Social Justice Task Force of Grace Presbytery presents a hybrid event based on the book, The Accommodation. Jim Schutze, and Rev. Virzola Law will be panelists, moderated by Rev. Chris Lee, General Presbyter.

September 28, 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Hybrid Event
Northpark Presbyterian Church
9555 N Central Expy, Dallas, TX 75225

This book is a powerful, long-repressed classic of Dallas history that examines the violent and suppressed history of race and racism in the city. Written by longtime Dallas political journalist Jim Schutze, formerly of the Dallas Times Herald and Dallas Observer, and currently columnist at D Magazine. The Accommodation follows the story of Dallas from slavery through the Civil Rights Movement, and the city’s desegregation efforts in the 1950s and ‘60s.

Known for being an uninhibited and honest account of the city’s institutional and structural racism, Schutze’s book argues that Dallas’ desegregation period came at a great cost to Black leaders in the city. Now, after decades out of print and hand-circulated underground, Schutze’s book serves as a reminder of what an American city will do to protect the white status quo.

We encourage you to read the book for greater depth and understanding of our history of racism and share this event in your congregation to attend. Start reading now and join us September 28!

Click here to register for the Accommodation discussion.

Tuesdays, October 10 and October 17, 2023
6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Online Event Via Zoom
Sponsored by the Committee on Representation
with Dr. Devan Stahl

Session 1: Understanding the Landscape of Disability and Ministry
This session will discuss the current landscape of disability ministries across the US, including best practices and the work that remains. Attendees will be encouraged to evaluate how their own churches welcome people with disabilities in their congregations as well as within positions of leadership. We will compare our own church practices with the vision cast for our denomination (Living into the Body of Christ: Full Inclusion of People with Disabilities).

Session 2: Practices of Inclusion and Belonging
This session will discuss ways to move forward in welcoming people with disabilities in our congregations. Attendees will consider how to incorporate best practices concerning language, space, technology, service and fellowship.

Dr. Devan Stahl is an Associate Professor of Religion in the Department of Religion at Baylor University. She specializes in disability theology and theological bioethics. She received her Ph.D. in Health Care Ethics from St. Louis University and her M.Div. from Vanderbilt University. Dr. Stahl has experience teaching bioethics and disability ethics to undergraduate and graduate students in religion as well as medical and nursing students. She also trained as a hospital chaplain and works as a clinical ethicist consultant. Her latest book, Disability’s Challenge to Theology: Genes, Eugenics, and the Metaphysics of Modern Medicine (Notre Dame Press) develops a Christian response to genetic technologies using the insights of disability scholars. Devan is an inquirer for ministry in the presbytery of Middle Tennessee and regularly attends First Presbyterian Church of Waco.

Click here to register for the event.

Tuesdays, October 10 and October 17, 2023
6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Online Event Via Zoom
Sponsored by the Committee on Representation
with Dr. Devan Stahl

Session 1: Understanding the Landscape of Disability and Ministry
This session will discuss the current landscape of disability ministries across the US, including best practices and the work that remains. Attendees will be encouraged to evaluate how their own churches welcome people with disabilities in their congregations as well as within positions of leadership. We will compare our own church practices with the vision cast for our denomination (Living into the Body of Christ: Full Inclusion of People with Disabilities).

Session 2: Practices of Inclusion and Belonging
This session will discuss ways to move forward in welcoming people with disabilities in our congregations. Attendees will consider how to incorporate best practices concerning language, space, technology, service and fellowship.

Dr. Devan Stahl is an Associate Professor of Religion in the Department of Religion at Baylor University. She specializes in disability theology and theological bioethics. She received her Ph.D. in Health Care Ethics from St. Louis University and her M.Div. from Vanderbilt University. Dr. Stahl has experience teaching bioethics and disability ethics to undergraduate and graduate students in religion as well as medical and nursing students. She also trained as a hospital chaplain and works as a clinical ethicist consultant. Her latest book, Disability’s Challenge to Theology: Genes, Eugenics, and the Metaphysics of Modern Medicine (Notre Dame Press) develops a Christian response to genetic technologies using the insights of disability scholars. Devan is an inquirer for ministry in the presbytery of Middle Tennessee and regularly attends First Presbyterian Church of Waco.

Click here to register for the event.

What is a pilgrimage weekend?

During the three days of a pilgrimage weekend, participants form a small Christian community. They worship, study and share with one another while gaining a personal awareness of their faith and the joys and responsibilities that are a result of that faith.

The purpose of Pilgrimage is for the participants to discover a new and exciting relationship with Christ and to encourage them to take this new-found relationship back to their home. It challenges and equips each local church member for Christian action in their local church, in their home, in their place of work and in their community.

What should I expect?

Pilgrimage is a three day weekend that lasts a lifetime!

The three-day weekend is a purposefully-designed method for renewing the faith of individuals. Activities throughout the weekend provide opportunities for participants to discover a new and exciting relationship with Christ. ​

Enjoy discipleship, fellowship, music, small group discussions and joyful experiences shared with Christian brothers and sisters.

If you feel called to enrich your faith, or to take the next step in your relationship with Christ, sign up to attend a pilgrimage weekend!

Upcoming pilgrimage weekends:

October 19 – 22, 2023 at Camp Gilmont

More Information | Register Here

A new ministry cohort of Grace Presbytery that seeks to coordinate, facilitate, and connect leaders in the creation care community.

Leaders: Bryan Smith, Seminary of the Wild
Miatta Wilson, Mission Associate for Christian Formation, PC(USA)
Clay Brantley, Parish Associate, Trinity Presbyterian Church, McKinney
Lil Smith, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University

REGISTER HERE

Reconnect with Creation – a cohort focused on our relationship with the earth

Are you yearning to reconnect with creation?

Do you sense a need to dig in the dirt?

Is nature a window into your relationship with God?

Perhaps it is time to take a walk in the wild and join the new Creation Care ministry cohort of Grace Presbytery that seeks to coordinate, facilitate and reconnect leaders in the creation care community. The rhythm of the cohort invites new discovery of “wild spirituality” for individuals, small groups, and congregations. There will be extensive “time on the land/in the wild” to digest these new discoveries. And, we will work together on a PDA project to put our discoveries into action.

As the plenary speaker, Bryan Smith, co-creator of Seminary of the Wild, will help us awaken to, and deepen into, our union with the natural world. His gentle invitations will guide our time on the land, as well.

Sarah Werner will be leading the Tuesday breakout session to share her experience leading a Wild Church. She will also be sharing spiritual practices from her upcoming book release: Rooted Faith: Practices for Living Well on a Fragile Planet. Sarah grew up in Grace Presbytery. We look forward to catching up and learning from her wild adventures.

The Wednesday breakout session will focus on Earth Care Congregations. You may already be in one or you may be interested in becoming one. Both topics will be addressed.

Dates: Monday, October 30th (4 pm check in) – Thursday, November 2nd (Depart after lunch)

Cost: $300 per person – However, the first 15 registrants pay only $100; remaining program costs underwritten by Congregations Support Committee grants and Grace Presbytery.

Breakout Topics

Earth Care Congregations (new and reconnecting)

Seminary of the Wild

Tentative Schedule: (Locations are weather permitting and subject to change)

Monday, October 30

4 pm Check in begins
6 pm Dinner
7 pm Opening Remarks, Music, Worship – Crane

Introductions
Cohort, Leaders, Speakers, Sacred Spaces

Tuesday, October 31

7:30 am Prayer at Lake Kilgore
8 am Breakfast
9 am Prayer and Music
9:30 am Plenary with Bryan Smith (via Zoom) – Crane
11 am Worship in the Wild
12 pm Lunch
1 pm Sarah Werner shares her journey with the wild and her new book
Rooted Faith: Practices for Living Well on a Fragile Planet. – Crane
3 pm Breakout Session – Earth Care Congregations (new and reconnecting) – Crane
5 pm Circle up at Sarah’s Spot for an afternoon check-in
6 pm Dinner
7pm Campfire and Connection

Wednesday, November 1

7:30 am Prayer at Open Air Tabernacle – walk the labyrinth
8 am Breakfast
9 am Prayer and Music
9:30 am Plenary #2 with Bryan Smith
11 am Worship in the Wild
12 pm Lunch
1 pm Breakout Session with Bryan Smith – Seminary of the Wild
3 pm PDA Project
5 pm Circle up at Chapel in the Sky for an afternoon check-in.
6 pm Dinner
7 pm Campfire and Connection

Thursday, November 2

8 am Breakfast
9 am Closing Remarks and Worship in the Wild – Lake Kilgore
12 pm Lunch and Depart

Bryan Smith
Seminary of the Wild

Bryan is truly passionate about working with people who yearn to take an inner, transformative journey into the realms of psyche, spirit, and soul so that they might discover what calling and genius the world needs from them in a time such as this. A central component of his work involves helping others to awaken to, and deepen into, their union with the natural world.

To this end, Bryan co-created Seminary of the Wild which has evolved into the Center for Wild Spirituality, where he serves as a guide. He is also an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church USA, an International Coaching Federation credentialed life coach, an Animas Valley Institute certified nature-based human development guide, a certified spiritual director, retreat leader, and an anti-racism trainer.

In preparation for the Creation Care Cohort, participants may wish to read Victoria Lourd’s book: Church of the Wild: How Nature Invites Us into the Sacred.

From Amazon

There will be opportunities to sign up for a compassionate listening session with Clay Brantley or Lil Smith

From the Back Cover

Editorial Reviews for Sarah Werner’s new book to be released in late September 2023

There is hope yet that we may embrace the call to live differently on this fragile planet.

As temperatures rise and natural disasters wreak devastation and precious species die off one by one, we know we must change how we live in the world. But how? What would it look like if we took seriously the biblical charge to live more peacefully and gently on our fragile planet, if we understood ourselves as neighbors in a community of creation? Rooted Faith explores the future of the church called to live differently–one of reinhabiting our particular landscapes and confronting the assumptions of consumer culture head-on through our lives and actions.

Drawing on Scripture, Christian history, and practical theology, author Sarah Werner invites readers into a new way of seeing ourselves in relationship with the rest of creation, offering tangible practices for opening up our hearts to both the beauty and tragedy around us and guiding us toward meaningful action to restore creation. There has never been a more crucial moment to reclaim this overlooked aspect of our faith as we seek to live differently–live well–on this fragile planet.

About the Author

Sarah Renee Werner is communications coordinator for Central District Conference of Mennonite Church USA and pastor of Olentangy Wild Church. She is also a professor of ecotheology with PATHWAYS, an online theological education program affiliated with the United Church of Christ, and lead course reviewer for the Environmental Justice Certificate Program, helping to develop a series of courses to help pastors, laypeople, and theology students confront environmental injustice in their local communities. She has served as guest editor for an environment-themed issue of Anabaptist Witness, and has written several articles for the journal, a publication of the Mennonite Mission Network, as well as for the Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture, the Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, and others.

A new ministry cohort of Grace Presbytery that seeks to coordinate, facilitate, and connect leaders in the creation care community.

Leaders: Bryan Smith, Seminary of the Wild
Miatta Wilson, Mission Associate for Christian Formation, PC(USA)
Clay Brantley, Parish Associate, Trinity Presbyterian Church, McKinney
Lil Smith, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University

REGISTER HERE

Reconnect with Creation – a cohort focused on our relationship with the earth

Are you yearning to reconnect with creation?

Do you sense a need to dig in the dirt?

Is nature a window into your relationship with God?

Perhaps it is time to take a walk in the wild and join the new Creation Care ministry cohort of Grace Presbytery that seeks to coordinate, facilitate and reconnect leaders in the creation care community. The rhythm of the cohort invites new discovery of “wild spirituality” for individuals, small groups, and congregations. There will be extensive “time on the land/in the wild” to digest these new discoveries. And, we will work together on a PDA project to put our discoveries into action.

As the plenary speaker, Bryan Smith, co-creator of Seminary of the Wild, will help us awaken to, and deepen into, our union with the natural world. His gentle invitations will guide our time on the land, as well.

Sarah Werner will be leading the Tuesday breakout session to share her experience leading a Wild Church. She will also be sharing spiritual practices from her upcoming book release: Rooted Faith: Practices for Living Well on a Fragile Planet. Sarah grew up in Grace Presbytery. We look forward to catching up and learning from her wild adventures.

The Wednesday breakout session will focus on Earth Care Congregations. You may already be in one or you may be interested in becoming one. Both topics will be addressed.

Dates: Monday, October 30th (4 pm check in) – Thursday, November 2nd (Depart after lunch)

Cost: $300 per person – However, the first 15 registrants pay only $100; remaining program costs underwritten by Congregations Support Committee grants and Grace Presbytery.

Breakout Topics

Earth Care Congregations (new and reconnecting)

Seminary of the Wild

Tentative Schedule: (Locations are weather permitting and subject to change)

Monday, October 30

4 pm Check in begins
6 pm Dinner
7 pm Opening Remarks, Music, Worship – Crane

Introductions
Cohort, Leaders, Speakers, Sacred Spaces

Tuesday, October 31

7:30 am Prayer at Lake Kilgore
8 am Breakfast
9 am Prayer and Music
9:30 am Plenary with Bryan Smith (via Zoom) – Crane
11 am Worship in the Wild
12 pm Lunch
1 pm Sarah Werner shares her journey with the wild and her new book
Rooted Faith: Practices for Living Well on a Fragile Planet. – Crane
3 pm Breakout Session – Earth Care Congregations (new and reconnecting) – Crane
5 pm Circle up at Sarah’s Spot for an afternoon check-in
6 pm Dinner
7pm Campfire and Connection

Wednesday, November 1

7:30 am Prayer at Open Air Tabernacle – walk the labyrinth
8 am Breakfast
9 am Prayer and Music
9:30 am Plenary #2 with Bryan Smith
11 am Worship in the Wild
12 pm Lunch
1 pm Breakout Session with Bryan Smith – Seminary of the Wild
3 pm PDA Project
5 pm Circle up at Chapel in the Sky for an afternoon check-in.
6 pm Dinner
7 pm Campfire and Connection

Thursday, November 2

8 am Breakfast
9 am Closing Remarks and Worship in the Wild – Lake Kilgore
12 pm Lunch and Depart

Bryan Smith
Seminary of the Wild

Bryan is truly passionate about working with people who yearn to take an inner, transformative journey into the realms of psyche, spirit, and soul so that they might discover what calling and genius the world needs from them in a time such as this. A central component of his work involves helping others to awaken to, and deepen into, their union with the natural world.

To this end, Bryan co-created Seminary of the Wild which has evolved into the Center for Wild Spirituality, where he serves as a guide. He is also an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church USA, an International Coaching Federation credentialed life coach, an Animas Valley Institute certified nature-based human development guide, a certified spiritual director, retreat leader, and an anti-racism trainer.

In preparation for the Creation Care Cohort, participants may wish to read Victoria Lourd’s book: Church of the Wild: How Nature Invites Us into the Sacred.

From Amazon

There will be opportunities to sign up for a compassionate listening session with Clay Brantley or Lil Smith

From the Back Cover

Editorial Reviews for Sarah Werner’s new book to be released in late September 2023

There is hope yet that we may embrace the call to live differently on this fragile planet.

As temperatures rise and natural disasters wreak devastation and precious species die off one by one, we know we must change how we live in the world. But how? What would it look like if we took seriously the biblical charge to live more peacefully and gently on our fragile planet, if we understood ourselves as neighbors in a community of creation? Rooted Faith explores the future of the church called to live differently–one of reinhabiting our particular landscapes and confronting the assumptions of consumer culture head-on through our lives and actions.

Drawing on Scripture, Christian history, and practical theology, author Sarah Werner invites readers into a new way of seeing ourselves in relationship with the rest of creation, offering tangible practices for opening up our hearts to both the beauty and tragedy around us and guiding us toward meaningful action to restore creation. There has never been a more crucial moment to reclaim this overlooked aspect of our faith as we seek to live differently–live well–on this fragile planet.

About the Author

Sarah Renee Werner is communications coordinator for Central District Conference of Mennonite Church USA and pastor of Olentangy Wild Church. She is also a professor of ecotheology with PATHWAYS, an online theological education program affiliated with the United Church of Christ, and lead course reviewer for the Environmental Justice Certificate Program, helping to develop a series of courses to help pastors, laypeople, and theology students confront environmental injustice in their local communities. She has served as guest editor for an environment-themed issue of Anabaptist Witness, and has written several articles for the journal, a publication of the Mennonite Mission Network, as well as for the Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture, the Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, and others.

November 3 – 5, 2023
In Person Event
Gilmont Camp & Conference Center
6075 State Hwy 155, Gilmer, TX 75644

Click here to register for the event.

Grace Presbytery will operate with minimal staff during the week of Thanksgiving: Monday, November 20th – Friday, November 25th, due to the official holiday and personal vacation days.

Most staff members will check email at least once a day, even when using vacation time, so please consider using email to reach staff members during the days listed above. For a comprehensive listing, visit our online staff listing.

We hope everyone enjoys a wonderful Thanksgiving break!

Regular office hours resume Monday, November 27th.

Grace Presbytery operates with minimal staff the final two weeks of the year, beginning Monday, December 18th – Friday, December 29th.

This is due to a combination of recognized holidays and staff members’ elected vacation days/PTO.

The office will also be closed Monday, January 1, 2024.

Many staff members check email at least once a day, even when using vacation time, so please consider using email to reach staff members during the days listed above. For a comprehensive listing, visit our online staff listing.

Regular office hours resume Tuesday, January 2, 2024.

Are you curious about what it means to widen our welcome as a denomination and as individual congregations? Do you have questions about best practices or where to even start? This cohort is meant to be a space for curiosity and learning together. We hope you’ll join us! Please note that this Cohort has been rescheduled to February 19-21, 2024 and there are spaces and scholarships still available!

A new ministry cohort of Grace Presbytery that seeks to widen the church’s welcome of LGBTQ+ people in our presbytery, congregations, ministries, communities, and individual lives.

Leaders: Pepa Paniagua and Brian Ellison

Dates: February 19 – 21
Location: Gilmont Camp & Conference Center

Cost: First 15 participants pay just $100; remaining program costs underwritten by Congregational Support Committee grants and Grace Presbytery

Online Registration | Camp Gilmont Website | Questions?

For a directory of virtual (online) worship opportunities, we invite you to visit our list of Grace Presbytery congregations that currently livestream church services.

Hymn to the Life-Giving Cross

O Christ our God,
Ceaselessly we bow
Before your cross
That gives us life;
And glorify your Resurrection,
Most powerful Lord,
When on that third day
You made anew
The failing nature of mankind,
Showing us revealed
the path to heaven above;
For you alone are good,
The Lover of the Human Race.

St. John Damascene, 8th Century, Prayer Book of the Early Christians

KidQuake weekends are a little like summer camp and a precursor to Youth Connection.

Kindergarten – 6th grade children are invited to attend. Participants enjoy outdoor activities, small group Bible studies, mission projects, and old and new friends.

Churches must send sponsors with children and children must come with a church; however, the sponsors will not be responsible for programming at the event. The sponsors concentrate on participation and supervising their group.

Past and future youth camp counselors provide the programming along with Austin College ACtivators and other presbytery leaders. A team of Grace Presbytery educators plan the event.

Registration cost per child includes housing, meals, all programs and a t-shirt.

Look for additional information and a registration packet in late fall!

KidQuake weekends are a little like summer camp and a precursor to Youth Connection.

Kindergarten – 6th grade children are invited to attend. Participants enjoy outdoor activities, small group Bible studies, mission projects, and old and new friends.

Churches must send sponsors with children and children must come with a church; however, the sponsors will not be responsible for programming at the event. The sponsors concentrate on participation and supervising their group.

Past and future youth camp counselors provide the programming along with Austin College ACtivators and other presbytery leaders. A team of Grace Presbytery educators plan the event.

Registration cost per child includes housing, meals, all programs and a t-shirt.

Look for additional information and a registration packet in late fall!

KidQuake weekends are a little like summer camp and a precursor to Youth Connection.

Kindergarten – 6th grade children are invited to attend. Participants enjoy outdoor activities, small group Bible studies, mission projects, and old and new friends.

Churches must send sponsors with children and children must come with a church; however, the sponsors will not be responsible for programming at the event. The sponsors concentrate on participation and supervising their group.

Past and future youth camp counselors provide the programming along with Austin College ACtivators and other presbytery leaders. A team of Grace Presbytery educators plan the event.

Registration cost per child includes housing, meals, all programs and a t-shirt.

Look for additional information and a registration packet in late fall!