Conferences Grace in Practice

Fall Conference in VA (9/28-29): Register Today!

A Death blow is a Life blow to Some Who till they died, did not […]

Mockingbird / 7.2.12

A Death blow is a Life blow to Some
Who till they died, did not alive become–
Who had they lived, had died but when
They died, Vitality begun.
-Emily Dickinson

George Costanza notwithstanding, most of us could do with some hope. Something to hang our hat on that is both credible and good. So often we look to objects that disappoint—changed circumstances, different relationships, deeper understandings, etc. We confuse hoping with wishing. Yet real hope is not found in an escape from reality, rather, it begins there. The New Testament goes so far as to root hope in catastrophe, i.e. the crucifixion. But what does this look like, in the here and now? And is it actually good news? In other words, where’s the hope?

Join us this Fall at Christ Episcopal Church in Charlottesville, VA as we explore why we get up in the morning: the surprising–and surprisingly real—hope of God’s grace. As always, we’ll be doing so with the honesty, warmth and playfulness you’ve come to expect from Mockingbird. Should be a blast!

We are thrilled that our speakers this time will be RJ Heijmen, Matthew Sitman and Paul Zahl. And the breakout sessions will be:

Grace with Daughters and Sons – Dave Johnson
The Life and Work of William Faulkner – Paul Walker
The Counter-Intuitive Wisdom of the Twelve Steps – John Zahl
Ministry with Little Children – Kemp Hill and Christie Walker
The iLife Pursuit: Social Media and Adultescent Loneliness – Ethan Richardson
How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love The Beach Boys – One Guess
The Beautiful Ugliness of HBO – William McDavid
Hearing The Scream: Edvard Munch, Modern Art, and Grace – Dan Siedell

For the full schedule, go here.

Important: As opposed to our last couple of Fall Conferences, this one will run all day on Friday, September 28th (9am-9pm) and half day on Saturday the 29th (9am-12:30pm). While there will be no formal program on Thursday evening, rest assured: an informal one is forthcoming! Just be sure to book your accommodations soon, as things fill up quickly during football season.

The cost of the event, which includes lunch and dinner on Friday is $50. If you are planning on eating with us, we ask that you pre-register beforehand by Wednesday 9/26, so we can plan accordingly. Last minute walk-ins are more than welcome for the sessions – you’ll be able to pay at the door with cash, check or credit card.