THEOED ORLANDO Comes to St. Luke's UMC This Month

An ecumenical speaker series where leaders in the church and the academy share “the talk of their lives” in 20 minutes or less, TheoEd aims to spark conversations that change the way people think about God, religion, and the power of faith to change lives.

TheoEd Orlando will be held in Founder’s Hall at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church on Sunday, September 24 at 4:00 p.m. The event will also have a free livestream available for virtual viewing.

Sponsored by The Candler Foundry at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology, TheoEd Orlando will feature speakers Jacqui Lewis, Brian McLaren, Lydia Muñoz, Luke Powery, and Orlando’s very own Clay and Cliff Price.

Tickets are available by visiting st.lukes.org/TheoEd. Individual tickets are $15, and table tickets for groups of 8 are $75 per table. For information about large group discounts or hosting a virtual audience, email TheoEd@emory.edu.

Learn more about the speakers:

Jacqui Lewis is senior minister and public theologian at Middle Church in New York City. In her activism, preaching, speaking, writing, and teaching, Lewis advocates for racial equality, gun control, economic justice, and equal rights for all sexual orientations/genders. A world-renowned theologian, she has been featured on The Today Show, All In with Chris Hayes, AM Joy, The Melissa Harris Perry Show, NY1, ABC, NBC, PBS, CBS, and many more. Her writing has appeared in outlets like Harper’s

Bazaar, Vox, The Huffington Post and Religion News Service. Lewis is the author of several books, most recently Fierce Love: A Bold Path to a Ferocious Courage and Rule-Breaking Kindness That Can Heal the World (Penguin Random House, 2021).

Brian D. McLaren is an author, speaker, activist, and public theologian. A former college English teacher and pastor, he is a passionate advocate for “a new kind of Christianity”—just, generous, and working with people of all faiths for the common good. He is a core faculty member of The Living School and podcaster with Learning How to See, which are part of the Center for Action and Contemplation. He is also an Auburn Senior Fellow and is a co-host of Southern Lights. His newest books are Faith After Doubt: Why Your Beliefs Stopped Working and What to Do About It (St. Martin’s Essentials, 2021), and Do I Stay Christian? A Guide for the Doubters, the Disappointed, and the Disillusioned (St. Martin’s Essentials, 2022).

Lydia Esther Muñoz is an ordained elder in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of The United Methodist Church and currently serves as executive director of the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry, one of six ethnic minority plans of The UMC. She is a graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary and holds a Doctor of Ministry in public theology from Drew Theological School in Public Theology. Muñoz has long experience developing ministries of justice among marginalized and multicultural communities and has been involved in leading worship for 20+ years in varied and diverse settings, both locally and nationally, including for the 2013 World Council of Churches Assembly in South Korea, the 2012 United Methodist General Conference, and the Festival of Sacred Arts in Falstbo, Sweden.

Luke A. Powery is the dean of Duke University Chapel and associate professor of homiletics at Duke Divinity School. A national leader in the theological study of the art of preaching (homiletics), Powery regularly delivers sermons at Duke Chapel as well as at churches throughout the United States and abroad. He is often a keynote speaker and lecturer at educational institutions, conferences, symposia, and retreats. His teaching and research interests are located at the intersection of preaching, worship, pneumatology, and culture, particularly expressions of the African diaspora. He is the author of Spirit Speech: Lament and Celebration in Preaching (Abingdon Press, 2009); Dem Dry Bones: Preaching, Death, and Hope (Fortress Press, 2012); Rise Up, Shepherd! Advent Reflections on the Spirituals (Westminster John Knox Press, 2017); and Were You There? Lenten Reflections on the Spirituals (Westminster John Knox, 2019).

Clay Price started his career with Disney in 1997 as a percussionist with the Disney All-American College Orchestra performing at Epcot's American Gardens Theater alongside several well-known Broadway stars. After finishing his degree in music education from the University of Georgia, he quickly moved back to Orlando to be a full-time cast member with Walt Disney World Entertainment. From 1997 to 2003, Clay was a performer in numerous shows and parades in all four Disney theme parks. He also spent a year in Japan working for Tokyo Disneyland Entertainment during their 20th Anniversary Celebration. As a musician, he was a drummer for the “Tapestry of Nations” parade at Epcot® and is currently a substitute pianist for the Magic Music Days choral workshops. After two years working as a production assistant, Clay is now a coordinator with Talent Casting and Booking, specializing in Celebrity Talent. Clay also serves on the Advisory Board for S.T.A.G.E.

Cliff Price, entertainment stage manager and art director for Disney Parks and Resorts and Disney Live Entertainment, is originally from Wrightsville, Georgia and holds a degree in environmental design and landscape architecture from the University of Georgia, where he was a proud member of the Redcoat Marching Band. He started his career with Disney Parks Live Entertainment in 1998 as an entertainment cast member. As a performer, he entertained guests in many of the shows and parades across property and overseas at Tokyo Disneyland. He was honored to be able to performer alongside his twin brother Clay in performances of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame–A Musical Adventure,” “Fantasmic!,” and “Dream Along with Mickey.” He has also worked as a production assistant with Disney Live Entertainment opening shows and experiences like The American Idol and the Disney Dream Cruise Ship. Cliff was a recipient of the Disney Partners in Excellence Award.

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