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Dean Winnie Varghese and the Rev. Dr. Charlie Bączyk-Bell on Courage, Solidarity & the Church’s Public Witness What does courageous Christian leadership look like in a divided world? And where is the Church called to lead? In this episode of Gather, the Rev. Dr. Charlie Bączyk-Bell joins the Very Rev. Winnie Varghese, Dean of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, for a powerful conversation about faith, courage, and the Church’s public witness. Drawing on Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s call for “moral grandeur and spiritual audacity,” Winnie challenges the Church to move beyond institutional survival and reclaim the Gospel’s radical promise: human dignity, solidarity, and hope. What does it mean to stand with those on the margins? How can the Church lead with moral clarity in a divided world? And what might happen if we measured our faithfulness not by our survival, but by how boldly we live the Gospel?

What if the future of the Church depends not on reaching more people, but on going deeper? In this episode of Gather, EPN President Joe Swimmer talks with the Rev. Sam Wells, Vicar of St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London, about his theology of “being with” and what it offers the Church in a time of change. Together, they explore abundance and scarcity, why institutional decline may invite the Church to think differently about growth, and the power of deeper relationships with God, one another, and our communities. For Sam, the Church’s distinctive calling is not simply to do more, but to offer something increasingly rare: real relationship.

What’s it like to lead faithfully when you know you won’t be there long? In this episode of Gather, EPN President Joe Swimmer talks with Bishop Diane Jardine Bruce about a vocation—and a leadership journey—defined by change. She began her career as a banker before a windscreen epiphany revealed her call to ordained ministry. Diane went from banker to priest, rector, and bishop, eventually embracing roles designed to be temporary: Bishop Provisional of West Missouri and Interim Dean and President of Seminary of the Southwest. In each, her task was not simply to lead, but to help an institution rebuild trust, navigate transition, and prepare for what would come next. Diane reflects on why relationships are at the heart of leadership, why listening must precede action, and why vision is strongest when it emerges from the community rather than being imposed from above. She also explores one of transitional leadership’s hardest disciplines: discerning what is yours to change, what belongs to the next leader, and when it is time to step away. This is a compelling conversation about leading through change without making yourself the center of it—and creating the conditions for people and institutions to move faithfully into their next chapter.

What is really happening to religion in America—and where might the Church be headed? In Episode 2 of Gather, EPN President Joe Swimmer talks with Ryan Burge, the data expert behind Graphs about Religion, whose research has made him one of the country’s most compelling interpreters of America’s changing religious landscape. Ryan brings a rare perspective: political scientist, data analyst, author—and former pastor who helped close his own congregation. Hear what the numbers actually say about religious decline and belonging. Discover why Ryan’s posts about the Episcopal Church are among his most popular. And look beyond next year or even the next decade: What might the Church look like in the years ahead? It’s a provocative conversation about where we are, where we may be going, and what possibilities remain for renewal along the way.

In our inaugural episode of Gather, Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe and Bishop Allen Shin join Scott Lyon, founder and CEO of Solace AI, for a timely conversation about artificial intelligence, faith, and the future of the Church. As AI rapidly reshapes nearly every aspect of society, what does it mean for Christian ministry, leadership, and discipleship? Together, they explore the opportunities and challenges this technology presents, where AI can strengthen the Church’s work, and why human relationships, spiritual wisdom, and the movement of the Holy Spirit remain irreplaceable. Moving beyond both fear and hype, this conversation offers a hopeful, practical vision for engaging AI with theological depth and faithful imagination. Whether you’re curious, skeptical, or already experimenting with AI, this episode invites you to consider how the Church can embrace new tools while keeping Christ, community, and our shared humanity at the center.