An Oasis is "a place between." It is a place of rest. It is a place of growth. It is a place of life in the middle of a desert. Oasis is also the Network's online gathering. It is a place between where we are now, and where God is leading us. It is a place of refreshment, renewal, learning and connection. Members of the Network are invited to come together for an online gathering. Together, we will renew, learn and connect.

Visit the Oasis registration page to register.

Presenter: Pr. Justin Eller & Kristin Diaz
Topic: Engaging the Space between with Accompaniment

Accompaniment is more than going and doing; it’s about stepping into what it means to be present with others every day and everywhere. Join us as we explore the cornerstones of accompaniment and how it can be applied to ministry with youth and across generations. 

About the presenters...

Pr. Justin Eller (he/him/él) is an accompaniment practitioner, educator, and researcher who serves as the Assistant to the Bishop for Care and Community in the Southeastern Synod. As a former ELCA mission personnel in South America, accompaniment shapes much of how he engages in ministry and life and is committed to sharing about it wherever he's invited. Justin also communally and constructively examines accompaniment through his dissertation research at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

Kristina Diaz is a graphic designer, professional photographer, and fifth-generation oral tradition storyteller from Dorado, Puerto Rico. A member of the Caribbean Synod, she currently serves on the Association for Hispanic Ministries.

Her professional experience includes managing and coordinating educational resources for the Mission Formation program of the ELCA’s Global Mission Unit, where she was immersed in accompaniment and its interpretation. In her free time, she enjoys making passion fruit jam, exploring the vast world of teas, and hanging out with her husband, Elvin, and their two pups, Coque and Chiqui.