Formation Leadership Summit 2026
Cumbre de Liderazgo en Formación
November 19-21, 2026
Camp Allen
19–21 de noviembre de 2026
Exploring the Spiritual Imagination
Explorando la imaginación espiritual

The spiritual imagination is an expression of the soul that reveals to us the Big Dream of God.
It is this movement of God’s Spirit that weaves our story into the Big Story of God, and it is the spiritual imagination of the whole self that teaches us new and different ways to follow the Way of Jesus and become practitioners of his life and teachings. As Jesus reminds us in the greatest commandment, we are to love God and all of Creation with our whole self: mind, body, heart, and soul.
Whatever ministry you lead and whatever age group that you work with, come and join us at the Formation Leadership Summit to learn models and practices that will allow you to facilitate exploring the spiritual imagination through formation and discipleship in your context. Every ministry context—whether a parish, school, camp, diocesan office, or community-based setting—will learn the skills needed to create spaces for the whole self to arrive and express its spiritual imagination.
Track One: Improvisation and Play
The “Yes, and” track offers the wisdom of improv and play through dialogue and practical experience to encourage participants to give themselves permission to get out of the box when planning congregational formation programming. This track will equip participants with fun and functional formation activities and practices for all ages. Sessions include a mini-course on improv as a spiritual practice, musical improv exercises and games, “wholly foolish” play and prayer, and learning how to make a zine. Those who choose this track will have time to reflect on their own and collectively about what saying “yes, and” to God and to others might mean for their ministry and their life.
Track Two: Scripture and Storytelling
The Scripture and Storytelling track uses communal discernment practices and the oral tradition of Biblical storytelling to address an essential part of church life that is often missing: a space to tell our personal stories and to reflect on God’s presence in our day to day lives. This track equips participants to facilitate formation spaces where the practice of bearing witness and being witnessed builds compassionate community. During our time together, we will practice embodying the Gospel by learning to “tell it” and by learning to name, in community, the “Gospel events” that take place in our lives.
Guest Speakers and Leaders
Conferencistas y líderes

Kelley McRae
Area Missioner, Missional Community Organizer, Skilled Facilitator, Singer/Songwriter

Dr. Kathy Culmer
Author, Professional Storyteller, Christian Educator, Speaker, Teacher, Retreat Leader

Thanh Montes
Worship and Music Formation Leader, Singer/Songwriter

The Rev. Will Parker
Workshop and Retreat Leader, Musical and Theatrical Improv Leader, Curate, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Houston

Christine Havens
Freelance Writer, Designer of Wholly Foolishness: Play as Spiritual Care, Licensed Minister of Worship and Preaching, Communications Director, St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, Austin
Wholly Foolishness – Christine Havens
Christine loves using creativity and spirituality to generate safe spaces in which people might let go of their fears and connect with each other through the Holy Spirit. She is a graduate of SSW’s MAR program and is passionate about small batch creative spirituality and bringing ancient spiritual practices forward through out of the box thinking.
Insensatez Sagrada — Christine Havens
Christine le encanta utilizar la creatividad y la espiritualidad para generar espacios seguros en los que las personas puedan liberarse del peso del miedo y conectarse entre sí a través del Espíritu Santo. Es egresada del programa MAR de Seminary of the Southwest y le apasiona la espiritualidad creativa a pequeña escala, así como traer prácticas espirituales antiguas al presente mediante un pensamiento innovador y fuera de lo convencional.
Musical Improv & Spirituality – The Rev. Will Parker
Will leads workshops and retreats exploring the intersection of spirituality with musical and theatrical improvisation. He helps groups explore the overlapping elements of improv and the art of loving in a low-stakes environment that enables trust, courage, and vulnerability.
Biblical Storytelling – Kathy Culmer
Kathy helps people connect with scripture in a personal – and in some cases transformative way – through hearing, learning, telling, and making personal connections to Biblical stories.
Songwriting & Storytelling – Kelley McRae
As a songwriting teacher and gathering maker, Kelley facilitates spaces where people reconnect to and share their sacred stories in order to create communities of compassion and courage.
Improvisación Musical y Espiritualidad — El Rvdo. Will Parker
Will dirige talleres y retiros que exploran la intersección entre la espiritualidad y la improvisación musical y teatral. Ayuda a los grupos a descubrir los elementos compartidos entre la improvisación y el arte de amar en un entorno de bajo riesgo que fomenta la confianza, el coraje y la vulnerabilidad.
Narración Bíblica — Kathy Culmer
Kathy ayuda a las personas a conectarse con las Escrituras de una manera personal —y, en algunos casos, transformadora— a través de escuchar, aprender, narrar y establecer vínculos personales con las historias bíblicas.
Composición de Canciones y Narración — Kelley McRae
Como profesora de composición de canciones y creadora de espacios de encuentro, Kelley McRae facilita espacios donde las personas se reconectan con sus historias sagradas y las comparten, con el fin de crear comunidades de compasión y valentía.
Tentative Schedule of Events
Thursday
3-5pm – Check In
5pm – Social
6pm – Dinner
7pm – Gathering
8:30pm – Contemplative Practice
Friday
8am – Breakfast
9am – Contemplative Practice
9:30am – Gathering
10:30am – Break
10:45am – Gathering
12:15pm – Lunch
1pm – Rest and Reflection Time
4pm – Gathering and Workshop
6pm – Dinner
7pm – Gathering
8:30pm – Contemplative Practice
Saturday
8am – Breakfast
9am – Contemplative Practice
9:30am – Group Reflection and Workshop
11am – Wrap Up
12pm – Lunch