UNCHARTED: Workshops

Presenter: Rev. Dr. Charles Kiser (he/him)

Time: Thursday at 10:30 AM

Location: Fellowship Hall

Workshop Description:
Religious trauma can shape a person’s faith, a leader’s ministry, and a church’s essence. Queer- and trans-affirming ministry must be especially attuned to the harm that the Church is capable of committing. Rev. Dr. Charles Kiser will detail how trauma shapes spiritual and communal life, how to recognize and respond to it, and how to co-create faith spaces that are not just safe but healing.

Grounded in compassion and practical tools, this workshop will deepen your capacity as a wounded healer. We’ll highlight the intersections of identity, theology, and trauma. And, we’ll explore what it means to embody a gospel of healing in a world where the gospel has too often been wielded to do harm.

Presenter Bio:
Rev. Dr. Charles Kiser is a pastor, theologian, author, coach, and trainer. He is the author of Becoming a Wounded Healer and coauthor of Trauma-Informed Evangelism. Kiser is the Cofounder and Codirector of The Healing Collective, a ministry that creates spaces for healing religious trauma and trauma-informs faith leaders. He is also the Regional Area Developer for the Dallas-Fort Worth region of the Post-Evangelical Collective. Kiser lives in the Dallas area with his wife, their three kids, and their frenetic Boston Terrier, Gus.

Presenter: Chris Pepple (she/her)

Time: Thursday at 10:30 AM

Location: Music Room

Workshop Description:
When people in power need to hear our voices, we need to know how to use our stories to open the doors for conversations. In this seminar, podcaster and author Chris Pepple will discuss the importance of using our stories to be an advocate in this world where advocates and allies are needed to speak out to bring change in our churches, in our schools, in our communities, and in our states where discrimination has become more common and rights are diminishing.

Presenter Bio:
Chris Pepple is a poet, editor, author, teacher, and guest lecturer. She has a writing degree from the University of Memphis and an M.Div. from Emory University. She has served the church throughout her life in many roles including liturgist, youth director, and interim children’s director. She is also a member of the board for PRN. Chris lives in Tennessee and is a Mama Bear who has two young adults.

Facilitator: Rev. Ben Weger (he/him)

Time: Thursday at 10:30 AM

Location: Sanctuary

Workshop Description:
TBD

Facilitator Bio:
Ben Weger serves as the Worship Director at Trinity United Methodist Church in Madison, WI. Graduating with his Masters of Divinity from Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Ben studied theology with a focus on social justice and leadership and organizational development.

In 2014, Ben was the worship leader for the Florida Annual Conference gathering of the United Methodist Church and has served various churches in the Florida Conference since 2008.

Ben transitioned from female to male in 2015 and is passionate about building a more inclusive Church for the next generation. Ben lives in Madison, WI with his wife Leigh and their three children.

Presenter: Rev. Kennedy Mwita (he/him)

Time: Thursday at 10:30 AM

Location: Chapel

Workshop Description:
For the children of Moheto, a small village in Migori County, Kenya, education is not just a dream; it’s their only hope of escaping poverty. Public schools are overcrowded and under-resourced, while private schools are prohibitively expensive for most families.

Come hear about the ongoing mission of one Reconciling Church mobilizing to build up their own community. First UMC of Moheto is a model of LGBTQ+ affirming people co-creating a better world for all.

Wesley Mission School is dedicated to providing a nurturing and inclusive educational environment for young minds to thrive. Through innovative teaching methods and a supportive community, it aims to inspire a love for learning and personal growth in every student.

Presenter Bio:
Rev. Kennedy Mwita, Senior Pastor of First United Methodist Church Moheto, led the church to become Africa’s first Reconciling congregation. He has served on the Reconciling Ministries Network (RMN) board and held various conference leadership roles, currently as Conference Director of Connectional Ministries (DCM) and District Superintendent of Migori.

Beyond his church work, Rev. Mwita has significantly impacted community development, connecting 82 homes to electricity, implementing agriculture programs, and providing community members with clean water. He also established a health center in Moheto and distributed menstrual pads to over 10,000 rural Kenyan girls, advocating for women’s rights.

As Director and Founder of Wesley Mission School in Moheto, Rev. Mwita champions quality education. His life exemplifies servant leadership and dedication to uplifting others.

Presenter: Jon Carl Lewis (he/him)

Time: Thursday at 10:30 AM

Location: Youth Room

Workshop Description:
Both the denial and the suppression of our own erotic power as spiritual leaders backfire in ways that cause harm and suffering both for ourselves and the individuals and communities we serve. Following the insights and teachings of Audre Lorde, bell hooks, and other mystical leaders from the beguines to Richard Rohr, we will practice an awareness of our desires and responsibility through engaging in contemplative practices of movement, breathing, non-sexual (fully clothed) self-touch, individual imagining and group reflection.

Come wearing clothes you can move and breathe in, as we connect our bodies, hearts, and mind in spiritual practices of embodiment—practices which ground us in our own power and allow our responsible practice of power for ourselves and the ones we (respectfully and appropriately) are called to touch and inspire.

Presenter Bio:
Jon Carl Lewis is a spiritual guide helping queer and progressive Christians discern healthy sexual/relational practices and attitudes for themselves, those they love, and the communities in which they live out their gospel-shaped life.

A candidate for the Master of Arts in Public Ministry at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, he brings theological and spiritual curiosity—as well as a geeky love of peer-reviewed science and a bit of voyeurism around the beautiful diversity, complexity, and fluidity of real people’s lived sexual/spiritual experiences—to explore healthy, justice-oriented, Jesus-centered and joyful ethical stances around sexuality, relating, and the body.

Presenter: Rev. Kristina Sinks (she/her)

Time: Thursday at 2:00 PM

Location: Youth Room

Workshop Description:
Queer liberation creates a strong foundation for understanding the Earth and its creatures as our chosen family. Worship is one way that we as United Methodists envision the mutual flourishing of all creation.

In this workshop, we will queer our understanding of worship to forge expansive, uncharted ways to interweave creation justice and liberation of all creatures into our sacred spaces. This is a great space for layfolk and clergy, artists of all kinds, as well as newcomers to climate justice, or seasoned climate activists to share and learn from one another. All are welcome!

Presenter Bio:
Rev. Kristina Sinks is a graduate of Garrett Seminary with a focus on Ecological Regeneration and Worship Arts. She is a Provisional Deacon in the UMC (California-Nevada), and serves as co-chair of the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement’s Worship Working Group, whose work has been published by Discipleship Ministries.

Kristina sings and manages tours for the music collective The Many, which brings justice-oriented music to progressive Christians and spiritual communities around the world, and has been featured at Evolving Faith, Sojourners, Festival of Homiletics, and the Grammy Magazine. She serves at GreenFaith, a global, multi-faith climate justice organization.

Kristina resides in the Chicago area on the traditional, unceded homelands of the Council of Three Fires—the Ojibwa, Ottawa and Potawatomi—with her fiancée, Rev. Abby Holcombe, and beloved puppy Habibi.

Presenter: Rev. Dr. HiRho Y. Park (she/her)

Time: Thursday at 2:00 PM

Location: Children’s Worship Room

Workshop Description:
As The United Methodist Church lives into its commitment to be fully open to all people, the appointment of a queer pastor offers both a gift and a challenge — the gift of new perspective and pastoral leadership and the challenge to grow into a more inclusive, Christ-centered community.

This workshop is rooted in the principle of open itinerancy — the calling to receive clergy without regard to race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, or other markers of difference. The purpose of this workshop goes beyond logistics. We’re here to prepare hearts and minds for transformational ministry — one that embodies the love of Christ and the justice of God.

Together, we’ll reflect on the theological and biblical foundations of inclusion, explore how “otherness” reveals the fullness of God’s image, and name the practical ways your congregation can be a welcoming, affirming space. We’ll also make room for honest questions, concerns, and hopes — because real preparation begins with real conversation.

This isn’t just about welcoming a new pastor. It’s about becoming a more faithful, open, and courageous church.

Presenter Bio:
Rev. Dr. HiRho Y. Park is the Lead Pastor of Bethesda United Methodist Church in Bethesda, Maryland, and an elder in the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference. She previously served for fifteen years at the UMC’s General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, leading professional development for clergywomen and racial-ethnic clergy, with a focus on digital education.

Dr. Park also held the role of Vice President for International Relations and Advancement at Huree University in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. She earned a Ph.D. in Practical Theology from Boston University and a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) from Wesley Theological Seminary. She has taught in the Doctor of Ministry program at United Theological Seminary, focusing on cross-cultural ministry and spiritual leadership.

An accomplished author, her works include Develop Intercultural Competence (2019), Contextual Theology: The Intersectionality of Gender, Race, and Class (2020), and Nevertheless She Leads: Postcolonial Women’s Leadership in the Church (2020). She is part of a clergy couple; her husband, Rev. JW Park, is a pastor at St. Matthews UMC in Bowie, Maryland.

Presenter: Bener Baysa Agtarap (he/him)

Time: Thursday at 2:00 PM

Location: Fellowship Hall

Workshop Description:
This interactive session invites participants into a space of listening, learning, and dialogue as we reflect on our journeys in antiracism discipleship. Together, we will share stories, explore challenges, and discover how we can equip one another to build inclusive communities that embody Christ’s love, justice, and hope. Come ready to engage your heart and voice in this vital work of transformation.

Resource Link:
Antiracism Discipleship at UMC Discipleship Ministries

Presenter Bio:
Bener Baysa Agtarap is an ordained clergy member of the California-Nevada Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. He serves as the Executive Director of Path 1: Community Engagement and Church Planting and the Director of Connectional Mobilization at Discipleship Ministries. In these roles, he provides visionary leadership for the church’s efforts to establish new faith communities and revitalize existing ones.

He also leads the Antiracism Discipleship Initiative at Discipleship Ministries, equipping congregations and individuals to confront racism and live out Christ’s call to justice and inclusion. He is an accomplished coach, author, and a passionate billiards enthusiast. He resides in West Sacramento, California, with his wife, Clarita.

Presenters: Mark Bowman (he/him), Kent Roberts (he/him)

Time: Thursday at 2:00 PM

Location: Music Room

Workshop Description:
Led by Mark Bowman and Kent Roberts, historians and archivists of queer Methodism and Board members of the new Center for LGBTQ+ United Methodist Heritage.

Mark and Kent are activists passionate about protecting and sharing the sacred stories of Reconciling communities and LGBTQ+ Methodists across generations.

This interactive session explores:

• Why it matters to archive our stories. How creating an archive of the truth of our journeys is activism.
• Whose stories matter.
• How to make a lasting record that is useful to future generations, historians, and researchers. A look at the mechanics of preservation.
• Finding an archival home for your story. Passing the history of transformation on.
• How the Center for LGBTQ+ United Methodist Heritage can help.

Presenter Bios:
Mark Bowman was one of the founders of RMN and served first as co-coordinator and then executive director from 1984 to 1999. He is also founder (2001) and executive director of the LGBTQ Religious Archives Network (www.lgbtqran.org) which preserves the history of LGBTQ+ religious movements around the world. In addition, Mark has been a church musician in several congregations in the Chicago area over the past 30 years. In that capacity he has directed performances of the HOME songs (which he and RMN commissioned in 1994) in worship for Pride and Reconciling Sundays on numerous occasions. He is now fulfilling a long-time dream to enable Reconciling communities to rediscover the power and drama of Tim McGinley’s HOME songs for their worship today.

Kent Roberts is a member of the Board of Directors of the UMC’s new Center for LGBTQ+ Methodist Heritage. He is author of “Oak Lawn United Methodist Church: Love, Struggle and Renewal as a Sheltering Church 1981 – 2022,” which has won denomination-wide and state-wide historical awards. Kent Roberts has been the archivist for the South Central Jurisdiction of the UMC since September 2024. He is also the archivist and local church historian of Highland Park UMC, Dallas, Texas, serving since 2013. He formerly served as the chair of the Commission on Archives and History of the North Texas Conference. He is married to Dr. Susan H. Roberts and he is a retired attorney.

Presenter: Rev. Andy Oliver (he/him)

Time: Thursday at 2:00 PM

Location: Sanctuary

Workshop Description:
In a world where trans lives are under assault, immigrants are criminalized, and empire is cloaked in patriotism and piety, what does it mean to preach and practice a public theology rooted in resurrection, resistance, and radical love?

This workshop will explore how churches can become hubs of public witness—through worship, signage, storytelling, advocacy, giving away space, and prophetic risk-taking. Participants will hear how one congregation (Allendale UMC-St. Pete) integrates public theology into everything from public displays to drag worship, then create strategies and rituals rooted in their own context.

This is for anyone ready to step into the public square with courage, creativity, and a gospel that won’t stay quiet.

Presenter Bio:
Rev. Andy Oliver is the pastor of Allendale United Methodist Church, a bold Justice Seeking/Reconciling Congregation committed to full inclusion and radical hospitality. Grounded in Wesleyan and liberation theology, Rev. Andy’s ministry weaves together creative liturgy, prophetic preaching, and hands-on community engagement. He is a passionate advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, immigrants, racial justice, reproductive freedom, climate action, and all people at the margins. Pastor Andy is deeply involved in local, statewide, and national advocacy. Under his leadership, Allendale has become a hub for social justice, partnering with justice-centered orgs beyond the local church.

Presenter: Rev. Becky Schofield Motter (she/her)

Time: Thursday at 2:00 PM

Location: Chapel

Workshop Description:
Have you ever wondered if there is a way for you and your congregation to be active in immigrant-centered social justice and the care of beloved immigrant souls? During our time we will explore this intersection and how you can take the plunge. Space will be provided to wonder, consider, and discern.

Presenter Bio:
Rev. Becky Schofield Motter is an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church and has served in the West Ohio Conference for the last 25 years. She is a graduate of Bowling Green State University in Ohio, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Secondary Social Studies Education. She has a Master of Divinity from Duke Divinity School at Duke University. She has always been passionate about campus ministry and social justice.

Becky has a wonky two-point charge serving as the Executive Director of the Wesley Foundation in Cincinnati and the Associate Pastor of Justice and Service at Clifton UM Church. Her position at Clifton also includes her serving on the Cincinnati Congregation Sanctuary Coalition and is the chair of that steering team. She also serves on the Immigrant Dignity Coalition in Cincinnati with Ignite Peace. She is married to the Rev. Jeff Motter, has two children, two adorable doodles, and loves quilting and crocheting.

Presenter: Jessica Taylor (she/her)

Time: Thursday at 4:00 PM

Location: Music Room

Workshop Description:
Join us for a dynamic workshop designed to ignite imagination and equip your church to reach new people in new places and in new ways. The workshop casts a wide net—ideal for teams of clergy and laity—offering both inspiration and practical tools to start cultivating Fresh Expressions of Church.

This interactive workshop helps participants envision new Christian communities that embody the love of Jesus in ways that are inclusive, accessible, transformative, and deeply connected to the everyday lives of people. Grounded in biblical wisdom and practical experience, we’ll explore how traditional churches and new expressions can thrive together in a blended ecology of church.

Presenter Bio:
Jessica Taylor is a creative leader, curriculum developer, and mom of two (Sophie and Andrew) living in Central Florida. She supports the ministry of Love UMC, a neighborhood-rooted congregation led by her husband, Rev. Jeff Taylor, where their family is deeply invested in building community and nurturing authentic faith.

Jessica serves as the Associate Director of Fresh Expressions United Methodist (FXUM) and the Conference Cultivator for Fresh Expressions Florida and the East Central District Cultivator.

She is the creator of Spirited Swan, an emerging initiative offering play-based, trauma-informed discipleship tools for children’s ministry. She’s also currently writing her second book exploring a model of presence-centered faith formation for everyday life. Jessica is passionate about helping people feel seen, safe, and spiritually supported.

Presenter: Dr. Ashley Boggan (she/her)

Time: Thursday at 4:00 PM

Location: Sanctuary

Workshop Description:
Wesleyan Vile-tality calls us back to the roots of our identity. Centered on the moment John Wesley “submitted to be more vile” in spreading the love of God to all people, Ashley Boggan argues that Wesleyan vile-tality is at the core of who we are as Methodists. As rule-benders, rabble-rousers, and outcast-embracers, those early Methodists stood out and stood up.

Come hear about Ashley’s research, culminating in her newest book, Vile-Tality. In it, she traces how that original identity was lost as the predecessor denominations to The United Methodist Church grew and began to embrace respectability over “vile-tality.” In an accessible and engaging account of a fascinating history, these stories of our past call us to understand who we were, question who we are, and reclaim who we should be.

Presenter Bio:
Dr. Ashley Boggan D. is the General Secretary of the General Commission on Archives and History. In this role, she ensures that The UMC understands its past in order to envision a more equitable future for all Methodists. Boggan earned her PhD from Drew Theological School’s Graduate Division of Religion, specializing in both Methodist/Wesleyan Studies and Women’s/Gender Studies. She earned an M.A. from the University of Chicago’s Divinity School, specializing in American Religious History.

She has previously worked as staff at the General Commission on Archives and History (2012–2014) and the Connectional Table of The United Methodist Church (2014–2016). She was the Director of United Methodist Studies and Assistant Professor Christian History at Hood Theological Seminary (Salisbury, NC), an AME Zion Seminary, from 2017–2019 and was the Director of Women’s and Gender Studies and Assistant Professor of Religion at High Point University (High Point, NC) from 2019–2020.

Boggan is a lay member of the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference and the daughter of two ordained United Methodist ministers. Her Methodist lineage dates beyond this, back to the early 19th century when her great-great-great grandfathers were Methodist circuit-riders.

Boggan serves on the Advisory Board for the National Museum of American Religion. She is the author of: Nevertheless: American Methodists and Women’s Rights (2020); Entangled: A History of American Methodism, Politics, and Sexuality (2018); contributed to the revised American Methodism: A Compact History (2022); and Wesleyan Vile-tality: Reclaiming the Heart of Wesleyan Identity (2025).

Follow Ashley here:
gcah.org
resourceumc.org/archivesandhistory
@umc_history
@bemorevile

Presenter: Jon Carl Lewis (he/him)

Time: Thursday at 4:00 PM

Location: Youth Room

Workshop Description:
The challenge: traditional theological stances have not been completely successful in grounding a healthy, contemporary approach to relating and sexuality within today’s richly diverse (and vibrantly practical) body of Christ. The traditional theological quest for one, singular, authoritative theology of sex (and everything else) prevents deep listening and a contemplative response to the particularities of each individual, relationship, and community—as well as the Holy Spirit’s call into forward motion and spiritual transformation.

Fortunately, the wider body of Christ is now being forced (out of its current need for creative, practical solutions) to pay attention to marginalized and suppressed theological voices which offer more fruitful ways of doing theology. Theological voices devoted to a liberative understanding of the gospel model for the entire body of Christ vibrant theological assumptions, attitudes, and approaches which can support a healthy, contextual, justice-oriented and human-flourishing approach to relating, sexuality, and actual sex.

Come participate in an experiment in deep listening to the voices of womanist, disability, indigenous, ecological theological projects (among many others) to weave together robust theological understandings and a grounding that allows us to flourish as individuals and as the wider body of Christ.

Presenter Bio:
Jon Carl Lewis is a spiritual guide helping queer and progressive Christians discern healthy sexual/relational practices and attitudes for themselves, those they love, and the communities in which they live out their gospel-shaped life.

A candidate for the Master of Arts in Public Ministry at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, he brings theological and spiritual curiosity—as well as a geeky love of peer-reviewed science and a bit of voyeurism around the beautiful diversity, complexity, and fluidity of real people’s lived sexual/spiritual experiences—to explore healthy, justice-oriented, Jesus-centered and joyful ethical stances around sexuality, relating, and the body.

Presenter: Rev. Dr. Luther Young (he/him)

Time: Thursday at 4:00 PM

Location: Fellowship Hall

Workshop Description:
In this hostile time during which LGBTQ+ people have been increasingly marginalized and scapegoated: queer theologies and ethics can illuminate a way forward. In this workshop, Rev. Dr. Luther Young will guide participants through an intersectional primer of queer theological thought and its practical applications.

You’ll be introduced to key concepts and figures in queer and liberation theology, and you’ll start to develop critical analysis tools for approaching Christian scripture. You’ll come away inspired to re-engage ministry in a queerer way.

Presenter Bio:
Reverend Doctor Luther Young is an artist, public theologian, and social justice advocate. He is an assistant professor of religion and society at Boston University School of Theology. Ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Luther is the Pastor of Worship and Spiritual Formation at Lighthouse Church of Chicago. He also serves as Council Moderator of the Disciples LGBTQ+ Alliance (AllianceQ).

Luther earned his B.S. in Audio Engineering Technology from Belmont University, M.Div. from Vanderbilt University, and a M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology from The Ohio State University. He teaches courses on qualitative research methods, Black Church studies, social inequalities, and queer theology. Much of Luther’s academic and community work seeks to address class inequalities, racial injustice, and systems of discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community and other disadvantaged groups.

His recently published and forthcoming works examine how homophobia in the Black Church is expressed and perceived by parishioners and suggest potential ways to address non-affirmation in these spaces.

Presenter: Grace Cox-Johnson (she/her)

Time: 4:00 PM

Location: Chapel

Workshop Description:
Grace Cox-Johnson will offer a time for participants to create a small piece of fabric art. All supplies, tools, and materials will be provided and no particular skill or talent is required. This opportunity is intended to be a time of relaxation, reflection, prayer, and personal expression using fabric and yarn.

Presenter Bio:
Grace Cox-Johnson is an artist and musician who has worked for local congregations, conferences and events in the general church for over four decades. Currently she is the director of music at Blue Ridge Presbyterian Church in the Kansas City area. She also serves as artist-in-residence at three additional local congregations. Ms. Cox-Johnson also creates custom banners, stoles, and paraments for congregations and clergy throughout the world. Grace has had the pleasure of working with RMN since 1999. She has two wonderful children and one fabulous grandchild.