Shalom Summit

Shalom Summit: Disciples Pursuing Racially Just Neighborhoods

Come join us at the Harrisburg First Church of the Brethren for a powerful event focused on pursuing racial justice in our neighborhoods, with featured keynote speaker and nationally renowned author Lisa Sharon Harper. This in-person summit will bring together disciples from all walks of life to discuss, and get equipped to take action towards pursuing a community where everyone belongs, where everyone matters, and where everyone can thrive. Don’t miss this opportunity to be a part of the change!

One day event.

EVENT WILL INCLUDE:

Workshops focused on Biblical Justice and Praxis for Social Change.

Networking opportunities with Christians from diverse traditions.

Meals are included–all for $10 per person!

Space is limited to 200 participants, so register now to secure your spot before it’s too late!

EVENT SPEAKERS

Guest Speaker: Lisa Sharon Harper

Lisa Sharon Harper is the founder and president of Freedom Road, a groundbreaking consulting group that crafts experiences that bring common understanding and common commitments that lead to common action toward a more just world. Lisa is a public theologian whose writing, speaking, activism and training has sparked and fed the fires of re-formation in the church from Ferguson and Charlottesville to South Africa, Brazil, Australia and Ireland. Lisa’s book, Fortune: How Race Broke My Family And The World–And How To Repair It All was named one of the “Best Books of 2022” and The Very Good Gospel was named 2016 “Book of the Year” by Englewood Review of Books. The Huffington Post identified Lisa as one of 50 Women Religious Leaders to Celebrate on International Women’s Day. Lisa is host of the Freedom Road Podcast, cohost of The FOUR Podcast and author of her weekly column on Substack, “The Truth Is…”.

Dr. Drew Hart

Drew G. I. Hart is an associate professor of theology at Messiah University, where he currently directs the Thriving Together: Congregations for Racial Justice program in central PA. He co-hosts Inverse Podcast with Australian peace activist Jarrod McKenna, and is the author of Trouble I’ve Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views Racism (2016), Who Will Be A Witness?: Igniting Activism for God’s Justice, Love, and Deliverance (2020), and he most recently co-edited Reparations and the Theological Disciplines: Prophetic Voices for Remembrance, Reckoning, and Repair (Nov. 2023). Drew regularly speaks at colleges, conferences, churches and community groups across the country. He is married to Renee and is the father of three sons.

SHALOM SUMMIT

WORKSHOPS

Not Just Personal, but Public: Paul’s Framework for Peace and Justice

Rev. Kristopher Sledge
In a world marked by global turbulence, systemic racism, and deep division, those on the margins -- the poor, the oppressed, and the overlooked -- experience these harsh realities most acutely. Yet, as people of faith, we are called to seek the peace and shalom of the world. In this workshop, we’ll delve into the writings of Paul to uncover how peace and unity are not peripheral themes but central to his theology. For Paul, peace isn’t just the absence of conflict; it’s an essential part of God’s salvation story. Salvation isn’t merely individual, it’s social and relational. It bridges divides between humanity and God, between individuals and communities, even between enemies, and extends to all of creation. We’ll explore how living in Christ means embodying Christ’s peace, a peace that heals, unites, and rebuilds rather than divides, harms, or destroys.

The Narrow Road: An Intro to Community Organizing

Nathan Richard Sooy
This training is for people who have heard the call of God and have decided that they must be involved in work for specific justice goals even if they are not sure about how to begin. This workshop will convey how research, action, and evaluation are at the heart positively changing laws, policies, and budgets. That you must have actual proof of the effectiveness of your work within changed conditions that help people. We will explore what we can distinctively bring to the table for systemic change. We will discuss the standards for evaluation in community organizing (What did we win? What did we lose? What did we learn?). The training is not about speaking truth to power, making a witness nor is it about stirring the consciences of the people we are opposing.

Seeking the Shalom of the City - Race, Faith and Finances

Sponsored by Everence Financial
Leonard Dow
Leonard Dow is VP of Church & Community Development. Leonard will be sharing about his own life and how his Anabaptist faith and life experiences/learnings as an African American have intersected in his professional journey as a banker, pastor, Christian community development founder along with his current work at Everence where he engages historically under resourced and the low to moderate income communities. Some of the questions that will be addressed in his presentation: How come certain communities consistently thrive and others persistently struggle? What is the role of the church and/or other communities of faith in bringing about Shalom in our local communities? How can or are you participating in bringing about Shalom in your local community? How is Everence engaging in Christian Community Development and what are we learning? It promises to be a time together of learning, listening, discerning, and equipping.

Preaching Racial Justice: Reflective Engagement in the Pulpit

Pastor Lexi Aligarbes & Pastor Josiah Ludwick
In this session, Pastor Lexi and Pastor Josiah will share their personal journeys in preaching racial justice—exploring where they have been, where they are now, and their hopes for ongoing growth. Together, they'll offer reflections on the challenges and opportunities of addressing racial justice from the pulpit, inviting participants into an honest dialogue about preaching with integrity, courage, and faith in troubling times.

Beyond the Exodus: Reading the OT Reparatively

Dr. Rebecca Harris
While some parts of the Old Testament speak powerfully to matters of justice, other parts seem to work in the opposite direction. Can even these passages be redeemed? Can they be read faithfully in ways that promote justice rather than condone oppression? In this session, participants will examine key OT texts that offer scriptural reasoning for pursuing racial justice, consider how even troublesome texts may be read reparatively, and participate in the practice of reparative reading.

Shalom SUMMIT

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Shalom SUMMIT

Shalom Summit: Disciples Pursuing Racially Just Neighborhoods

One day event.

EVENT WILL INCLUDE:

SHALOM SUMMIT

EVENT SPEAKERS

Guest Speaker: Lisa Sharon Harper

Dr. Drew Hart

SHALOM SUMMIT

WORKSHOPS

Not Just Personal, but Public: Paul’s Framework for Peace and Justice

The Narrow Road: An Intro to Community Organizing

Seeking the Shalom of the City - Race, Faith and Finances

Preaching Racial Justice: Reflective Engagement in the Pulpit

Beyond the Exodus: Reading the OT Reparatively

Jesus & the ‘Neighbor’: Lessons on How to Treat Others in the Community

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