Though preaching is one of the oldest Christian practices and has been a staple of worship for millennia, it is constantly in the process of change. Indeed, like the proverbial river that cannot be stepped into twice because the flow of the water is constantly remaking it, it is not possible to preach the same sermon twice. This is so because a sermon is made by the hearers and the time and place in which they receive the sermon. Even as preaching changes, it begs to be “rethought,” its habitual practices and status quo assumptions questioned and re-examined, while exploring the ever-new channels being carved by the Word in the midst of our lives.
The Centre for Religion and Its Contexts at Emmanuel College and Shining Waters Regional Council (The United Church of Canada) are pleased to host the third “Rethinking Preaching’ Conference with this year’s theme, “Crossing Boundaries Toward Healing.” In a world that is polarized and deeply divided, the work of crossing boundaries for the sake of healing is crucial. Emmanuel College’s 2024 Rethinking Preaching Conference (RPC) invites participants to consider the challenges and opportunities posed by such issues as religious difference, mental health, queer identity, race, ethnicity, culture, ability, accessibility, online technology, and multi-language contexts and their intersectional natures. The sessions will help us explore what it means to be a preacher for today.
The Centre and Shining Waters invite seasoned and new preachers, students of homiletics, and participants who seek to “rethink preaching” to join our conference in 2024.
Keynote speaker: Rev. Dr. Debra Mumford
Invited preacher: Rev. Dr. Cheri DiNovo
Workshop Leaders: Rev. Kimiko Karpoff, Rev. Dr. Namjoong Kim, Rev. Dr. Jake Myers, Rev. Evan Swance-Smith.