It’s All About Love: A Festival for the Jesus Movement
Our Vestry member and lay evangelist Kim Powell recently attended "It's All About Love: A Festival for the Jesus Movement" in Baltimore, MD.
She shares her experience of that festival with us.
I was licensed as a Lay Evangelist by Bishop Edington in early July and shortly afterward had the opportunity to attend the "It's All About Love: Festival for the Jesus Movement" in Baltimore, MD. The festival brought together Episcopalians from all nine provinces of the Church for a four-day event, which included workshops on Evangelism, Racial Reconciliation, and Creation Care, morning and evening revival worship, inspiring testimonies, and soul-stirring music. I was delighted to find my Convocation sister, Maleah from St. Paul’s Within the Walls in Rome, also in attendance.
Kim Powell stands in a hall with a stage and a projection screen
The opening worship service set an uplifting tone for the entire event. As I entered the worship space, the band played one of my favorite songs, "Fire" by Cece Winans. I sang along softly as I found my seat and was soon joined by others as the room filled up. When the speakers took the stage, everyone was on their feet, singing with all their hearts. It was a wonderful evening of prayer, fellowship, and song, highlighted by a rousing sermon from our Presiding Bishop, imploring us to recognize that "God is Love!" The bilingual liturgy and music in English and Spanish, and the diverse presence of speakers on stage, was incredibly moving. I left the service feeling joyful and excited for the days ahead.
Among the many workshops available, I first chose those centered around Evangelism and discipleship but soon adapted my schedule to include all the festival themes. The candid discussions about dismantling white supremacy within the Church, promoting racial reconciliation, and creating Beloved Community were deeply impactful, igniting a fervent commitment within me to prioritize social justice in all aspects of my life. A presentation on the power of Christian witness in multireligious and multicultural settings emphasized the importance of engaging in ecumenical ministries and collaborations across diverse religious backgrounds. The Abundant Life Garden Project, addressing Creation care and food scarcity with our youth, also stood out as a call to action.
The exhibition area was another great source of knowledge and inspiration; it was a vibrant gathering space featuring booths from various Church-associated groups and external organizations. I collected abundant resources and materials to share with our community.
The Holy Spirit moved powerfully throughout the All About Love Festival, and I have a heightened awareness of Her presence in my life. A poignant prayer by Rev. Canon Altagracia Perez-Bullard resonated deeply with me, urging us to share the story of God's redeeming love with zeal and compassion:
"We pray, gracious God, that your Holy Spirit has moved so powerfully in this place this night, trouble us, disturb us, burn within us so that we can't do anything but SHOUT in loud voices, in soft voices, one on one, in a group or in a crowd to share the story of how you redeemed us, how you have liberated us, how you have restored us. We pray that you send us out of this place knowing that for this, we have been called, that in our lives and our words and our ministries, we share the love of God, the love embodied in Jesus, the love that sacrificed everything to find us and make us whole. Help us in these thanksgivings not to be selfish but to share that good news with all we meet."
I've come back feeling invigorated, empowered, and eager to share the Loving, Liberating, Life-Giving message of the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement in our parish, in the wider Convocation, and out beyond the gates of our Cathedral. GOD IS LOVE!
Find out more about the festival and watch the recordings of the event at: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/its-all-about-love/.