Join Forward Movement and inspiring church leaders for the Renewing Discipleship Conference, January 12-14, 2027 in Houston, Texas.
This conference will offer workshops on how to nurture discipleship in your community, led by cutting-edge leaders from across the church. Preview two of these workshops below:
The Rev. Miguel Escobar is a recently ordained priest who is currently serving a two-year curacy at San Andrés Episcopal Church in Sunset Park Brooklyn.
Previously, he served as director of Anglican Studies at Episcopal Divinity School at Union (2017-2023), and was managing program director for leadership, communications and external affairs at the Episcopal Church Foundation (2010-2017). The Rev. Escobar earned a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in 2007 and served as the communications assistant to then-Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori from 2007 to 2010. He is a past chair of the board of directors of Forward Movement and now serves as co-chair of the Friends of Forward Movement board.
The Rev. Escobar grew up in the Texas hill country and attended Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas, where he studied the Roman Catholic social justice tradition, Latin American liberation theologies, and minored in Spanish. He joined the Episcopal Church through St. Mary’s, West Harlem, drawn by the congregation’s diversity and commitment to social justice.
Workshop with Miguel Escobar: Discipleship and Baptism
Jesus is the most interesting thing about the church. Oftentimes, the church thinks it is really interesting and makes formation about the church itself, when really the church is at its best when it serves to point to Jesus, his person and his message. In this workshop, we’ll wrestle with how one’s community, preaching, and teaching can best reflect some of the main messages that Jesus has about wealth and poverty in the Gospels.
The Rev. Taylor Devine is Church Relations Coordinator for the Center for Discipleship and Renewal at Forward Movement.
Workshop with Taylor Devine: The Lord is my shepherd: Discipleship for parents
What does discipleship look like in the midst of bottles, diapers, backpacks, and sports equipment? Taylor Devine will offer a workshop on discipleship for parents and caregivers, designed to support church leaders in their work with families and parents in their own life stage and setting. Drawing on her work with hundreds of families and years of research and prayerful conversation, she will share wise practices for churches and communities of any size.
Other presenters include:
- Jeff Fisher | Bishop Suffragan | The Episcopal Diocese of Texas
- Ryan Hawthorne | Rector, Grace Episcopal Church and School | Houston, TX
- Joseph Yoo | Vicar, Mosaic Episcopal Church | Pearland, TX
- Perry Mullins | Canon for Congregational & Mission Vitality | The Episcopal Diocese of Texas
- Melody Shobe | Chief of Staff & Ministry Operations, Forward Movement | Dallas, TX
- Robert Hendrickson | Chief of Discipleship, Forward Movement | Tucson, AZ
- Scott Gunn | Executive Director, Forward Movement | Cincinnati, OH
You will leave this conference renewed in your own journey as a disciple of Jesus Christ and empowered to make disciples in your community.
If you register before October 20, you’ll get a special Early Bird Rate of just $195!
Register today: forwardmovement.org/renewingdiscipleship