Hesed Lecture Series at Austin Seminary

Another year, another successful HESED in the books! ✅

Special thanks to our amazing organizers, volunteers, esteemed guests and presenters, partnering organizations, and all attendees both in-person and online for helping to put together another historic HESED at !

Stay connected with HESED and look out for more information about future events here and at www.austinseminary.edu/hesed!

ONE MORE DAY UNTIL HESED!

It's not too late to register! We've got an amazing program ready for you, whether you are joining us in-person or online! Reminder that in-person attendees will be provided a FREE lunch on Saturday with their registration, and will be able to attend this year's HESED workshops which will be happening on campus.

Don't delay, register today at www.austinseminary.edu!

HESED 2025 is just around the corner and there's still time to register! We've got an awesome program in the works for you, and can't to have you join us in-person or online! In-person attendees will be provided lunch and will be able to attend our amazing workshops, so if you are still undecided or on the fence, come out this Friday and Saturday to the Austin Seminary campus!

Register today at www.austinseminary.edu/hesed or visit the link in our bio for more information!

WORKSHOP SPOTLIGHT: Prophetic Imagination and ARTivism presented by Rev. Lis Valle-Ruiz, PhD

This workshop provokes our imaginations and introduces the possibilities that ARTivism offers for preaching in and out of the pulpit and church buildings. Participants will draw on their communication skills beyond oratory to imagine prophetic sermons to be delivered in alternative, artistic, and perhaps non-verbal media, addressing what makes God cry and enacting different realities of divine justice-liberation-salvation.

Registration is free and lunch is included! Visit www.austinseminary.edu/hesed to learn more and to register or see the link in our bio!

About Lis Valle-Ruiz:
Rev. Dr. Lis Valle-Ruiz is Assistant Professor of Homiletics at McCormick Theological Seminary. She holds a PhD in Homiletics and Liturgics from Vanderbilt University, where she also studied gender and sexuality. Her dissertation, “As One Among Many: Affirming a Multitude of Embodied Preaching Practices,” analyzes pulpit preaching through public speech, street preaching through symbolic action, and preaching through theater and proposes that these are three paradigms among many others in the repertoire of embodied Christian preaching practices among which preachers may choose. Originally from Puerto Rico, Rev. Dr. Valle-Ruiz has researched the theology of the sermons of Latina clergy and is also the author of “Toward Postcolonial Liturgical Preaching: Drawing on the Pre-Columbian Caribbean Religion of the Taínos” in Homiletic Online Journal (2015). She is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) since 2013 who has served as Professor of Theology and Scripture at the Lux Summer Youth Institute in Monmouth College, IL and possesses a background as both an actor and a lawyer. Rev. Dr. Valle-Ruiz holds a ThM in Homiletics from Princeton Theological Seminary, an MDiv from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, as well as a JD from the University of Puerto Rico. With a BA in Education with an emphasis in Theater, Rev. Dr. Valle-Ruiz has continued to combine her study of theology and passion for justice with her work as an actress and an artistic director.

WORKSHOP SPOTLIGHT: Using Technology to Scale Your Mission with Adam Lemmon

This session is for missions and ministries of all sizes – we all know that technology can be an innovative tool to advance your cause … so why then, do investments in technology so often leave us no better off than before? And how can we leap forward into a new future where technology helps fulfill the promises that it makes? We will discuss nonprofit decisions around technology and we’ll challenge the status quo with 7 key questions you can ask when considering your current investments in technology, AND when considering future investments in technology to push your organization and your cause forward. This workshop will take place on Saturday, March 1, at 1PM at (100 E. 27th Street, Austin, TX 78705).

Registration is free and lunch is included! Visit www.austinseminary.edu/hesed to learn more and to register or see the link in our bio!

About Adam Lemmon:
Adam began his career in nonprofit technology at Convio in 2004, and he’s been helping nonprofits level up their online fundraising ever since. He has worked for several nonprofit SaaS providers, and is familiar with the ever evolving landscape of nonprofit fundraising technology. He is always focused on helping nonprofits go from where they are now, to where they want to be. When Adam isn't at his home studio, you’ll find him at the many cafes that dot the map of Austin, TX where he lives, loves, works, and plays with his family.

WORKSHOP SPOTLIGHT: Building Community-Centered Change with Elizabeth Henry of RecoveryPeople and Texas Coalition for Healthy Minds

In this workshop we will explore the critical elements of effective policy advocacy, focusing on the balance between the journey and the outcome. Understanding our audience is key to crafting messages that resonate and drive meaningful action. We will discuss strategies for identifying community needs, ensuring that policy solutions prioritize what is best for the people we serve. Additionally, we will highlight the importance of social justice awareness, addressing systemic inequities and advocating for policies that promote fairness, inclusion, and lasting impact.

This workshop will take place on Saturday, March 1, at 11:15AM at (100 E. 27th Street, Austin, TX 78705).

Registration is free and lunch is included! Visit www.austinseminary.edu/hesed to learn more and to register or see the link in our bio!

About Elizabeth Henry:
Elizabeth Henry is a seasoned policy expert and advocate with a deep commitment to public health and recovery. As the Director of Policy at RecoveryPeople, Elizabeth draws on her personal journey of long-term recovery from substance use to drive meaningful change in state and federal policy. She holds an Associate of Applied Sciences in Human Services and Addictions Counseling and a Bachelor of Science in Human Services, combining academic rigor with lived experience to inform her work. Elizabeth’s influence is evident in her leadership roles and active participation on key committees and advocacy groups. She serves as Vice Chair for the Texas Behavioral Health Advisory Committee and Co-Chair for the Texas Coalition for Healthy Minds. Additionally, she is an active member of the National Alliance for Recovery Residences Advocacy Committee. Elizabeth is also the architect of impactful educational advocacy programs such as Brown Bag Advocacy, equipping stakeholders with tools to drive legislative and community engagement.

WORKSHOP SPOTLIGHT: Radical Imagination as Sacred Resistance: Prophetic Innovation for Collective Liberation with Chas Moore of

In this workshop, participants will explore how radical imagination serves as a sacred tool for justice and liberation. We’ll connect prophetic traditions from faith and activism, highlighting how communities have historically reimagined their futures in the face of oppression. Through storytelling, reflection, and interactive exercises, attendees will leave with practical tools to embody prophetic innovation in their own communities.

This workshop will take place on Saturday, March 1, at 1PM at (100 E. 27th Street, Austin, TX 78705).

Registration is free and lunch is included! Visit www.austinseminary.edu/hesed to learn more and to register or see the link in our bio!

About Chas Moore
Chas Moore () is an acclaimed activist and community organizer who has dedicated his life to helping Black, Indigenous, and people of color, impoverished communities, and those who suffer the brunt of systemic, institutional oppression. Under Chas’ leadership, AJC has led local reform efforts such as creating the Austin Police Department’s Use of Force policy, successfully fighting against a faulty Austin Police Association Union contract, and successfully campaigning for the reallocation of $150 million from the Austin Police Department’s budget to begin the process of creating public safety alternatives to traditional public safety methods. Mr. Moore’s tenacity has garnered much recognition, including multiple awards, the 2019 Nathan Cummings Foundation Fellowship, and the 2019 Unlocked Futures Cohort backed by Academy-award-winning artist John Legend. Before devoting his work full-time to the creation and growth of the Austin Justice Coalition, Chas served as a student activist fighting many social issues at The University of Texas at Austin and the rest of the Austin Community.

The purpose of HESED at Austin Seminary is to promote awareness and church involvement in the area of social justice, thus enabling hesed, which is Hebrew for love in action.

Join us for this year’s HESED at Austin Seminary, an annual experience that centers issues of justice and faith from voices and perspectives on the margins!
 
This event is FREE to register for and to attend and features among other things: dynamic worship, keynotes, workshops, community activism expo, community lunch, and so much more.
 
Register today at www.austinseminary.edu/hesed or by visiting the link in our bio!
 
About HESED 2025: Imagination has been the source of hope for humanity since the beginning of time. In a rapidly shifting world, where communities face unprecedented challenges, the call for Prophetic Innovation emerges as a vital force in reimagining ministry. This program invites faith leaders, ministry practitioners, community advocates, and most importantly the underrepresented to dream together of a tomorrow that meets the unique needs of a diverse and evolving landscape.
 
Sponsored by the LatinX and African and African Diaspora Student Groups. HESED is funded in part by the K.C. Ptomey, Jr. Memorial Fund.

And just like that, another memorable HESED is in the books! ✅

We are so grateful to have had the opportunity to share these past two days with our guest speakers, workshop leaders, organizational partners, community members and all others, both in-person and virtually, and take an intentional, substantive step in reclaiming our stories and continuing the work of HESED in our lives both individually and collectively.

Stay tuned for updates coming soon regarding event recordings, photos, and so much more.

If you’d like to stay connected with HESED or help sustain the work of this student-led and organized effort for the future, please visit www.austinseminary.edu/hesed or the link in our bio for more information, and be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook!

Thank you again and stay tuned for more updates! Also be sure to save the date for HESED 2025, scheduled for February 28 & March 1!

Day 1 of HESED 2024 is in the books but it’s not too late to get in on the HESED experience! Day 2 starts at 9:30 AM CST tomorrow with check-in and registration and a full day to behold, including free lunch! See www.austinseminary.edu/hesed for more information or visit the link in bio!