2024 Clergy Gathering
At our Gathering this year, we will explore the transformative power of creativity, and be invited to harness our imaginations as a beacon of hope and wisdom amidst the chaos of modern life. Cultivating Holy Imagination in a Chaotic World is a reflective journey, offering solace and inspiration for navigating unfamiliar terrain with faith and resilience. After experiencing trauma, how do we see our way forward? What language do we have to express and acknowledge the current reality and speak hope into people’s lives, the community, and the world?
We are excited to welcome back the Rev. Dr. Kimberly Wagner, Assistant Professor of Preaching at Princeton Theological Seminary, as our guest speaker for the 2024 Clergy Gathering to lead us in our time together.
The Rev. Canon Greg Foraker, Canon for Formation and Pastoral Care is available to speak more about this gathering for anyone who has questions. Anyone needing financial assistance to participate in this yearโs gathering should contact Greg at 720.677.9010 or by email at Greg@EpiscopalColorado.org. We want everyone to feel welcome and able to attend. Our staff is working to create opportunities for you to connect in meaningful ways through these days together.
Reminder: For our common life, it is the expectation that all active priests in the diocese will be present. If you need to be excused from participating, please contact Bishop Kym directly. ย For active deacons, because of your commitment to the annual diaconal retreat, your participation is optional. Retired clergy are welcome to attend and participate as fully as they would like.
Our Speaker: The Rev. Dr. Kimberly Wagner
The Rev. Dr. Kimberly Wagner serves as the Assistant Professor of Preaching at Princeton Theological Seminary. She received a B.S. in Secondary Life Science Education from Miami University (OH), a M.Div. from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, and her Ph.D. from the Graduate Division of Religion at Emory University. Though she has served among the Lutherans and was educated among United Methodists, Dr. Wagner is ordained as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Previous experience on the pastoral staff of a PCUSA congregation in Virginia helps fuel and inform her present scholarship and teaching. She is passionate about supporting studentsโ formation and helping clergy and communities navigate the realities of an ever-changing world and church. Her current writing and work focus on preaching and ministry in the midst and wake of trauma, particularly thinking about collective trauma, the role of the preacher, and the resources of our Scriptures and faith to respond to these moments. Dr. Wagnerโs book, Fractured Ground: Preaching in the Wake of Mass Trauma (Westminster John Knox Press, 2023), offers guidance for preaching in the aftermath of communal trauma, including mass violence, natural disasters, and public health crises.
Cultivating Holy Imagination in a Chaotic World
The following are the PowerPoint presentations used by The Rev. Dr. Kimberly Wagner during the general sessions at the 2024 Clergy Gathering;
Session #1 – Taking in the View: Seeking Flourishing in this Chaotic Landscape
Session #2 – Finding Our Location: ย Orienting Ourselves towards Holy Imagination
Session #3 – Mapping the Journey: ย Employing Holy Imagination in this Chaotic Landscapeย
Spiritual Direction
Spiritual Direction offers a graced opportunity to reflect on your life, your ministry, and your vocation in the presence of a compassionate companion. The Rev. Michelle Danson, The Rev. Christy Shain Hendricks, Kaudie McLean, and The Rev. Bonnie Spencer will offer individual, confidential half-hour spiritual direction sessions by appointment at no cost on Tuesday, April 30. To learn more about the spiritual directors and to see their availability and how to schedule your session, click the link below. For other questions about connecting with our spiritual directors, contact Tracy Methe, Missioner for Baptismal Living during the course of our gathering by email at tracy@episcopalcolorado.org.