Gathering will be held in Memphis and online around the theme of ‘beloved community’
by Beth Waltemath | Presbyterian News Service
An APCE annual event promotional image invites participants to wrestle with God and church toward a more beloved community.
The Association of Partners in Christian Education (APCE)’s 2025 annual gathering will be held in Memphis, Tennessee, and online from Jan. 29-Feb. 1. This year’s theme is “Wrestling with God and Church Toward a More Beloved Community.”
Early bird rates for the in-person gathering, available through Nov. 1, are $395 for members and $580 for non-members. The early bird rate to register for the full online event is $165 for members and $185 for regular registration. Single-day registrations are also available. The Annual Event Online in Spanish (Evento Anual en Línea en Español) is made possible by a partnership with the PC(USA) through the Office of Christian Formation. It is $10 for residents of the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
Participants are invited to register separately for pre- and post-event programs that offer opportunities for touring sites important to the nation’s civil rights movement, considering right relationships with Indigenous peoples, and special trainings in worship and ministry, from sacraments to livestreaming and measuring the impact of ministry.
The Rev. Dr. Almeda M. Wright
This year’s plenary speakers include the Rev. Dr. Almeda M. Wright and the Rev. Jeff Chu.
Wright is the author of “Teaching to Live: Black Religion, Activist-Educators, and Radical Social Change” and “The Spiritual Lives of Young African Americans” and the co-editor of “Children, Youth, and Spirituality in a Troubling World.” She also contributed to the Common English (CEB) Student Bible.
Chu is the author of “Does Jesus Really Love Me?: A Gay Christian’s Pilgrimage in Search of God in America” and the forthcoming “Good Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand.”
The Rev. Jeff Chu
According to feedback from past participants, people return to APCE’s annual event year after year because of the ways the event excels in hospitality and pedagogy, offering welcome to newcomers and workshops for everyone. Past annual gatherings have drawn more than 500 people across North America to its in-person event and many more online. The in-person, online and online Spanish gatherings nourish the spirit of faith formation leaders, whether they come as volunteers, professional educators, pastors, or denominational and nonprofit leaders. The 2025 event will take place in Memphis’ historic Peabody Hotel.
Speakers include the Rev. Dr. Peggy Jean “PJ” Craig, Pastor Keith Caldwell, the Rev. Dr. Lillian Hallstrand Lammers and the Rev. Dr. Courtney Pace.
Upon registration, attendees can choose from more than 60 workshops offered Jan. 30–31. The workshops are searchable by category, making it easier for people to choose a focus or ensure they encounter a variety of topics while attending. The online event also offers hybrid workshops.
APCE is in partnership with the Presbyterian Mission Agency through the Office of Christian Formation and is a contributing member of the Christian Formation Collective.
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