Report from Widwestuary 2025 Part 3: Jam-Packed
Loaves and fishes with something for everyone
It seemed a miracle. Five keynotes, two Estuarys, and a Q&A panel filled our first 13-hour day and somehow still left room for two relaxed meals and hallway shmoozing. It was as if the time expanded like loaves and fishes to meet the needs of the crowd—partly because the schedulers cut a few things along the way.
Amusingly, at the end of the day, people reported opposite reactions to aspects of the conference. As we gathered at the hotel bar, everyone was happy. But almost everything that some people reported as a highlight, was a lowlight for someone else. Here are some sample reactions
The keynote talks: “Too long” vs. “Could have listened all day”
The music: “Beautiful” vs. “Off-putting to non Christians” (“saved a wretch like me” and “who shall wear that starry crown?”)
Vervaeke: “Best talk ever,” “Only person who defined Spirit,” “Never seen John so passionately animated,” vs. “Too technical and not compatible with Christianity” (from someone hearing him for the first time).
The Q&A panel: “Best part of the day to bring it all together” vs. “Terrible. Long rambling answers left time for only a few questions. Wasted a half hour by letting the first question be, ‘What is the meaning crisis?’”
Neutrality of the space: A couple of the non Christians were put off by comments they heard as disparaging or evangelistic. Pageau called the New Atheists “unintelligent,” and Vanderklay referred to “All those who are lost wandering the salty wastelands.” Non Christian Mari Budlong heard the latter as dismissing her spirituality within the Fellowship of the Spirit. But, she said, she turned this lowlight into a highlight by realizing, “The spirit of Estuary is greater than anybody’s opinion, and it honors me as a non Christian and accepts me as I am.” (Personally I’m pretty sure Paul was referring only to those who would self-identify as “lost.”)
One thing everybody agreed on is that we all loved Elizabeth Oldfield, vivacious British author and host of podcast The Sacred. She called us to be conscious of the thousand tiny judgments we make when we “sniff the butts” of a new acquaintance. Set those aside, she said, to find commonalities. Always seek relationaity first.
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