All are Welcome, All Belong
We are all seeking a place to belong and be seen fully and authentically. Dr. Sarah Leer (she/her), an educator, former youth worker, and practical theologian will invite participants to engage in practical conversations of affirmation and belonging through the lens of abundance. Sarah believes transformation comes from engaging in discussion, creativity, collaboration, and vulnerability. During this week-long, interactive, discussion-based workshop, we will discuss not only LGBTQIA+ affirming terminology, but also ways to affirm and celebrate LGBTQIA+ people in our midst. Sarah will provide resources and helpful tools for folks in ministry, parents, community members, and anyone who wants to make their communities more affirming. She believes communities like ARW and re:create provide rich opportunities for deep theological discussion and opportunities to learn together. This workshop will create a space to learn together while also equipping participants with tools/resources/frameworks to deepen/ express belonging in their communities, spaces, and institutions.
Dr. Sarah Leer (she/her/hers) is a native Arkansan who has served non-profits for over a decade including Presbyterian Church (USA) churches in Austin, Dallas, and Northwest Arkansas. Currently, she is Owner/Founder of Sarah Leer Consulting, LLC and also serves as the Transitional Youth and Young Adult Developer for the Presbytery of Arkansas. Sarah is a graduate of Wake Forest University, Columbia Theological Seminary, and the Clinton School of Public Service. She is a practical theologian who is living into her call to deconstruct systems and disrupt the status quo in order to seek liberation, justice, and belonging in solidarity with those living on the margins. A lifelong Presbyterian, Sarah has served as a Young Adult Volunteer in New Orleans, as the Moderator of the Young Adult Volunteer Alumni Council, as the Adult Co-Moderator for the Youth Advisory Team and on CPM for the Presbytery of Arkansas, and on the board of the Presbyterian Youth Workers' Association. Sarah enjoys singing Broadway songs in her car, random road trips and adventures, geeking out over pop culture, traveling the world with friends, hanging out with her family, board games, watching SEC college football, and attending youth conferences that include energizers.