Art of Conscious Aging: A Group for Women
2023-06-13 11:30 - 14:00, 2023-07-11 11:30 - 14:00, 2023-08-08 11:30 - 14:00, 2023-09-12 11:30 - 14:00, 2023-10-10 11:30 - 14:00, 2023-11-14 11:30 - 14:00, 2023-12-12 11:30 - 14:00, 2024-01-09 11:30 - 14:00 (America/New_York) and 1 more date | via Zoom, Durham, NC, United States
During the pandemic Art of Conscious Aging is meeting via Zoom.
Contact info@rcwms.org to join the group.

Kindred Spirits Quilt Show - Durham, NC
2023-06-16 18:00 - 21:00 | The Fruit, 305 S Dillard St, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
Fanny Lou Hamer. Quilt by Kimberley Pierce Cartwright
As part of Kindred Spirits: A Convergence of African American Quilters conference, we are having a quilt show on June 16, 6:00-9:00 pm, during Durham’s Third Friday celebration of Juneteenth.
The show’s theme is Deconstructing the Mammy Archetype. The Mammy archetype is a stereotypical portrayal of Black women in American popular culture. It is a caricature of a nurturing, maternal figure who is often depicted as overweight, asexual, and happily serving white people. The Mammy stereotype has been used to justify the enslavement and subjugation of Black women and has been perpetuated through various forms of media.
Modern African American quilt work provides an avenue for deconstructing the Mammy archetype. Quilting has long been a form of creative expression for African American women, and in recent years, many Black artists have used the medium to challenge and subvert racist stereotypes.
By incorporating imagery and symbolism that directly confront the Mammy archetype, African American quilt makers are able to reframe the narrative and reclaim their own agency. For example, some artists have created quilts that depict Black women as strong and independent, rather than subservient and obedient. Others have used quilting to celebrate the beauty and diversity of Black women’s bodies, challenging the notion that Black women must conform to Eurocentric beauty standards.
Overall, modern African American quilt work offers a powerful means of deconstructing the Mammy archetype and challenging the ways in which Black women have been historically misrepresented in American culture. By using the medium of quilting to tell their own stories and celebrate their own experiences, Black women are able to reclaim narratives and assert their own agency.
Location: The Fruit, 305 S Dillard St., Durham
Cost: Free. All are welcome.

Historic Stagville Emancipation Tour June 2023
2023-06-20 10:00 - 11:30
This guided tour will highlight how enslaved people claimed their freedom at Stagville in 1865. Each June, Historic Stagville offers special tours focused on Emancipation as part of the site’s commemoration of Juneteenth. The tour explores the detailed history of Emancipation on one of North Carolina’s largest plantations. Hear stories of how formerly enslaved families celebrated, defended themselves, and organized, while the plantation owners strategized to hold on to their power and wealth.
Historic Stagville, a state historic site in northern Durham County, includes remnants of one of the largest plantations in North Carolina. The Bennehan-Cameron family owned approximately 30,000 acres of land and enslaved about 900 people on this property. Stagville protects a fraction of the land from that plantation, including original housing for enslaved people (1851), a massive barn (1860), and a Bennehan family house (1787–1799). Stagville is dedicated to teaching about the lives and work of enslaved people on the plantation.
Don’t miss this opportunity to join Stagville staff and other community members in learning more about Emancipation at Historic Stagville. The tour will begin at 10:00 AM. Wear comfortable shoes and bring sunscreen. The tour will be mostly outdoors, with two short stops at historic buildings. The route includes walking over grass, gravel, and uneven ground.

Location: 5828 Old Oxford, Highway, Durham, NC.
Meet near the green office building by the parking lot at the back of the Historic Stagville property. Please allow sufficient time for the drive there.

Cost: $10/person. Additional donations to Stagville are welcome here.

Register below.

Ministry of Black Women's Self Care, June, 2023 - with Kim Gaubault (via Zoom)
2023-06-21 19:00 - 20:30
Kim Gaubault recognizes that self-care is often the component that remains a form of intervention (after the break or the medical emergency) rather than a preventative measure. When we allow our bodies, minds and/or spirits to break down in the course of doing this work, we are not only putting ourselves at risk but we are putting at risk the integrity of the work for which we are laboring. This work is a work of self-love, communal love, Womanist Ethicism, it is multi-generational, multicultural and is not finite, but is instead as infinite as the beauty in the divinity that is Blackness. Come and share in this life’s work! This program is specifically designed to offer practical tools for everyday self-care to Black women-identified individuals doing all forms of ministry, in church and community.
June: I Said What I Said: Speaking Our Truths Without Disclaimers

July: HELP, I’m adaptable!: Loving Without Losing Me
August: My Love Language Is…

Leader: Kimberly Gaubault (McCrae) is an intentional lover of humanity and actively lives the self-care life about which she teaches and advocates. Her personal philosophy of interpersonal interaction is, “If I’ve not positively influenced someone everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve not walked in my purpose.”
Cost: $10, $25, or $40
per session. Choose the price that fits your budget.
Register for June below.
Register for July: HERE. August: HERE.
Registrants will receive a Zoom link in the automated ticket confirmation.

Ministry of Black Women's Self Care, July, 2023 - with Kim Gaubault (via Zoom)
2023-07-19 19:00 - 20:30
Kim Gaubault recognizes that self-care is often the component that remains a form of intervention (after the break or the medical emergency) rather than a preventative measure. When we allow our bodies, minds and/or spirits to break down in the course of doing this work, we are not only putting ourselves at risk but we are putting at risk the integrity of the work for which we are laboring. This work is a work of self-love, communal love, Womanist Ethicism, it is multi-generational, multicultural and is not finite, but is instead as infinite as the beauty in the divinity that is Blackness. Come and share in this life’s work! This program is specifically designed to offer practical tools for everyday self-care to Black women-identified individuals doing all forms of ministry, in church and community.

July: HELP, I’m adaptable!: Loving Without Losing Me
August: My Love Language Is...
Leader: Kimberly Gaubault (McCrae) is an intentional lover of humanity and actively lives the self-care life about which she teaches and advocates. Her personal philosophy of interpersonal interaction is, “If I’ve not positively influenced someone everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve not walked in my purpose.”
Cost: $10, $25, or $40
per session. Choose the price that fits your budget.
Register for July below.
Register for August: HERE.
Registrants will receive a Zoom link in the automated ticket confirmation.

Ministry of Black Women's Self Care, August, 2023 - with Kim Gaubault (via Zoom)
2023-08-16 19:00 - 20:30
Kim Gaubault recognizes that self-care is often the component that remains a form of intervention (after the break or the medical emergency) rather than a preventative measure. When we allow our bodies, minds and/or spirits to break down in the course of doing this work, we are not only putting ourselves at risk but we are putting at risk the integrity of the work for which we are laboring. This work is a work of self-love, communal love, Womanist Ethicism, it is multi-generational, multicultural and is not finite, but is instead as infinite as the beauty in the divinity that is Blackness. Come and share in this life’s work! This program is specifically designed to offer practical tools for everyday self-care to Black women-identified individuals doing all forms of ministry, in church and community.
August: My Love Language Is…
September: I Changed My Mind: The Freedom to Make a Different Choice
October: Like a Bridge Over Troubled Water: The Blessing in Anger
November:What I Heard About My Hair (Part 2)
December: Just for Today: Honoring All of Me in the Here and Now
Leader: Kimberly Gaubault (McCrae) is an intentional lover of humanity and actively lives the self-care life about which she teaches and advocates. Her personal philosophy of interpersonal interaction is, “If I’ve not positively influenced someone everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve not walked in my purpose.”
Cost: $10, $25, or $40
per session. Choose the price that fits your budget.
Register for August below.
Register for September: HERE. October: HERE. November: HERE. December: HERE.
Registrants will receive a Zoom link in the automated ticket confirmation.

Writing the Body with Shawna Ayoub (via Zoom)
2023-09-09 14:00 - 16:00
Writing with Shawna Ayoub has been life-changing. I have taken several classes with her, both in-person and online, all focused on memoir. Under her visionary tutelage, I have created the most profound writing of my life. Her feedback is insightful, honest, and constructive. I live with chronic illness, and Shawna always meets me exactly where I am, helping me set achievable goals. Collaborating with her has made me a better writer, but perhaps more importantly, writing with Shawna has healed me.
-Jen DeRosa

It’s a well-researched fact that we store our emotional experiences in our physical bodies. On anniversaries of loss, for example, it is common to feel body pain, heaviness, or fatigue. In this workshop, we will practice feeling into our body stories safely in order to capture them in words. As a group, we will learn about how the body stores memory, and why, and take home practices for listening to the stories our bodies want to tell us. While this course is appropriate for writers at every level and of every genre, it can also be taken to build off “Writing Great Essays,” offered April 16th.
Writers will take home a packet of writing examples as well as prompts, and can contact Shawna for written feedback within two weeks of this workshop.
Leader: Shawna Ayoub is a brown, queer, Durham-based writer and instructor whose work prioritizes the engagement of difficult topics. After recognizing the personal benefits of writing for release and recovery, she has made her practice public for the last 12 years, offering courses independently as well as through the Center for Creative Writing. Her work has appeared in Verywell Mind, Survivor Lit, Exit 7, [wherever], The Archipelago, and The Manifest-Station.
Cost: $100. Scholarships available. Please contact info@rcwms.org.
Register below. Registrants will receive a Zoom link in the automated ticket confirmation.

A Week of Quiet and Writing in September, 2023
2023-09-17 16:00 - 2023-09-24 13:00
Wouldn’t you like a week full of quiet days to think and write? Come spend a week of quiet and writing with a supportive group of women at the beautiful Trinity Center on Emerald Isle, NC. We observe silence in the daytime so participants can read, write, or rest. In the evenings we gather to reflect on the day and often share our work with one another. Room and meals are included. Everyone gets her own room. Her own space. Her own time.
Leader: Jeanette Stokes

Cost: $850, includes lodging and meals.
Contact: RCWMS, 919-683-1236, jeanette@rcwms.org

Ministry of Black Women's Self Care, September, 2023 - with Kim Gaubault (via Zoom)
2023-09-20 19:00 - 20:30
Kim Gaubault recognizes that self-care is often the component that remains a form of intervention (after the break or the medical emergency) rather than a preventative measure. When we allow our bodies, minds and/or spirits to break down in the course of doing this work, we are not only putting ourselves at risk but we are putting at risk the integrity of the work for which we are laboring. This work is a work of self-love, communal love, Womanist Ethicism, it is multi-generational, multicultural and is not finite, but is instead as infinite as the beauty in the divinity that is Blackness. Come and share in this life’s work! This program is specifically designed to offer practical tools for everyday self-care to Black women-identified individuals doing all forms of ministry, in church and community.
September: I Changed My Mind: The Freedom to Make a Different Choice
October: Like a Bridge Over Troubled Water: The Blessing in Anger
November:What I Heard About My Hair (Part 2)
December: Just for Today: Honoring All of Me in the Here and Now
Leader: Kimberly Gaubault (McCrae) is an intentional lover of humanity and actively lives the self-care life about which she teaches and advocates. Her personal philosophy of interpersonal interaction is, “If I’ve not positively influenced someone everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve not walked in my purpose.”
Cost: $10, $25, or $40
per session. Choose the price that fits your budget.
Register for September below.
Register for October: HERE. November: HERE. December: HERE.
Registrants will receive a Zoom link in the automated ticket confirmation.

Homegrown: NC Women's Preaching Festival 2023
2023-10-05 14:30 - 2023-10-06 15:00
Please join us October 5-6, 2023 for the 11th annual Homegrown: NC Women’s Preaching Festival.
As preachers we are often called to speak and act in places of torn hearts, fractured communities, and broken systems. Together we will explore when to repair, what to release, and how to renew. Join us for another year of highlighting excellent preaching, honing our homiletic skills, and building community.
This year’s preachers and presenters include Melva Sampson, Melinda Wiggins, Donna Banks, Jereann King Johnson, Christine Parton-Burkett, Lindsey Ardrey, Bridgette Gloster, Bluestem Community, Kimberly McCrae, and more to come!
Our Vision: We believe hundreds of Christian clergywomen in North Carolina are faithfully and creatively engaging in ministries where they proclaim the Word of God, week after week. In an ecumenical spirit of love and collegiality, we will lift up the voices of local clergywomen (trans/cis) to encourage and inspire; share and learn; and to hone our craft. Together we will hear wonderful preaching from conference attendees and have time for group conversations on the art of proclamation in all its forms. We will pray, worship, and celebrate together.
Traveling from out of town? Act now to reserve a room at the nearby Residence Inn, 1108 W. Main St, Durham. The special group rate is $169. Note that you must reserve your room no later than September 5 to access the group rate.
In addition to an incredible line-up of presenters, we are excited about the gifts and wisdom, joys and challenges that each of you bring to this festival every year. In addition to the workshops and worship, we will offer several opportunities for being in communion with each other. Learning in community for two days is the heart of who we are. We hope you will plan to join us!
Learn more about the festival: www.ncwomenpreaching.com
Cost: $100 – Regular price ticket and help someone else attend
$75 – Regular price ticket
$25 – Limited income/student
$25 – Thursday dinner and worshop only
Questions? Contact RCWMS: info@rcwms.org
Individual workshop registration details will be available once we finalize the schedule.
Please donate here to help support Homegrown!

Ministry of Black Women's Self Care, October, 2023 - with Kim Gaubault (via Zoom)
2023-10-18 19:00 - 20:30
Kim Gaubault recognizes that self-care is often the component that remains a form of intervention (after the break or the medical emergency) rather than a preventative measure. When we allow our bodies, minds and/or spirits to break down in the course of doing this work, we are not only putting ourselves at risk but we are putting at risk the integrity of the work for which we are laboring. This work is a work of self-love, communal love, Womanist Ethicism, it is multi-generational, multicultural and is not finite, but is instead as infinite as the beauty in the divinity that is Blackness. Come and share in this life’s work! This program is specifically designed to offer practical tools for everyday self-care to Black women-identified individuals doing all forms of ministry, in church and community.
October: Like a Bridge Over Troubled Water: The Blessing in Anger
November:What I Heard About My Hair (Part 2)
December: Just for Today: Honoring All of Me in the Here and Now
Leader: Kimberly Gaubault (McCrae) is an intentional lover of humanity and actively lives the self-care life about which she teaches and advocates. Her personal philosophy of interpersonal interaction is, “If I’ve not positively influenced someone everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve not walked in my purpose.”
Cost: $10, $25, or $40
per session. Choose the price that fits your budget.
Register for October below.
November: HERE. December: HERE.
Registrants will receive a Zoom link in the automated ticket confirmation.

Philadelphia 11! Documentary Film Screening
2023-11-09 19:00 - 21:00 | St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, 403 E. Main St, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
SOLD OUT. We expect some tickets to become available. Please email info@rcwms.org to get on the waiting list.
Join us at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Durham for a screening of The Philadelphia Eleven!, a story about faith and inclusivity, and the women who transformed an age-old institution.
In defiance of church rules and two millennia of patriarchal Christianity, in 1974 a group of women and their supporters organized their ordination to become Episcopal priests. The ordinations took place at the Church of the Advocate in Philadelphia and became a media frenzy. In this film, you will meet the women who succeeded in transforming The Episcopal Church.
We’ll be joined at the screening by The Rev. Dr. Carter Heyward and The Rev. Canon Marie Moorefield Fleischer, members of the Philadelphia Eleven. They plan to share remarks after the screening.

We will gather at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, 403 E Main St in Durham. The screening will be held in the Parish Hall. Enter the Parish Hall through the doors that are located across from the Queen Street parking deck, on the west side of the church. Those with limited mobility may park in the church lot, whose entrance is off Main St. Plan to come down the ramp at the back corner of the lot, through the Columbarium and enter the Parish Hall through the door straight ahead. All others should plan to park in the Queen St. deck.
Sponsors: RCWMS, Saint Philip’s Episcopal Church, Pauli Murray Center & Episcopal Diocese of NC.
Watch the Trailer here!
Cost: Free. Registration is required
Questions? Contact RCWMS: info@rcwms.org.
Donate now to help the film reach a wider audience.

Ministry of Black Women's Self Care, November, 2023 - with Kim Gaubault (via Zoom)
2023-11-15 19:00 - 20:30
Kim Gaubault recognizes that self-care is often the component that remains a form of intervention (after the break or the medical emergency) rather than a preventative measure. When we allow our bodies, minds and/or spirits to break down in the course of doing this work, we are not only putting ourselves at risk but we are putting at risk the integrity of the work for which we are laboring. This work is a work of self-love, communal love, Womanist Ethicism, it is multi-generational, multicultural and is not finite, but is instead as infinite as the beauty in the divinity that is Blackness. Come and share in this life’s work! This program is specifically designed to offer practical tools for everyday self-care to Black women-identified individuals doing all forms of ministry, in church and community.
November:What I Heard About My Hair (Part 2)
December: Just for Today: Honoring All of Me in the Here and Now
Leader: Kimberly Gaubault (McCrae) is an intentional lover of humanity and actively lives the self-care life about which she teaches and advocates. Her personal philosophy of interpersonal interaction is, “If I’ve not positively influenced someone everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve not walked in my purpose.”
Cost: $10, $25, or $40
per session. Choose the price that fits your budget.
Register for November below.
Register for December: HERE.
Registrants will receive a Zoom link in the automated ticket confirmation.

Historic Stagville Tour - November 2023
2023-11-16 10:00 - 11:30
Join us for a tour of Historic Stagville, a state historic site in northern Durham County that includes remnants of one of the largest plantations in North Carolina. The Bennehan-Cameron family owned approximately 30,000 acres of land, and enslaved about 900 people on this property. Stagville protects a fraction of the land from that plantation, including original housing for enslaved people (1851), a massive barn (1860), and a Bennehan family house (1787-1799). Stagville is dedicated to teaching about the lives and work of enslaved people on the plantation.
Don’t miss this opportunity to join Stagville staff and other community members in learning more about Historic Stagville. The tour will begin at 10:00. Please allow sufficient time for the drive there.

Location: 5828 Old Oxford, Highway, Durham, NC

Cost: $10/person. Additional donations to Stagville are welcome here.

Register below.

Awesome Kids Guide to Race: Reading with Shayla Griffin (via Zoom)
2023-12-07 19:00 - 20:30
What is RACE? What is RACISM? What is RACIAL JUSTICE? What can kids do to make sure everyone is treated fairly?
Join author Shayla Griffin, in conversation with author and anti-racism educator Melanie Morrison, for a discussion about how Griffin’s new book, The Awesome Kids Guide to Race, came to be, her motivation for writing it, how it’s structured, and some tips for how to read it.
About the book:
The Awesome Kids Guide to Race tells the sweeping story of race in the United States of America. This beautifully illustrated picture book includes:

Profiles of inspiring activists who are Black, Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander, White, Latine, MENA, and Multiracial so all kids can feel proud of who they are!
Interesting facts about the contributions of racially diverse groups from around the world!
Simple explanations of complicated concepts like race, racism, white privilege, implicit bias, and antiracism!
An overview of racial discrimination and activism in the United States, past and present!
A checklist of 10 concrete actions kids (and grownups!) can take to change the world!

A comprehensive guide for parents, teachers, homeschoolers, and curious kids of all ages!
Author: Shayla Reese Griffin, PhD, MSW, is co-founder of Justice Leaders Collaborative, which provides social justice training, coaching, and resources for individuals, schools, and organizations. She is author of The Awesome Kids Guide to Race (Justice Leaders Press, 2023); Those Kids, Our Schools: Race and Reform in An American High School (Harvard Education Press, 2015); and co-author of Race Dialogues: A Facilitator’s Guide to Tackling the Elephant in the Classroom (Teachers College Press, 2019). Shayla is currently working on multiple forthcoming children’s books focused on issues of social justice and how to be a whole, healthy human. She lives with her spouse and three children and gets her best ideas at 3 a.m.

Cost: Free. Registration is required.
Purchase the book: HERE.
Please REGISTER by selecting a free ticket below. Registrants will receive a Zoom link in the automated ticket confirmation.

Holiday Sale December 10, 2023!
2023-12-10 13:00 - 17:00
Holiday Sale
Sunday, December 10, 2022
1:00-5:00 pm
1202 Watts Street, Durham, NC

(Corner of Watts Street and Demerius Street.)
Handmade cards, books, jewelry, animals, paintings, etc. by:
Kimberley Pierce Cartwright, B. J. Fusaro, Galia Goodman, Bryant Holsenbeck, Jereann King Johnson, Jeanette Stokes, & TheTravelPenguin

Come by to visit, experience local artwork, and purchase great gifts. RCWMS books will be on deep discount. They make great holiday gifts! Bring your neighbors, friends, and families. A portion of the proceeds will benefit RCWMS. Masks are required.
For more information, please email Jeanette Stokes at jeanette@rcwms.org.

Ministry of Black Women's Self Care, December, 2023 - with Kim Gaubault (via Zoom)
2023-12-20 19:00 - 20:30
Kim Gaubault recognizes that self-care is often the component that remains a form of intervention (after the break or the medical emergency) rather than a preventative measure. When we allow our bodies, minds and/or spirits to break down in the course of doing this work, we are not only putting ourselves at risk but we are putting at risk the integrity of the work for which we are laboring. This work is a work of self-love, communal love, Womanist Ethicism, it is multi-generational, multicultural and is not finite, but is instead as infinite as the beauty in the divinity that is Blackness. Come and share in this life’s work! This program is specifically designed to offer practical tools for everyday self-care to Black women-identified individuals doing all forms of ministry, in church and community.
December: Just for Today: Honoring All of Me in the Here and Now
January: Allow Me to (Re)Introduce Myself: I Am Who I Say I Am
February: Family Matters: Black Women Loving Through It All
March: Black Love Goals: Loving the Skin We’re In
Leader: Kimberly Gaubault (McCrae) is an intentional lover of humanity and actively lives the self-care life about which she teaches and advocates. Her personal philosophy of interpersonal interaction is, “If I’ve not positively influenced someone everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve not walked in my purpose.”
Cost: $10, $25, or $40
per session. Choose the price that fits your budget.
Register for December below.
Register for January: HERE. February: HERE. March: HERE.
Registrants will receive a Zoom link in the automated ticket confirmation.

Ministry of Black Women's Self Care, January, 2024 - with Kim Gaubault (via Zoom)
2024-01-17 19:00 - 20:30
Kim Gaubault recognizes that self-care is often the component that remains a form of intervention (after the break or the medical emergency) rather than a preventative measure. When we allow our bodies, minds and/or spirits to break down in the course of doing this work, we are not only putting ourselves at risk but we are putting at risk the integrity of the work for which we are laboring. This work is a work of self-love, communal love, Womanist Ethicism, it is multi-generational, multicultural and is not finite, but is instead as infinite as the beauty in the divinity that is Blackness. Come and share in this life’s work! This program is specifically designed to offer practical tools for everyday self-care to Black women-identified individuals doing all forms of ministry, in church and community.
January: Allow Me to (Re)Introduce Myself: I Am Who I Say I Am
February: Family Matters: Black Women Loving Through It All
March: Black Love Goals: Loving the Skin We’re In

Leader: Kimberly Gaubault (McCrae) is an intentional lover of humanity and actively lives the self-care life about which she teaches and advocates. Her personal philosophy of interpersonal interaction is, “If I’ve not positively influenced someone everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve not walked in my purpose.”
Cost: $10, $25, or $40
per session. Choose the price that fits your budget.
Register for January below.
Register for February: HERE. March: HERE.
Registrants will receive a Zoom link in the automated ticket confirmation.

Mindful Journaling with Jen Johnson (via Zoom)
2024-01-18 11:00 - 12:30
This workshop explores mindful journaling as a creative practice for finding beauty in the everyday experience of being human. Mindful journaling is a contemplative practice that explores our inner landscape of beauty and nurtures compassionate awareness, creativity, and meaning. This practice can help us to cultivate resilience by finding beauty and light, even in times of darkness and suffering. Gather your favorite journal and pen as we meet whatever the new year brings with compassion.
Jen Johnson, MS, MS, MFA, BCC, LCMHC is a mindfulness coach, licensed counselor, photographer, and writer. Her writing has been published in book chapters, magazines, literary journals, and professional training manuals, and she has taught writing at the university level. Learn more about Jen here.
Please note this event occurs at 11:00 am EST.
Cost: $40 or $30. Scholarships available. Contact info@rcwms.org
Register below. Registrants will receive a Zoom link in the automated ticket confirmation

Dignity, Justice and Joy: Holding on to Our Dignity in Challenging Times with Cole Arthur Riley
2024-02-16
Peace Hill at Avila is proud to offer two opportunities to hear the accomplished author and poet, Cole Arthur Riley, on Friday, February 16.
2:00 – 3:30 pm
Miller Morgan Auditorium
500 Nelson Street, Durham, NC
7:00 – 8:30 pm
Mt Level Missionary Baptist Church
316 Hebron Road, Durham, NC
A book signing will follow the evening presentation.
Peace Hill at Avila is the principal sponsor of Riley’s events in Durham. Co-sponsors include the Resource Center for Women & Ministry in the South, Duke University Chapel, Living the Word Justice and Equity Ministry, Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, Racial Justice and Reconciliation Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, and Episcopalians United Against Racism.

Cole Arthur Riley is the author of the NYT bestseller, This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories that Make Us. Her writing has been featured in The Atlantic, Guernica, and The Washington Post. Cole is also the creator and writer of Black Liturgies, a project that integrates spiritual practice with Black emotion, Black literature, and the Black body. Learn more about Cole here.

Cost: Free

Registration for both events is recommended but not required.

Registration and more info for afternoon event: HERE.

Registration and more info for evening event: HERE.

Ministry of Black Women's Self Care, February, 2024 - with Kim Gaubault (via Zoom)
2024-02-21 19:00 - 20:30
Kim Gaubault recognizes that self-care is often the component that remains a form of intervention (after the break or the medical emergency) rather than a preventative measure. When we allow our bodies, minds and/or spirits to break down in the course of doing this work, we are not only putting ourselves at risk but we are putting at risk the integrity of the work for which we are laboring. This work is a work of self-love, communal love, Womanist Ethicism, it is multi-generational, multicultural and is not finite, but is instead as infinite as the beauty in the divinity that is Blackness. Come and share in this life’s work! This program is specifically designed to offer practical tools for everyday self-care to Black women-identified individuals doing all forms of ministry, in church and community.
February: Family Matters: Black Women Loving Through It All
March: Black Love Goals: Loving the Skin We’re In

Leader: Kimberly Gaubault (McCrae) is an intentional lover of humanity and actively lives the self-care life about which she teaches and advocates. Her personal philosophy of interpersonal interaction is, “If I’ve not positively influenced someone everywhere I’ve gone, I’ve not walked in my purpose.”
Cost: $10, $25, or $40
per session. Choose the price that fits your budget.
Register for February below.
Register for March: HERE.
Registrants will receive a Zoom link in the automated ticket confirmation.

Pockets of Grace: Reading with Heidi Gessner (via Zoom)
2024-02-22 19:00 - 20:00
“Gessner’s highly accessible account of her spiritual awakening and journey into hospital chaplaincy offers insightful lessons for everyone, those with and without formal religious beliefs. She bravely pursued her path despite the skepticism of her artsy, intellectual, and agnostic family and friends. Her perceptions alert us to the meaning and depth available to us all, even in life’s most quotidian moments—like hearing geese honking as they travel overhead or finding feathers on a path. Her reflection questions at the end of each chapter are little jewels for revelation and personal growth.”
–Carol Henderson
Join author Heidi Gessner in conversation with writer Carol Henderson.
In this RCWMS book reading we’ll use Heidi Gessner’s memoir, Pockets of Grace: Lessons from Darkness, Lessons from Light, as a prompt for discussion about the deeply personal nature of our universe. Gessner illustrates how our magical cosmos wants to connect with you and support you. Join us to hear what it has to tell you.
You’ll discover how even in turbulent times, you are never truly alone. There are unseen forces carrying and shaping you, sending signs – unpredictable coincidences and synchronicities to care for and connect with you.
Author: Heidi Gessner is an ordained United Church of Christ minister, spiritual counselor, and grief coach, who served as the palliative care and bereavement clinical chaplain for UNC Hospitals for nearly 20 years. Heidi is also the author of Pockets of Grace: Lessons from Darkness, Lessons from Light, which is both a memoir about her spiritual awakening during her father’s terminal lung cancer, and a modern-day guide for coping with grief and loss. Heidi is the founder of Indigo Grief Flow: Path to a New Beginning, her signature system that provides support for individuals navigating loss or in transition.

Cost: Free. Registration is required.
Purchase the book: HERE.
Please REGISTER by selecting a free ticket below. Registrants will receive a Zoom link in the automated ticket confirmation.
