2026 Preaching Conference

One Table Preaching:
Making Room for Every Voice

Saturday, May 2nd, 2026, 10am – 4pm, Shoreline, WA

Meet Your Speakers
$

Equip yourself to navigate complex differences

Cultural, political, ability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic, and even multigenerational contexts.
$

Grow in confidence to preach amid division and diversity

Learn how to speak faithfully when issues are polarizing and your congregation holds very different perspectives.

$

Reimagine preaching as more than exegesis

Explore how to engage people’s deeply held perspectives and create space for theological, social, and personal difference at the preaching “table.”

Meet Your Keynote Speaker

Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow

Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow is a 3rd Generation Filipino/Chinese American and an active speaker, writer, coach, and podcaster on topics of faith, leadership, activism, culture, race, and technology. An ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), he also works with organizations on immigration, decarceration, and Palestinian liberation. He is the author of six books, most recently Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith, with his next book, “Prophets, Priests, Pastors & Poets: Being and Becoming the Resurrected Christ,” due out in Fall 2026. He and his wife live in San Jose, CA.

Keynote Sermon: Proclamation as Theological Crowdwork: How Interactive Preaching Expands Exegetical Practices, Rejects Generative AI, and Bridges Political Division

The Amalgamation ❘ BlueSky ❘ Bookshop

Full Speaker Bio

Workshop Presenters

Rev. Dr. Leah Schade

Associate Professor of Preaching and Worship at Lexington Theological Seminary

Rev. Dr. Leah Schade

Associate Professor of Preaching and Worship at Lexington Theological Seminary

  • Planning and Implementing the Sermon-Dialogue-Sermon Method in Your Congregation

Based on her book, Preaching in the Purple Zone: Ministry in the Red-Blue Divide, Rev. Dr. Leah Schade will introduce participants to the “sermon-dialogue-sermon” method to use in their congregations. We’ll discuss how to choose “cool,” “warm,” or “hot” topics, and how to plan sermons and deliberative dialogues to address a social issue that’s important to their community.

EcoPreacher blog ❘ BlueSky ❘ Amazon

Based on her book, Preaching in the Purple Zone: Ministry in the Red-Blue Divide, Rev. Dr. Leah Schade will introduce participants to the “sermon-dialogue-sermon” method to use in their congregations. We’ll discuss how to choose “cool,” “warm,” or “hot” topics, and how to plan sermons and deliberative dialogues to address a social issue that’s important to their community.

EcoPreacher blog ❘ BlueSky ❘ Amazon

Based on her book, Preaching in the Purple Zone: Ministry in the Red-Blue Divide, Rev. Dr. Leah Schade will introduce participants to the “sermon-dialogue-sermon” method to use in their congregations. We’ll discuss how to choose “cool,” “warm,” or “hot” topics, and how to plan sermons and deliberative dialogues to address a social issue that’s important to their community.

EcoPreacher blog ❘ BlueSky ❘ Amazon

Rev. Lina Thompson

Lead Pastor at Lake Burien Presbyterian Church

Rev. Lina Thompson

Lead Pastor at Lake Burien Presbyterian Church

  • Preaching Peace From Below

This workshop will facilitate a conversation on how to read and preach biblical text for the sake of the city and its most vulnerable people.

This workshop will facilitate a conversation on how to read and preach biblical text for the sake of the city and its most vulnerable people.

This workshop will facilitate a conversation on how to read and preach biblical text for the sake of the city and its most vulnerable people.

Rev. Danielle Merseles

Associate Pastor of Youth and Young Adults at Bethany Presbyterian Church

Rev. Danielle Merseles

Associate Pastor of Youth and Young Adults at Bethany Presbyterian Church

  • Preaching the Good News to all Generations

While many churches emphasize intergenerational ministry and the benefits to everyone, how do we preach one sermon so that people of all generations in the pews can connect with the good news of Jesus? Can middle schoolers, Millennials, and retirees all find meaning in the same message? I often teach students and I also find myself preaching on a Sunday morning to all ages. Preaching is a way of proclaiming God's word, but how can we do this with a generational intelligence so that everyone is truly worshiping together?

While many churches emphasize intergenerational ministry and the benefits to everyone, how do we preach one sermon so that people of all generations in the pews can connect with the good news of Jesus? Can middle schoolers, Millennials, and retirees all find meaning in the same message? I often teach students and I also find myself preaching on a Sunday morning to all ages. Preaching is a way of proclaiming God's word, but how can we do this with a generational intelligence so that everyone is truly worshiping together?

While many churches emphasize intergenerational ministry and the benefits to everyone, how do we preach one sermon so that people of all generations in the pews can connect with the good news of Jesus? Can middle schoolers, Millennials, and retirees all find meaning in the same message? I often teach students and I also find myself preaching on a Sunday morning to all ages. Preaching is a way of proclaiming God's word, but how can we do this with a generational intelligence so that everyone is truly worshiping together?

Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow

Speaker, Writer, Coach, and Podcaster

Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow

Speaker, Writer, Coach, and Podcaster

  • Preaching Politics as Curating Community

In our time, we will look at how preaching about "politics" can help build community and belonging — if the community and leadership believe that the body politic is deserving of being built up. While each preacher will have to translate for the communities they serve, Bruce will offer some perspective and practices to help spark conversation and movement.

In our time, we will look at how preaching about "politics" can help build community and belonging — if the community and leadership believe that the body politic is deserving of being built up. While each preacher will have to translate for the communities they serve, Bruce will offer some perspective and practices to help spark conversation and movement.

In our time, we will look at how preaching about "politics" can help build community and belonging — if the community and leadership believe that the body politic is deserving of being built up. While each preacher will have to translate for the communities they serve, Bruce will offer some perspective and practices to help spark conversation and movement.

Pastor Silas Sham

Lead Pastor of Bethany Community Church

Pastor Silas Sham

Lead Pastor of Bethany Community Church

  • Cooking Up a Sermon: Word, Spirit & Story for New and Emerging Preachers

Every good sermon starts with raw ingredients — the Word that grounds us, the Spirit that stirs us, and the stories that bring faith to life. In this hands-on workshop for new and emerging preachers, we’ll explore how to “cook up” a sermon from scratch: mixing study with imagination, crafting messages that nourish hearts with the life of Christ, and discovering your unique voice in the kitchen of God’s Word.

Every good sermon starts with raw ingredients — the Word that grounds us, the Spirit that stirs us, and the stories that bring faith to life. In this hands-on workshop for new and emerging preachers, we’ll explore how to “cook up” a sermon from scratch: mixing study with imagination, crafting messages that nourish hearts with the life of Christ, and discovering your unique voice in the kitchen of God’s Word.

Every good sermon starts with raw ingredients — the Word that grounds us, the Spirit that stirs us, and the stories that bring faith to life. In this hands-on workshop for new and emerging preachers, we’ll explore how to “cook up” a sermon from scratch: mixing study with imagination, crafting messages that nourish hearts with the life of Christ, and discovering your unique voice in the kitchen of God’s Word.

JessicaThompson

Blogger, Speaker, and Consultant for Bridge Disability Ministries

JessicaThompson

Blogger, Speaker, and Consultant for Bridge Disability Ministries

  • Preaching Through the Lens of Disability

The Gospels are full of disabled people traditionally viewed as nothing more than a canvas for Jesus healing or a metaphor for sin. In this workshop we will use the lens of Disability Theology to reimagine the healing stories, allowing us to give voice to the disabled individuals, treating them as more than props in the story and invite our congregations into a bigger, broader, fuller Church and world.

The Gospels are full of disabled people traditionally viewed as nothing more than a canvas for Jesus healing or a metaphor for sin. In this workshop we will use the lens of Disability Theology to reimagine the healing stories, allowing us to give voice to the disabled individuals, treating them as more than props in the story and invite our congregations into a bigger, broader, fuller Church and world.

The Gospels are full of disabled people traditionally viewed as nothing more than a canvas for Jesus healing or a metaphor for sin. In this workshop we will use the lens of Disability Theology to reimagine the healing stories, allowing us to give voice to the disabled individuals, treating them as more than props in the story and invite our congregations into a bigger, broader, fuller Church and world.

Rev. Nat Johnson

Priest in Charge at St Peter's

Rev. Nat Johnson

Priest in Charge at St Peter's

  • Inclusive Preaching as a Liturgical Act

Sermons and homilies are not stand-alone components of a worship service - they are part of a larger movement within the liturgy itself. This workshop will explore how inclusive preaching both fits within that larger movement and has the formative capacity to draw the gathered community deeper into God's transformative presence.

Sermons and homilies are not stand-alone components of a worship service - they are part of a larger movement within the liturgy itself. This workshop will explore how inclusive preaching both fits within that larger movement and has the formative capacity to draw the gathered community deeper into God's transformative presence.

Sermons and homilies are not stand-alone components of a worship service - they are part of a larger movement within the liturgy itself. This workshop will explore how inclusive preaching both fits within that larger movement and has the formative capacity to draw the gathered community deeper into God's transformative presence.

Saturday, May 2nd, 2026

10am – 4pm, Lunch is included

Calvin Presbyterian Church, 18826 Third Ave. NW, Shoreline, WA 98177

Price: $99

Discounts available for members and denominational partners.

Registration Opens February 16th, 2026

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Denominations – receive 50% discounts for your participants. Learn more here.

 

 

“We’re not here to erase difference — we’re here to reimagine preaching that embraces it.”

Full attendance and participation during all sessions are expected to complete the program.
Terms / Conditions. By registering for a Resilience or Leaders Circle, you agree to the following (scroll down and click agree)
Please consider the schedule closely to ensure you will be able to participate in the virtual meetings, and block off your calendar to ensure your attendance. Should you have an emergency (illness, situations out of your control) that will impact your participation please email transforming@theseattleschool.edu
Time commitment:
Two hours one day per month for 8 months, dates to be determined by majority of registrants' availability and adjusted as needed during the first group meeting.
Your feedback is immensely valuable!
As an essential component of your participation in this program, we ask that you provide us with your honest, candid, and timely feedback in program surveys and conversations, and consider providing reviews or testimonials of the program for promotional use.
Code of Conduct:
The Center for Transforming Engagement strives for intentionality in the ways we relate to one another - how we as a team relate to each other, how we relate to participants, and how we hope participants will relate to us and one another. To that end, we hold cultural norms about the ways we interact with one another. Your participation in this program is contingent on your agreement to abide by these cultural norms. i. For growth to happen, we all need to be able to share about the deeper challenges we face. To provide that atmosphere of openness and support, you commit to not sharing personal information that is shared in program meetings. ii. In our interactions with each other and our communities, we practice the humility of not-knowing that is required to listen and discover. iii. Be aware of different cultural and characterological ways of communicating, and invite others’ voices. Respect theological differences: the river of Christian orthodoxy is wide, and while the streams of that river are distinct, they are not inherently better or worse. Even if you can’t respect the belief, treat the person with respect. iiii. We value both thoughts and feelings as valuable pieces of information that inform one another, and inform our learning and discerning together. iv. Be in the here and now (not mentally somewhere or some time else), with the people who are sharing their time and stories with you. Eliminate any distractions possible.
Fair Use Policy
All program content, recordings, and materials are the intellectual property of The Seattle School and may not be presented, distributed, or replicated. The Seattle School retains the copyright for all recorded content. Some print materials (PDFs, worksheets, journal prompts, etc.) will be licensed under Creative Commons: Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike. Those materials will be available for download on our website, and may be used as long as the following conditions are met: (1) attribute to the Center for Transforming Engagement even if remixed/modified; (2) do not use for commercial (paid) purposes; and (3) anything you make that remixes or builds upon this material, you must also distribute under Creative Commons. More information on this license is available at creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Agree and Close
(scroll down and click agree) Full attendance and participation during all sessions are expected to complete the program. Please consider the schedule closely to ensure you will be able to participate in the virtual meetings, and block off your calendar to ensure your attendance. Should you have an emergency (illness, situations out of your control) that will impact your participation please email transforming@theseattleschool.edu Time commitment: Two hours one day per month for 8 months, dates to be determined by majority of registrants' availability and adjusted as needed during the first group meeting. Your feedback is immensely valuable! As an essential component of your participation in this program, we ask that you provide us with your honest, candid, and timely feedback in program surveys and conversations, and consider providing reviews or testimonials of the program for promotional use. 2. Code of Conduct The Center for Transforming Engagement strives for intentionality in the ways we relate to one another - how we as a team relate to each other, how we relate to participants, and how we hope participants will relate to us and one another. To that end, we hold cultural norms about the ways we interact with one another. Your participation in this program is contingent on your agreement to abide by these cultural norms. Confidentiality. For growth to happen, we all need to be able to share about the deeper challenges we face. To provide that atmosphere of openness and support, you commit to not sharing personal information that is shared in program meetings. Curiosity. In our interactions with each other and our communities, we practice the humility of not-knowing that is required to listen and discover. Respect differences. Be aware of different cultural and characterological ways of communicating, and invite others’ voices. Respect theological differences: the river of Christian orthodoxy is wide, and while the streams of that river are distinct, they are not inherently better or worse. Even if you can’t respect the belief, treat the person with respect. You are invited to be a whole person, with both thoughts and feelings. We value both thoughts and feelings as valuable pieces of information that inform one another, and inform our learning and discerning together. Presence. Be in the here and now (not mentally somewhere or some time else), with the people who are sharing their time and stories with you. Eliminate any distractions possible. 3. Fair Use Policy All program content, recordings, and materials are the intellectual property of The Seattle School and may not be presented, distributed, or replicated. The Seattle School retains the copyright for all recorded content. Some print materials (PDFs, worksheets, journal prompts, etc.) will be licensed under Creative Commons: Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike. Those materials will be available for download on our website, and may be used as long as the following conditions are met: (1) attribute to the Center for Transforming Engagement even if remixed/modified; (2) do not use for commercial (paid) purposes; and (3) anything you make that remixes or builds upon this material, you must also distribute under Creative Commons. More information on this license is available at creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Agree and Close
Lina Thompson is the lead Pastor at Lake Burien Presbyterian Church. Her primary vocation and call is the formation of leaders who love and serve their city and seek its peace.
Lina Thompson is the lead Pastor at Lake Burien Presbyterian Church. Her primary vocation and call is the formation of leaders who love and serve their city and seek its peace.
Silas Sham is the Lead Pastor of Bethany Community Church Northeast in Seattle and holds a Doctor of Ministry in Semiotics, Church, and Culture from Portland Seminary. His research explores how food can form and reflect theological imagination. He created Theology on a Plate, a gamified discipleship experience that brings people around the table to taste, tell, and practice the story of God. His work has been published through the Society of Biblical Literature and in various theological and ministry journals, and he believes the best theology is lived, savored, and shared in community to nourish all of creation.
Silas Sham is the Lead Pastor of Bethany Community Church Northeast in Seattle and holds a Doctor of Ministry in Semiotics, Church, and Culture from Portland Seminary. His research explores how food can form and reflect theological imagination. He created Theology on a Plate, a gamified discipleship experience that brings people around the table to taste, tell, and practice the story of God. His work has been published through the Society of Biblical Literature and in various theological and ministry journals, and he believes the best theology is lived, savored, and shared in community to nourish all of creation.
Rev. Danielle Merseles is the current Associate Pastor of Youth and Young Adults at Bethany Presbyterian Church, Seattle. After an unexpected yes to volunteering in youth ministry back in 2011, Danielle eventually enrolled in seminary at Seattle Pacific, did a unit of chaplaincy at Harborview, and became ordained in the PC(USA). She loves regularly teaching and learning from people younger than her and has been called to Bethany for nearly 10 years now. She is a New Jersey native, Tulane University School of Architecture graduate, hobby potter, loves being auntie/godmother to her friends small people, and has called Seattle home since 2007.
Rev. Danielle Merseles is the current Associate Pastor of Youth and Young Adults at Bethany Presbyterian Church, Seattle. After an unexpected yes to volunteering in youth ministry back in 2011, Danielle eventually enrolled in seminary at Seattle Pacific, did a unit of chaplaincy at Harborview, and became ordained in the PC(USA). She loves regularly teaching and learning from people younger than her and has been called to Bethany for nearly 10 years now. She is a New Jersey native, Tulane University School of Architecture graduate, hobby potter, loves being auntie/godmother to her friends small people, and has called Seattle home since 2007.
Jessica became disabled as a young adult and has worked for accessibility and inclusion specifically in third places for over 20 years. Coming to the Episcopal Church after experiencing religious trauma from “faith healing,” Jessica feels called to break down barriers, both physical as well as spiritual by addressing the harmful theologies and behaviors that have shown disabled people that “we are not welcome as the Beloved People God created us to be.” She is blogger, speaker, and consultant for Bridge Disability Ministries.
Jessica became disabled as a young adult and has worked for accessibility and inclusion specifically in third places for over 20 years. Coming to the Episcopal Church after experiencing religious trauma from “faith healing,” Jessica feels called to break down barriers, both physical as well as spiritual by addressing the harmful theologies and behaviors that have shown disabled people that “we are not welcome as the Beloved People God created us to be.” She is blogger, speaker, and consultant for Bridge Disability Ministries.
The Rev. Dr. Leah D. Schade is the Associate Professor of Preaching and Worship at Lexington Theological Seminary in Lexington, Kentucky, and served as the President of the Academy of Homiletics in 2024. An ordained Lutheran minister (ELCA) for nearly twenty-five years, Leah earned both her MDiv and PhD degrees from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (now United Lutheran Seminary). She has pastored congregations in suburban, urban, and rural contexts. She is the author of seven books, including Preaching and Social Issues: Tools and Tactics for Empowering Your Prophetic Voice (Rowman & Littlefield, 2025), and Preaching in the Purple Zone: Ministry in the Red-Blue Divide (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019).
The Rev. Dr. Leah D. Schade is the Associate Professor of Preaching and Worship at Lexington Theological Seminary in Lexington, Kentucky, and served as the President of the Academy of Homiletics in 2024. An ordained Lutheran minister (ELCA) for nearly twenty-five years, Leah earned both her MDiv and PhD degrees from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (now United Lutheran Seminary). She has pastored congregations in suburban, urban, and rural contexts. She is the author of seven books, including Preaching and Social Issues: Tools and Tactics for Empowering Your Prophetic Voice (Rowman & Littlefield, 2025), and Preaching in the Purple Zone: Ministry in the Red-Blue Divide (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019).
The Rev. Natalie "Nat" Johnson serves as Priest in Charge at St Peter's, a diverse and multi-ethnic Episcopal parish in Seattle WA. Over the last five years, Rev. Nat has served on the Diocese of Olympia's Commission on Ministry, walking with individuals sensing a call to ordained ministry. They also currently serve as Affiliated Faculty at Church Divinity School of the Pacific where they teach Liturgical Theology to seminarians preparing for the priesthood in the Episcopal Church.
The Rev. Natalie "Nat" Johnson serves as Priest in Charge at St Peter's, a diverse and multi-ethnic Episcopal parish in Seattle WA. Over the last five years, Rev. Nat has served on the Diocese of Olympia's Commission on Ministry, walking with individuals sensing a call to ordained ministry. They also currently serve as Affiliated Faculty at Church Divinity School of the Pacific where they teach Liturgical Theology to seminarians preparing for the priesthood in the Episcopal Church.
Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow is a 3rd Generation Filipino/Chinese American and an active speaker, writer, and coachsultant. His writing, teaching, and speaking have taken him to Australia, The Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, Canada, and across the United States as he addresses topics of faith, leadership, activism, culture, race, and technology. Author of six books, most recently, In Defense of Kindness: Why It Matters, How It Changes Our Lives, and How It Can Save the World (Chalice Press, 2021) Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith (Broadleaf Books, 2024). Bruce also has a broad online video and audio presence but writes and podcasts through his Newsletter & Podcast, The Amalgamation. Bruce has been an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) since 1995 and has pastored seven congregations throughout California. In 2008, he was elected Moderator of the Presbyterian Church USA, the youngest and first Asian American to hold the denomination’s highest elected office. He currently sits on the Board of Directors of Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, works with Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center to lead delegations to Palestine, is a Senior Consultant and Coach with Convergence, is a Gallup-Certified CliftonStrengths Coach, and is the Church Relations and Development Officer at Zephyr Point Conference Center. Bruce and his wife, Robin, have three adult children, two senior pups, too many houseplants, and a thriving empty-nester life in San Jose, CA.
Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow is a 3rd Generation Filipino/Chinese American and an active speaker, writer, and coachsultant. His writing, teaching, and speaking have taken him to Australia, The Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, Canada, and across the United States as he addresses topics of faith, leadership, activism, culture, race, and technology. Author of six books, most recently, In Defense of Kindness: Why It Matters, How It Changes Our Lives, and How It Can Save the World (Chalice Press, 2021) Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith (Broadleaf Books, 2024). Bruce also has a broad online video and audio presence but writes and podcasts through his Newsletter & Podcast, The Amalgamation. Bruce has been an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) since 1995 and has pastored seven congregations throughout California. In 2008, he was elected Moderator of the Presbyterian Church USA, the youngest and first Asian American to hold the denomination’s highest elected office. He currently sits on the Board of Directors of Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, works with Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center to lead delegations to Palestine, is a Senior Consultant and Coach with Convergence, is a Gallup-Certified CliftonStrengths Coach, and is the Church Relations and Development Officer at Zephyr Point Conference Center. Bruce and his wife, Robin, have three adult children, two senior pups, too many houseplants, and a thriving empty-nester life in San Jose, CA.