Award-winning author David King to open 2025 Stewardship Kaleidoscope Conference in New Orleans

LOUISVILLE — Registration for the annual Stewardship Kaleidoscope Conference — featuring a roster of outstanding speakers and preachers — is now underway, with a June 30 early-bird registration deadline approaching for the Sept. 22-24 event to be held in New Orleans, Louisiana.

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The popular conference, with both in-person and online attendance options, will offer a lineup of well-known preachers and speakers, including the Rev. Dr. David P. King, who will deliver the opening keynote on Monday, Sept. 22.

King is the Karen Lake Buttrey Director of the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving and associate professor of Philanthropic Studies within the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Ordained in the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, he previously served both local churches and national faith-based organizations. His first book, "God’s Internationalists: World Vision and the Age of Evangelical Humanitarianism," won the Peter Dobkin Hall Prize for the best book in the history of philanthropy. King regularly contributes to national media outlets such as The Washington Post, The Economist, The Atlantic, Religion News Service, The Conversation, Christianity Today, and The Chronicle of Philanthropy.

“If you are looking for a continuing education opportunity with thought-provoking speakers, inspiring worship, informative workshops and unparalleled networking opportunities in an exciting city rich in cultural and Presbyterian heritage,” said the Rev. Sandra Moon, ministry relations officer in the Northwest region for the Presbyterian Foundation, “you won’t want to miss this year’s conference.”

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Moon, who serves as Stewardship Kaleidoscope operations chair, resources and supports the all-volunteer conference planning team together with the event co-chairs, Stefanie Marsden, relationship manager for the Texas Presbyterian Foundation, and Caralee Wheeler, development program associate for the Presbyterian Foundation.

“It's a challenging time to be the church right now,” said Moon. “In a time of deep social and political upheaval, and frequent natural disasters — to which New Orleans is no stranger — the 2025 conference theme, ‘The Art of Resiliency,’ is especially timely.”

Those who attend the conference in person will be invited to choose from among 36 workshops and enjoy unique opportunities to connect with participants from across the country. Virtual attendance includes all four plenaries, both worship services and eight selected workshops.

Drawing leaders from across the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and other ecumenical partners, Stewardship Kaleidoscope is designed to ignite generosity in faith-based communities, give practical tools for cultivating generosity in congregations, expand the leadership capacity of those who lead stewardship initiatives, and cultivate adaptive approaches for funding Christ’s mission.

Featured keynoters and preachers this year include:

• The Rev. Dr. Corey Nelson, Pastor and Head of Staff at First Presbyterian Church in Fort Collins, Colorado
• The Rev. Jean Marie Peacock, organizing pastor of Be Well-Come Together in Harvey, Louisiana
• The Rev. Dr. Katrina Foster, Pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Brooklyn

• The Rev. Dr. Alonzo Johnson, Coordinator for the Presbyterian Committee on the Self-Development of People Program in the Interim Unified Agency of the PC(USA).

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In addition to early-bird pricing for in-person attendees, which is offered through June 30, there is also a discount for seminarians and first-call pastors. The deadline to register for in-person attendance is Sept. 5.

All PC(USA) ministers are eligible to apply for a grant through the Presbyterian Foundation to cover half of all costs to attend the conference in person, including travel and hotel. For pastors who attend with members of their congregation, this grant is also available toward half the conference costs for those lay leaders. For more information about this grant, prospective attendees are invited to email the Presbyterian Foundation Ministry Relations Officer located in their region.

“Congregations and other ministries today face many challenges and obstacles, largely financial, when it comes to living out their mission and values,” said Moon. “We hope that ministers and lay leaders jump at the opportunity to learn from experts in the field of stewardship so that they can learn how to effectively create cultures of generosity within their context. This conference exists solely to equip the church with tools and evolving approaches towards stewardship.” 

For more information or to register, click here.