2014 Clergy School:  

Proclaiming the Gospel with a

21st Century Mindset and Tools

October 14-16, 2014

John XXIII Pastoral Center

Schedule

Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball

Bishop Sandra L. Steiner Ball sees the United Methodist Church as a dynamic network of faith communities passionate about sharing the hope, love, and life of Christ.  Her vision for the church has deep roots in her life experience.

Born in Massachusetts and raised in Milford, Delaware, Sandra was active at Avenue United Methodist Church from an early age.  There, she discovered her love of singing and understood what the church can be at its best:  a beacon of hope, acceptance, and love. 

Her ability to see the potential in others - and the United Methodist Church - came from a family and church that first saw hers.  Her parents, Edward and Marjorie Steiner, taught Sunday school at church and encouraged the bishop’s faith development.  With the love and support of her mother and her schoolteachers, the bishop overcame some learning disabilities and graduated in the top 10 of her high school class.

She graduated with honors from Dickinson College in 1984, where she earned a degree in religion. She attended seminary at Duke University (M.Div. 1987), and earned a D.Min. from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington D.C. in 2003.

Sandra most recently served as the Director of Connectional Ministries (DCM) for the Peninsula-Delaware Conference.  During her last year as a DCM, she also served as interim pastor of Bayside Chapel, a new church start.

She was the first female superintendent of the Dover District, and served as dean of the cabinet. Sandra was the youngest and the first female pastor of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church. Before that, she was associate pastor of Kent Island United Methodist Church in Chester, Maryland.

Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball is married to the Rev. Barry D. Steiner Ball.  They have have two daughters:  Sarah Elizabeth and Sandra Rebekah.

I always knew I wanted to be a writer.  In third grade, my mom tied my hair back in bun, placed a pair of fake glasses on my nose, and sent me out the door with a legal pad under my arm so I could dress up as an author for “career day” at school, just like I wanted.

Now I make my living writing books, blog posts, and articles.  (Had I known the true author’s dress code, I would have worn my pajamas and a pair of slippers to school that day instead.)  I write from Dayton, Tennessee - a small town made famous by the Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925 and the best place in the world to find fresh strawberries in the spring.

My first book, Evolving in Monkey Town (Zondervan, 2010), explores the relationship between faith and doubt and recounts the challenges of asking tough questions about Christianity in the context of the Bible Belt.  My second book, A Year of Biblical Womanhood (Thomas Nelson Oct, 2012), documents a year-long experiment in which I attempted to follow all of the Bible’s instructions for women as literally as possible.

Most people know me for the blog, which just keeps growing and growing, thanks to a smart, funny, faithful, and engaged readership - the best of the blogosphere, in my opinion.  To get an idea of what the blog is about, check out 10 Cool Things We've Done in 1,000 Posts.

In addition to my writing, I keep a busy speaking schedule across the country for retreats, conferences, universities and churches.  Some of my most recent events have included Mars Hill Church (Grand Rapids), Fuller Seminary, Baylor University, Abilene Christian University, The Wild Goose Festival, and STORY Chicago.

I’ve been featured on NPR, Slate, The BBC, The Washington Post, The Guardian (UK), The Times London, The Huffington Post, and Oprah.com, and was recently named one of Christianity Today's "50 Women to Watch. "

The best part of my life is my husband, Dan.  The second best is Alabama football.  I’m a skeptic, a creative, and a follower of Jesus, figuring out this journey of faith one shaky step at a time.

Dr. Jason Vickers

 Jason teaches in the areas of Systematic Theology, Wesley Studies, Methodist Doctrine, and Philosophy of Religion.  He is currently conducting research on transitions in Methodist Christology. He is especially interested in the relationship between Christological transitions and changes in political vision and commitments within the Methodist tradition.

Jason’s educational background includes a B.A. from Trevecca Nazarene University in 1996; a M.Div. from Nazarene Theological Seminary in 1999; and a Ph.D. from Southern Methodist University in 2004.  He is a member of the editorial board for Kingswood Books; program coordinator for the The Charles Wesley Society.  He is a commissioned elder in the Western North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church; a member of the American Academy of Religion and a member of the Wesleyan Theological Society

Jason has written and contributed to a number of books and articles.  Several titles consist of:  Minding the Good Ground:  A Theology for Church Renewal.  Baylor University Press, 2011; Methodist and Pietist:  Retrieving the Evangelical United Brethren Tradition. Kingswood Books, 2011; (Editor).  The Cambridge Companion to John Wesley.  Cambridge University Press, 2010; Wesley:  A Guide for the Perplexed.  T&T Clark International, 2009;  Immersed in the Life of God:  The Healing Resources of the Christian Faith –Essays in Honor of William J. Abraham.  Co-Editor.  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2008; Invocation and Assent:  The Making and Remaking of Trinitarian Theology.  Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2008;  “Christology,” in The Oxford Handbook of Methodist Studies, edited by William J. Abraham and James Kirby (Oxford University Press, 2010), 554-72.  “The Making of a Trinitarian Theologian:  The Holy Spirit in Charles Wesley’s Sermons,” Pneuma 31 (2009): 213-24; “Albert Outler and the Future of Wesleyan Theology:  Retrospect and Prospect,” in Wesleyan Theological Journal 42:2 (Fall 2008), 56-67; “The Confession of Faith and the Twenty-Five Articles of Religion Compared:  Assessing the EUB Contribution to Methodist Standards of Doctrine,” Methodist History 46:4 (July 2008) 223-240;  “And We the Life of God Shall Know: Appreciating Charles Wesley as Theologian” Anglican Theological Review 90:2 (Spring 2008): 329-44;  “On Friendship: John Wesley’s Advice to the People Called Methodists,” Wesleyan Theological Journal 42:1 (Spring 2007), 32 – 49.  For a complete listing of books and articles, see his complete bio at http://united.edu/portfolio-item/jason-e-vickers/.

Jason’s interests include hiking, sports, casual reading, and travel.  He is married to Lacey, and they have two children (Garrett Reid and McKenna Eve) along with two Boston Terriers (Cooper and Sadie). 

Rev. Telley Lynnette Gadson

 Reverend Telley Lynnette Gadson, the only daughter of the Honorable Herbert Gadson and "Missionary" Linda Dingle Gadson, was born on February 28, 1974.  A native of Hollywood, South Carolina, Reverend Gadson is a sister, an aunt, and a friend to many.  She was a fall 1995 graduate of the University of South Carolina, she was named to the Dean's List and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a minor in Religious Studies.  In the spring of 1999, she graduated from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University (Atlanta, GA) with a Master of Divinity degree and Certification in Black Church Studies.  On Sunday, November 29, 1992, Reverend Gadson answered God's call on her life for ministry after preaching her first sermon entitled, "What's Your Persuasion?” She is an ordained Elder in full Connection, in the South Carolina Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.

From June 13, 1999 to June 16, 2004, Reverend Gadson served as the Pastor of two Churches:  Mount Zion and Saint Mark United Methodist Churches (Sumter, South Carolina).  During Reverend Gadson’s tenure, Mount Zion experienced spiritual growth and purchased a 25-passenger shuttle bus.  Simultaneously, Saint Mark experienced spiritual growth, more than tripled its membership, more than quadrupled its financial stewardship, made structural improvements to the Church, and purchased 20.6 acres of land.  On June 16, 2004, major milestones were reached when Saint Mark became a “station-church-appointment,” and Reverend Gadson became the Church’s first full-time Pastor.  After years of planning and sacrifice, Saint Mark UMC celebrated Ground-Breaking on the construction of a new edifice in September of 2009; and by God’s grace, on Sunday, April 11, 2010, Saint Mark UMC celebrated the Consecration of a new church building designed for worship, study, and fellowship. 

God's preaching and anointing on Reverend Gadson has enabled her to share on local, state-wide, regional, and national platforms; from Hollywood, South Carolina (her hometown) to Tacoma, Washington.  At the 2001 South Carolina Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, Reverend Gadson delivered a powerful message on Racism in the Church Today during the history-making Service of Reconciliation and Healing.  In February of 2007, Reverend Gadson lifted the Morning Meditation at the South Carolina Prayer Breakfast in honor of then-Presidential Candidate, Senator Barack Obama (now President Obama).  The September/October 2008 issue of IMARA Woman Magazine highlights Reverend Gadson’s story of her battle with obesity, and how she is overcoming this lifelong fight with a commitment to healthy eating and exercise.  This same magazine featured her with recording artist, Cece Winans in 2010 and 2011, and now features her as the contributing writer for the “Soul Food” column in its bi-monthly publication.  In December of 2010 and in April of 2011, Reverend Gadson was a special guest at the White House at the invitation of President Barack Obama.  In November 2011, she served as one of 3 worship preachers at the inaugural joint-conference of the NAACP and the National Baptist Convention (Saint Louis, Missouri).  In January of 2012, she was appointed to the Religious Affairs Committee of the NAACP National Board of Directors.  She is a member of the SC Delegation for the 2012 General and SEJ Jurisdictional Conferences of the UMC.  Most recently, Reverend Gadson served as a keynote presenter at the 2012 School of Congregational Development sponsored by the United Methodist Church (Saint Louis, Missouri).

On June 26, 2013, after 14 years with Saint Mark UMC (Sumter, SC), Reverend Gadson began a new journey in ministry as the Pastor of Saint Mark and Saint Matthew United Methodist Churches (Taylors/Greenville, SC).  It is her prayer that God will grant her strength, wisdom, courage, and favor in this new place of possibilities for such a time as this!

Affectionately known as “PASTOR T,” Reverend Gadson is a member of numerous church-related, community, academic, and national organizations; including the African American Clergywomen's Caucus, the NAACP, and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.  With sensitivity and a warm smile as her hallmarks, Reverend Telley Lynnette Gadson leads by example and believes that everyone has a place at the table of empowerment.  She is the energetic and inspiring host of “THE CALL,” a weekly Praise/Prayer telephone-conference.  Recognized as a ministry mentor, a church leadership coach, a national leader and some have even said “national evangelist” in the United Methodist Church.  Reverend Gadson models her life after the African-American spiritual:  "If I can help somebody as I travel along the way, then my living shall not be in vain."

Housing

available on a first come, first reserved basis at the Retreat Center.  Housing reservations are made at the time of registration.  Payment in full is required to hold a reservation.  (You may see descriptions of each housing option on the John XXIII website here.)

• Dormitory Bed            $18.00 per night
• Single Room               $52.00 per night  -  SOLD OUT
• Sharing Room             $42.00 per night  -  SOLD OUT 
• Area Hotels – you are responsible for your own reservations.

Meals

available on-site but require the purchase of meal tickets with your registration. 

• Breakfast         $8.00
• Lunch              $10.00
• Dinner             $15.00
• Off site