2023 Forma Conference Speakers & Preachers
2023 Forma Conference Speakers & Preachers
Deon Kevin Johnson was born and raised in Barbados. He immigrated from Barbados to New York at the age of 14. After receiving Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and History and an Associates degree in Biology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH (2000), he went on to earn a Master of Divinity degree from The General Theological Seminary in New York, NY (2003). Deon served as Associate Rector at Christ Episcopal Church in Shaker Heights, OH (2003-2006), and most recently as Rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Brighton, MI (2006-2020). A veteran Episcopal priest with deep experience in social justice issues and ministry to gay and lesbian communities, he has served in many positions in the wider church and the community. He continues to serve on the Taskforce for Liturgical and Prayer Book Revision and as a consultant with the Office of Black Ministries. The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri elected the Rev. Deon Kevin Johnson as its 11th diocesan bishop on Nov. 23, 2019. Bishop Johnson was ordained as the 11th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri on June 13, 2020, at Christ Church Cathedral in St. Louis. Bishop Johnson and his husband Jhovanny Osorio are the proud parents of two children, Lilohalani and Ja’Lon. He enjoys cooking, photography, hiking and being an armchair movie critic. Ryan is a recently ordained priest in the diocese of Texas. She received her Master of Divinity degree in 2013 and completed a Diploma in Anglican Studies in 2021. Ryan loves exploring ministry and theology on the edge and at the intersections of race, class, and gender/sexuality. In her free time, Ryan enjoys exploring Houston sitting with friends on patios, and any activity involving water. She also revels in the joy of raising a pre-preteen. Heidi (김지혜) has spent most of her career and ministry engaging in racial healing and cultural change work in a variety of settings, including higher and secondary education and faith-based organizations. She is currently working with the Episcopal Church in Minnesota to intentionally engage the ministry of racial healing and justice-making as an integral element of lifelong spiritual formation. She has also done research and consulting with faith-based groups around conflict transformation, especially as it relates to conversations about racism. She served as a Social Healing Fellow with the On Being Project for the 2021-2022 fellowship cycle, and has a private consulting practice serving parishes, dioceses, and other church bodies. Julia Ayala Harris was elected President of the House of Deputies (PHoD) by her peers at the 80th General Convention of the Episcopal Church in 2022. She is the first Latina to hold the position. In the Episcopal Church, she has continually found healing, blessing, and wholeness in God’s unconditional love. Throughout her lay ministry, she has worked to bring about a church that can share that blessing with all of God’s people. Julia has more than two decades of experience working in the nonprofit sector, particularly with faith-based nonprofits, and holds a Master of Public Administration. Prior to her election as PHoD, Julia has served the church in multiple roles, such as: Executive Council as the chair of the Joint Standing Committee for Mission Within The Episcopal Church; the Presiding Officer’s Working Group on Truth-Telling, Reckoning, and Healing; the Task Force for Women, Truth and Reconciliation; various legislative committees; delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (2015 and 2016); and delegate to the upcoming 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches (2022). Today Julia lives in the Diocese of Oklahoma, where she is a doctoral student at the University of Oklahoma and a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Norman. She studies topics related to leadership identity (race, ethnicity, gender, etc.), public opinion of nonprofits and faith-based organizations, as well as congregational collaboration. Her husband John is a professor at the University of Oklahoma and daughter Izzy is in high school. They love spending time in nature with their rescue dog, Ani, board games, music, documentaries, and all things Star Trek. Edwin is a self-described smiling-dancing-Jesus freak. The product of two proud Episcopalians/Anglicans from Montserrat and Costa Rica; Edwin has had a deep appreciation of the broad flavor and diversity of our church, along with the great opportunities that exist to create Beloved Community. He is currently the Director of Organizing for Episcopal City Mission. Prior to joining the team at Episcopal City Mission he served as the Rector at St. Mary’s Church in Dorchester, a diverse, multilingual congregation committed not only to meeting and caring for Lazarus at the gate but also organizing around why there is such poverty and suffering in the first place. After over twelve years of Parish ministry Edwin is excited to manifest his priesthood more broadly through the work of social justice while continuing his general church leadership around Beloved Community Initiatives as the Chair for the Presiding Officers Advisory Group on Beloved Community Implementation. While confronting the injustice and racism in our world is hard Edwin has a lot of fun doing so alongside the members of his community and his family including his partner Susan and their sons Francisco and Santiago. Edwin enjoys spending his free time with family and friends, lifting weights and dancing and is excited to continue to offer whatever he can to the generations of church leaders to come.
Bishop Deon Johnson
2023 Forma Conference Plenary Speaker
Rev. Ryan Hawthorne
2023 Forma Conference Preacher
Heidi J. Kim
2023 Forma Conference Plenary Speaker
Julia Ayala Harris
2023 Forma Conference Plenary Speaker
Rev. Edwin Johnson
2023 Forma Conference Plenary Speaker
Bishop Deon Johnson | Opening Plenary
Deon Kevin Johnson was born and raised in Barbados. He immigrated from Barbados to New York at the age of 14. After receiving Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and History and an Associates degree in Biology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH (2000), he went on to earn a Master of Divinity degree from The General Theological Seminary in New York, NY (2003).
Deon served as Associate Rector at Christ Episcopal Church in Shaker Heights, OH (2003-2006), and most recently as Rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Brighton, MI (2006-2020). A veteran Episcopal priest with deep experience in social justice issues and ministry to gay and lesbian communities, he has served in many positions in the wider church and the community. He continues to serve on the Taskforce for Liturgical and Prayer Book Revision and as a consultant with the Office of Black Ministries.
The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri elected the Rev. Deon Kevin Johnson as its 11th diocesan bishop on Nov. 23, 2019. Bishop Johnson was ordained as the 11th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri on June 13, 2020, at Christ Church Cathedral in St. Louis.
Bishop Johnson and his husband Jhovanny Osorio are the proud parents of two children, Lilohalani and Ja’Lon. He enjoys cooking, photography, hiking and being an armchair movie critic.
Rev. Ryan Hawthorne | Preacher, Opening Worship
Ryan is a recently ordained priest in the diocese of Texas. She received her Master of Divinity degree in 2013 and completed a Diploma in Anglican Studies in 2021. Ryan loves exploring ministry and theology on the edge and at the intersections of race, class, and gender/sexuality.
In her free time, Ryan enjoys exploring Houston sitting with friends on patios, and any activity involving water. She also revels in the joy of raising a pre-preteen.
Heidi J. Kim | "Do Justice” Plenary
Heidi (김지혜) has spent most of her career and ministry engaging in racial healing and cultural change work in a variety of settings, including higher and secondary education and faith-based organizations. She is currently working with the Episcopal Church in Minnesota to intentionally engage the ministry of racial healing and justice-making as an integral element of lifelong spiritual formation. She has also done research and consulting with faith-based groups around conflict transformation, especially as it relates to conversations about racism. She served as a Social Healing Fellow with the On Being Project for the 2021-2022 fellowship cycle, and has a private consulting practice serving parishes, dioceses, and other church bodies.
Edwin is a self-described smiling-dancing-Jesus freak. The product of two proud Episcopalians/Anglicans from Montserrat and Costa Rica; Edwin has had a deep appreciation of the broad flavor and diversity of our church, along with the great opportunities that exist to create Beloved Community. He is currently the Director of Organizing for Episcopal City Mission. Prior to joining the team at Episcopal City Mission he served as the Rector at St. Mary’s Church in Dorchester, a diverse, multilingual congregation committed not only to meeting and caring for Lazarus at the gate but also organizing around why there is such poverty and suffering in the first place.
After over twelve years of Parish ministry Edwin is excited to manifest his priesthood more broadly through the work of social justice while continuing his general church leadership around Beloved Community Initiatives as the Chair for the Presiding Officers Advisory Group on Beloved Community Implementation.
While confronting the injustice and racism in our world is hard Edwin has a lot of fun doing so alongside the members of his community and his family including his partner Susan and their sons Francisco and Santiago. Edwin enjoys spending his free time with family and friends, lifting weights and dancing and is excited to continue to offer whatever he can to the generations of church leaders to come.
Julia Ayala Harris | "Walk Humbly with God” Plenary
Julia Ayala Harris was elected President of the House of Deputies (PHoD) by her peers at the 80th General Convention of the Episcopal Church in 2022. She is the first Latina to hold the position. In the Episcopal Church, she has continually found healing, blessing, and wholeness in God’s unconditional love. Throughout her lay ministry, she has worked to bring about a church that can share that blessing with all of God’s people. Julia has more than two decades of experience working in the nonprofit sector, particularly with faith-based nonprofits, and holds a Master of Public Administration.
Prior to her election as PHoD, Julia has served the church in multiple roles, such as: Executive Council as the chair of the Joint Standing Committee for Mission Within The Episcopal Church; the Presiding Officer’s Working Group on Truth-Telling, Reckoning, and Healing; the Task Force for Women, Truth and Reconciliation; various legislative committees; delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (2015 and 2016); and delegate to the upcoming 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches (2022).
Today Julia lives in the Diocese of Oklahoma, where she is a doctoral student at the University of Oklahoma and a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Norman. She studies topics related to leadership identity (race, ethnicity, gender, etc.), public opinion of nonprofits and faith-based organizations, as well as congregational collaboration. Her husband John is a professor at the University of Oklahoma and daughter Izzy is in high school. They love spending time in nature with their rescue dog, Ani, board games, music, documentaries, and all things Star Trek.
