Acclaimed author Becca Ehrlich joins speaker lineup for Stewardship Kaleidoscope 2025

LOUISVILLE — As registration continues for the popular Stewardship Kaleidoscope Conference, to be held Sept. 22-24 in New Orleans, the planning team welcomes the Rev. Dr. Becca Ehrlich to the speaker platform.

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Ehrlich, an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and author of the 2021 book “Christian Minimalism: Simple Steps for Abundant Living,” will give the closing keynote address as well as lead the conference’s final service of worship on Wednesday, Sept. 24. She replaces the Rev. Dr. Katrina Foster, who withdrew from conference leadership following her May 3 election as bishop of the Metropolitan New York Synod of the ELCA.

“We are so excited that Pastor Becca is able to join us for Stewardship Kaleidoscope 2025,” said the Rev. Timothy J. Brown, the ELCA’s Director of Congregational Stewardship and a member of the conference’s all-volunteer planning team. “She is a great preacher who approaches stewardship from a minimalist perspective.”

Themed “Stewardship: The Art of Resiliency,” this year’s conference will be held live at the Sheraton Canal Street in New Orleans. To enable broader participation, a virtual attendee registration option will once again be available.

In addition to attending diverse plenary sessions and worship experiences, on-site conference participants will be able to choose from dozens of workshops, including one taught by Ehrlich. Virtual attendees will be able to attend livestreamed and recorded plenaries and worship, and will also have access to eight workshops, four of which will be available via be livestream.

In addition to Ehrlich, featured keynote speakers and preachers this year include:

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

Ehrlich, who blogs about minimalism from a Christian perspective, also serves as Adjunct Professor of Christian Spirituality at United Lutheran Seminary and Dean of the Hudson Mohawk Conference of the Upstate New York Synod, ELCA. She previously served as pastor in two congregations in western New York, in seminary admissions and administration, and on ELCA bishops’ staffs.

In partnership with Albany Presbytery, Ehrlich also serves as executive director and founder of New Breath Spirituality Center, one of the 1001 New Worshiping Communities of the PC(USA).

“I am always thrilled when Presbyterians and Lutherans can come together to do cool things!” she said. “I’m excited to be with you in September.”

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.

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

For additional information on the conference, including available grants and scholarships, and/or to book your room and register for the conference, click here.