Spring Gathering Days: Schedule

Monday, April 25 @ 5:30 – 7:00 pm (MST)

Join Iliff for a transformative performance by  Kay Ulanday Barrett aka @brownroundboi. Their bio adds that K is a “poet, performer, and educator, navigating life as a disabled Filipinx-amerikan transgender queer in the U.S. with struggle, resistance, and laughter.” Their areas of interest include the following: Movement Building, Cultural Work, Cultural Strategy, Community Art & Performance; Race, Gender, Class, Sexuality, and Disability; Disability Justice; Asian American Culture; Mixed Race issues; Queer & Transgender Justice; Critical Food Issues; Intersectionality; Poor, Working Class, & formerly homeless/Houseless perspectives; politics of Food & Culture. Kay Ulanday Barrett’s presentation is “More Than a Organs: Trans and brown wobbly poetry.”

Tuesday, April 26 @ 12:30 pm (MST)

Campus Tour (Meet in the lobby)

Wednesday, April 27 @ 8:00 am – Noon (MST)

Secrets of the Colorado Capitol Tour (please register on the form)

Take a break from classwork and have fun seeing advocacy from an inside view in real-time. Get an intimate, behind-the-scenes experience at the Colorado State Capitol with our very own Linda Newell (former State Senator) and Amanda Henderson (former interfaith advocate). And walk away with your own copy of “The Last Bill, a Senator’s Story” and “Holy Chaos, Creating Connection in Divisive Times.“

8:00 am – Gather at Iliff Entrance

8:05 am – Travel to Capitol (free – we’ve got you covered!)

8:45 am – On Senate Floor with Senator Jeff Bridges (MDiv from Harvard)

9:45 am – Meet Representative David Ortiz (First Latino to represent his district), Representative Iman Jodeh (First Muslim woman to serve in Colorado), Representative Dafna Michaelson Jenet

10:00 am – Committee Hearing (TBD)

10:30 am – Secrets of the Capitol Tour with Linda and Amanda

11:30 am – Travel to Iliff

12:00 pm – Lunch at Iliff

In 2017, Senator Linda Newell was termed out of the Colorado State Senate where she led alternative dispute resolution and restorative justice efforts, and significant reforms in child protection, education equity, and early childhood. She drove policy and systemic improvements in health care and mental health, school discipline, juvenile justice, domestic violence, workforce development, technology, and the arts. Since, she produced the documentary, “The Last Bill, a Senator’s Story,” to help create more informed and empathic voters. She now co-hosts a local radio show on conflict transformation. In 2020, Linda graduated from Iliff with a Master’s in Social Justice & Ethics and teaches and consults on conflict, DEAI, and restorative & transformative justice.

Rev. Amanda Henderson is the Director of the Institute for Religion, Politics and Culture at Iliff School of Theology. The Institute performs research on the ways religious histories inform political perspectives and shares that information to educate public leaders for transformative action. Before launching the Institute, Amanda served for seven years as Executive Director of The Interfaith Alliance of Colorado bringing people from different religious traditions together for political action. Amanda is ordained with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), author of Holy Chaos, Creating Connections in Divisive Times, and is pursuing a PhD in religion and politics at the University of Denver.

Wednesday, April 27 @ 9:00 – 10:30 am (MST)

OPF hosts coffee, juice and muffins – Come meet and greet!

Wednesday, April 27 @ Noon – 1:00 pm (MST)

Lunch (free, please register on the form) – Pick up your food and eat outdoors or in the Student Commons or in your favorite nook at Iliff.

Wednesday, April 27 @ 5:05 – 6:00 pm (MST)

Honors Convocation in Shattuck Hall

Faculty in regalia, lots of applause to celebrate the accomplishments of students, faculty, and staff. This is a celebration of all that we have been able to do, in spite of all that we’ve had to deal with – don’t miss it in person if you are in Denver. Your guests are most welcome to join you, just check in at the hospitality table when you arrive to get checked in. Virtual simultaneous event for those not in Denver.

Reception on the patio 6:00-7:00pm. Light food and laughter.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT

Student Senate sponsors MEOW WOLF!

The hottest ticket in Denver when it opened, Meow Wolf Convergence Station is a collaborative art experience with a story line – just made for Iliffians to explore together. It features many local artists, particularly younger BIPOC folx. I can’t explain it, so check out for yourself. Student Senate has bought the tickets for students for the 8:00pm entry. If we have leftover tickets we’ll give them to interested staff and faculty.

Sign up on the form so we know who is coming. We’ll carpool from the reception at Iliff.

Thursday, April 28 @ 7:30 – 9:00 am (MST)

OPF hosts coffee, juice and muffins – Come meet, greet, and eat!

Thursday, April 28 @ Noon – 1:00 pm (MST)

Lunch (free, please register on the form) – Pick up your food and eat outdoors or in the Student Commons or in your favorite nook at Iliff.

Thursday, April 28 @ 5:05 – 5:50 pm (MST)

Dr. Willie James Jennings “On the Desire for Others” a virtual conversation with students

Dr. Jennings offered an amazing public lecture in February that you can access here. (It is located within Canvas, so you will have to log in.). This is your opportunity to engage with him directly in a conversation whose purpose is another step in changing our world.

If you will be on campus that afternoon, we will have a space for you to use your laptop to login while in the room with others. A different kind of hybrid! (Please sign up on the form so we know how large a room we need.)

Thursday, April 28 @ 6:00 – 7:00 pm (MST)

WORSHIP with Rev. Jacqui Lewis and Minister Daryl J. Walker

Rev. Lewis is an AMAZING, dynamic, energizing, inspiring preacher. Let the Spirit and the desire for justice roll over you and carry you forward with joy. Rev. Lewis is the senior pastor of Middle Collegiate Church in Manhattan, a multi-racial progressive Christian activist presence in the USA. Middle Collegiate is still leading, even after a fire devastated their historic building during COVID. Rev. Lewis was first introduced to Iliff by Dr. Miguel De La Torre several years ago. I am excited about her return! (Please sign up on the form so we have enough seating)

Thursday, April 28 @ 7:45 pm (MST)

Student Senate welcomes you to the “Pioneer” for appetizers (and you can order your own drink or dinner). Just 1 block south of Iliff on S. University Blvd. Outdoor and indoor seating. A good time to kick back and enjoy the company of other weary Iliffians

Friday, April 29 @ 10:30 – 11:30 pm (MST)

Iliff Hall Chapel: “Sound Waves of Gratitude” – A Meditative Sound Journey Calm the chaos. Mend the mind. Balance the body. Soothe the spirit.

Intuitive sound artist, Ann Martin, presents “Sound Waves of Gratitude” … a unique meditative sound journey exploring the power of being truly thankful in challenging times. This harmonically beautiful concert with crystal and Himalayan singing bowls will relax the body with waves of resonance, and transport the mind to a place of uncommon peace and deeper appreciation. The event concludes with a full spectrum of healing frequencies from the 36? OM Gong, to vibrate and harmonize every cell. Find your Self in the inner stillness and appreciation of life!

Special Instructions: Yoga mats will be provided for those choosing to recline for the meditation.

Ann Martin is an internationally known musician, healer, educator, and soundscape artist who brings a contemporary approach to singing bowls and gongs. She cultivates dynamic and harmonically beautiful meditative concerts that are deeply relaxing and memorable. She combines 35 years in the healing arts with 40 years as a professional musician to bring a fresh perspective to mindfulness, presence, and wellness. Her meditative concerts offer a new level of insight around working with sound as musical medicine. Ann is a sought-after recording artist, published author, keynote speaker and international instructor of the BLISSbowls™ series of 5-star online singing bowl training courses, viewed in 91 countries and translated into 32 languages. For more information on classes, concerts, and sessions, visit MileHighHealingVibe.com. (Please sign up on the form)

Friday, April 29 @ Noon – 1:00 pm (MST)

Lunch (free, please register on the form) – Pick up your food and eat outdoors or in the Student Commons or in your favorite nook at Iliff.

Friday, April 29 @ morning and afternoon

A possible listening session with Lenape and Four Winds leaders at Iliff.

By invitation, but indicate your interest on the form.

Saturday, April 30 @ morning

A possible ceremony with Lenape and Four Winds leaders at Iliff.

Friday and Saturday of Gathering Days Iliff will be blessed to host a small group of tribal leaders who are helping guide us in how to continue to engage with the historic Latin history of christianity volume that was bound in the flayed skin of a murdered Lenape man in the early 19th century. The skin was laid to rest in the 1970s but the legacy of his presence remains with the pages and with Iliff.

We are following the Lenape lead, and are prepared for both a possible listening session on Friday and a possible ceremony on Saturday morning, timing and exact location to be determined. We expect to know late Thursday and will share information when we have it.