Workshop with me!

Are you looking for ways to help your congregants, chaplains, seminary staff or students, etc. expand their understanding of a marginalized group — such as the trans or disability community? Hire me to facilitate conversations exploring basic 101, scripture & theology, and/or practical ways to transform your minds and space.

  • Purple background with text reading "Testimonials for Avery's work," with a photo of Avery to the right. Avery has light skin, glasses, short brown hair, and wears a dress shirt and untied tie. They are grinning off towards the upper left corner of the page.
  • White background with illustration of two figures, one with a beard and one with a mustache, holding hands; one waves a trans flag. Next to this, a quote from Rev. Cathy Hoop of Grace Presbyterian Church, Tuscaloosa AL, reads, "How grateful we are for Avery Arden, for their leadership, honesty, knowledge and integrity. Avery has journeyed with our congregation for a decade, inviting us into deep conversations about what it means to be truly welcoming of all. From a perspective that breaks binaries of all kinds, Avery offers fresh interpretations of scripture, fresh understandings of God. Beyond all the knowledge and the gifts for teaching and facilitating, one of the things I appreciate most is the way that Avery embodies what they teach, creating safe space in which all people may join the conversation."
  • Purple background with illustration of two figures leaning towards each other, holding a nonbinary flag, next to which is a quotation from Dr. Shannon Craigo-Snell, Louisville Seminary Professor, which reads, "Avery Arden planned and led a fantastic workshop for Louisville Seminary on the topic of welcoming trans people in churches and classrooms. The workshop drew a large group of ministers, professors, and students. Avery started with basics—including bathrooms and pronouns—and then addressed every question that came up with kindness and patience. It was an excellent learning experience."

Email me to discuss topics, dates, pricing, and more at queerlychristian36@gmail.com.

My Specialties

I’m Avery (they/them); I graduated with a Masters of Divinity from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 2019. For more about me, visit my about page.

Topics I have researched extensively and frequently educate on include:

  • Queer & Trans theologies and practical applications
  • Disability theology and practical applications — what good news does the Bible have for disabled persons here and now? How do churches (or seminaries, etc.) empower the full participation of persons with all kinds of disabilities?
  • Interfaith encounters — particularly unpacking antisemitism in Christian texts & spaces
  • Biblical studies — from liberative frameworks for reading scripture to the sociohistorical contexts behind its various books

Feel free to inquire about any other potential topics!

What to Expect from One of My Workshops

Format: I typically use slides to feature important statistics, quotations, and conversation questions. I provide frequent intentional space for participants’ questions, comments, and emotion checks.

Here are some of the presentations I’ve used for past workshops, so you can get an idea of what to expect:

Participation: While I do a lot of talking and provide a lot of information, conversation is key to a successful workshop; we gather to learn from one another. I invite attendees into a courageous space where all questions are welcome, while safeguarding the most vulnerable persons. All participants (myself included!) are asked to invite correction with grace. They don’t need to fear being called out, but may be called in.

Length: I find that the sweet-spot workshop length is between 1.5 and 2 hours, but I can also make shorter or longer sessions work. For instance, I’ve led a 3 hour workshop in the past, as well as multi-week workshops divided into one 50-minute session each week.

Accessibility:

  • I turn closed captions on during Zoom sessions.
  • Participants will be reminded to mute themselves when they aren’t speaking in order to reduce noise.
  • Participants are invited to contribute to conversations verbally or using the chat feature, and are welcome to use the raise hand feature.
  • Important quotations, etc., will be both featured on the screen and read aloud.
  • I provide a verbal description of any images shared on slides.
  • I can send a copy of the slides to any interested participants both before and after the event.
  • I invite participants to let me know how else I can make a workshop accessible to them!

Want even more information? Email me at queerlychristian36@gmail.com. I look forward to entering into courageous conversation with your faith community — together, we can work towards true welcome and justice for all of God’s people.