Community Transformation in Practice: Training Weekend Offers Tools for Public Ministry & Local Engagement
On October 24-25, faith leaders, community organizers, and members from across the region gathered for a two-day training on community engagement and public witness (Connections to Transformation Conference). Though the attendance was modest—18 participants on Friday and 39 on Saturday—the impact of the learning was anything but small. Those present were deeply engaged and the presenters offered powerful insight, practical tools, and inspiring examples of ministry in the public square.
Bishop Lee Miller, II opened the gathering with prayer followed by words of welcome from Rev. Dr. SanDawna Gaulman Ashley and the Rev. Peter Cook. Special greetings were shared by Rev. Marjorie Ackerman of Geneva Presbytery, reminding participants of the importance of sustained hope and collaboration.
The first plenary session, “Public Ministry,” was led by Rev. Dr. Kathryn Threadgill of Columbia Theological Seminary, who centered the discussion on the meaning of community across cultures. She encouraged participants to reflect on how different traditions understand belonging, shared responsibility, and collective flourishing, inviting the gathered group to embody ministry rooted in deep relationships and mutual care.
A session on Fiscal Policy, led by Ron Deutsch, Director of New Yorkers for Fiscal Fairness, provided clarity on how government budgets shape daily life and offered tools to advocate for just and equitable public investment.
Workshops during the day offered practical skills and applications:
Immigration and Legal Advocacy – Juana Cortes de Torres, Esq.
Grant Writing – Rev. Dr. Eileen Lindner
Social Justice in Churches and Mid-Councils – Rev. Peter Cook & Rashida Tyler
Building Community Partnerships – Larry Beasley
The closing plenary, “Community Redevelopment,” was offered by Dr. Henry-Louis Taylor, Jr., Professor of Urban & Regional Planning and founding director of the University of Buffalo Center for Urban Studies. Dr. Taylor explored poverty as more than economic hardship, describing it as a strategy of divisiveness that fragments communities and weakens collective power. He emphasized the importance of empowering residents to participate in their own advocacy, and highlighted homeownership as a critical foundation for stability, generational wealth, and community strength.
Additional workshops further connected learning to real-world application:
Rural & Migrant Ministry – Rev. Ricardo Witt
Community Asset Mapping – Rev. Dr. Rose Niles
Rural Housing Strategies – Michael Borges
We are especially thankful to the host congregation, The First Presbyterian Church of Ithaca, New York, and Rev. Kirianne Weaver. This training aligns with the Synod’s emerging vision and proclamation—Reimagining the Church in the World—Spirit-led, Transformative Faith, and Boundless Welcome. True transformation often begins in small, committed communities listening deeply, learning together, and stepping forward in faith. And the seeds planted here will continue to grow — in us, through us, and among us.
