A gathering for sacred questioners, disciples, doubters and spiritual refugees.
Join us for the second annual Open Table Faith Gathering! We will bring together a variety of different voices and perspectives to speak about rediscovering, reimagining and reclaiming the Good News of the upside-down Kingdom of God that Jesus of Nazareth proclaimed, and the humble, self-giving Way of Love that Jesus embodied.
Register today to secure your spot and gain access to transformative keynote talks, interactive spiritual practices, breakout sessions, stories, musical performances, table conversations and more!
The gathering will run on Friday night from 6:30pm - 8:30pm, and Saturday from 8:30am - 4:30pm.
See full schedule and session descriptions below.
Registration is quick and easy—simply complete the online form and get ready to connect, learn, explore and grow. We can’t wait to welcome you!
Conference Details
Date
March 7 + 8
Cost
$20 - $50
First Christian Church
4202 S Broadway Ave
Tyler, TX 75701
Location
Speakers
SHANE CLAIBORNE
author, activist, co-founder of Red Letter Christians
BOB EKBLAD
teacher, chaplain, author, director of The People’s Seminary
TERRI HORD OWENS
General Minister & President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
JERRELL WILLIAMS
pastor Shalom Mennonite Church - Newton, KS
MARLENA GRAVES
author, professor of spiritual formation at Northeastern Seminary - Rochester, NY
AMY COLLIER ARTMAN
author, professor of religious studies at Missouri State University
KATHY ESCOBAR
spiritual director, advocate, author, co-pastor of The Refuge - Denver, CO
DAVID ARTMAN
author, host of the Grace Saves All podcast
Music Artists
AARON STRUMPEL
artist, songwriter, producer, creative coach
BENJAMIN CLARK
singer, songwriter
Schedule
Pre-Conference Activities
PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP #1
“Ministry at the Margins” (with Bob Ekblad)
Thursday, March 6
9:30am – 1:30pm
Session 1: Missions at the Margins of Society
Session 2: Advocacy and Spiritual Accompaniment
Session 3: Reading the Bible with the Excluded
PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP #2
“Healing Religious Trauma”
(with Dr. Amy Collier Artman, Brittany Gayetsky, LCSW-S, Don Neal, LPC and Kathy Escobar)
Thursday, March 6
5:00pm – 8:30pm
Session 1: Trauma God
Session 2: Sacred Wounds, Different Paths
Session 3: The Practice of Healing
VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITY
East Texas Food Bank Mobile Food Pantry Distribution
Lindsey Park
12557 TX-364 Spur W
Friday, March 7
9:00am-11:30am
ALL PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS ARE FREE OF CHARGE, BUT SPACE IS LIMITED, SO REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
Conference Schedule
FRIDAY, MARCH 7
6:00pm – DOORS OPEN / REGISTRATION
6:30pm – GENERAL SESSION 1
Amy Collier Artman: “Trauma God”
Marlena Graves: “God is Looking Happy at You”
Ben Clark: Story & Song
David Artman: “Journey to a Loving God”
Kimberly Benedetti: Original Poetry
Terri Hord Owens: “Imagine God’s Limitless Love”
8:15pm – CLOSING MEDITATION
SATURDAY, MARCH 8
8:30am – SPIRITUAL PRACTICE SESSIONS (choose 1)
Contemplative Prayer
Yoga
BCP Morning Prayer
9:00am – COFFEE & CONVERSATION
9:30am – GENERAL SESSION 2
Benjamin Clark: Songs
Bob Ekblad: “Jesus and the Kingdom of God”
Marlena Graves: “The Way Up is Down”
Aaron Strumpel: Songs
Kathy Escobar: “Turning Over Tables: Disrupting Power in the Ways of Jesus”
11:15am – BREAKOUT WORKSHOPS (choose 1)
Shane Claiborne: “Another Way of Doing Life”
Marlena Graves: “Bearing God: Living a Christ-Formed Life in Uncharted Waters”
Amy Collier Artman: “Shining a Healing Light on Religious Trauma”
12:15pm – LUNCH
1:15pm – GENERAL SESSION 3
Aaron Strumpel: Songs
Jerrell Williams: “Following Jesus: Risking Love in Times of Uncertainty”
Shane Claiborne: “The Irresistible Revolution”
2:45pm – BREAKOUT WORKSHOPS (choose 1)
Jerrell Williams: “So Much More: Who the Church is Called to Be”
David Artman: “Grace Saves All: Heaven, Hell & Christian Universalism”
Bob Ekblad: “Nonviolence and the Cross”
Kathy Escobar: “Untangling from Unhealthy Power: Practices for Individuals & Communities”
3:45pm – BREAK
4:00pm – GENERAL SESSION 4
Terri Hord Owens: “Wholeness in a Fragmented World”
Communion: An Open Table for Spiritual Refugees
4:30pm – BENEDICTION & DISMISSAL
7:00pm - FREE LIVE CONCERT w/Aaron Strumpel & Ben Clark