Author

Gretchen E. Ziegenhals

Spiritual director and retreat leader

Gretchen E. Ziegenhals is a spiritual director, worship leader and educator whose work combines broad experience in event design with a theology of hospitality and a love of the arts.

She directed programs at Leadership Education at Duke Divinity for over 13 years, including The Pastors and Scholars’ Studio, Sustaining Pastoral Excellence, Denominational Leadership, Foundations of Christian Leadership and, for seven years, A Convocation of Christian Leaders. In addition she has directed Duke Divinity School’s Study Leave program.

For 10 years, she was a facilitator and writer for the Lexington Seminar, a Lilly Endowment Inc. project that assisted Protestant theological seminary faculties with issues in teaching and learning. Prior to The Lexington Seminar she was an assistant editor at The Christian Century.

Ziegenhals is a graduate of Yale Divinity School and Williams College.

FOCL alum portrait

Foundations of Christian Leadership

“I’m grateful for programs like Foundations of Christian Leadership where I had the privilege of meeting courageous souls who love Jesus deeply and are devoted to following him by loving their neighbors in practical, tangible ways.” 

— Gabrielle Leonard (Founder, Returning to Joy)

Do you care about the church in the world and want to build skills to lead Christian-inspired projects with joy and creativity?

Foundations of Christian Leadership brings together emerging leaders from a variety of faith-based organizations as colleagues in an encouraging and collaborative learning environment.

Applications for our Chicago sessions are due February 14, 2025.

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