2026 Stewardship Kaleidoscope Plenary Speaker Spotlight: Bethany Peerbolte
| Tick tock says the clock as we continue to count down the days to Stewardship Kaleidoscope 2026, where “TikTok Pastor,” Rev. Bethany Peerbolte, will make the big move from her virtual platform to an in-person platform when she joins us in Baltimore! When we were all in lock down in 2020, Bethany Peerbolte was doing silly dances in her living room for the whole world to see. The dancing quickly turned into ministry. She is now known as the TikTok Pastor, and her impact reaches into every social media platform. With 300,000 followers and 5.8 million likes, she has learned how to catch people’s attention and turn their doom scrolling into faith formation. If you think it’s hard to say everything you want to say during a Sunday sermon, try saying it in 15 seconds. Peerbolte has mastered saying more with fewer words. Peerbolte, or @Rev.Bethany, as she is known online, is also the pastor of a community that intentionally only meets in digital spaces. OurTapestry (ourtapestry.com) creates spaces where queer and ally Christians can declutter their faith from toxic theology and find community even if they live in a different zipcode. OurTapestry grew out of @Rev.Bethany’s online following as people came to trust her as a pastor and felt safe to explore their faith again or for the first time. For many, joining a Zoom meeting from their living room feels safe enough to give Christians another chance instead of physically walking into a church building. OurTapestry is a place of healing, asking hard questions, and belonging. After six years as a public theologian, @Rev.Bethany has learned the hard lessons and resounding joys of speaking one’s faith boldly into the world. She has fought the “number demon,” who insists that more views, more followers, more likes is the goal. @Rev.Bethany is an expert at creating metrics that measure impact beyond what the analytics can show. She uses her knowledge to work with churches and individuals to help them tell their story on social media. Adding voices to the Christian discourse happening online and amplifying messages that speak a gospel that is truly good news to all who hear it. Be sure not to miss @Rev.Bethany and our other outstanding keynoters live in Baltimore, Maryland, September 21-23, 2026. As in previous years, we are also offering an online option. In-person attendees will be able to choose from dozens of workshops including one offered by Bethany Peerbolte during Block B, Tues., Sept 22, 9:00 a.m., in addition to attending diverse plenary sessions and worship experiences. Virtual attendees will be able to join us for live-streamed and recorded plenaries and worship, and will also have access to 8 workshops, 4 of which will be available via livestream. And remember, this year you can change the workshops you have selected at any time! Register by June 30 to qualify for our discounted early-bird rate! This year’s conference will be live in Baltimore, Maryland, September 21-23, 2026, with an online option as well. In-person attendees will be able to choose from dozens of workshops including one offered by Robert Hall during Block A, Mon., Sept 21, 4:00 p.m. in addition to attending diverse plenary sessions and worship experiences. Virtual attendees will be able to join us for live-streamed and recorded plenaries and worship, and will also have access to 8 workshops, 4 of which will be available via livestream. And remember, this year you can change the workshops you have selected at any time! Registration rates as are follows: -Early Bird In-Person Registration (through June 30): $375* -First Call Pastor or Seminary Student In-Person Registration: $200 -Virtual Attendee Registration: $150 (*After June 30, regular In-Person Registration increases to $425) New this year, we are offering a discount of $25 off per registration if a group of three or more attend the conference. Email Info@StewardshipKaleidoscope.org for more information before registering. For information on available grants through the Presbyterian Foundation to assist pastors and New Worshiping Community leaders to attend the conference, please visit https://www.presbyterianfoundation.org/resources/church-financial-literacy-and-leadership-program/grant/. A limited number of scholarships are also available to in-person attendees who are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), which would bring the registration cost to $200. Please email tim.brown@elca.org for more information about this scholarship PRIOR to registering for the conference. The conference will be held at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel, where a block of rooms will be available at the conference rate of $214/night. Your room reservation must be made by Aug. 28. To book your room and to register for the conference, click here. See you in Baltimore! |