• Individuals, congregational leaders and clergy from any denomination or no denomination, who are passionate and committed to this work, yet need a community of support and/or some new skills

• Individuals, congregational leaders and clergy from any denomination or no denomination, who are ready to join a movement within the church to provide practical, pastoral and prophetic action to prevent and respond to gun violence.  We encourage activists and anyone involved in the work of making peace in their communities to attend!

• Survivors of gun violence who seek a way to turn grief into healing and action

• For the lessons of the Atwood Institute to have the most effect in your area, we encourage you to find at least 2-3 people from your community (congregation, Presbytery, metropolitan area, region, etc.) to attend together, so that you can learn together, and then go back en-couraged and ready to lead.

No!  Involvement in a particular denomination is not necessary to attend, but please understand that we will specifically focus on leveraging the Christian community in the gun violence prevention movement.

What am I going to DO there?

The Atwood Institute for Congregational Courage provides practical, pastoral and prophetic Gun Violence Prevention (GVP) ministry skills.  You will learn in large group, small group and hands-on activities how to:

• tell your own story as a way to open conversation on this difficult issue

• teach and preach effectively on gun violence prevention to engage your congregation in prayer, education and action

• cultivate the courage and resilience that the Holy Spirit offers for a long-term commitment to gun violence prevention by the Christian churches in our nation

• build community and network with other congregations and organizations

• organize Guns to Gardens, BeSMART for Kids, a public candlelight vigil and other projects that engage those who own guns, and those who do not, in mutual action to save lives

• support effective state-level advocacy on gun violence prevention policy and funding

• de-escalate conflict and manage opposition

• respond pastorally to gun violence trauma in your community.

  
  Many of the resources on which we will rely at the Atwood Institute can be found in the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship Gun Violence Prevention Congregational Toolkit available in our resources at the bottom of our web page.

No, this is an in-person experience.

YES! We encourage folks to come in groups because it is often easier to take action back home if you’ve already got a group to work with.  You are welcome and encouraged to join us, and make connections with other attendees.

Register here as an individual.

If you intend to apply for a scholarship, please read the information below, and apply for a scholarship prior to registering.

If a group is registering from a single organization (or congregation), a single registrant can register as a “company” and pay for multiple individuals together.  

Use this page to register as a company.

If any in your party intend to apply for a scholarship, please read the information below, and apply for a scholarship prior to registering.

Costs include: lodging (see options below), a $220 registration fee, and meals per person (3 meals/day: $44 x 3 days = $132) for the Atwood Institute from September 15-18, 2026.

There is a commuter option, as well.
All participants are responsible for their own travel to/from the Atwood Institute.

See this page for specific information about lodging on campus.

See this page for specific information about policies and resources on campus.

Lodging Options & Fees

All rates below are per person and include the registration fee and 9 meals.

Single Room — $724 total
Includes 3 nights of lodging at $124 per night ($372), plus a $220 registration fee and $132 for meals.

Double Room — $538 total
Includes 3 nights of lodging at $62 per night ($186), plus a $220 registration fee and $132 for meals.

Triple Room — $476 total
Includes 3 nights of lodging at $41.34 per night ($124), plus a $220 registration fee and $132 for meals.

Commuter — $352 total
Includes the $220 registration fee and $132 for meals. No lodging included.

For those who prefer to stay near, but not at Heartland Retreat Center, we have reserved 20 rooms with 2 Queen Beds/room for $155+tax/night ($465+tax/3 nights) at the Holiday Inn Express Kansas City North (1600 Ruth St. Parkville, MO 64152), which is a 3 minute drive from Heartland Retreat Center. Atwood Institute attendees may call and book their own rooms under the “Presby Peace” block of rooms.

Unused rooms will be released back to the public on September 1st.  

If you choose to stay at the Holiday Inn, you will also need to register as a commuter for the Atwood Institute here.  

You will be responsible for your own transportation to/from Heartland Retreat Center for Institute activities each day.  (Although the hotel is only 1.1 mile away, it is not a safe, walkable route.) 

In addition to the fees noted above, you will also need to arrange and pay for transportation from your location for all members of your party.  

If you need to cancel your registration, please reach out to us as soon as possible. We will be able to issue a refund if you cancel by August 25th. We are unable to issue any refunds after August 25, 2026.

If you cannot attend the Atwood Institute in its entirety, we are able to offer a $40 discount for the cost of meals for a day. You must register as a commuter and book a room at the Holiday Inn or another off-site location. Please reach out to us at gvp@presbypeacefellowship.org to let us know your plans and to receive this discount. If you register for the full conference and become unable to attend it in its entirety, you must reach out to us before August 25, 2026. We cannot make any changes or issue any refunds after this date.

Breaking bread together is a fundamental part of Christian fellowship and community building.  Important conversations happen, relationships are formed/strengthened, and our bodies and souls find nourishment in this simple act of sitting together at table.  

You can find specific information about dining at Heartland Retreat Center here.

If you have dietary restrictions or allergies, please let us know when you register.

Attendees who register as commuters will have meals in the dining hall.  Please provide us with your dietary needs, as well.

NOTE: We must submit this information at least 2 weeks prior to our arrival for dietary restrictions/allergies to be accommodated by the dining hall staff.

Thanks to generous gifts from our sponsors, we can offer scholarship assistance.

If you are requesting a scholarship, apply HERE BEFORE registering for the Atwood Institute.

https://bit.ly/ppfatsch26 

IMPORTANT: in an effort to ensure that all in need receive some assistance, we cannot fully fund any single individual to attend the Atwood Institute.

Scholarships will cover costs associated with Heartland Retreat Center only, and will be paid by PPF to Heartland on behalf of scholarship recipients.  No scholarship funds will be paid to recipients.

Maximum scholarship is $400 for those staying onsite at Heartland Retreat Center toward lodging/meals/registration fee.

Maximum scholarship is $200 for commuters (local attendees & those staying at a hotel)  toward meals/registration fee only.

Participants are responsible for all expenses not covered by scholarships.

If awarded a scholarship, recipients will receive a code to use when registering which will apply scholarship funds and reduce the fees that you will need to pay.

No transportation costs will be covered by scholarships.

We encourage you to talk to your church, presbytery, diocese, synod or other church entities to inquire about funds that might be available for peacemaking or local mission work.

Clergy: we encourage you to use your study funds for the Atwood Institute.

You may also wish to invite local friends and organizations to support your attendance with financial gifts so that you can increase your skills, confidence and courage.

Please let us know what kind of accommodation you need when you register or contact us at gvp@presbypeacefellowship.org with specific questions.

Thank you!  Please make your tax-deductible donation here.

We’d love to meet you, local folks!  Please join us on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 at 7 PM for our opening night to launch the James Atwood Institute for Congregational Courage!

The keynote address will be delivered by Jer Swigart, expert in faith-based transformation and de-escalation, and Director of the peacemaker training organization, 

. Plan to stay for the Q&A and reception to follow.

Come for an evening that promises to ignite courage and action within our churches.

Heartland Retreat Center is located in Parkville, MO, just northwest of Kansas City, easily accessible from interstate routes 70, 35, 49 and 29.

Kansas City International Airport is located 15 minutes from Heartland Retreat Center.

Reasonable priced shuttle service from/to the Airport can be arranged in advance with Supershuttle here or by calling 1 (800) BLUE VAN.

If you would like your spouse or family member to stay with you, but not register for the Atwood Institute, please contact us at info@presbypeacefellowship.org before registering.

Staff from RAWtools South may offer an optional additional training on Friday and Saturday September 18-19, 2026 for up to 12 participants to become certified as Firearm Safety Officers, to be deployed across the country to ensure the utmost safety at Guns to Gardens events.  Find more information here.  To register, contact Stan@rawtools.org.