As the Vital Conversations series moved toward one of the most important marks of Vital Congregations — keeping the focus outward rather than inward — organizers landed four speakers for Wednesday’s session uniquely qualified to offer up their experiences and share their views.
As the digital national “101 Racism & Organizing Training” event for UKirk Collegiate Ministries began last week, Shaniya Auxier admits she was “a little bit hesitant.”
Nick Pickrell, organizer of The Open Table KC, has never set foot in a seminary. But after five years co-leading this new worshiping community in Kansas City, Missouri, he’s going through the process of becoming a commissioned ruling elder. “I wanted to be more connected to the PC(USA) denomination,” he says in the new 1001 Worshiping Communities video, “Becoming Presbyterian” at
vimeo.com/416070513.
As an actively anti-racist church organizer of The Open Table KC, Nick Pickrell says it’s important for the 1001 new worship community he founded to bring in “more people of color than white folks” to speak during their twice-per -month Sunday night gatherings.
When leader Nick Pickrell heard that The Open Table KC would receive a $25,000 1001 New Worshiping Community growth grant from the Presbyterian Mission Agency, he said, “What? What!”
When leader Nick Pickrell heard that The Open Table KC would receive a $25,000 1001 New Worshiping Community growth grant from the Presbyterian Mission Agency, he was like, “What? What!”