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A Day at Iliff – A Pre-Conference Retreat for Your Spirit
Tuesday, June 10, 2025
1:30 PM – Evening Dinner Keynote
Iliff School of Theology, Denver, CO
Join Iliff and the Mountain Sky Conference of The UMC for an afternoon of transformation, learning, connection, and inspiration at “Day at Iliff,” a special pre-conference gathering hosted by the Compelling Preaching Initiative in partnership with Iliff School of Theology, ahead of the 2025 Mountain Sky Annual Conference. In this dynamic gathering, preaching and pastoral leaders will explore the intersections of creativity, care, and communication through three rich workshop experiences—all designed to inspire more compelling and life-giving proclamation.
WORKSHOP SESSIONS
1:30 PM – “Fostering Creativity in Preaching”
Rev. Dr. Lee Butler
This session will discuss creativity as a playful approach to biblical interpretation. Focusing on biblical narratives as the foundation for considering human transformation, the sermonic communications of God’s love will be grounded in psychological theories to help engage the text as a living Divine and human document.
3:15 p.m. – “Resilient Leadership – Lessons from Grief, Crisis, and Connection”
Meredith Parfet, MA Pastoral and Spiritual Care, MBA
This workshop challenges ministers and leaders to rethink how we approach crisis—not as a disruption to manage, but as a transformative opportunity. We will explore how grief manifests in many forms and offers practical frameworks for holding necessary but often stigmatized conversations, particularly around death and loss. Grounded in real self care practices from the Iliff Death Care Collective, this session empowers faith leaders to guide their communities with greater compassion and clarity, even in difficult times.
5:00 PM – “Storytelling in New Social Spaces” (Keynote & Dinner)
Rev. Dr. Amanda Henderson
We all know that stories are the key to reaching people and catalyzing personal and social transformation. But how do we reach people in a media context of soundbites and doom scrolling? In this interactive, multi-media session, we will explore the power of storytelling utilizing multiple media platforms and take away tips for both tech-savvy and tech-wary storytellers.
Dinner will be provided during this final session—come hungry for both food and insight!