This two-day gathering brings together church and denominational leaders, urban planners, architects, social-purpose developers, researchers, and government partners to explore innovative approaches to church properties. As more congregations face decisions about redevelopment, this event provides space for meaningful dialogue on how faith communities can repurpose land and buildings for justice, sustainability, and community flourishing.
Event Highlights
Day One: Discerning the Current State of Church Lands
Plenary Session: Recovering a Theology of Land with Dr. Willie James Jennings
Response and Q&A hosted by Adrian Jacobs and Rev. Dr. Jason McKinney
Networking, breakout sessions, and a catered dinner
Day Two: Stories & Discussion on Church Land Development
Storytelling circle featuring church land projects repurposed for social housing, arts spaces, and community initiatives
Industry expert panel featuring faith, business, and non-profit leaders
Focused dialogue working groups
Plenary Session: City of Belonging: Rethinking Community Through the Redevelopment of Church Lands with Jennifer Keesmaat
Send-off discussion on the future of the church in urban spaces
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Speakers
Rev. Dr. Willie James Jennings
Dr. Willie James Jennings is the Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Theology and Africana Studies at Yale Divinity School. A renowned theologian, he specializes in Christian thought, race theory, and decolonial studies. Dr. Jennings is the author of The Christian Imagination: Theology and the Origins of Race, a groundbreaking text in theology, and After Whiteness: An Education in Belonging, winner of multiple prestigious awards. He is also a frequent lecturer, consultant, and workshop leader, and is currently working on a two-volume project on the doctrine of creation, Reframing the World.
Jennifer Keesmaat
Jennifer Keesmaat is a renowned urban planner and former Chief City Planner for Toronto, celebrated for her visionary and collaborative approach to city-building. She is a founding partner at Markee Developments, creating sustainable, affordable housing, and CEO of The Keesmaat Group, offering consulting and public speaking on urban design. Keesmaat’s work has been widely recognized with awards, including the Canadian Institute of Planners’ President’s Award of Excellence, and she shares her insights through publications, her podcast Invisible City, and as Chief Architect of the 2020 Declaration for Resilience in Canadian Cities.
Rev. Dr. Jason Mckinney
Rev. Dr. Jason McKinney is a theological educator and Anglican priest serving a multiracial congregation in Toronto’s Parkdale neighborhood. Passionate about community well-being, he served two terms on the first elected board of the Parkdale Neighbourhood Land Trust, one of Ontario’s first urban community land trusts. He holds a PhD in Religion from the University of Toronto and has taught courses on hospitality, urbanism, and the theology of food at Trinity College's Faculty of Divinity. Jason recently completed a research contract with Tyndale Seminary.
Adrian Jacobs
Adrian Jacobs, Ganosono (Deer Lodge), Turtle Clan, Cayuga Nation, Six Nations Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Grand River Country in Southern Ontario, Turtle Island, is an Indigenous Program Elder at Tyndale University and Senior Leader for Indigenous Justice and Reconciliation in the Christian Reformed Church in Canada. For 47 years, he has educated Indigenous and non-Indigenous people on Indigenous history, culture, and justice. A storyteller, poet, and artist, Adrian’s work reflects his passion for decolonization and reconciliation. He also serves as Elder Liaison for NAIITS and collaborates with Indigenous communities across Turtle Island and beyond.