The theme for the event is “Catch the Wind: Embrace the Spirit.” The theme reflects Chicago and its well-known moniker – the “Windy City.” The event will be held at the Hyatt Regency in McCormick Place.
Alise Barrymore and Evelyn Johnson are the scheduled keynote speakers. Barrymore, who formerly served as chaplain for University Ministries at North Park University, is now co-pastor of a church plant that seeks to combine post-modern and historic African-American worship styles. Johnson is superintendent of the Pacific Southwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church.
Adrienne Reedy will serve as worship leader. Saturday night concerts will feature Christy Nockels and Copeland Davis. Nockels has been involved with the Passion Conferences, a nationwide movement of college students and young adults. Davis ties together his classical training with his roots in gospel and jazz. He has performed on The Tonight Show and Good Morning America and has had his own PBS special.
The event will feature numerous workshops as well as excursions to well-known Chicago landmarks on the day before the conference begins.
Triennial leaders have launched an initiative that challenges women in the denomination to pool resources to help fund travel expenses incurred by women coming from foreign mission areas who would not otherwise be able to attend the event. “The challenge to give will be presented through regional retreats, individual churches, conferences, districts, and individuals,” says Ruth Hill, executive director of Women Ministries. “In this way we will enable a meaningful cross-cultural exchange.”
Conferences are being encouraged to work together across the denomination to bring at least one woman from each of the 22 countries in which the Covenant has mission partnerships.
To learn more about the event, visit Triennial XII.
