship requires real risk, and the church is still becoming brave enough to tell the whole truth about love and belonging.