Preacher and Speakers for Wednesday, January 23, 2013:

The Rev. Kelli Driscoll

Pastor, Bethany Christian Church

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Josh Linton

Youth Minister for the Skiatook Church of Christ

Skiatook, Oklahoma 

As a “progressive” youth leader in a church dominated by fundamentalism, Josh has engaged and practiced creative ways to bring these two fundamentally different perspectives into healthy conversation within the youth group.

The Rev. Mary Hughes Gaudreau

Consultant with US Disaster Response Office of the United Methodist Committee on Relief 

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Held together by a common goal to protect vulnerable disaster survivors and a deep commitment to respectful conversation, 50 highly diverse, non-profit and faith-based disaster response organizations within National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, found a way through divisive religious issues to develop national standards in disaster spiritual care.

Kacie Starr Triplett

Alderwoman, 6th Ward

St. Louis, Missouri

The conversation surrounding faith and politics in our country has been hijacked by a noisy minority of Christian leaders who have engaged in politically divisive and inflammatory tactics, leading to the marginalization of the faith community. This presentation will share ideas and experiences on how to build coalitions, mobilize grassroots organizations, and develop relationships across diverse backgrounds using your God-given talents and spiritual gifts.

Executive Director of the Wisconsin Council of Churches

Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

In his book, Healing the Heart of Democracy: The Courage to Create a Politics Worthy of the Human Spirit, Palmer Parker sees a valuable role for faith communities in renewing our civic life. The Season of Civility organized by the Wisconsin Council of Churches is using Palmer’s book and small groups to address differences, and to help Wisconsin’s religious community take the lead in modeling a more faithful and life-giving manner of civil discourse. 

Preacher and Speakers for Thursday, January 24, 2013:

Dean of the College and Associate Professor of Theology, Barrytown College;

Senior Pastor, The First Baptist Church of Boston, Massachusetts;

American Baptist Chaplain to Harvard University

Assistant Professor of Peace, Justice and Conflict Studies, Goshen College

Goshen, Indiana

People of religious faith should teach, and then practice at multiple opportunities the skills of “staying in the room.” This is more than gritting one’s teeth and digging in one’s heels until “I win,” or the other party goes away – it is about finding ways to live within the holy space of struggle and conflict until we achieve a new level of knowing ourselves and others.

Atlee Breland

Parents Against MS 26: Personhood Amendment

Jackson, Mississippi

The defeat of Mississippi's 2011 personhood amendment demonstrates that agreement can be found in even the most divisve issues of our time. People on both sides of the abortion debate responded to factually accurate arguments presented from a perspective that respected their moral concerns and emphasized our shared beliefs, and that sought common ground rather than forcing them to choose between their faith and their vote.

David Harland

Intern architect, a Christian interfaith advocate, and white anti-racist activist

Tulsa, Oklahoma

People of religious faith hold a responsibility to acknowledge the privileges that are bestowed upon certain traditions over others, understand their impact, and bear witness to them in our civil discourse to create space for reciprocal learning, heal past wounds and reinvigorate the freedom of religion we claim in the United States.

Director, Oklahoma Policy Institute

Tulsa, Oklahoma

At a time of national political polarization and waning political compromise, this presentation will use the recent campaign in Oklahoma to defeat efforts to abolish the state income tax as a case study in the ongoing power of civil discourse and civic engagement to bridge our differences and find common ground.

Moises Echeverria

Community Volunteer & member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Strong traditional values can successfully co-mingle with progressive inclusive ones in a day when our country seems ever more divided.  This presentation will focus on the success of teaching high school students the importance of understanding who they are and what they stand for, while finding common ground with those who may seem to be different from them.

Worship Leader

   The Rev. Emily Bowen

   Associate Minister, Brentwood Christian Church

   Springfield, Missouri

   Emily will be returning to PTS for a second year to lead the worship on both days of Re-Mind & Re-New. 

   Her services at the 2012 event were among the most dynamic anyone can remember at PTS.  

Emily has served at Brentwood Christian Church since October of 2001. Her primary responsibilities include the  cultivation of vibrant, rich expressions of worship, music, and the arts, as well as offering oversight to children’s ministries and assisting with congregational care. An accomplished singer and musician, Emily has led worship at the Disciples of Christ General Assembly and was the music director for the 2010 Disciple Women’s Ministries event Quadrennial. She holds degrees from Phillips Theological Seminary (M.Div.), Christian Theological Seminary (M.A.), and Chapman University (B.A.). She is the co-author with Phil Snider of Toward a Hopeful Future: Why the Emergent Church is Good News for Mainline Congregations (Pilgrim Press, 2010).