[Gathering — Press Release] Snowcapped mountains formed the background this week in Colorado when 87 Generation X and Millenial clergy met to explore a hopeful vision for the Episcopal Church. Participants came from all over the country from a variety of contexts for ministry. There was no agenda beyond the intention to build relationship by listening carefully for the values that motivate their ministry.

The conference was peer led, facilitated primarily by The Rev. Jered Weber Johnson (Age 33) of St. John the Evangelist, Saint Paul, MN and The Rev. Emily Wachner (Age 30) of Trinity, Wall Street. Wachner said, “Jared brought skills in public narrative and I brought the techniques of Change Technology because we felt that as a church we spend a lot of time trying to change things, but if we couldn’t get down to the values and fears that motivate us, real change would never happen”.

Five values emerged through small group conversation around which the conference coalesced: freedom from fear, community rooted in Jesus, fidelity even in brokenness, transformation rooted in the Gospel, and a witness confronting culture. Given these values, the group articulated a commitment to witnessing Jesus Christ in a broken and sinful world.

All participants were priests of the Episcopal Church, including 3 bishops. 21 were 35 years or younger.  Clergy came from Alaska to Florida, California to Maine, and many places in between.  Ross Kane (Age 33), Assistant to the Rector at St. Paul’s, Alexandria Virginia said, “Sometimes I feel that the church I felt called to isn’t the church I work in, but this conference opened me to reimagine a church centered around the transforming love of Jesus, and cares more about the renewal of the world than preserving institutions.”

Paige Blair (Age 42), Rector of St. Peter’s, Del Mar, California said,  “I will take away a keen awareness of God’s presence and the Spirit working through the people gathered here. I have renewed courage to follow God’s call, wherever that might lead, and this experience of the divine will stay with me long after I leave this place.”

The conference was funded in part by a grant from Trinity, Wall Street. Plans are being made for a subsequent gathering.