Essence 2023
Schedule

Schedule

Essence 2023 will run from 9AM – 5:30PM each day (Thursday, May 4, Friday, May 5, and Saturday, May 6)*, with contemplative sessions preceding each day’s keynote presentations. 

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 AM – Contemplative Practices

8:30 – 9:00 AM – Coffee & Exhibits

9:00 – 10:45 AM – Keynote: Sr. Lucy Kurien

10:45 – 11:15 AM – Coffee & Exhibits

11:15 AM – 12:30 PM – Keynote: Fetzer Institute (Michelle Scheidt, Uvinie Lubecki, Rev. Alicia Forde)

12:30 – 2:30 PM – Lunch, BIPOC Session, Spiritual Direction

2:30 – 5:30 PM – Workshops A, Formation Programs Session

Friday, May 5

7:30 – 8:30 AM – Contemplative Practices

8:30 – 9:00 AM – Coffee & Exhibits

9:00 – 10:45 AM – Keynote: Dr. James Finley

10:45 – 11:15 AM – Coffee & Exhibits

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

2:30 – 5:30 PM – Workshops B

Saturday, May 6

DEIJ Day
(Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice)

8:00 – 8:30 AM – Coffee & Exhibits

8:30 – 10:00 AM – New Contemplatives

10:00 – 10:30 AM – Coffee & Exhibits

10:30 AM – 12:00 PM – Keynote: DEIJ (Ayo Yetunde & Kelley Alexander)

12:00 – 2:00 PM – Lunch (On Own), Exhibit Hall Closes at 2:00 PM

2:00 – 5:30 PM – DEIJ Day Activities

Time TBA – 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 PM – Retreat Day

Time TBA – Post-Retreat Transportation to Airport & Downtown Madison