In-person Day

Gather at Berlin High School (139 Patterson Way, Berlin) on Saturday, May 2, to worship, attend in-person classes, and hear from our plenary speaker, David Zahl, as he discusses, “The Urgency of Grace for a Worn-out World.”

Pre-registration is required, and a $25 fee helps cover lunch and other costs. Scholarships available.

Plenary Session: The Urgency of Grace for a Worn-out World

Everywhere you look these days, it seems like treadmills are getting faster and ladders getting longer. More and more is being asked of people who were already over-functioning. As the expectations we face—from others, from society, from ourselves—ratchet upward, so too does the pressure we live under. Who of us couldn’t use a little relief? The Christian faith addresses this thirst most directly and profoundly via its conception of grace. Sadly, that aspect is not always at the forefront of how the faith is perceived or experienced. In our time together, I aim to explore how the grace of God intersects with our day-to-day lives and the desperately needed relief it brings for our worn-out people like you and me. My goal is that those attend would walk away a little lighter than when they came in, with renewed confidence in the Gospel message, and in possession of some fresh language and imagery to bring that message alive in whatever context in which they find themselves. We’ll also have some fun in the process. I hope you can come.

David Zahl is the founder and director of Mockingbird Ministries, editor-in-chief of the Mockingbird website, and co-host of both The Mockingcast and The Brothers Zahl podcasts. He and his family live in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he also serves on the staff of Christ Episcopal Church. Zahl is the author of Seculosity: How Career, Parenting, Technology, Food, Politics, and Romance Became Our New Religion and What To Do About It and Low Anthropology: The Unlikely Key to a Gracious View of Others (and Yourself). His latest book, The Big Relief: The Urgency of Grace for a Worn-Out World came out in April 2025 from Brazos Press. His writing has been featured in The Washington Post, Plough, Christianity Today, and The Guardian, among other venues.

Agenda (May 2)

How do I register for the in-person day, including classes?

1. Click on the title of the class on the Spring Training & Gathering In Person Class Agenda and click on the “Register for in person class” button on the class page or click on the In Person Registration link.
2. Complete the registration form, including your class selections.
3. Pay via debit/credit card or send a check to ECCT.

In-person Sessions (May 2)