In a world marked by borders and riven by divisions, stories of belonging, kindness, and generosity endure. More than that, they carry the power to inspire a better future as people of faith embody their lessons. In January 2026, we will gather to explore how stories of belonging can guide us toward lives of collective flourishing, even in a world where exclusion so often prevails.
- Theme: “The Future of Faith: Belonging in a World of Borders”
- When: Begins Jan 29, 7:00 pm and concludes Jan 31, 12:00 pm
- Where: First Presbyterian Church Berkeley (2407 Dana Street, Berkeley)
Our keynote speaker will be Pádraig Ó Tuama, theologian, poet, and conflict transformation practitioner. His book, Borders and Belonging, will be a featured text in our Spring 2026 network curriculum. Ó Tuama’s poetry and prose center around themes of language, power, conflict, and religion. His work has won acclaim in circles of poetry, politics, psychotherapy, and conflict analysis. Profiled in The New Yorker, Pádraig’s poems have been featured in Poetry Ireland Review, Ploughshares, Academy of American Poets, Harvard Review, New England Review, Raidió Teilifís Éireann’s Poem of the Week, and the Kenyon Review.
Pádraig will be joined by an inspiring lineup of speakers, including Adriene Thorne, Gail Song Bantum, Megan Pardue, and Tyler Sit.
Speakers
Schedule
Thursday (1/29/26)
- 6:30 PM Registration
- 7:00 PM Welcome
- 7:30 PM Session 1: Pádraig Ó Tuama
Friday (1/30/26)
- 8:30 AM Coffee & Pastries
- 9:00 AM Morning Prayer
- 9:15 AM Session 2: Adriene Thorne and Tyler Sit
- 10:30 AM Break
- 11:00 AM Imagination Workshop & Small Groups
- 12:00 PM Lunch (in groups or on your own)
- 3:00 PM Optional Activities
- 7:00 PM Session 3: Pádraig Ó Tuama
Saturday (1/31/26)
- 8:30 AM Coffee & Pastries
- 9:00 AM Morning Prayer
- 9:15 AM Session 4: Gail Song Bantum and Megan Pardue
- 10:30 AM Break
- 10:45 AM Imagination Workshop
- 11:15 AM Community Panel & Closing Ritual
- 12:00 PM End of Gathering