Gathering 2025: Registration is open.
Hope Does Not Disappoint:
Wrestling with God in a Groaning Creation
Gathering 2025
Hope Does Not Disappoint: Wrestling with God in a Groaning Creation
We invite you to join us as we return to Chicago for our annual Gathering.
Dates: Thursday, July 10 - Saturday, July 12, 2025
The Gathering begins Thursday with registration in the morning and lunch at noon. The closing worship service and announcements will end Saturday at around noon.
Location: Catholic Theological Union, 5416 S Cornell Ave, Chicago, IL 60615
Our Plenary Speakers this year are Ruth Padilla DeBorst, Stan Chu Ilo, and Terry LeBlanc. Find out more about them on the Gathering page.
Theme
Building on last year’s Gathering Bearing Witness to Grief: Climate Collapse, Resistance, and Grounded Hope, the 2025 Gathering will explore questions surrounding grief and hope:
What is a theological account of hope?
How are grief and hope related and what role does lament play in holding these together?
How do we account for the pain of God’s silence and apparent inaction?
Where and how are Christians concretely experiencing and enacting hope flowing from the “Christ pattern”—death and resurrection—at work in their lives?
Learn more about our theme on the Gathering page.
Worship, Prayer & Conversation
Gathering Preachers: Debra Dean Murphy, Megan Trischler, and Jim McCoy
Lectio Divina facilitators: Kelsey and Jacob Guckenberger
We will again engage in the circle process of the Restorative/Transformative Justice movement for some of our conversations.
We can use your help!
Whether you are coming to the Gathering in person, or participating online, there are several areas where you could be of assistance. We need help with clean-up, hospitality, IT work and more. Fill out this quick survey so we can connect with you. Thank you!
You can donate to the Ekklesia Project through our online giving site at Network for Good, or by mailing a check to Mary Bowling, EP Treasurer, 57 N. Rural St. Indianapolis, IN 46201. The Ekklesia Project is a non-profit organization funded by donations from individuals and churches. We ask you to prayerfully consider donating to The Ekklesia Project as you are able. Your gift is tax deductible.