Perkins 2026 Fall Convocation

Join Perkins School of Theology for the 2026 Fall Convocation, a practical, interactive training experience focused on conflict engagement in congregations and faith communities.

Engage Conflict. Strengthen Community.

Conflict is inevitable. Division doesn’t have to be.

Gain practical tools for navigating difficult conversations and conflict within congregations, ministry teams and faith communities.

Presented in collaboration with the Department of Human-Centered Interdisciplinary Studies at SMU’s Simmons School of Education and Human Development, this year’s Fall Convocation combines behavioral science with hands-on learning to help church leaders engage conflict in ways that strengthen relationships and move communities forward.

Monday, November 9, 2026
8:30 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.
Grace Avenue United Methodist Church
Frisco, Texas

Register Now

Space is limited to 80 participants. Early registration is encouraged.

Who Should Attend?

Fall Convocation is designed for clergy, church staff, lay leaders and ministry teams seeking skills in conflict engagement with congregations, leadership teams or the broader community. Participants from all denominations are welcome.

Practical Skills for Faith Communities

For more than two decades, SMU Simmons’ Dispute Resolution program has trained leaders in negotiation, mediation, leadership coaching and conflict engagement.

Clinical Professor John Potter and his colleagues will bring that expertise to Fall Convocation through interactive training and table simulations designed specifically for faith communities.

 

Facilitators

  • Kim Brannon

    Brannon is a conflict specialist with certifications in mediation and leadership coaching. She currently works with The United Methodist Church’s Horizon Texas Conference and other non-profit organizations, creating conflict transformation resources for leaders. Kim holds an MA in Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management from Southern Methodist University where she conducted original research regarding conflict in local churches and resources needed. Kim served as The United Methodist Church’s North Texas Conference Lay Leader from 2020 through 2024.

  • Lisa Hancock

    Hancock is a conflict resolution specialist and sought-after guest speaker.  Lisa received a MA in Dispute Resolution from SMU and is an adjunct professor in that program. She founded Restorative Communications to create courageous spaces for people to listen to each other and have conversations about what matters most. Lisa is a founding member of the Congregational Assessment Response and Transformation Team Advisory Board for The Horizon Conference of the United Methodist Church.

  • John Potter

    Potter, O.D., M.A., is an active practitioner in dispute resolution and conflict management. He has mediated more than 3,000 disputes with many of those occurring in the health care field.  He received his Doctor of Optometry from Indiana University, and his Master of Arts in Dispute Resolution from Southern Methodist University and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, and a Distinguished Clinical Scholar at the State University of New York’s State College of Optometry. As Clinical Professor, he oversees the SMU Dispute Resolution Graduate Studies Program.

Bring Your Team

Conflict engagement shouldn’t rest on one leader alone. Bring church staff, lay leaders or ministry colleagues and build a shared approach your team can put into practice together.

Discounted half-table and full-table registration options are available. View schedule and event details.

Continuing Education

Participants who attend the entire conference may receive .75 continuing education unit upon request.
 

REGISTER NOW
Register by October 30