Contextual Gathering
June 11-13
New Orleans
Join us in the Big Easy
We are excited to invite you to this year’s Contextual Gathering, a space for leaders engaged in faith-based community organizing. Grounded in our core values—racial and economic equity, place-based organizing, and community organizing as a spiritual practice—this event offers a unique opportunity to learn from those doing the work on the ground.
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This year, we’ll gather at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in New Orleans, LA, a congregation with 130 years of leadership in mutual aid, housing, and community resilience. Together, we’ll explore fundamental organizing principles and learn directly from our hosts’ experiences. Whether you’re new to organizing or a seasoned leader, this gathering will equip and inspire you for the road ahead.
Registration is now open
Step One: Fill out the Google Form to register. Click Here.
Step Two: Pay the Registration Fees. Click Here.
Registration fees include training costs, 3 lunches, 1 dinner, and a 3-Day Jazzy Pass for RTA.
When you go to the fees page, you can select to join OFMN as an individual, congregation, or large organization which will waive your registration fees. Otherwise, the fee is $280.
Participants are responsible for the cost of traveling to NOLA, hotel, and meals not included during the program.
Schedule
Wednesday, June 11
9:00 am-Noon - Gather, Spiritual Grounding, Overview of OFMN, the Contextual Gathering, and introduction to Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Noon-1:30 pm - Community Table and Lunch
1:30-5:00 pm - Afternoon sessions
Thursday, June 12
9:00 am-Noon - Spiritual Grounding and morning training
Noon-1:00 pm - Lunch
1:00-3:00 pm - Afternoon sessions
4:00-5:00 pm - Time with teams or affinity groups
5:00-6:30 pm - Dinner
6:30-8:00 pm - Evening program
Friday, June 13
9:00 am-Noon - Spiritual Grounding and morning training
Noon-1:00 pm - Lunch
1:00-2:00 pm - Closing session
Who is this event for?
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Leaders looking to develop or sharpen their organizing skills
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Members of the network seeking to re-connect
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Teams from congregations asking questions about community, housing, mutual aid, faith, and justice
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Organizers seeking new approaches
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Faith leaders looking to deepen relationships in their own community
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YOU!
Our planning team
Rev. Denise Graves
Interim Pastor
Bethlehem Lutheran Church,
New Orleans, LA
OFMN Shared Leadership Team
Barbara Artuso
Member
Grace Lutheran Church
New Orleans, LA​
Jaszy Segarra
Interim Co-Executive Director
Leaders Igniting Transformation
Wisconsin​
Br. Steve Jerbi
(he/him)
Director,
Organizing for Mission Network,
Seattle, WA
OFMN Shared Leadership Team
Philip X. Diaz
Member
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
New Orleans, LA
Carol Tyler
Member
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
New Orleans, LA
rev. shalom agtarap
Pastor/Developer
First Church UMC / Common Good
Tacoma, WA
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Rev. Clark Olson-Smith
Pastor
Zion Lutheran Church
Davenport, IA
Josh Wartelle
Member
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
New Orleans, LA