WHEN JESUS MET MARY: A Conference Exploring Friendship Between Men & Women

We desire to create a gathering where thinking people can ask honest questions, engage in healthy conversation, seek encouragement, and share stories and experiences of deep, spiritual friendship between men and women.

We believe that good, healthy, friendships between men and women are important, integral pieces towards the goals of:

• PROMOTING UNDERSTANDING between the sexes that in turn leads to greater justice and equality between men and women – it’s easy to dehumanize someone you don’t know, or hold at a distance out of fear

• DEMYSTIFYING THE OPPOSITE SEX – by breaking our reliance on popular psychology and stereo-types and instead relying on the truth revealed in personal relationships with each other

• DESEXUALIZING INTERACTIONS BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN – by both demystifying the stereo-types and offering positive, wholesome ways for men and women to relate outside of the expectations of a hyper-sexualized culture

• OVERCOMING SEXISM IN OUR CHURCHES AND COMMUNITIES – by creating concrete relational pathways through friendships between men and women

• HELPING US TAP INTO OUR DEEP LONGING TO REFLECT THE IMAGE OF GOD within our communities and the world through chaste, non-sexualized intimacy

• HELPING US ENTER INTO THE DEEP UNITY AND COMMUNION GOD DESIRES between all people in the church and in the world.

Through this gathering, we hope to tell a new story of cross-gendered friendship that moves beyond fears, skepticism, and myths towards something more whole, healthy, and integrated.Our goal is to encourage wholeness in individuals, families, and relationships – with the hope of ultimately reconciling the still-present divide between men and women in our churches and communities. 

SPEAKERS:

Kathy Escobar

Jim Henderson

John Armstrong

Meredith Efken

Dan Brennan

Katie Driver

CONFERENCE LOCATION:

Life on the Vine Christian Community:

5105 RFD Arlingtom Heights Rd, Long Grove, IL (click for map & directions)

REFUND POLICY: All refunds must be requested by Sunday, April 15th.  Due to conference obligations, we can not refund ticket costs after this date.

**Dinner Friday and Lunch Saturday are included in the Ticket Price - THERE IS LIMITED SPACE AND SEATING so reserve your Sacred Friendship Gathering ticket soon!