Encountered by the Holy
Date: June 14 – June 15, 2026
Venue: Christ Church Cathedral, Vancouver & Vancouver School of Theology
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Encountered by the Holy, presented by the O’Driscoll Forum on Preaching and the Arts, takes place June 14–15 at Vancouver School of Theology. Bringing together preaching, music, and artistic expression, the program explores how holiness reveals itself in the world.
The program invites participants to consider what it means to encounter the holy—not as an abstract idea, but as an event of personal encounter that shapes how we speak, listen, and respond. Through worship, music, conversation, and reflection, participants are invited to attend to moments that interrupt, reorient, and invite a different way of being.
The program includes two FREE public events:
Sunday, June 14 | 7:00–9:00 PM
Notes of Rest® Concert — Julian Davis Reid
A contemplative musical experience that weaves together spiritual practice and Black musical traditions, inviting participants into rest, reflection, and renewal.
Julian is an artist-theologian, pianist, and composer, and the founder of Notes of Rest®
Monday, June 15 | 7:00–8:30 PM
Seeking Beauty and Truth (based on Psalm 27:4) Public Lecture — Craig Barnes
A public lecture exploring the presence of holiness in the world and the role of preaching in attending to it.
Craig is a theologian and pastor, and former president of Princeton Theological Seminary.