Essence 2023
Schedule
Essence 2023 will run from 9:00 AM – 5:45 PM (Thursday, May 4 & Friday, May 5) and 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM (Saturday, May 6)*, with contemplative sessions preceding each day’s keynote presentations.Â
An optional retreat will follow the last day of the conference.
*All times listed are in the Central Daylight Time Zone (CDT). These times are currently estimates and subject to change at any time.
Thursday, May 4
7:30 – 8:30 AMÂ – Contemplative Practices
8:30 – 9:00 AMÂ – Coffee & Exhibits
9:00 – 10:30 AM – Keynote: Sr. Lucy Kurien
10:30 – 11:00 AM – Coffee & Exhibits, Book Signing by Roslyn Weiner
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Keynote: Fetzer Institute (Michelle Scheidt, Uvinie Lubecki, Rev. Alicia Forde)
12:00 – 12:30 PM – SDI Board Update
12:30 – 2:30 PM – Lunch, BIPOC Session, Spiritual Direction, Book Signings by Jinks Hoffman and Kristen Hobby
2:30 – 5:45 PM – Workshops A, Formation Programs Session
Friday, May 5
7:30 – 8:30 AMÂ – Contemplative Practices
8:30 – 9:00 AMÂ – Coffee & Exhibits
9:00 – 10:45 AM – Keynote: Dr. James Finley
10:45 – 11:15 AM – Coffee & Exhibits, Book Signing by Diane Millis
11:15 AM – 12:30 PM – Keynote: Fetzer Institute (Ilia Delio, James Stump, Cortland Dahl, Mohammed Mohammed)
12:30 – 2:30 PM – Lunch, LGBTQ+ Session, Spiritual Direction, Book Signings by Lucy Abbott Tucker and Ayo Yetunde
2:30 – 5:45 PM – Workshops B
Saturday, May 6
DEIJ Day
(Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice)
8:00 – 8:30 AMÂ – Coffee & Exhibits
8:30 – 9:30 AM – New Contemplatives
9:30 – 10:00 AM – Coffee & Exhibits
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Keynote: DEIJ (Kelley Alexander) & Table Topics and Discussion
12:00 – 1:30 PM – Lunch (On Own), Exhibit Hall Closes at 2:00 PM
1:30 – 4:00 PM – Keynote: DEIJ (Ayo Yetunde) & Table Topics and Discussion
5:00 PMÂ – Post-Conference Transportation to Retreat Center
Sunday, May 7
Optional Retreat
(Holy Wisdom Monastery)
All Day – Retreat Day
Monday, May 8
Optional Retreat
(Holy Wisdom Monastery)
All Day – Retreat Day
Tuesday, May 9
Optional Retreat
(Holy Wisdom Monastery)
8:00 AM – 1:00 PMÂ – Retreat Day
1:00 PMÂ – Post-Retreat Transportation to Airport & Downtown Madison
