LeighAnn Morgan - The Importance of Community, Active Listening, & Offering Forgiveness
You are listening to the Cumberland Road, and I'm your host, TJ Malinoski. The following is a faith conversation with LeighAnn Morgan. She is the congregational life director at Winchester Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Tennessee, and she is a ministerial student at Memphis Theological Seminary. We discuss the loss of her father, the importance of community, the power of active listening, and the necessity of offering forgiveness. You can hear in LeighAnn's voice her love for God and her love for people of all ages. She has an openness to the future, and her Christian faith is steeped in wisdom that far exceeds her age. On a side note, I was able to meet some friends of Cumberland Road in my recent travels. I was able to hear how these journeys on Cumberland Road and what they mean to them, and I even receive some teasing when I'm unable to provide a new guest every week. Your kind words and your expressions has filled me with awe and gratitude. You've helped me appreciate how important our words, our conversations, our faith, and our journeys are. I thank you all. And now, friends, here is a faith conversation with LeighAnn Morgan. Alright, LeighAnn. You have a story to begin this conversation. You were famous or infamous in the McKenzie, Tennessee area while a Bethel student. So tell me the story.
LeighAnn:So it actually started my freshman year. It's my first time being away from home at mind you. It's the day after my birthday. I was not feeling the best. I was like, you know, I'm not gonna get out.
LeighAnn:It's raining. I need to do homework anyways because, you know, the first week of classes, you got a little bit of homework to do. Mhmm. And, my friend, Alyssa Hudson, calls me, and we just met. She's also a CP.
LeighAnn:And, she goes, hey. Can you come pick me up at the grocery store where my friend works? She's running behind, and she's gonna be late for work. I was like, sure. Yeah.
LeighAnn:I can totally do that. So it's coming a flood outside. I'm being dramatic saying that, but it was, like, pouring down rain. In Bethel's parking lots, they get covered with water easily.
T.J.:Mhmm.
LeighAnn:So I was like, okay. We got this. So I'm taking my quickest route I know to EW James.
T.J.:Which is a grocery store.
LeighAnn:Which is the grocery store I'm heading to. And there's this one road beside there's the Block City Pizza place right beside it too. Mhmm. To kind of if someone's been in McKenzie, they can be able to imagine in their head. So I'm just going along the road, and I'm seeing a little bit of water across across the road.
LeighAnn:And I was like, I can stay towards the middle and be fine to get through it. Well, I did not stay towards the middle, and, I my tire got stuck in the mud on the grass and sunk. And then the water rose up from there because, apparently, that road floods very easily. And I didn't know that being newly to Mackenzie.
T.J.:Mhmm.
LeighAnn:And they didn't have any signs up or anything. I called my friend. I was like, Alyssa, you need to come outside. You're not gonna believe it. I I'm drowning my car.
LeighAnn:It was a whole thing. I was yelling at her on the phone. That's when we we became best friends, and that's also the first time she had to call my dad and be like, hey, mister Richard. This is Alyssa, Leanne's roommate, so don't be mad. It was a grand old time, and the cop told me to stay in the car.
LeighAnn:And I was I did not listen to him. I got out of the car because the water was already, like, at the door level, not on the door yet, but at the door level. Because if I would've stayed in there, I would've had to climb out the window, and I was not about to do that. And so I created 2 signs in Mackenzie now. There, there's one at the first end of the road and one at the other end of the road.
LeighAnn:And I put it through on Facebook.
T.J.:I take it that you, made it to safety.
LeighAnn:I did make it to safety. Drenched in water, sewage water at that. It was not a grand it was not a great time, but it was a funny story to have forever. If it says anything, my friend took, they had to bring a news article in every week, of something that happened in their lives or something that happened back in their hometown. So she brought in that, news article for her speech class and I said, oh, thank you, Grace, for doing that.
T.J.:So have you gone back and, posed by the signs that were instituted by Leanne?
LeighAnn:When dad picked me up my freshman year, we, I think it was that the end of that semester, we went and took pictures this side of it. It's on Facebook, and I had it as my profile picture for a very long time. And I had many phone calls of, Leanne, do we know turn around, don't trim? I said, we do, but y'all don't understand.
T.J.:Well, that was a lot of change in your life at that time because you're a new Bethel student. Bethel is in McKenzie, Tennessee, Bethel University. First time away from home? I mean, like, really away from home?
LeighAnn:Yes. Being really away from home. I went to camps and everything, but never for months at a time.
T.J.:And adjusting to student life and making new friends and, you run your car into rushing sewage water.
LeighAnn:Yeah. Dad made me have to call insurance, deal with the cops and everything, get it to where it's supposed to be. He made sure I'm I was the one that did that. He also made me go clean out the car of stuff, which is reasonable. He did not come to my rescue.
LeighAnn:He's like, you can do he's like, you can do all of this
T.J.:Oh, wow.
LeighAnn:Since you were the one that did it.
T.J.:The pains of growing up, all that responsibility at once.
LeighAnn:Luckily, I had great friends that God blessed me with that went and helped me clean up my car. She was a golfer, so she had old, what is it, hard gloves that she would use. Mhmm. But she had a pair of old ones, and she's like, well, we'll put these on and then we'll clean out everything because it was disgusting.
T.J.:I bet. I bet. I bet you that vehicle never smelled the same again.
LeighAnn:It was totaled. So you didn't have to smell it for too long.
T.J.:What were your plans as a Bethel student? What did you want to study?
LeighAnn:So to be honest, I really didn't wanna go to Bethel for a very long time. Because Winchester, Tennessee is a small town, and Mackenzie, Tennessee is an even smaller town. Mhmm. So I was like, I don't know about this. And then it came about the, ministry bridge, the whosoever will ministry bridge program came about, while I was serving on ministry council.
LeighAnn:And, it was a no brainer that I was gonna go to Bethel after that. I was like, I've answered the call to ministry, so I just won't go to Bethel. Going there, I was like, I don't wanna be tied down to doing just a major in Christian studies because, like, well, then what if I end up burning out or anything, and I don't have anything else to back up to what to do? So I was like, okay. What do I want to do if I don't work in a church or work in something Christian based, I was like, I wanna do counseling.
LeighAnn:And Bethany University has a great program of human services, that it gives you a broad range of things to study. I got counseling classes. I got, drug and alcohol classes. Mister, professor Tim Lindsey, which I know a lot of CP people have had him. Right man, he's a CP himself.
LeighAnn:He taught me a lot, taught me about social work, if I wanted to do that, how to do counseling, how the brain works. So I took psychology and sociology classes. So it was a really it was just a broad major to be able to help me later in ministry. And, also, if I ended up not wanting to go in ministry, I had something to do.
T.J.:You grew up in a minister's family. Did you have moments where you could be rebellious and, mischievous? Or, Leanne, were you a a good kid, a model kid in every congregation that your dad served?
LeighAnn:I will say that I'm a good kid. I never was rebellious. I was not that normal preacher's daughter that people pursue. Like, the like, the TV show preacher's daughter. I was not like that.
LeighAnn:I was fairly a good kid. Left school and everything, but I will say I was probably mischievous. My mom always said that the only reason we got in trouble is because we played with the elders' kids.
T.J.:Oh, I like that. So it reversed. So typically, you think, oh, well, it's the preacher's kids that influenced the other youth in the church, but I like your mom's take on it. She was like, no. It's the elder's kids who's who's been influencing Leanne.
LeighAnn:So I will say I did have some good friends, that their parents were on, session, so I got to hang out with them quite a bit. But I will say I probably did a little mischievous things. Not as much as my brother, I will admit.
T.J.:We'll have him on at another time. How about that? He can tell his own journey.
LeighAnn:Oh, yes. He would he would do great. He would tell you about why, the Florence CP church has certain things in place because of him.
T.J.:Oh, wow. So he also is famous and infamous.
LeighAnn:Just a few other towns.
T.J.:The Morgan family is making its name in different states. Let's talk about, growing up though in in a minister's, you know, house, in in a Christian household. What was that environment like for you? Did you guys have conversations all the time about the Christian faith? Yeah.
T.J.:What was that experience like? Well,
LeighAnn:it was an experience with Richard Morgan, so it it was always fun. Growing up, I we were always at the church. Never missed a day being at the church. If the doors were open, we were there. I had a lot of influence in my life, especially getting because I got to see dad in the youth minister's role.
LeighAnn:And so I had a lot of siblings that were able to influence me in my life, and show me what it is to be young in faith, but and still be able to do life, how to have faith when you're in high school and stuff. So I was able to see that, and I really enjoyed that. I also got to go to camps a lot. Got to see all the things they were doing. So I was like, oh, I get to do that one day.
T.J.:Oh, that's right. Because you're younger. So you have all these little bit older, role models and you're just soaking in how they interact with the world and how their faith speaks to it. So you you have a long list of people then that have influenced your faith.
LeighAnn:Oh, yes. I have a whole list of people that I would love to mention, and a lot of them are camp counselors. And, some of them were the ones that my siblings grew up around my sister and my brother. They influenced and my and my parents influenced a lot. Obviously, my dad influenced me going into the ministry.
LeighAnn:He was a big supporter in that, and he was great. And I love getting to see everything he did, and they were very open about ministry, because I know some parents are not. They like to hide things because there is some things at the church that you don't tell. Obviously, they didn't tell me everything, but they were open and honest of, like, so we are not gonna be here right now because we have to go do this. And so I always understood that ministry is hard, and it's hard on the family too.
LeighAnn:You really have to have a strong family unit to be able to do ministry and also be with your family, kind of balancing that and how to interact with that. So we did talk about it a lot and so that's how my life has been going on.
T.J.:You're right. There's a lot of ministers that have to make difficult choices. Let's say you have a family event or just an activity, you know, playing board games or going to see a movie or a sports event, you know, or a play. And then there's something within the church that happens in the congregation and the life of the congregation and making those difficult choices that maybe you're not physically there for a family crisis within the church, but the minister's mind may be even though they're sitting, you know, on the bleachers or playing a board game or in a movie theater or wherever it is or even a family vacation. I've heard I've heard some horror stories of a family that has a minister, a husband or wife.
T.J.:And then there's something that happened at the church and they choose to return early. And so for you, your environment was a little bit different. It felt like a good balance.
LeighAnn:It was a good balance, and there were sacrifices that had to be made sometimes, like, maybe my dad was a person that did not like to be gone on Sundays. And so as growing up, I didn't understand why we couldn't be the families that go away for weeks at a time
T.J.:Mhmm.
LeighAnn:On vacations. Because I was like, well, all my friends get to do it. Why can't we be gone on a Sunday? But then I would always have something to happen on a Sunday that I just loved and enjoyed. And now I understand because I don't like to be gone on Sundays.
LeighAnn:I like to be surrounded by not only my family, but also my church family. Mhmm. They became great people. I love where I work at because they brighten my day on Sunday mornings because they come in, and they're so glad to be there. And I like to make them feel that way that they that we're glad that they're there too.
LeighAnn:So now I get it.
T.J.:There's still something to be said though if, you know, when the school day is over on a Friday, to hop in the car and, you know, take a quick weekend trip, which is often not available for those who are serving in the ministry in various capacities.
LeighAnn:There were some times I wanted to be gone. I would love to take a weekend trip, but we couldn't do it. Or not saying that we didn't do it every now and then, but it was it was tough to not be able to be those, I'm gonna say, cool families that could take weekend trips all the time.
T.J.:Yeah. You're at home and then some of your friends are, like, skiing or at the beach. When I first met you, you were younger and but you were always with your dad. The 2 of you were always together. And it was impressive to me because you were a youth at that time, and you could have been anywhere else.
T.J.:But there you were in a board meeting or a presbytery meeting or some church event or activity where everybody else in the room was, at minimum, twice your age.
LeighAnn:My dad was my best friend, and I was a daddy's girl growing up. If it says anything, when I was sick, out of school, I was not too far from him in the church. I was either behind his chair or I remember one time we went up there to he was working for a little bit, and then we would go back home so I could be at the house. But I just remember I did not wanna be away from him. I had to be behind his chair watching the computer while he was sitting there trying to work and couldn't really move because I was sitting behind his chair.
LeighAnn:Me and my dad have been we were always together. I'm grateful for our relationship because I know some people don't have that relationship, and I could just never imagine not being around him, getting to see him do what he does. I remember many times going to camp when I was 6 years old and because my mom had to be there also. And, that they would go out in the afternoon and do things, but I would sit in the mess hall with a big old blanket on the floor, and they had the laptops, and I had DVDs, like, a box of DVDs with me. And I would just put one in, and I would just dance around having a grand old time while they were out in the afternoons doing their things.
LeighAnn:I can always remember those, and I'm grateful for those memories I have now. I think it had a big old it had a big influence into answering the call into ministry, which I think, obviously, God had a hand in that of what he was doing there. He's like, I'm a let you see a couple things.
T.J.:Yeah. The good and the bad, the struggles and the joys that come with the vocation. You've been able to see them and experience them firsthand. Your dad died suddenly how many years ago?
LeighAnn:This year starts to well, the 2nd year starts in this November. So we're at a year over a year in.
T.J.:And being that close to him that you were, what were some or what are some of the greatest gifts and skills and insight that he has parted with you that has shaped your faith?
LeighAnn:Oh, that's a tough question. Because of the like, it's there's a lot. He was a very loving man. He always listened to people and figured out what they liked. He was very intentional of that.
T.J.:Mhmm.
LeighAnn:If he found out someone liked a certain band, he would go find out fun facts about them so he could have a conversation with them. So I guess learning to be an active listener, even when people don't think you're listening to them, maybe they're just having a conversation out loud, and they say one thing, and he can pick it up and run with it. So being an active listener, I know that's one thing he's left with me. He left his big heart. It was really cool at his.
LeighAnn:We had a celebration of life been a celebration of life, and, he sorry. I'm trying to come up with what I was trying to say. It was interesting to see as people walk through because we did the visitation before that just slowly, everyone walking through, and you could tell where they were in his ministry by what name they called him. And it was so amazing to see that and seeing how much of a big heart my dad had and leaving that with us now of us to continue his ministry and have our big hearts. Because us Morgans, we have huge hearts for people, and we love everyone even though they may do something so wrong to us.
LeighAnn:I getting to see all the different sides of ministry, I I've seen where people have hurt my dad, and I can get all of us in the family get angry about it sometimes. And then he was just like he was just going on with his day. He's like, I still love them, and they're still doing great, and he cared about that. He didn't care about what they did to him. He offered forgiveness, and it was kinda funny.
LeighAnn:That was my first, like, sermon when I started at full time at Winchester. The first time I preached was about forgiveness, and I thought that was kinda funny because I was like, well, maybe dad's trying to speak through speak through and say, you gotta offer forgiveness to people. And, so those are the least 2 of the things I know that he's left with me is, like, the big heart and being active listener. There's probably more.
T.J.:Those those are tough skills to develop because they don't always come easy, you know. Somebody has hurt us, we want to respond, likewise. And with all the distractions in the world from our phone to whatever the next new shiny thing is can really we can be present physically, but in you know, our minds be somewhere else. To be intentional in those two things I think human beings also were pretty savvy to be able to tell when somebody is authentic, when somebody is present, and when they're not.
LeighAnn:He was always, I just remember at camp when we would walk up to the mess hall, and he would be playing music that he knows that the kids love. And if the kids asked for it to be played, he would make sure that it was clean and everything for church camp, and he would make sure to play it for them because that's what they liked, and that's what they wanted to listen to. And then sometimes he would play the oldies or as I always enjoyed the eighties music because me and him had a great relationship about the whole eighties. He he would play that type of music because he's like, oh, a counselor said that they left this band, and he likes to let them relive there all days days and show the kids this music because they may not get to hear it at home. You know?
T.J.:Right. May not want to.
LeighAnn:There was sometimes he played music. I was like, there why are we playing this? This is boring.
T.J.:Leanne, when have you felt the closest to God?
LeighAnn:The times I think I think there's different times of there's different times throughout my whole entire life that I felt close to God. But when I feel the closest to God is when I'm at Crystal Springs Church Camp in Kelso, Tennessee. We have a saying down here that God lives there and which many people probably say that, but there are church camps too because god lives at church camps. And it's just when you're there, there's, like, this presence. I don't know what it is, but there's just this presence that lives have been changed there.
LeighAnn:And, I'm serving in Emmaus right now with my mom, and I did a talk. And, in my talk, I talk about the presence that is there of Crystal Springs, and I don't know what it is. It's where I've made big life decisions. I mean, I answered my call there. I've made great friends there that have last a lifetime.
LeighAnn:I'm now serving there in camp as a camp counselor, and, also, we've taken our church there, and I've got to do ministry for the church I work with of where I answered my call at. So it's kind of like a surreal moment for me. I also got engaged there, so, you know, big life decisions were made there.
T.J.:Oh, really? I didn't know you were engaged.
LeighAnn:Yes. I got engaged this past Christmas, and he surprised me and did it at my church camp that I grew up at.
T.J.:Well, congratulations. Do you have a wedding date yet?
LeighAnn:We do. It is October 10, 2026.
T.J.:Okay. So this is after you get done with school?
LeighAnn:Yes. That was mom's one stipulation, which I found out about this afterwards, obviously. She said the one stipulation is that you'll have to wait till 2026 after you finish your degree.
T.J.:Well, what is his name, and how did you meet?
LeighAnn:His name is Nick Trout. I know great last name Trout. I met him through mutual friends at Bethel.
T.J.:Mhmm.
LeighAnn:We just started talking, and, I was home for Christmas. And so I wasn't near, Mackenzie, but he lived in he lived in Murray, Kentucky, so about an hour away from Mackenzie. And then it got close to me coming back, and we were FaceTiming 1 night. He goes, alright. So what date is it that you come back?
LeighAnn:And I told him, oh, it's this Friday and blah blah blah. Get back about this time. And he I was like, why? He goes, well, I'm coming to pick you up on a date. I said, oh, so we're just you're not gonna ask me to go on a date?
LeighAnn:He goes, no. I'm telling you we're going on a date. And so then the rest is history. And we went to the great old El Vallarta for a Mexican date because, you know, there's not too many places to eat in McKinsey.
T.J.:Mhmm. Mhmm.
LeighAnn:And then all you can do basically in that town is either a, drive around or b, go hang out in the dorm room. So we drove around for a little bit, drove to the lovely town of Martin, and then he got lost. And I told him which way to go, and so that's the first time he didn't ever listen to me. And that's when he learned he needs to listen to me because, his saying is that I'm always right. He jokes about that.
LeighAnn:He knows I'm not always right. And so we just always go back to that story of the first time he didn't listen to me. And then we went back to the dorm room, and he met all my friends. And they liked him, and we started dating from there.
T.J.:Well, I didn't know that. Again, congratulations. You were referring to Crystal Springs. This is when you feel the closest to God. So let's talk about perhaps the excitement, the anticipation, not that god is contained in any physical location, but there is sort of this preparation of, like, I know I'm going to this place, which could be worship on Sunday or a camp or a retreat or things like that.
T.J.:Kinda walk me through maybe what's going through your mind as you're preparing because it's a place of transformation. It's a place of renewal for you, but it's also a place of good memories. So and the reason I'm asking this is because there are so many people that don't have those types of connections. So it's always good to hear from someone who can kind of pinpoint and say, this is the place where, Leanne can be filled and renewed and enter into a new week, a new season, ready to go?
LeighAnn:I think for me, trying to think how I go about this, it seems like when you know you're going to church or you're going to a certain event, life starts to happen. And I also went on a chrysalis flight there. So, like, I just remember everything seems to start to happen in, like, life happens and all this goes on and you're like and you start doubting of going. But then it's that push of knowing, okay. When I go there, when I go to church, when I go to Crystal Springs, when I go to Bethel for CPYC, I don't have to think about that stuff for a week because or I don't have to think about that stuff for this amount of time because I'm in a place of I can be myself.
LeighAnn:I don't have to worry about anything because God's gonna handle what's going on in the outside world. He's gonna handle what's going outside of these church doors and everything. Then there's that anticipation of when you get there, when you leave, that stuff coming back. But I feel like you go in a different mindset because you go in there so down into anything, whether it be church on a Sunday. You go feeling so down because of what's been going on, but then God fills you back up with the presence of community, the presence of hearing something in a sermon, hearing God speak to you directly because, you know, every time you hear a sermon, there's just, like, that one thing that always just it's like, yeah, that's directed towards me
T.J.:Mhmm.
LeighAnn:Without it without the pastor meaning it to.
T.J.:Well, only an active listener would pick that up.
LeighAnn:But, like, you you're filled with a presence of God of being able to face, whatever you're going through when you leave those places of, like, okay. I can handle this differently now. Because I think about in high school, I would go there was nothing too major that would happen, but it was like I just felt like my friends weren't always the best for me. And I had great friends, but they weren't helping me in my faith. You know?
LeighAnn:Mhmm. And I was like, I don't know what I need to do when I leave here. And every time I left, I always left with new friends I found at camp that I could talk to when things happen. God wasn't telling me I need to leave those friends. He's like, you just need more friends to be able to help you, like that you could talk to.
LeighAnn:You can still have those friends, but you have a faith based friend that you can turn to when you have certain questions. Because I had friends that were they were a part of the church, but they are part of a different church. And so when I answered the call into ministry, one of my friends, which church of Christ, and, she does not believe in women ministers. And so I just didn't have anyone to talk to because I was like, oh, well, I don't know. I can't just tell you because you're just gonna tell me I can't do it.
LeighAnn:And I helped her grow in opening her mind of that. She still doesn't fully support, but she understands me in a different line. So I have enjoyed that part, my best friend from high school.
T.J.:Well, tell me about your call to ministry. You you alluded to that it was at camp. But, I mean, as a young person, you have all these options that are available to you in terms of a vocation. Why this one?
LeighAnn:I guess I'll start about my, say, sophomore or junior year of high school, and I wanted to be a teacher. That was what I was planning to do. I wanted to be in the classroom working,
T.J.:all
LeighAnn:this, but I think God had other plans of that, obviously. He wanted me to be a different teacher, still a teacher, just a different one. Mhmm. But Paleo, the mentorship program, got started. I sat there and pondered over if I was gonna do it.
LeighAnn:I was like, I don't know about this. I really don't know. I'm still young. I still got time.
T.J.:And do you mind? I'm gonna interrupt you for a moment. Just kinda give a little bit of background of what Kaleo is.
LeighAnn:So Kaleo is this mentorship program that helps us to take a time for young people to look into their call into ministry or not ministry. Well, I say any type of work you do is a type of ministry. It's just different it's different, whether you're a teacher, you're a doctor, it's still a form of ministry.
T.J.:Yeah. Not necessarily a formal ministry like ordained ministry. Just, your youth, you know, your high school age, male, female, and you're at that place where you can, you know what are what are the next steps? What's available to me? Industry is 1, but it could be engineering.
T.J.:It could be it could be anything.
LeighAnn:But you spent the year with a mentor, and mine was miss Mary McCaskey. And we got to look at call stories in the bible, but also then call stories of people in the church in the CP world, which I enjoyed that part. I enjoyed getting to read the call stories of the Bible and then also get to see call stories of people like, oh, I didn't know this about this person, because I've just seen them at CPYC or seen them at, as one of my camp counselors. So we got to read both stories, and there was usually questions. Also, during the the year, it was a year program, we had to come up with a project that we felt like would benefit to help us, figure out what God has called us to.
LeighAnn:I didn't know what I wanna do for a very long time, but finally, miss Mary asked me she goes, so what do you feel like God is calling you into? She just flat out asked me. I said, I'm a be honest. I think I'm being called into ministry. Specifically, I think I'm being called into youth ministry.
LeighAnn:And from that day, it just kinda started God's plan started working out perfectly. They were working out perfectly before, but I didn't see it until I answered that call. It was like, once you've hit it, like, the, like, the benchmark, and he's like, okay. Now we can keep go like, you hit this part, now we can keep going. Like, I was finally seeing it starting to fall into place.
LeighAnn:And, the pro the my project I came up with, I wanted to talk about body image because I myself had struggled with it for a very long time and still struggle with it daily. But I wanted to do a program for girls, and I was like, I don't know how I'm gonna do it or where I'm gonna do it. I didn't have the plans put together yet. And then God placed it in my lap to do it at fall retreat, that that year, and I was gonna be talking to my peers. So I was a little bit nervous.
LeighAnn:You know? I was like, I don't know about this. I'm talking straight to my peers about body image and that you're perfect the way you are because God has created you that way. He wanted you to be that way. And so we prayed before miss Mary was there.
LeighAnn:We prayed. And then I went in. I played a little video, and then it was my turn to talk. I was like, I don't know about this. And as soon as the words started to come out of my mouth, I felt an ease come over me.
LeighAnn:It was like that ease of God being like, okay. You're in your place where you're supposed to be. This is what I've called you to do, and the the rest is history after this.
T.J.:Well, how did the presentation go? Did it solicit good questions? And
LeighAnn:It went great, and, I got really good feedback from my peers, my friends that I had made. And it was great to hear them say that, you did a really good job, and I learned a lot. And I was like, that was my first time of getting feedback from something I had done, and I was like, I really enjoyed this. Because it makes me feel better in my heart that I helped someone learn something, and make them feel better about themselves.
T.J.:And our peers are always the toughest group to speak to
LeighAnn:I'm telling you.
T.J.:Regardless of age.
LeighAnn:There's still sometimes I I, get nervous before. Now it's a different nervousness of like, okay. Is someone gonna hear something in what I say? Did I do all I needed to do? Was there someone gonna like it?
LeighAnn:Not necessarily to my peers anymore, but to the whole church. It It was interesting to see that dynamic change. I'm not I can talk to my peers. My place I love to talk to is middle schoolers. They are a fun time to have a conversation with.
LeighAnn:I got to speak I got invited to speak at SCA, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, at North Middle School in town, and I had a grand old time. I've learned that's my favorite place to be is with the middle schoolers because they're so funny.
T.J.:Yeah. And come up with great questions and imagination that and creativity that I wish we would carry with us forever, but that that time period, it's so strange, you know, you're learning your body, you're learning your mind, you're becoming more aware of your surroundings and the world
LeighAnn:Yes.
T.J.:And the contradictions in the world, and those young voices just call it out for what it is.
LeighAnn:Right now, there's this he's he's a young man. He's in, he's in 8th grade at the middle school, and I subbed for his class one day, and he just came up and was talking to me. And but now we've created a bond, because he found out that I was working at the church, and we've created this bond. And anytime I sub, he makes sure to come and find me. Like, this other day, I subbed this past Friday, and he just made sure to come and find me because he's like, miss Leanne, I feel like you're a friend to me, and I can ask you a question.
LeighAnn:And then he's like, can I tell you something in secret? And I was like, oh, yes. And and it just it it warms my heart to know that he has found somewhere safe that he can go talk to. It those are my favorite relationships to make of, like, they know they can come talk to me. Sometimes they are middle schoolers, and they're because they're still learning about their body and everything.
LeighAnn:And so, like, sometimes I'm like, alright. As I said, we need deodorant, but I tried to, like, stop myself. I'm like, okay. They're talking to you seriously. So that's what I've learned.
LeighAnn:I've loved if, like, they still love you and then you're but you're like, are you sweaty? Don't hug me. I'll talk to you, and I love you from a distance.
T.J.:That's hilarious, Leanne. You're in seminary now. So in in early in in your seminary journey, what's your early impression so far?
LeighAnn:I'm loving every second of it. I'm learning new things every single week of class. I'm lucky I don't have to go to Memphis every single week. I only have to go once a month, so I love that part. I know a lot of people didn't have that luxury of having online classes, so I'm grateful for the chance of being able to not have having to travel as much.
LeighAnn:So I do love that part because I actually get to learn stuff in class and then get to apply it directly to the church. So I'm enjoying that part. I've learned a lot of things I didn't know. I'm keeping my mind opened because I'm like there's some things I'm like, I've never heard that before. And and then there's just things I'm like, well, I didn't get taught that in seminary.
LeighAnn:Me and Michael have a fun thing that he'll come to me. He'll go, you're not taught this in seminary, so just take a note of it. It was fun getting to see that part too of, like, oh, well, okay. I guess I'm not learning this in seminary, so I'll just have to do it, learn how to do it.
T.J.:Well, it it's an educational piece. And I don't know if there's any institution that can prepare an individual for everything that you might encounter in life. You but the same goes for family as well. Family prepares you for adulthood and, life outside the household, But even then, and you're together every day or very, very often, still cannot prepare an individual for everything that they may encounter.
LeighAnn:Sadly, I wish there was just one institution that would do that for me.
T.J.:Just to wrap every wrap everything up. All your questions answered. And it would be in a book or an app that you could just, look at it at any day and time, and you would find your answer.
LeighAnn:I would love it. But then I feel like you'd still be missing something because I'm like, it's something about getting the experience.
T.J.:Mhmm.
LeighAnn:Especially in ministry, it's like something about getting the experience of actually having to do something. Like, it's some it's a totally different feeling. I could sit here all day and read a book in seminary class, but once I apply it is when I finally understand it. Becoming hands on is when I finally understand, okay. This is what what's happening here.
T.J.:And and I believe our approach to higher education also kind of informs, you know, if we're looking at our schooling as a how to, then we will miss opportunities of, for potential growth, you know, where it just becomes a manual of operations. That's not necessarily so, nor does the world work in that way either. So I I think our mindset also influences how we approach just education in general, any type of education. Leanne, you are your title is community life director at the Winchester Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Tennessee. I wanted to ask you, what is an average month like for a community life director in a church?
LeighAnn:I'm either a community life director or congregational life director. It depends on what we're feeling at that day. It's the same thing.
T.J.:Okay. I was about to ask, is there a distinction between the 2?
LeighAnn:There's there's not much of a distinction, but it goes month to month what it looks like. As you know, in ministry, it's it changes every single month. But I get to do a little bit of everything, which I enjoy that part. I get to work with, Dan who's over our youth. I get to work with mister Steve, who's over our children's, and I get to work with Amber and Michael.
LeighAnn:And Amber helps with a lot with our, contemporary service, which is at 9 o'clock. So I get to see, kind of how she works with that. I get to lead bible studies. I have a daytime women bible study that me and Amber both lead. We take alternating weeks, So it's kinda fun getting to see that because there's a time where I'm sitting and listening and being a part of the study in, as like a, how would you not a spec would it be a spectator, would you think?
T.J.:Almost almost like a student because you're a
LeighAnn:nerd too. Student, and there's sometimes where I'm reversed, and I'm the teacher, and so I enjoy that dynamic. I'm kind of able to fill in wherever. I get to preach every so often. I'll be preaching this next Sunday, actually.
LeighAnn:So I'm in the schedule for preaching, and I get to lead worship on Sundays, whether it be in the 9 o'clock and then sometimes in the traditional service. Mostly, I'm in the traditional, and I enjoy that so much. I get I love getting to meet the older people. They're so funny. So I get to do that.
LeighAnn:And then in the summers, I I'm able to easily go to camps. We have camps at the church that we do. We have VBS, so I help lead in those. So I get to do a little as I said, I get to do a little bit of everything, and I get to help start things that I would love to see happen. And, yeah, that's what I that's what a community life director is.
LeighAnn:It's basically an associate, but I'm not ordained yet. So that's what we came up with.
T.J.:Yeah. To use a baseball term, it sounds like you're a utility player. You're able to play in different and various positions in baseball just wherever they can plug you in because of the talent. And it sounds like you're being utilized with your gifts there at Winchester, wherever you can plug in.
LeighAnn:I am in
T.J.:That's a great opportunity.
LeighAnn:Oh, yes. And they're great with schooling, because they help me with I when I'm in school, there's a quarter of my time that's used for just school time. Mhmm. And they're very helpful of working out. If I have to do a night class, like, this past semester, I had a Wednesday night class.
LeighAnn:Who has a Wednesday night class for seminary? I don't know.
T.J.:You do.
LeighAnn:Clearly, at Memphis Theological, they do. They had one class that was on Wednesday nights. So I was able to, like, eat, and then I didn't lead a Wednesday class. So I was able to easily slip away after eating with everyone, get to spend time with everyone to go take that class. So they're very helpful in that, and I learn a lot from every single one of them on the staff and everyone in the church.
LeighAnn:They're great mentors for me. I I wouldn't I I don't know where I would be if I didn't have them.
T.J.:Well, Leanne, you have been part of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church all your life. What do you think some of the greatest gifts and assets there is for being part of this church family, this denomination?
LeighAnn:Being a part of this for my whole entire life, it's great in the sense of that the fact that we're so interconnected with each other. Now there is some that that are not as interconnected, but we're able to help them become interconnected with everyone. I love being able to go when I was on ministry council, going to ministry council and seeing people I already knew because I was like, I don't know how I'm gonna feel about going to hang out with a bunch of older adults that I don't really know. But then I get a welcoming face from, like, Nathan Wheeler. I would see him at the meetings, and I would just feel already bed better being there.
LeighAnn:And we're also loving 3 g. Someone there's, one of my friends from Bethel, because, you know, Bethel is the CP school is and everything. And he's like, well, y'all are like a cult. I said, no. We're not a cult.
LeighAnn:We just love each other so much. We're like a I say, like I told him I said, we're like a big old family. We have our issues. We have our problems with each other. As any family does and any church does, there's gonna be problems that arise.
LeighAnn:But at the end of the day, we still all love each other. At least, I think so. We all love each other.
T.J.:What ideas what dreams do you have for the Cumberland Presbyterian denomination? Where would you like us to be in 10 years' time?
LeighAnn:I know we don't need to stay the same because if you stay the same, you're not growing or changing, with the world. But I would con I would like to see us to continue to grow in helping everyone else become together, and be be able to be like, oh, yeah. I know this person, and I would love to see that. Sometimes I hate that we don't have as many events together, because we all have, like, our own events that we do throughout the year. But then, like, we have CPYC at camp where all the kids can come together.
LeighAnn:And then I say General Assembly is just a grown up CPYC. It just has business meetings instead of playing games and everything. So, in the general assembly, we have that. I like, I wish we had more time to be able to spend together, which well, well so I kind of hate that part where we're not always being able to be together as much.
T.J.:Yeah.
LeighAnn:Because there's some people that don't get to see each other at all. So I'd like to see us continue to grow and add more people to the family, but then also be able to come more together.
T.J.:I like meeting new people. Like, maybe I've seen a name or heard somebody's name that's, you know, in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. And then finally get to meet them. Or maybe I've never met them or heard their name. And then being able to, get acquainted and and learn more about them, you know, and share and interact.
T.J.:Well, and I guess in a way, this podcast sort of does that, you know. It it, sort of feeds that, being able to get an opportunity to sit down with great people like you, Leanne, and and, learn more about you and where you come from, and where god is leading you. I mean, that it's an amazing thing.
LeighAnn:I have enjoyed getting to listen to this podcast because it helped me to meet more people and Mhmm. Or at least get to hear their story. Because sometimes you don't get to meet everyone because it's kinda hard to meet everyone sometimes, especially when you're at an event and there's a bunch of people there.
T.J.:Right. Right. And then if you have responsibilities. Mhmm. You know, as a community life director, who's a utility player, you end up doing all different kinds of things.
T.J.:And so you might just be able to waive, and then you're moving on to the next thing.
LeighAnn:At Winchester, I'm blessed with the fact of our session really helps us too. And, also, the ladies of the church, kind of all the members of the church, they do a really good job of if we're not able to see that someone is new being there, they make sure to tell us and what their name is. There's this lovely lady of the church. Her name is miss Linda, and that's what she does. That's like her I call it her gift that she has that she makes sure and goes out of her way to go meet these new people, writes down their name, first and last name, if they have kids, where they're from, where they're living, if they're from there.
LeighAnn:She's amazing. And this a couple Sundays ago, she was walking around the church with a mom that had a kid, showing her where the nursery was, letting her meet miss Paula, took her upstairs to show her upstairs, took her downstairs, let her see the downstairs, but she was very intentional of, okay, to make you feel comfortable being here, I wanna show you everything so you know where you're going. And so you felt com she felt comfortable leaving her child in the nursery. Miss Linda's a great woman.
T.J.:Nice. So she is the hospitality team at the Winchester Church.
LeighAnn:I guess you could say.
T.J.:That's great. There needs to be more Linda's out there in the world.
LeighAnn:There I always say there's there's some type of miss Linda at every church because there's lovely ladies at the church that that they they they know how to talk to some people.
T.J.:Yeah. They don't meet a stranger.
LeighAnn:Oh, they don't.
T.J.:Well, I know you must be neck deep in books for your seminary coursework, but I like asking every guest when given the chance some books, music, movies in your life that really are speaking or have spoken to your faith that you would recommend for those who are listening?
LeighAnn:So fun facts. I'm really not a book reader. I'm having to push myself to read my books for seminary classes. I just never was a reader. But I'm a big movie person, so I can suggest some some movies.
T.J.:Alright. Go for it.
LeighAnn:I'm a big old movie person. I am a big fan of, I don't even know who does the movies, but I love Fireproof and Courageous. All those movies, those are really good movies. And, there's one movie. I'm a have to look it up.
LeighAnn:So hold on. Can I put a
T.J.:boss here first?
LeighAnn:Okay. I think I found it.
T.J.:Alright.
LeighAnn:Okay. So another movie I have fallen in love with this past year that I just found amazing, and I don't know if you typically see it as a Christian movie, but it gives a lot of insight to the faith. And it's about that, Arkansas player. I can't think of his name. Is it Brandon Burrows?
T.J.:Is that it?
LeighAnn:Oh, yeah. Brandon Burrowsworth from Arkansas, and it's called Greater. If you have not watched it, you need to watch it because he was a great man of faith. And he just always knew that even though no one could see him being going professionally into football, he knew God had bigger plans for him, and he pushed for it and always turned to God in faith. I have a couple quotes on my computer at work from the movie because I was like, that's that's so true.
T.J.:It's pretty cool when you find a movie that is not just enjoyable, but also inspiring as well.
LeighAnn:So I'm a big movie person, but I'm also a big music person. And being at Bethel, we have Tuesday chapel. And so I was introduced to a lot of music. And going to conferences, I was introduced to a lot of music. So I can also suggest some music.
LeighAnn:I love music. I actually have a playlist on my Spotify if anyone ever needs to find it. It's called Jesus Jams. I got my old music. I got my new music.
LeighAnn:I got a little bit of Veggie Tales in there.
T.J.:Alright.
LeighAnn:I have a good old Veggie Tales remix that someone has done, and it's hilarious.
T.J.:And and this is a playlist that you've created?
LeighAnn:Mhmm. I've created it all myself.
T.J.:And so you could actually share that, or we could we could look it up. So what was it called again?
LeighAnn:It's called Jesus Jams.
T.J.:Okay. Alright.
LeighAnn:And it's hilarious. I I it was just so happened that I just finally was like, you know what? I need to separate it out because there's sometimes I just wanna listen to good praise and worship music. When I'm driving, especially my long drives to Memphis. Sometimes you wanna get away from all your other music and just listen to God music because God speaks through music.
LeighAnn:And he speaks through people, and he speaks through movies. He speaks through books. He speaks through everything, really. But some music that I've started listening to, I'm a big fan of is it, Elevation Worship? Love their music.
LeighAnn:My big one right now is here as in heaven. I love the message of it because I think about it, and I'm like, yeah. Yeah. And then I also love in Jesus' name by is it I think it's Katie Nicole. And it's just speaking the name of Jesus over things that are going on in life because there's a lot of things that people don't know about going on people's lives.
LeighAnn:There's things that happen behind closed doors that no one wants they don't like to talk about, So you can at least pray over things that are going on with for them, even though they don't tell you. That kinda helps me to remind me, okay. I need to pray for my friends today. I may not know what they're going through, but I can at least pray for them and hope that that does something for them. And I know it will do something for them.
LeighAnn:I have a lot of music. If I say it wrong, I can tell you my whole playlist. If you just look at my playlist, you can see what kind of seasons I go through, my life of, like, okay. So I need, I needed some down music, something to be able to just ponder over, and then there's music that's really uppity and you wanna jump up and down, listening to that you would sing like Grace Combo. So and then I have a lot of, Tasha Cobbs music.
LeighAnn:I like a Tasha Cobbs fan.
T.J.:Well, Leanne, you have given me some, a movie to check out I haven't seen, and then you've introduced me to some new music that I'll have to check out as well.
LeighAnn:I love movies and music. It's
T.J.:Just not books?
LeighAnn:Just not books. I'm really not a big book fan. I'm not gonna lie. When he gave me something to ponder over for books, I was like, he's gonna be upset to know I don't read books. I only read them, and I have found insight from the books from seminary.
LeighAnn:So that's helped me to do that. But I just I read a lot of books growing up because we had to for school, just to get, like they did the reading logs, and so I just I'm not a books person. If I read a book, it was usually also a movie. So I'd read the book and watch the movie.
T.J.:What if the book was narrated with music in the background and imagery for you to look at?
LeighAnn:I do end up listening to this. I'll pay attention to those.
T.J.:Okay.
LeighAnn:A good old Morgan Freeman moment. Yep. Okay. I'll listen to it. I I remember growing up, there's a page.
LeighAnn:It was like what was it? I don't even know what it's called now. But they would read the book to us. It was these famous people that read read children's books. Mhmm.
LeighAnn:And they would show you the pictures of the book and throughout the whole thing. It was a whole video. And, so that's what I would do for, reading.
T.J.:Alright. So we need to make that happen for all theological books.
LeighAnn:Some of those theological books, I'm like they say things, and I'm like, I'm gonna have to look that up because I don't understand what that word
T.J.:is. Yeah. You have to have a dictionary, a theological dictionary next to the theological book that you're reading.
LeighAnn:We're reading, I'm in Hebrew bible right now, and so we're going from beginning to end going through the books and everything. And, we just got through the Torah and all that. And so she had us read in the first part of the bible where it talks about this person is born of this person, and it and it's this really outlandish name. And I became there's a TikTok that I've watched that, when you're reading the bible in the old testament and there's a name and you just it's like is born of this blah blah blah. And so I saw myself doing that because I was like, I hope she doesn't ask us who is the son of blah blah blah.
LeighAnn:Right. Because I'm like, I don't know any of these names really well.
T.J.:And and there's no face to go with the name. So there's no visual. So not only is it about pronunciation, there's no face, there's no connection that we might get with, you know, being in the presence, either seeing them or hearing them speak.
LeighAnn:We were talking in our bible study, I think it was a couple Wednesdays ago, and talking about it's just like we watched, like, The Chosen, and some of them do. I hadn't watched it yet. And they were just talking about how they're depicted in the thing, if that's actually their true picture of what they would look like. And I was like, you know, it's gonna be really cool if in heaven they the actual person meets who played them in The Chosen and be like, you actually didn't depict me right, or you did you did the perfect job of how I looked. Because, like, it's like a I don't know.
LeighAnn:It's like that moment. They meet together in heaven. I'm like, that'll be interesting to
T.J.:see. You don't wanna be a part of it, but you want to observe the conversation. Okay. I get it. Well, Leanne, thank you for giving me, part of your day to share your faith journey and getting to know you better.
T.J.:I know I've been saying that from time to time with each guest, but it's true. There's something to be said for being able to carve out time for another human being and and we just talk. You know, we talk about our faith and, that's inspiring and encouraging in a world that needs both inspiration and encouragement.
LeighAnn:I think there's I I love the CP church because we can sit and talk for hours. I love it. I love having conversations with people, and I I love seeing their, like, face light up when someone hasn't came to see them in a while, and they love to get to see them. Mhmm. There's, there's one lady I love to go visit at the church because it just makes my day.
LeighAnn:Every time I go see her, sometimes they're in there in the kitchen working and doing stuff, and then sometimes we're just sitting there talking. I love every second of it, and they're she's so funny. She's a little bit older, and and it's just something that presence. But also there's a presence of when you're talking to a little kid. It also makes my day too, especially when I get to pick on them.
LeighAnn:I love picking on the little kids, but nothing too mean. I'm just, like, picking on them, just being like, what are y'all doing? And they when they run up to me and say, miss Leanne, it's so good to see you, especially when I'm subbing in the schools. It's just something that presents of I make their day, but they also made my day when they came and ran up to me. I don't know.
T.J.:Yeah. I I think everybody has their own essence. And when you're intentional of really getting to know another person, you're drawn to it, you know. You want to to hear them tell a joke or tell a story or just be in their area because you've had you've shared previous experiences with them or other encounters or you want to try to create those, create a friendship or relationship. And I think the Christian community does that really, really well.
T.J.:We really do in our in our best moments. In spite of our worst moments, I think those are some of the gifts that we have to offer the rest of the world.
LeighAnn:I remember when, everything had happened on that Sunday of my dad's passing, the church it was on a Sunday, so it was kinda hard to be like, okay. So what are they gonna do at church? So what they did instead was that they came together for a time of prayer and being there together because that's what they needed. And so that just to me, it shows what the Christian faith can be like and is like, Not can be like, it is like that we love on each other when things happen. And when everyone came together to a funeral.
LeighAnn:I love seeing that. It's always a sad moment, but it's just like, we can come together when things happen and love on each other because that's what people need. People need loves.
T.J.:Yeah. We do. I do. You do. Everyone does.
LeighAnn:Sometimes it's just a good old hug can make your day better.
T.J.:Yep. That's very true.
LeighAnn:And it's fun to be in a relationship because my boyfriend, well, now fiance, he didn't grow up in that type of church. He grew up in a very small church that it wasn't really connected or anything to any things anything else. And he's like, it's kinda cool to see us put this wedding together, and you have so many people to come. I was like, these people also love you because of what you've done for me, and, they just love you because they don't know you yet. They wanna get to know you.
LeighAnn:That's how the CP world works. We don't know you yet, but we already love you.
T.J.:Yeah. Yeah. But he's already learning that, you know, if you're not prepared, that can be overwhelming at first.
LeighAnn:He when he saw dad's, when we got to the church, I told him I said, this church is already full. Goshen's not that big of a church. I was like, it's already full with the presence of people that can't be there. They've already told us that they can't be there because there was something already happening. I was like, it's already full right now.
LeighAnn:And I was like, just wait. And he even had to step out at one moment because he's like, I need a second. I was like, okay. You can go step outside. That's fine.
LeighAnn:Because it can be overwhelming
T.J.:Yeah.
LeighAnn:Getting to meet everyone and also try to remember names.
T.J.:How has it been to both receive healing and loss and yet still be in a role and in a vocation where you must offer healing? How do you deal with that balance?
LeighAnn:I think I'm still learning how to deal with it. But it's like knowing when I need a second. Knowing like, I know in myself when I need to step away and I need to take a second because there's something going on that I'm not gonna be able to help someone. I'm like, okay. I'm dealing with something in myself, grieving wise, that I need to step away and maybe go for a walk or, instead go do something else, especially at camp.
LeighAnn:I've had to learn that because a camp was a place that me and my dad had a great we had a great time all the time there, and I have a lot of memories there. So I have to learn when I need to step back because I get to like, I'll get emotional, and I'm like, okay. I don't need to be around the kids right now because I need a second, and I need to catch my breath and kinda center myself. So that I I'm still learning how to deal with that because there's still sometimes I get really angry, and I'm not given the best care. So I just I guess learning how to okay.
LeighAnn:I don't need to be talking to you right now because I can't really help you at this moment. So I'm gonna step away. I'll be right back.
T.J.:I'm still learning too, LeighAnn. I don't know if that's any consolation. But, yeah, learning limitations and and what helps, rejuvenate, you know, clear the head. And sometimes removal you know, removing myself from circumstance or situation or the context and, gives me a different perspective. It allows me to ask questions of myself or of of the context where I can go back with a clear head.
T.J.:And and maybe actually, receive both healing and offer it, you know. Mhmm. We keep talking about relationships. Relationships are this give and take. You can't just always take nor can you always just keep giving.
LeighAnn:Mhmm. Gotta find a nice balance. Sometimes we talked about it in a lot of my classes at Bethel. Like, people always say that relationships are 5050. No.
LeighAnn:Sometimes it's not always 5050. Sometimes you're giving everything because that's what they need at that time. And then sometimes they're giving everything because that's what you need at that time. And then sometimes it is balanced, and then sometimes it's like 80 20. It's an ever moving scale in a relationship.
LeighAnn:Any type of friendship, actual intimate relationship, anything like that. It's it's a lot of I'm gonna give you a lot, and then you're not gonna give me anything back. And then there's sometimes where it's reversed.
T.J.:Yeah. Or why ascribe numbers to a relationship when we could use descriptive words
LeighAnn:Mhmm. Of what that relationship
T.J.:what we can offer and what we can receive. That would change the perspective on the relationship away from numbers and more about attributes and gifts. I don't know. Just a thought.
LeighAnn:I like that thought though.
T.J.:It would probably be the only one that I have of the week, but there it is. Leanne, thank you.
LeighAnn:Well, thank you for having me. Yeah. Thank you.
T.J.:Yeah. Thank you for opening up and fielding my questions and, your laughter. It's been good.
LeighAnn:I tell my friends, I'm a great old time if you finally break my wall down. I may be very silent, especially, like, when I first get to a place because I'm like, I don't know about this. But once you get me going, I get I get I get there.
T.J.:Thank you for listening to this episode of Cumberland Road. Please share this podcast with your friends, your family, those you work with, those you go to worship with. Cumberland Road now has transcripts. So you can go to the Cumberland Road website and see some transcripts there. And with the most recent update on Apple Podcasts, you can find transcripts for each episode. In closing, I leave you with these words from the directory of worship of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. These words are a blessing shared with those who make a public profession of faith. Be filled with the spirit of Christ. Live a life worthy of the gospel with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the spirit in the body of peace. Be an imitator of Christ. Walk in love. Thanks for listening.
