Support Contemplative Activism and Church Different in 2019
As the end of 2018 approaches, we wanted to take a quick look back on our accomplishments this year -- and give you a sneak peak at what is coming in 2019!
Transform launched several major new projects this year:
New Website - The new website is quickly becoming a major resource for progressive Christian movements and prophetic Christians who are engaged in contemplative spirituality, faith-rooted activism, and church different!
Speakers Bureau - We now have 18 speakers on Transform Network’s Speakers Bureau roster! Some of our speakers spoke at conferences and events around the country, including Why Christian?, the Sojourners Summit for Change, Wild Goose Festival, and Evolving Faith.
The Progressive Christian Calendar - In order to provide everyone with a one-stop resource for progressive Christian conferences and events, we launched the calendar as part of the new Transform Network website. It drove some of the highest traffic we’ve ever had on our website.
The Nancy E. Roach Memorial Scholarship for Seminary Students - In partnership with the Ruth E. Roach Memorial Scholarship Fund, we gave out the first $5,000 scholarship to Jackie Newsome, a student at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, for her essay “Restoring Barabbas.”
Transform participated in and mobilized faith-rooted activists to be engaged in the following campaigns:
The Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival - We participated in the 40 Days of Moral Action in 40 states across the country and in Washington, D.C., culminating in the Mass Rally in D.C. on June 23!
Week of Witness to #ReuniteEveryChild - In partnership with Define American, we encouraged people of faith to speak out against the immoral government policy of family separation through an online campaign and organizing events around the country during a week of action.
Vote Common Good - We helped promote the bus tour events across the country in the run-up to the midterm elections.
Love Knows No Borders - In partnership with the American Friends Service Committee, we participated in a historic direct action at the U.S./Mexico border in solidarity with the migrant caravans, where 32 moral leaders were arrested for nonviolent civil disobedience. This was followed by a week of events around the country on the theme “Love Knows No Borders.”
Transform partnered on a number of events:
Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference 2018 - This is a sacred, prophetic black church space. We were grateful for the opportunity to have a booth for Transform at the conference this year!
Why Christian? 2018 - We partnered with Rachel Held Evans and Nadia Bolz-Weber to be at the Why Christian? Conference this year. Rev. Amy Cantrell led a workshop!
Contemplative Sit for Justice - We were honored to host Father Richard Rohr and Rev. angel Kyodo williams Sensei for an hour-long sit for justice in Washington, D.C., as part of our participation in the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival. The video from this event is available on our website!
Wild Goose Festival 2018 - We helped bring contemplative activist Jarrod McKenna in from Perth, Australia, to speak at the festival this year, in addition to having Vahisha Hasan and others speaking there, as well!
CTZN Summit 2018 - We were glad for the opportunity to partner with CTZN Well on this pre-midterm summit for contemplative activists and wellness practitioners from around the country.
Prophetic Imagination 2018 - Transform speaker Mark Van Steenwyk and his organization hosted their first annual event, and we were excited to help send Vahisha Hasan and Xan West!
Better Angels - Thanks to our friends at Montreat Conference Center for hosting this gathering with so many great speakers. We were glad to have a table for Transform at the conference!
Transform produced or partnered on the following online courses:
Walking Wounded: Hope and Healing for Those Hurt by Church and Ministry - Kathy Escober and Phyllis Mathis hosted this healing space for those who have been wounded by past church and ministry experiences. They’re offering it again in early 2019 (see below)!
Theologies of Resistance - Thanks to our friends at Homebrewed Christianity, we were excited to partner and offer video content from four of the amazing, prophetic speakers we work with in Transform’s Speakers Bureau. You can watch all four of those videos on our website now.
Transform continued its fiscal sponsorship program:
Faith 4 Justice - Is continuing to do amazing work in Asheville, NC!
Into Account - Moved on from Transform this year to form its own 501c3 non-profit, and we’re really proud of the work they are doing and that we got to be part of their story.
Movement in Faith - Executive director Vahisha Hasan co-edited the 2018 Resipiscence Lenten Devotional for Dismantling White Supremacy. There’s already a 2019 edition of the Lent devotional in the works (see below)! Also, in partnership with Xan West and Yvette Blair Lavallais, Vahisha launched “miles of melanin,” a travel grant program for Melanated artists and activists to fund travel to conferences, trainings, symposiums, etc.
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2019
Transform has some really exciting things in store for the coming year:
Launching the new Transform Network Podcast - Vahisha Hasan and Stephen Roach Knight will co-host the new podcast, which will launch in early 2019, so keep an ear out for it! We plan to feature conversations and interviews about contemplative justice, progressive Christian action, and church different.
2019 Resipiscence Lenten Devotional for Dismantling White Supremacy is already in the works with even bigger and more exciting components to it, including a daily companion podcast, weekly events during Lent that will be livestreamed, etc. Transform is excited to partner again with Vahisha Hasan and Movement in Faith, as well as other partners in this important work.
Offering more online courses - Walking Wounded returns in February. Registration is open now! Vahisha Hasan will be teaching a course on implicit bias (and how to address it), and we’re developing new online courses with other amazing teachers, such as Onleilove Chika Alston!
Announcing more prophetic voices in Transform Network’s Speakers Bureau - We’re excited to have even more amazing people joining the roster at Transform’s Speakers Bureau.
Continuing to partner on campaigns and special events - We are continuing our partnership in the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, and we will announcing other campaigns as they arise. Look for us at upcoming events in the new year, as well, including the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference 2019, the New Story Festival 2019, and more!
Giving away another $5,000 seminary scholarship award - Another talented seminary student will be awarded a scholarship for writing the best essay on faith and social justice. Applications will be opening again soon, so stay tuned and tell all the seminary students you know to apply!
Announcing the next Transform Network national gathering - We’ve taken a hiatus since the last national event that we produced, but we’re excited to be getting ready to announce the next one very soon.
Will you help us accomplish all of this and more in the coming year? We’re looking for individuals who will join as partners in this work by committing to a monthly recurring donation. Our goal is to raise $1,000/month in regular support to help us support all of these programs and produce this content and amazing resources.
Would you please consider setting up a monthly donation of $25 or $50 per month? Or make a one-time year-end contribution of any amount? We are grateful for your love and support!
Holly and Stephen Roach Knight
on behalf of the Board of Transform Network
(Vahisha Hasan, Holly Roach Knight, Stephen Roach Knight, Anthony Smith, Jennifer “Jay” Yoder)