Throughout our time together we will offer workshops (both in person and online) as well as time for conversations, learnings, and engaging with peers in ministry.

Workshop TitleDescriptionPerson Leading/ Offering
60 Seconds or Less: How Quick Simple Video Content can Transform your MinistryIt can seem exhausting to imagine posting innovative content every single day, but a few simple tricks can make it easy, fun and energizing for your ministry. Houston Canterbury college ministry has transformed its social media, increased in-person membership and engaged young adults with excitement about God and the Church with a few changes to its digital ministry outlook. Join us to learn how to equip young adult leaders to post simple prayers and short reflections every day that will connect with your community both internally and externally.Charles Graves IV
Advocacy Workshop: Empowering Young Adults for Civic EngagementFor starters—what is policy advocacy and how is it different from, and complementary to, political activism? How can you leverage your personal power to influence U.S. policies on a host of issues, and how is such activity an expression of carrying out our faith? Some may be highly engaged already, so how do we also practice self-care and maintain energy for the long-term? Others may be disconnected, discouraged by the increasing perception that to be politically engaged means to be more strongly partisan, so how do we inspire a desire to get involved? This workshop will predominantly be an open space format to discuss these and related questions attendees may have around advocacy and political engagement.Alan Yarborough
Best Practices for Safe Church with Young AdultsJoin me for a conversation about how we can use the principles of Safe Church to think about how we create safe spaces for young adults, especially those who are living in intentional community or in a residential setting. Shannon Kelly
Charting the LandscapeIn this session, Dr. DeGaynor will offer a brief description of her current research on Episcopal campus ministries, including the guiding questions (e.g., What is the history of this campus ministry? What is its current iteration? What kinds of students participate?) and some of the initial findings (In short: There are myriad variations and permutations, and the Holy Spirit is in the midst). Then, in a moderated conversation, she will engage with participants as they share their experiences in campus ministry, given their vocational callings and contextual realities. Please join us to help clarify what is needed from the denomination, from seminaries, and from churches to support campus ministry.Elizabeth DeGaynor
Compline in the WildNightSong Compline Experience seeks to bring a full encounter with Episcopal Worship into an outdoor music venue. Connecting YACM with the churches of the area, not quite church planting where we don’t have a church, curating a social space for a variety of Episcopal groups… it is the cathedral compline experience out beyond the walls of the church.Ben Garren
Exvangelical TraumaA significant number of students who come to progressive campus ministries are refugees from other, less generous, faith traditions. There are, however, things that campus ministries can do to help students in their recovery process. In this workshop, we will discuss religious trauma and some strategies for helping students in the process of deconstructing and, hopefully, reconstructing their faith.Portia Hopkins
Global relations workshop: Global Church, Local LeadersWhat does it mean to be a part of a global church? Join us for a discussion about the impact spending a year working alongside fellow Episcopalians/Anglicans around the world can have on individuals and communities. The Young Adult Service Corps (YASC) offers young adults a chance to learn more about themselves, God, and the world while sharing their own gifts and skills.Alan Yarborough
Growing Leaders: Seeing Camp Staff as Young Adult MinistryThe majority of our camps throughout the church are staffed with young adults, however very few of our camps actually see their work as ministry to and with young adults. This work shop will explore ways that have worked as far as reaching out and serving the young adults and staff as well as provide concrete ways to discern how to have this conversation with your camps, dioceses, and young adult ministries.) “From the Ground Up: How to Start Diocesan YACM from scratch” (When I began my job three years ago there was nothing as far as Young Adult and Campus Ministries in the Diocese of South Dakota and I was tasked with starting it. Through missteps, successes, and more than a handful of failures, this workshop would be the opportunity to share what it took to launch this new Diocesan ministry, what I have learned and share ideas with one another on how we can succeed.Lydia Simmons
“I’m afraid to watch the news”: Queer ministry when hate is making a comebackJust when many of us felt we were making real progress towards the beloved community for all of God’s children, we are waking up to headlines about increasing anti-LGBTQIA+ violence and legislation. The Human Rights Campaign recently issued a State of Emergency due to the plethora of anti-trans laws. How is this environment affecting campus and young adult ministries across the country? Scott will share his past and present experiences and engage in renewed strategizing with other presenters.Scott Russell
Individual Coaching SessionsCoaching is a dialogue between a coach and an individual, group, or team with the intention of finding creative ways to solve challenging problems or improve team performance on key initiatives. The coach’s role is to draw out expertise through inquiry, curiosity and challenges so that clients can stretch into their best selves.Heather Barta
Leadership Models for YACMConnect with Chaplain Mary Cat Young and others for an online conversation to discuss shared leadership models for young adult and campus ministry.Mary Cat Young
Living the Wedding Banquet: Campus Ministry in a Post Covid WorldCovid devastated a lot of our ministries; it also revealed a world we were not taught to face, the world where Nones and non-believers are the norm, and where inviting someone to church seems bizarre if not culturally offensive. The number of invited guests coming to our banquet (Episcopalians and their friends) is dwindling but the wedding feast is prepared. How do we reshape ministry around the people we find on the highways, the ones not even thinking about church?Kevin Matthews
Loving Ourselves and Loving the World: Healing OilsLoving ourselves is critical to loving and serving the world. I’m this workshop we will demonstrate one small way we can Care for the caregivers. Daily practices to keep our bodies, minds and spirits strong! (note, we will make essential oil blends for people to carry with them so people with sensitivity to smells might be cautious).Becca Stevens
Praying, playing, creatingHow a renewed connection to land inspired innovations in architecture, liturgy, music, theater, and reckoning with the legacy of slavery at the Episcopal Chaplaincy at Harvard.Rita Powell
Rethinking Evangelism for EpiscopaliansReframing that dirty word, evangelism, to be more fitting for our “nice,” “non-confrontational” Episcopal context.
Allen Wakabayashi
Sharing Our Story: A Community Approach to Campus Ministry Fundraising and DevelopmentFor many campus ministers fundraising can be a daunting task. Seminary studies don’t always prepare you for that essential part of your ministry. Despite your best efforts, the practices you employ for annual appeals, capital campaigns or special projects may be perceived as a series of transactional requests for money that often leave the person asking for financial support and the one we hope will provide it feeling awkward, uncomfortable, and generally uninspired.

In this workshop you will be introduced to an interpersonal approach to fundraising that builds your success on the pastoral, relationship development, and community building skills you already posses – skills that embody the very nature of your ministry. We will explore fundraising as a “ministry of connection” that integrates the practical need for funding with your missional call to nurture meaningful relationships with constituents, donors and other supporters in a way that inspires a deep appreciation and enthusiasm for participating in your ministry through giving – financially, volunteering, and the sharing of God-given skills.
Joe Merlino
Sharing Our Story (Part 2): A Community Approach to Campus Ministry Fundraising and DevelopmentFor those who attended the first part of “Sharing our Story” in either the PreConference or previous workshop, this session will help you dig more into the implementation and next steps.

For many campus ministers fundraising can be a daunting task. Seminary studies don’t always prepare you for that essential part of your ministry. Despite your best efforts, the practices you employ for annual appeals, capital campaigns or special projects may be perceived as a series of transactional requests for money that often leave the person asking for financial support and the one we hope will provide it feeling awkward, uncomfortable, and generally uninspired.

In this workshop you will be introduced to an interpersonal approach to fundraising that builds your success on the pastoral, relationship development, and community building skills you already posses – skills that embody the very nature of your ministry. We will explore fundraising as a “ministry of connection” that integrates the practical need for funding with your missional call to nurture meaningful relationships with constituents, donors and other supporters in a way that inspires a deep appreciation and enthusiasm for participating in your ministry through giving – financially, volunteering, and the sharing of God-given skills.
Joe Merlino
Strategic discipleshipThinking strategically about how to plan for the discipleship/formation of our students in campus ministry.
Allen Wakabayashi
Tea and JusticeAn offering of daily practices and practices you can share with a group that grounds them, offers fellowship, and connects them to justice while taking care of themselves.
Becca Stevens