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About UsCenter for Congregations
303 North Alabama Street, Ste 100
Indianapolis, IN 46204
What if we re-imagined the walls of our churches as blank canvases rather than sterile reminders of what has always been?
What if liturgy came alive and was both responsive to the challenges of this age and responsible for reminding people that God is still alive?
In this session, Dr. Harrison-Jones will explore the importance of using culture as a lens to create belonging and strengthen one’s sense of connection to both God and neighbor. Informed by his work with Critical Race Theory and Culturally Responsive Education, Harrison-Jones will focus uniquely on ways to create belonging for those, in the words of Dr. Howard Thurman, “whose backs are against the wall.”
This session is designed for clergy and laypeople alike who want to both dance with the spirit and embrace Lazarus at the gate.
Dr. Winterbourne Harrison-Jones, is a scholar, author, ecclesial leader, philanthropist, and distinguished Churchman in the lineage of Dr. William Augustus Jones, Dr. James Forbes, Dr. Mordecai Wyatt Johnson, Dr. Samuel D. Proctor, and Dr. Howard Thurman. He is the esteemed Senior Pastor of the Historic Witherspoon Presbyterian Church of Indianapolis, Indiana — considered by many to be “the Abyssinian and Ebenezer of Indianapolis.” A fifth-generation minister, Dr. Harrison-Jones is widely sought after as a preacher, workshop facilitator, and philanthropic consultant. Reverend Harrison-Jones is a proud graduate of the historic Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. In addition to Fisk University and Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, Harrison-Jones holds degrees and professional certifications from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin Germany, and the Estudio Sampere Spanish Language School in Salamanca Spain. Dr. Harrison-Jones simultaneously matriculated in two national doctoral programs, earning the Doctor of Ministry from Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School and is currently pursuing the PhD in Urban Education from Indiana University Purdue University (IUPUI). As a Renaissance Man, Dr. Harrison-Jones is an avid art collector and curator in the tradition of Dr. Albert Barnes, Alfred Stieglitz, and Dr. David Driskell. He has amassed a private collection of nearly 500 original pieces including canvases, sculptures, books, textiles, historic objects, and photographs that portray various themes of Black liberation and the intersection of faith and resistance. As a scholar, Dr. Harrison-Jones investigates how theological and philanthropic resources within Christian traditions are valuable for interpreting and responding to such pressing public issues as economic deprivation, religious bigotry, racism, inequity, and structural inequality. As a bi-vocational leader, Dr. Harrison-Jones is a highly creative and results-driven non-profit management professional with entrepreneurial passion and unparalleled vision. With nearly a decade of experience in pastoral leadership, faith-based community development, fundraising, educational resource design, and proven leadership in civic and community engagement, Dr. Harrison-Jones has a proven ability to effectively build coalitions across both racial and organizational barriers while exceling at analyzing systems and procedures in order to improve efficiency and program quality. Dr. Harrison-Jones is married to Dr. Jillian Ardelia Harrison-Jones, who serves as the Richard Wesp Assistant Conductor of the Cincinnati Children’s Choir and the Music Director of MUSE, the Cincinnati’s Women’s Choir.
The Center for Congregations is funded by Lilly Endowment, Inc. and is a supporting organization of the Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis and Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.