The Gathering
Registration for The Gathering is currently full.
Sign up for the waitlist below to be notified if a spot opens up!
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 Clergy. The Gathering is a biennial conference that helps you connect with other clergy as you join together to learn and connect. Our hope is that you will leave The Gathering feeling refreshed and inspired.
During this event, we will launch Cornerstones – a new initiative with an emphasis on clergy health and wellness. We will focus on the four cornerstones of Mental Health, Holy Friendships, Physical Fitness, and Financial Well-being. Cornerstones is based on the guiding scripture from Exodus 17. In the passage, Moses grows weary from holding up his arms, but he finds support when a stone is placed under him and his hands are held up for the benefit of the community.
At Pension Fund, we know leaders sometimes need support when they grow weary and tired. We are committed to supporting you in retirement and along the journey.
Event Speakers
REV. 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.
REV. 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
-
- 6:30 p.m. - Pre-Worship Concert by the Children’s Chorus of Washington at National City Christian Church
- 7:00 p.m. - Opening Worship with Preaching by Rev. Lori Tapia, National Hispanic Pastor
-
- 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 Rev. 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.
-
- 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 Rev. 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
Registration Details
Cost
- $100 for clergy
- $100 additional for spouses/partners
Cost includes registration, two breakfasts, one lunch, and a hotel for two nights.
Additional discounted room rates are available before or after the conference for an additional $231 per night.
Location
The Gathering will take place in Washington D.C.
Hotel: Courtyard by Marriott, Washington, D.C. - 901 L St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20001
Church: National City Christian Church - 5 Thomas Circle NW, Washington, D.C. 20005
National City Christian Church is a 10-minute walk from the hotel and shuttles will be provided.
Additional Travel Details
The Courtyard by Marriott is a 5-7 minute walk from the Metro. The Metro is approximately $3 each way from Reagan National Airport and a 20-25 minute train ride on the Yellow Line.
We suggest that your return flights be booked for no earlier than 3 p.m. from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) or 5 p.m. from Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) or Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) due to beltway traffic.