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An upcoming conference will invite participants to reimagine the role of the church in addressing current social challenges. The “Prophetically Reimagining the Church Conference” is scheduled for September 19-20 and will be held both online and in Denver, Colorado.
The event is sponsored by the United Church of Christ’s Faith Education, Innovation and Formation (Faith INFO) team and the UCC Rocky Mountain Conference. Several staff members from Faith INFO are set to present workshops. The Juniper Formation, a faith community affiliated with the United Church of Christ and part of its CASA program, will host the conference.
According to organizers, the conference aims to strengthen efforts to protect vulnerable communities within congregations, across different faith traditions, and alongside broader justice movements during what they describe as a period marked by “rising fascism, white supremacy, and Christian Nationalism.”
“I feel more now than ever that our Faith INFO team is ready to resource the local church and help them also in these times of change and such flux of stability or instability,” said the Rev. ellie hutchison, who serves as the UCC minister for congregational and community engagement.
Faith INFO leaders have emphasized their commitment to supporting churches facing various challenges. “Faith INFO leaders are out trying to resource churches in multiple ways whether it be holding conferences like this, or meeting with Conference and Association leaders, or meeting with individual pastors of churches – we’re trying to resource the local church in multiple ways,” hutchison said.
Conference sessions will include topics such as transgender inclusion in faith spaces presented by Rev. Carmarion D. Anderson-Harvey; navigating political differences in preaching led by Rev. Cheryl A. Lindsay; and an exploration by hutchison together with Rev. Zaria Davis on how carceral buildings impact communities both physically and spiritually.
Rev. Wil Gafney, a biblical scholar and Episcopal priest, will deliver the keynote address focusing on building capacity for teaching and preaching.
Registration for online participation is currently open through ucc.org.
