Day 1 – Power: Healing & Wholeness for Black Pastors & Black Lives

10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Registration

2:00 pm – 3:10 pm
Opening Worship

Preacher: Dr. Vance P. Ross, Central UMC, Atlanta, GA

3:15 pm – 3:45 pm
Plenary 1: Healing & Wholeness for the Souls of Black Folk

Presenters: Pastor Juanita Rasmus, St. John’s “Downtown” UMC, Houston, TX

3:45 pm – 4:45 pm
Plenary 2: Healing & Wholeness for Black Pastors & Black Lives

Presenter(s): Pastor Juanita Rasmus, Romal Tune, author of Love is an Inside Job, Rev. James Bernard Kynes, Crossings Counseling Center, Atlanta, GA
Facilitator: Dr. Sheron Patterson, The Park UMC, Dallas, TX

Sponsor: General Commission on Religion & Race

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Break

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Reception

7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Movie Screening & Panel Discussion: If Beale Street Could Talk

Exclusive Screening of Academy Award Winning Director Barry Jenkins’ film adaptation of the James Baldwin novel.

Panelists: Professor Kamilah Moon, Agnes Scott College, Decatur, GA; Gabrielle Shepard, Producer’s Assistant for ‘If Beale Street Could Talk’  & Independent Filmmaker, Los Angeles, CA; Rev. Dr. B. Kevin Smalls, Hope UMC, Southfield, MI
Moderator: Pastor Victor Cyrus-Franklin, Inglewood First UMC, Inglewood, CA

Day 2 – Power: On the Way Forward for the Black Church in United Methodism

7:00 am – 8:00 am
Breakfast on Own (Non-Seminary & College Students)
Seminarians & College Students (GBHEM)

8:30 am – 9:45 am
Worship

Preacher: Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell, Windsor Village UMC, Houston, TX

Sponsor: TMS Global

10:00 am – 10:45 am
Plenary 3: Heritage & Hope of the Black Church in United Methodism

Presenters:

• Dr. William McClain, Professor Emeritus of Preaching & Worship, Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, DC

• Dr. Michele Watkins, Assistant Professor of Religion, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA

10:45 am – 11:30 pm
Plenary 4: Discussion: Historical Framing & Current Situation

Panelists: Dr. McClain; Dr. Watkins; Erin Hawkins, General Commission on Religion & Race, Washington, DC; Rev. Dennis Blackwell, Asbury UMC, Oaklyn, NJ
Moderator: Dr. Byron Thomas, Ben Hill UMC, Atlanta, GA

11:45 am – 12:30 pm
Plenary 5: Discussion: Impact on the Ground & The Future

Panelists: Rev. Telley Gadson, St. Mark UMC, Taylors, SC; Dr. Geraldine McClellan, Retired Clergy, Florida Conference; Rev. Gary Bernard Williams, Saint Mark’s UMC, Los Angeles, CA
Moderator: Dr. Byron Thomas, Ben Hill UMC, Atlanta, GA

12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
Lunch On Own

1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Conversations on The Way Forward

5:30 pm
Evening Free

Day 3 – Engaging the Black Community with Power

7:00 am – 8:00 am
Breakfast on Own

8:30 am – 9:45 am
Worship

Preacher: Dr. Felicia LaBoy, St. John’s UMC, Oak Park, IL

10:00 am – 10:30 am
Plenary 6: Engaging the Black Community with Power

Presenter: Dr. Joe W. Daniels, Jr., Emory Fellowship UMC, Washington, DC

10:30 am – 11:30 pm
Plenary 7: Discussion: Engaging Black Communities with Power

Presenter(s): Dr. Joe Daniels; Pastor Keith Caldwell, Key UMC, Murfreesboro, TN; Kevin Kosh, Keith Caldwell, Pastor Deborah Bell, Theressa Hoover UMC, Little Rock, AR; Rev. William Robinson, Better Community Development, Inc., Little Rock, AR; Rev. Reesheda Graham-Washington, Communities First Association, Oak Park, IL
Facilitator: Dr. Dennis Oglesby, Transformation Community UMC, Harvey, IL

Sponsor: General Board of Global Ministries

11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Break

12:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Luncheon

Preacher: Dr. Tariq Cummings, Ousley UMC, Lithonia, GA

Sponsor: Gammon Theological Seminary

2:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Workshops on Congregations & Community Development:

(Times: 2:30 pm – 3:45 pm & 4:00 pm – 5:15 pm)

• Communities First Association (Oak Park, IL) – Rev. Reesheda Graham-Washington
• Better Community Development (Little Rock, AR) – Pastor Deborah Bell & Rev. William Robinson
• Emory Beacon of Light (Washington, DC) – Dr. Joseph Daniels
• Campus Ministries & Congregations Engaging Community – Pastor Ronnie Miller-Yow
• TMS Global – Romal Tune
• Resurgence: Navigating the Changing Ministry Landscape (New Book) – Dr. Candace Lewis (Florida Conference)

5:30 pm – 6:45 pm
Dinner on Own

7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Communion Service

Preacher: Bishop Tracy Smith Malone, Resident Bishop, East Ohio Conference

Sponsor: Africa University

Worship Leaders/Music: Dr. Cynthia Wilson & Team