Our Collaborative Purpose
The purpose of Building New Tables is to create space for the ongoing transformation of both preacher (the person) and preaching (the work); resource a cutting-edge homiletical evolution; foster inclusivity and intersectionality in theological discourse; and promote collaborative learning and community engagement. The Collaborative believes a cornerstone of compelling preaching is elevating and centering the narratives, testimonies, and experiences of persons from marginalized and oppressed communities. Historically, traditional forms of preaching have led to further marginalization. Thus, Building New Tables is about more than adding a few chairs to the table. It’s a recognition that the old table has never been and will never be big enough; the Jesus of the Gospels didn’t just break bread at tables, he also turned them over.
The Partners
- Chicago Theological Seminary (CTS) is a national leader for progressive, justice-focused ministry in various communities and contexts. CTS believes theology is always contextual and responds to the actual lived experiences of any given moment. Relying on our deep history as Chicago’s first institution of higher education, CTS is reimagining Seminary norms to ensure that representation in leadership and faculty extends beyond a brand of Christianity associated with white, straight men. CTS’s vision is to create practical, hands-on experiences that prepare established and emerging faith leaders to better care for and engage with their congregations and the public.
- The Gathering uniquely applies womanist theology and praxis throughout their church community's full life and worship. The Gathering is the only church organized and identified as a womanist church with “womanist” in the title. The Gathering exists to create worship experiences that address social injustice through womanist preaching and action. They aim to be a beloved community working together to dismantle oppressive systems and structures. The Gathering, led by two Black womanist co-pastors, has created and cultivated a non-hierarchical leadership model that sets it apart from other churches. The congregation has three social justice priorities: (1) Racial Equity, (2) LGBTQIA+ Equality, and (3) Dismantling PMS (patriarchy, misogyny, and sexism).
- Nevertheless She Preached (NSP) offers an annual gathering unique among conferences. It does not merely include but intentionally targets and centers feminist, womanist, and queer preachers. NSP resists tokenism. They do far more than create a few opportunities for diverse voices to be heard. NSP amplifies those voices as crucial to understanding the meaning of the gospel in our world today.
Three Pathways
First Pathway: Cohort Experience--Convene Preaching Practitioners for Interdisciplinary Thought-Exchange. The Gathering will convene collaborators and consultants to form a cohort/design team to define, develop, and articulate a queer womanist homiletical framework, syllabus, and Queering Womanist Preaching course. The cohorts will consist of no more than ten people each and meet for a specified timeframe to be determined by grant managers. Grant managers will invite participants to explore innovative, compelling preaching initiatives in their unique contexts. The cohorts/design team will inspire and support womanist preachers, culminating in attending The Gathering's Womanist Preaching and Leadership Institute or the NSP conference.
Second Pathway: Course offerings at CTS - Courses will be offered both in person and online. To be more accessible to people from all circumstances, CTS recently launched a fully online DMin program designed to prepare religious leaders for specialized ministerial practice as leaders and teachers in churches, hospitals, shelters, and other faith-based or social service organizations without relocating to Chicago.
Third Pathway: Residency Program with The Gathering The Gathering’s Queering Womanist Preaching Residency will function with the understanding that movements toward human flourishing happen in spaces where radical love and nuanced reality exist. It is in these spaces where people can define who they are and what they deserve that we find our collective liberation. The Residency program will implement the Queering Womanist Preaching Homiletical framework, syllabus, and course. The Gathering's Residency program will convene for 6-8 weeks during July-September, 2025, 2026, 2027, & 2028. Three womanist preachers/practitioners will be recruited each year for a total of 9 residents throughout the grant. This initiative seeks to equip womanist preachers with the necessary skills for leading congregations and advocating for collective liberation. The residency will focus on five learning objectives: interpretive reclamation and inclusion, queering womanist proclamation, prophetic leadership and advocacy, pastoral care and community building, and transformative preaching for liberation.
If you're interested in joining one of the cohorts or applying for the 2026 Residency Program, please send an email to [email protected].
Second Pathway: Course offerings at CTS - Courses will be offered both in person and online. To be more accessible to people from all circumstances, CTS recently launched a fully online DMin program designed to prepare religious leaders for specialized ministerial practice as leaders and teachers in churches, hospitals, shelters, and other faith-based or social service organizations without relocating to Chicago.
Third Pathway: Residency Program with The Gathering The Gathering’s Queering Womanist Preaching Residency will function with the understanding that movements toward human flourishing happen in spaces where radical love and nuanced reality exist. It is in these spaces where people can define who they are and what they deserve that we find our collective liberation. The Residency program will implement the Queering Womanist Preaching Homiletical framework, syllabus, and course. The Gathering's Residency program will convene for 6-8 weeks during July-September, 2025, 2026, 2027, & 2028. Three womanist preachers/practitioners will be recruited each year for a total of 9 residents throughout the grant. This initiative seeks to equip womanist preachers with the necessary skills for leading congregations and advocating for collective liberation. The residency will focus on five learning objectives: interpretive reclamation and inclusion, queering womanist proclamation, prophetic leadership and advocacy, pastoral care and community building, and transformative preaching for liberation.
If you're interested in joining one of the cohorts or applying for the 2026 Residency Program, please send an email to [email protected].