A streetcar named St. Charles

NEW ORLEANS – The charm and convenience of New Orleans’ storied streetcars wasn’t lost on an adventurous group of Stewardship Kaleidoscope Conference participants who had arrived a day early to explore the city.

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As the diverse group of conference leaders and attendees from around the country rode the historic St. Charles streetcar line together, they were visibly moved as they approached the magnificent façade of the St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church, which opened its doors on Sunday evening to greet them by hosting a welcome reception, complete with traditional Mardi Gras beads for each guest.

“In welcoming participants in the Stewardship Kaleidoscope Conference to New Orleans, we wanted to share the hospitality of the local church and give thanks for the work of the greater church that helps resource the local church where vital ministry happens,” said the Rev. Chris Currie, senior pastor at St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church, who is attending the conference with several staff colleagues. “In a time of polarization and toxic online discourse, having opportunities to build bridges, share in each other’s lives face to face, and support one another in our service to Jesus Christ is who we are called to be as Christ’s church.”

Themed “Stewardship: The Art of Resiliency,” this year’s conference is being held live from Sept. 22-24 at the Sheraton Canal Street, New Orleans. The conference planning team once again offered a virtual participation option for those who were unable to attend in person.

“The hospitality at the reception was wonderful, and I had the chance to meet a lot of different Presbyterians from across the denomination,” said Luci Duckson-Bramble, Director of Development for the Presbyterian Historical Society in the Interim Unified Agency of the PC(USA), who will co-lead a conference workshop with PHS’s records manager, David Staniunas, on Tuesday. “Being there was a reminder of the connectedness of the PC(USA), and it’s always good to hear how we’re serving congregations and the broader communities.”

Drawing leaders from across the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and other ecumenical partners, Stewardship Kaleidoscope is designed to ignite generosity in faith-based communities, give practical tools for cultivating generosity in congregations, expand the leadership capacity of those who lead stewardship initiatives, and cultivate adaptive approaches for funding Christ’s mission.

“It's a challenging time to be the church right now,” said the Rev. Sandra Moon, vice president of Church Finances & Property and Adaptive Initiatives for the Presbyterian Foundation. “In a time of deep social and political upheaval, and frequent natural disasters — to which New Orleans is no stranger — the 2025 conference theme, ‘The Art of Resiliency,’ is especially timely.”

Moon, who serves as Stewardship Kaleidoscope operations chair, resources and supports the all-volunteer conference planning team together with the event co-chairs, Stefanie Marsden, relationship manager for the Texas Presbyterian Foundation, and Caralee Wheeler, development program associate for the Presbyterian Foundation.

Because 2025, which marks the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the region’s — and the people’s — resiliency will always be top of mind.

And while each of the preachers and speakers will address the conference theme through the lens of their own context, experience and expertise, the Rev. Jean Marie Peacock — who was Vice Moderator of the 216th General Assembly (2004) — will be reflecting on resiliency and stewardship in the context of New Orleans and the recovery efforts in response to Hurricane Katrina.

"Having recently marked the 20-year anniversary of when Hurricane Katrina made landfall, we are excited to welcome the Stewardship Kaleidoscope conferees to a city that is known for resiliency in the face of catastrophic loss and devastation,” said Peacock, who for the past nine years has been organizing pastor of the new worshiping community, Be Well-Come Together, in the Presbytery of South Louisiana. “I am looking forward to reflecting with conferees on the context of New Orleans and lessons learned that translate to various ministry contexts. What grew from recovery efforts after Hurricane Katrina was an understanding that resiliency is grounded in community, shaped by justice, rooted in faith, and sustained by hope."

In addition to leading a plenary session, Peacock will also be offering a workshop titled, “Missional Ministry in Your Own Backyard.”

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Peacock’s is one of some 35 workshops that in-person participants will be attending during the three-day conference, all while gaining invaluable insights from the speakers and preachers and enjoying unique opportunities to connect with other conferees, not to mention the conference leaders as well.

“When I saw that Alonzo Johnson was one of the preachers at the conference, I made sure to sign up,” said Theresa Purnell, a ruling elder at the Oak Lane Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, who is attending the reception on Monday evening and is at Stewardship Kaleidoscope for the first time.

Purnell shared that Johnson, who coordinates the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People Program, is a former pastor of the Oak Lane Church.

“I can’t wait to see him and hear his message,” she added.

Johnson, a prominent PC(USA) leader and powerful preacher, is scheduled to lead worship on the conference’s opening day. In addition to Johnson and Peacock, the featured keynoters and preachers this year are the Rev. Dr. David P. King, the Rev. Dr. Corey Nelson and the Rev. Dr. Becca Ehrlich.

For more information about Stewardship Kaleidoscope, visit the conference website.