When I first applied to become a Preaching Justice Fellow, I saw it as an opportunity to sharpen my skills in preaching justice and leading meaningful social change. At the time, I had no idea that this fellowship would coincide with my return to the pulpit as Interim Senior Pastor of a local congregation, or that it would unfold during a pivotal moment in American history. Now I understand this fellowship as much more than a professional development opportunity; it is a lifeline.
The Fellowship
The Center for Faith & Justice, a dynamic national community dedicated to spiritual formation and theological education at the intersection of faith and justice, has teamed up with San Francisco Theological Seminary, with generous support from the Lilly Endowment, to create a transformative year-long fellowship. This cohort-based experience is designed to equip clergy to amplify justice preaching and lead justice-focused action in their congregations and communities.
26 preachers from across the United States were selected as inaugural fellows for the 2024-2025 All fellows participate in
- an online learning community
- in person gatherings
- virtual cohort meetings
For more on my experiences, especially the two in person gatherings, read:
- The Future of Faith: Imagining Life Together (February 2025)
- Visiting the George Floyd Memorial (September 2024)
- Reset Your Rhythm (September 2024)
- I’m a Preaching Justice Fellow! (July 2024)
Cohort Experience
The cohort is a small group that meets virtually about twice a month throughout the fellowship for conversation, prayer, and support. I’m in a group with six other fellows that is facilitated by Rev. Adriene Thorne, Senior Pastor of Riverside Church. The preachers in this group are diverse in every way imaginable and likely never would have met much less developed community apart from this fellowship.
When we first started meeting online our time together generally followed the curriculum. As folks began to reflect on their understandings of our shared learning materials and to the perceptive questions posed by Rev. Thorne, trust was established and relationships were formed. Over time, and with the addition of bonding during an in person gathering in Minneapolis, the focus of the meetings shifted toward supporting one another as we engage in ministry in our varied contexts.
And then everything changed. Hundreds of executive orders sought to do injustice by taking away rights, creating groups of people who were less than and even seeking to erase entire groups of people from existence.
So What?
Preaching Justice is more than the name of the fellowship I’m in – it’s the ministry to which I’ve been called. Preaching justice – sometimes using words and sometimes even words spoken from a pulpit – is about making more real God’s realm on the earth as it already is in heaven. It’s about recognizing every person as a beloved child of God, made in God’s own image. It’s about embracing the transformative power of love while boldly confronting, challenging, and working to dismantle unjust systems and structures.
Each day, I find myself more grateful for the cohort I’m journeying with. Right now, they are praying for me, believing in me, and supporting me in ways that mean more than I can fully express. And I want them to know — wholeheartedly — that I am committed to doing the same for them.