In our 2025, 1-day conference, we heard from Dr. Curt Thompson on how we serve our neighbors walking through suffering and grief. As Thompson said, it is our grief and our response to it that is the source of so much of what we imagine our mental health crisis to be about. But we are only able to respond and tend to the grief of others to the degree that we’ve begun to address our own.
In our 2024, 1-day conference, we discussed how to equip your church to love neighbors in practical ways. We heard from Sara Joy Proppe, Founder of Proximity Project, an initiative focusing on equipping churches to be the hands and feet of Jesus in their neighborhoods. We hope you enjoy these audio recordings of the main session conversations from this year’s event.
We all know God commanded us to love our neighbors, but what does that mean practically, in this day and age? How can we inspire our congregations to follow us as well?
This year, we centered our discussion on B.L.E.S.S., co-written by our main speaker Jon Ferguson. While it offers practical advice, (and a great mnemonic!) about how to go about loving our neighbors through sharing the gospel, most of the time this conference was focused on collaboration – sharing, and learning from other local pastors and church leaders on how to best address issues we each face in our work.
Click below to see the full playlist.
The 2021 Compelled by Love event centered on the idea of loving your neighbor. All participants met via zoom, and you can take a look at the main sessions in the link below:
Some of you were interested in accessing the Neighborhood Block Card mentioned in previous events. You can access that below:
Psychiatrist Curt Thompson, MD brings together a dialect of interpersonal neurobiology (IPNB) and a Christian anthropology to educate and encourage others as they seek to fulfill their intrinsic desire to feel known, valued and connected. Curt understands that deep, authentic relationships are essential to experiencing a healthier, more purposeful life — but the only way to realize this
is to begin telling our stories more truly.
Jack Crowley has served as President of Water Street Mission since 2014, bringing over 21 years of experience with the Mission. He previously served as Executive Director of Teen Haven, as part of the Senior Leadership Team since 2004, and as Interim President prior to being appointed. Jack has a love for urban communities, youth, and our neighbors experiencing homelessness.
Serving at Water Street allows Jack to fulfill his passion for equipping and motivating others to work collaboratively for the glory of God and the healing and wholeness of our cities. Through his work, he focuses on developing models for maximizing partnerships with local churches and community service organizations.
Jack earned a B.A. degree in Government and Psychology from Franklin and Marshall College. Jack enjoys golfing and playing the guitar. He serves on the Leadership Team of his church, is a worship ministry leader, and serves on the board of Community Basics, Inc. a local developer of affordable housing. Jack and his wife, Tanya, and four daughters reside in the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Sara Joy Proppe is passionate about equipping churches to be the hands and feet of Jesus in their neighborhoods. She is the Founder and Director of Proximity Project, an initiative to educate and activate churches to creatively steward their properties for the common good of the community.
In her role, Sara Joy uses her professional experience in real estate development and placemaking to advise and serve congregations across the country. She also writes and speaks on several platforms about the intersections of theology, placemaking, and design for dignity.
Sara Joy is also the co-host of The Embedded Church podcast.
Get all of the details and registration information for the Isaiah 61 Student Film Competition.
