EDS’s new Innovating Beloved Communities Cohort is convening, equipping and catalyzing a circle of up to 12 faithful innovators who are creating God’s new thing (a ministry, congregation or organization the church has never seen), all to advance God’s dream of just, compassionate, multicultural, beloved community.
Together, participants are:
-
Discerning, incubating and experimenting in community
-
Deepening knowledge across relevant disciplines, including innovation thinking, facilitative leadership, community organizing, anti-racism, multicultural community development, spiritual direction, evangelism, project management and fundraising
-
Deepening faith, prayerfulness and resilience
-
Preparing to effectively launch ministries in local contexts
Meet the Inaugural Innovating Beloved Communities Cohort
- Vinh Do (Seattle, WA): Government mediator and organizational consultant, founder of Brave Change Works
- Project: Applying an organizational development lens at St. Peter's, Seattle and reimagining church as a space for holy skeptics and people of every kind who long to be free
- The Rev. Sarah Dodds Odderstol (Silver Spring, MD): Rector of Grace Church, Silver Spring with over 20 years of clergy experience
- Project: Developing a comprehensive Racial Equity framework to guide Grace’s strategic plan and deepen its commitment to reparations
- The Rev. Olivia Hamilton (Cincinnati, OH): Vicar of Grace, Cincinnati and board-certified chaplain focused on post-traumatic growth
- Project: Reimagining church as a sanctuary of rest to counter modern productivity culture
- The Rev. Dr. Charles Lattimore Howard (Philadelphia, PA): University Chaplain and Vice President for Social Equity & Community at the University of Pennsylvania
- Project: "The Cause," a monthly gathering aimed at alleviating local suffering through community-based resource sharing on issues including poverty, gun violence, climate change, and more
- Michael Looney (Columbia, MD): Seminarian at General Theological Seminary and founder of the Center for Spiritual Nourishment at Christ Church, Columbia
- Project: Developing a localized, scalable model for reconciliation between The Episcopal Church and Indigenous communities
- The Rev. Dr. Grey Maggiano (Raleigh, NC): Rector of Church of the Nativity, Raleigh and long-time advocate for justice
- Project: Organizing to transform isolating, historically segregated suburban spaces into connected "third space" communities
- The Rev. Colleen Schiefelbein (Alexandria, VA): Priest-in-Charge at St. Martin de Porres, Alexandria and co-chair of the Truth and Reparations Task Force for the Diocese of Virginia
- Project: Growing the community of St. Martin de Porres, a diverse community formed by the merger of three parishes, through relationships with Jesus, each other, and their community
- Canon Mariann Scott (Indianapolis, IN): Canon for the Circle and Director of Community Relations for Christ Church Cathedral, Indianapolis
- Project: Establishing an city-wide Advocacy & Policy Hub to center “least-heard” neighbors in advocacy conversations and policy-making
- The Rev. Marisa Sifontes (New York, NY): Associate Rector at St. James’, Manhattan and Chair of the Moses Commission in the Diocese of New York
- Project: Implementing the Moses Commission’s goals around reparations, honoring Black stories, and healing the historic harms of White domination within and beyond the church
Meet the Cohort Convener
-
The Rev. Canon Dr. Stephanie Spellers ’04
The Rev. Canon Stephanie Spellers is one of The Episcopal Church’s leading thinkers around 21st-century ministry and mission. The author of several books, she recently wrapped nearly a decade as canon to The Episcopal Church’s Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. She currently serves as Canon in Residence at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church.
Spellers previously served as chaplain to the Episcopal House of Bishops, directed evangelism and reconciliation at General Theological Seminary, and led church vitality efforts in the Diocese of Long Island. Her professional ministry began in 2005 at St. Paul's Cathedral-Boston, where she founded The Crossing, a ground-breaking church that weaves Episcopal tradition together with voices from the margins. Before that, she was an award-winning religion journalist.
Spellers earned master’s degrees from both Harvard Divinity School and Episcopal Divinity School. She received an honorary doctorate from the General Theological Seminary. A native of Kentucky, she is passionate about helping people to fall in love with God and get free.