The Gathering
Save the Date
When: Sept. 3-5, 2024
Where: Washington D.C. - National City Christian Church
True to our mission, “For the Support of Ministry,” we know that the needs of ministers and their families are many and great. As we continue to expand Ministerial Relief and Assistance and renew our commitment to walk with clergy throughout all stages of ministry, we invite you to attend The Gathering: A Retreat for Pastors. The Gathering is a biennial conference that helps you connect with other pastors as you join together to learn and discuss spiritual, mental, physical, and financial wellness. Our hope is that you will leave The Gathering feeling refreshed and inspired.
Event Speakers
Event Speakers

LORI TAPIA | OPENING WORSHIP PREACHER
Pastor, Author, Speaker, Life Coach, Consultant, Wife, Mother, Daughter, Friend, Ice Cream Enthusiast.
"YOUR GREATEST POWER COMES IN LIVING AUTHENTICALLY. LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST, BE YOUR MOST AUTHENTIC SELF, AND HELP OTHERS DO THE SAME!"
Lori Tapia serves as the National Pastor for Hispanic Ministries for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). She is the first female and first Mexican/American to be elected to this position. Lori has over 20 years of experience as a visionary leader in family and community programming, as well as administration and program development. She loves working with people seeking change and offers challenges to transform people, organizations, churches, families, and communities. She seeks to create relevant and innovative environments that fosters growth and multiplication for the Kingdom.

DR. THAD AUSTIN | WEDNESDAY KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Thad is an award-winning scholar and practitioner of American religious life. He has spent more than 15 years leading and advising congregations, denominations, and faith-based foundations. An ordained pastor, Thad has served congregations in Kentucky and Tennessee. His last pastoral appointment was as Executive Pastor of a 3,200-member congregation. Thad is a graduate of the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy’s Ph.D. program, and currently, Thad serves as the executive director of the Common Table Collaborative and as vice president of the EveryAge Foundation. He recently worked as the senior director of strategic initiatives and congregational engagement at Duke University's Ormond Center. His most recent book Caring for Clergy: Understanding a Disconnected Network of Providers explores the broken and disconnected support network available to Protestant clergy in North America.

REV. DR. VICTORIA WHITE | THURSDAY KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Rev. Dr. Victoria White is a writer, pastor, designer, coach, facilitator, and teacher. She combines her gifts most effectively through her work at Leadership Education at Duke Divinity where she cultivates and supports innovative Christian institutions and their leaders. Victoria believes in the power of networks as a way for leaders to identify often overlooked hubs of creativity, affinity, and shared passions which, when strategically cross-pollinated, can provide deep wells of resources to help communities thrive and bear witness to God’s reign. She’d prefer to do this work she loves from the sand of any beach anywhere, but for the moment she lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with her spouse Mark, their two teenagers, Ava and Owen, and their Great Dane, Ruby.
Victoria is grateful to the many institutions who have shaped and formed her, namely Rhodes College, Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, and Duke Divinity School. She is the author of Holy Friendships: Nurturing Relationships that Sustain Pastors and Leaders.
Schedule of Events
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- 6:30 p.m. - Pre-Worship Concert by the D.C. Children's Choir at National City Christian Church
- 7:00 p.m. - Opening Worship with Preaching by Rev. Dr. Lori Tapia, National Hispanic Pastor
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- 7:30 a.m. - Breakfast Available at the Courtyard by Marriott
- 8:30 a.m. - Shuttles Begin to National City Christian Church
- 9:00 a.m. - Opening Worship
- 9:30 a.m. - The Cornerstone of Clergy Health and Wellness Keynote by Dr. Thad Austin
- 11:45 a.m. - Shuttle to the Courtyard by Marriott
- 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. - Lunch at the Courtyard by Marriott
- 1:15 - 2:15 p.m. - Breakout Session 1: Cornerstones and Communities for 2024 - 2026 (Mental, Emotional, Relational, and Physical Wellness)
- 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. - Breakout Session 2: Cornerstones and Communities for 2024 - 2026 (Mental, Emotional, Relational, and Physical Wellness)
- 3:30 p.m. - Afternoon and Evening to Explore Washington, D.C.
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- 7:30 a.m. - Breakfast Available at the Courtyard by Marriott
- 8:30 a.m. - Shuttles Begin to National City Christian Church
- 9:00 a.m. - Opening Worship
- 9:15 a.m. - Holy Friendships Keynote by Dr. Victoria White
- 11:15 a.m. - Closing Communion Service
- 12:00 m. - Shuttles to the Courtyard by Marriott
- 1:00 p.m. - Hotel Checkout