From Morning Breath Meditation to Evening Compline, each day we will focus on learning more about how we can become the Beloved Community as envisioned by Martin Luther King, Jr. Time spent in Bible Study and workshops, afternoons at the King Center and Martin Luther King, Jr.'s home, evening worship at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church - all will help us respond to the call.
A diverse, multi-racial faculty will help us understand what it means to become the Beloved Community. Key leadership for the week includes noted civil rights leader Dr. C. T. Vivian, Dr. J. Alfred Smith, Sr., Dr. Peter Paris and Rev. George Williamson, along with artists-in-residence Hector Aristizabal and Lynn Gottlieb. US Representative Barbara Lee will receive BPFNA's "Lifetime of Peacemaking" award, to be presented by host pastor Rev. Raphael G. Warnock of Ebenezer Baptist Church. More information on all these can be found on the conference leadership page.
Morning Breath Meditation with John Malcomson - John W.B. Malcomson is a Christian Buddhist, who has been practicing meditation and studying Buddhism for about 15 years. A member of Seattle (WA) First Baptist Church, the Buddhist Peace Fellowship and the BPFNA, his morning meditations have become popular over the last two Peace Camps, as participants have appreciated a time to come together and learn to be more present while taking care of themselves and providing a peaceful foundation for each day of the conference. He offers all this opportunity to balance contemplation with action.
Evening Compline with Joy Bergfalk - Joy Bergfalk is an American Baptist pastor who also works as a therapist, spiritual director and healer. Compline will be a time of community prayer using the ancient practice of the Daily Examen, a practice in which the day is reflected upon to find where there has been a sense of God's presence and where there seemed to be a distance from God. This practice is often the basis of discernment, a spiritual and holistic means of decision-making.
Diversity Training with Rev. Elise Elrod - Based on her own experience as a transgendered person and drawing on the experiences of many others who have suffered exclusion and misunderstanding, Elise offers humorous, insightful wisdom on diversity, recovery, and being agents for change.
Pre-school through elementary aged children will learn how to be peacemakers through drama, story, song, art, and play in their morning program coordinated by Elaine Pennington.
Middle and high school youth will take part in an innovative program of community building using drama, art, movies, visits to historical sites in Atlanta, recreation, and the experiences of the young people themselves.
In 2005, many of our young people dedicated themselves to be Conscientious Objectors, having their statements signed by older COs. This year they'll receive support to take up further nonviolence training.
Child care for infants and toddlers is provided during the morning and evening programs.
New this year! An evening children's program will be coordinated by Becky Caswell-Speight who is a seminary student, mother of a one-year old, and youth minister.
Special events for young adults (age 25 and under) will be convened by Rev. George Williamson.
Special seminars at the Martin Luther King Center, "King and the Theology of Nonviolence" by Rev. Bob Hunter - A Diversity and Justice specialist living in Indiana, Bob Hunter and his wife, Dr. Carol Hunter, have written a study guide on justice: Loving Justice. Bob has written two other books in the areas of justice, peace and race relationships. He has taught courses at Earlham College on racism, and courses in the Religion and Math departments. He is the chair of the Human Rights Commission in the city of Richmond.
For those in the Atlanta area: We warmly welcome everyone in the local area to join us for as much of the conference as you are able. Evening worship services are open to all and are free of charge. If you wish to participate in our daytime program, we ask that you register in advance and pay a daily registration fee for each day that you will be with us. This will help us to anticipate numbers and to cover costs for speakers and other conference expenses. Email us for more details.
meet the conference leaders
see the complete conference schedule
see the workshops schedule
About the conference logo....
The Shawl by Daphne Hunt - "In building community, we form a covering, a shelter for a world in need of hope and justice. We also adorn the image of God with ourselves and our living which give shape and visibility to God's love for all creation."
The inspiration for the logo came from the chorus of "Cloth for the Cradle."
Cloth for the cradle, cradle for the child,
the child for our every joy and sorrow;
Find him a shawl that's woven by us all
to welcome the Lord for each tomorrow.
Words © 1987 The Iona Community.
