Center for Continuous Learning

Rev. Will Bouvel had former careers as a computer programmer and classical tenor soloist before recently being ordained a priest in the Episcopal church. His primary formation in ministry was with children, as the director of Children’s ministries at St Chrysostom’s church Chicago. During a class on Black Liberation Theology at the University of Chicago he started exploring with Sunday School teachers what an antiracist Sunday School program would look like. This work had just begun when pandemic closures in 2020 forced a reimagining of children’s ministry. After George Floyd’s murder Will started wondering how to directly address issues of race with children which led him to meet colleague Jen Enriquez. Through the guidance of the families they served and with help from people of color, their wondering blossomed into 6 theologically framed stories - “The Lie that Caused Racism”. In addition to his ministry as an Associate Rector, Will guides new storytellers to tell the Truth about how racism has distorted them and their communities away from God’s dream of radical equality. Will lives in Chicago with his husband, preschool aged daughter and two cats.

Jen Holt Enriquez is an attorney by formal education but now the director of Children’s Ministry at the First Congregational Church in Western Springs, Illinois. Jen began focusing on teaching children skills and giving them tools for finding peace in themselves and their world via Peace Camp in 2017. In 2020 Jen sought a way to talk to kids about racism and in collaboration with Will Bouvel created Tell Me the Truth About Racism, a set of stories designed to invite children and adults into conversation about the problem of racism through the lens of faith. Through this work the beauty and power of storytelling has been revealed. Jen is mom to middle schoolers Eddie and Luke, plus 3 wiener dogs.