2026
PRESENTERS
Mary earle
“Rule of Life”
Mary Earle is an Episcopal Priest, Author, Poet, Retreat Leader and Spiritual Director.
Until her retirement, she taught classes in spirituality for the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. Mary has authored ten books; the subjects include the spirituality of living with illness, rule of life, Celtic Christian spirituality, the Desert Mothers, and Julian of Norwich. Her latest is a book of her poetry. She also has contributed a chapter to the forthcoming Wisdom of Our Elders (Wipf and Stock, 2024).
Mary has offered presentations and retreats in a variety of ecumenical settings, including conferences of the Academy for Spiritual Formation, Spiritual Directors International, the International Thomas Merton Society, Oblate School of Theology and hospice organizations. She has written articles for a variety of journals. She was included in the Living Spiritual Teachers project of Spirituality and Practice.
Currently she is serving as a core faculty member for the Forest Dwelling program offered through Oblate School of Theology. A two year formation process exploring the spirituality of aging, more information can be found here: https://ost.edu/certificate-programs/forestdwelling/
Mary and her husband Doug live in San Antonio, Texas with their border collie, Fiona, a cat named Xóchi, and lots of garden flora and fauna. Mary is also a knitter and weaver, so her office is full of skeins and balls of yarn. Their son Jason is a professor of French at Sarah Lawrence College in New York.
Mary and Doug were numbered among the 2018 recipients of the Humanitarian Award from United Communities of San Antonio for their contributions to eliminating racism, prejudice and bullying and for their work to promote inclusiveness and diversity in the
Roger owens
“Word of Life”
In his own words, Dr. Roger Owens shares this about himself:
“I teach Christian spirituality and ministry at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. That’s what a PhD in theology from Duke University and eight years of pastoral ministry in North Carolina prepared me to do.
But it’s also what my marriage of sixteen years to my wife Ginger, raising with her three rascally children, and washing a lot of dishes prepared me to do. Because you don’t learn spirituality just from the books. You learn it in the midst of life.
I’ve written and edited several books. I write for regular people: parents, teachers, one professor of computer science I know of. And for leaders: pastors, church leaders, the occasional retired bishop. Whether you are trying to discern the movement of God in your own life, or lead a community to do that, the resources of Christian spirituality are for you.
I’ve lectured, taught, and preached in every region of the country (though I grew up in the Midwest, feel most at home in the South, and live now in the frigid, gray Northeast).
My articles have appeared in The Christian Century, Weavings, Faith & Leadership, and other journals, magazines, and online outlets.
Most mornings I slide out of bed before the rest of the family awakens, shuffle into the kitchen to get my coffee, and slink down the stairs into the basement to sit a spell in my green La-Z-Boy, to spend time with God, to practice what I preach.
Other mornings I stay in bed until it’s time to make my kids’ school lunches. I trust God understands. Making lunches is a kind of prayer too.”
He is the author of a number of books, including "Everyday Contemplative: The Way of Prayerful Living" and "What We Need Is Here: Practicing the Heart of Christian Spirituality."