Pastoring in Partisan Times with Rev. Ginger Gaines-Cirelli

Rising partisanship in our country has made finding common ground difficult. A recent study found that Methodism is one of America’s most politically divided denominations, with both congregants and their pastors roughly split between the Democratic and Republican Parties. This makes the work of a pastor – a spiritual leader to everyone in their pews – hard. Navigating those tensions and modeling new ways of remaining in relationship with those we disagree is not for the weak of heart.

While it is not sure to magically-solve the politically divided world in which we find ourselves, we do hope it will offer you some ideas and encouragement about how to remain true to the Gospel while doing the hard work of living in community with people across the political spectrum.

Our final episode of season two features Rev. Ginger Gaines-Cirelli. Rev. Ginger E. Gaines-Cirelli is the first woman to serve as Senior Pastor of historic Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington, DC, within blocks of The White House. Foundry welcomes all, worships passionately, challenges the status quo, and seeks to transform the world through God's love. A graduate of Yale University Divinity School, Pastor Gaines-Cirelli is a featured teacher and speaker at local, district, conference, jurisdictional, and international connectional events. She is the author of Sacred Resistance: A practical guide to Christian witness and dissent and contributed and served on the editorial board for The CEB Women's Bible.