July 5-7, 2012 Chicago (Lincoln Park campus of DePaul University)

From the beginning, EP has been focused on  a patient ecclesiology that recognizes that Christ has given us all the time we need to receive and respond to the urgent message of the gospel. Our Congregational Formation Initiative seeks to nurture and support “lifelong formation.” In a 2007 Gathering workshop, Michael Bowling and Susan Adams of Englewood Christian Church offered ”Sustaining Congregational Conversations for the Long Haul.” In 2008, Kyle Childress asked in a bLogos post “what it would mean for us to be a slow church?” Three years later, Kyle reminded us that our ”temptation is to look for shortcuts”; we want Jesus and church “delivered fast.”

The EP board has also nominated a planning team, helmed by Joel Shuman. It includes Chris Smith, Ragan Sutterfield, Stan Wilson, Kyle Childress, and Patti Hom.