This is a special edition of the Louisiana Now podcast, a reading of the Easter Story by host Todd Rossnagel. This reading comes from all four gospels and various translations.

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There are moments when the world feels so fractured, so loud, and so heavy that we find ourselves asking a simple but unsettling question: How do we speak faithfully now?

In this episode of Louisiana NOW, we're joined by author and historian Dr. Ashley Boggan, along with Rev. Ali Young, Director of Equipping Ministries, for a conversation rooted in United Methodist history but aimed squarely at the present moment. Drawing from Ashley's book Wesleyan Vile-tality, we explore the moment John Wesley famously "submitted to be more vile," and what that act of courage can teach us about faith, risk, and witness today.

This is not a conversation about being loud or reactive. It's about putting aside reputation for the sake of love, bending unjust rules so others can experience grace, and finding our voice when silence feels safer. In a time that often feels unspeakable, this conversation invites us to remember who we were, question who we are, and reclaim who we're called to be.

For more on the FREE event in Woodworth, where all are encouraged to attend, click here.

What happens between the moment someone feels called to ministry and the day they stand before the Annual Conference for commissioning or ordination? In this episode of the Louisiana NOW Podcast, Todd Rossnagel sits down with Rev. Sonya Lars, Registrar for the Louisiana Conference of The United Methodist Church. Rev. Lars shares how her role as registrar involves far more than paperwork and timelines. As the "caretaker of the files," she helps guide candidates through the complex process of discernment, education, and preparation for ministry. Along the way, she works with pastors, district superintendents, and the Board of Ordained Ministry to ensure candidates are supported as they discover where their gifts and graces can best serve the Church.