Our guiding prayer:
God, give us eyes to see the wideness of your world, shimmering with beauty and holiness.
Stimulate our imaginations, infusing us with courage and hope.
Surround us with friendship.
Plant us as seeds of resurrection.
Amen.
Our Hopes
Stewarding the pastoral vision and spiritual theology of Eugene Peterson.
Through nurturing circles of friendship, contemplative retreats, theological reflection, art-filled spaces, and public conversations—and as caretakers of Eugene’s letters, journals, and manuscripts—the Peterson Center hopes to bear witness to the God Eugene loved and pointed toward his entire life. We do not aim to mimic Eugene (a foolish effort that would betray the spirit of his work), but rather to continue the conversation he encouraged, pondering the questions that shaped Eugene’s Christian imagination over a lifetime.
What does it mean to be a faithful pastor when prevailing conditions resist a joyful, simple, and holy vocation?
How do Scripture and prayer draw all of us into the Trinity’s ongoing relationship and creativity, right now, in every place and calling?
Why is an animated, Spirit-infused imagination essential if we are to persevere in living our faith amid the grit and beauty of ordinary life?
Meet Winn Collier
DIRECTOR OF THE EUGENE PETERSON CENTER AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF PASTORAL THEOLOGY AND CHRISTIAN IMAGINATION
Winn Collier
Winn loves the church and beauty and all the things that make up being human in God’s verdant, sacred world. A pastor for 28 years, Winn was the founding pastor of All Souls in Charlottesville, Virginia and is an Episcopal priest. Winn also directs The Genesis Project, a small circle of friends who are pastors, writers, and minor troublemakers.
His teaching centers on pastoral theology, connecting the ancient streams of Christian wisdom to the grit and wonders of the parish. He’s also drawn to the intersections of sacramental theology, iconography, theology of place, and the writing craft. Winn holds a PhD. from the University of Virginia in Religion & Literature, where he explored the sacramental vision of Wendell Berry’s fiction.
He’s authored five books (theology, creative nonfiction, fiction, and biography): Restless Faith: Hanging on to a God Just Out of Reach; Let God: Spiritual Conversations with François Fénelon; Holy Curiosity: Encountering Jesus’ Provocative Questions; Love Big, Be Well: Letters to a Small Town Church and A Burning in My Bones: The Authorized Biography of Eugene H. Peterson. Winn has also written for various outlets including Christian Century, Christianity Today, and the Washington Post.
Winn and his wife Miska (a spiritual director and yoga teacher) have two sons. You may read more of Winn’s work on his Substack or view more information on his writing site.
Meet sam gutierrez
Associate DIRECTOR OF THE EUGENE PETERSON CENTER for CHRISTIAN IMAGINATION
Sam gutierrez
A contemplative artist and pastor, Sam graduated with his MDiv from WTS in 2013. Sam has led faith formation work with the Christian Reformed Church, served as Pastor of Spiritual Formation at Granite Springs Church in Lincoln, CA, and most recently served as Pastor of Community and Discipleship at Alger Park Church in Grand Rapids, MI.
In addition to his multi-medium art (you can find his installation of the Stations of the Cross on the second floor of the seminary atrium), Sam has written three books of poetry (Godbirth, Read These Poems About David, and The Reason Love Reaches) and several volumes of faith formation curriculum (The Jesus Questions, Haiku Bible Study, and graphic illustrations for The Jesse Tree).
Sam shares life with his wife Kelly, a therapist. Much of Sam’s work can be found online at Print and Poem.
A Burning in My Bones: The Authorized Biography of Eugene H. Peterson
This essential authorized biography of Eugene Peterson offers unique insights into the experiences and spiritual convictions of the iconic American pastor and beloved translator of The Message.
“With an old friend’s affection and a novelist’s eye, Winn Collier carves out Peterson’s place among the other writers and thinkers quoted herein: Thomas Merton, Walker Percy, Wendell Berry, Wallace Stegner, and yes, Bono.” —Leif Enger, author of Peace Like a River and Virgil Wander
You may purchase at your favorite local bookseller, Hearts and Mind Booksellers, or Amazon.
