Barth House Episcopal Center in Memphis, Tennessee

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Maggie Schaumleffel, Director of Ministries at Barth House Episcopal Center, who highlights the center's history, mission and efforts. Located near the University of Memphis, Barth House Episcopal Center serves college students and the broader community, focusing on faith, arts, hospitality, and community building. The center aims to help young adults explore their identity and faith while encouraging all members to continually examine their role in the world as Christians. Barth House Episcopal Center offers a wide variety of programming that invites campus communities and West Tennessee residents to discover the meaning of their faith and experiences. Barth House Episcopal Center serves as a multifaceted community space, offering various events and activities centered around faith, arts, and hospitality. The space hosts speakers, writers, film series, musical performances, and art shows, with a particular emphasis on supporting young adults in expressing their creativity. Maggie explains that the center provides a welcoming environment for discovery and reflection, stocked with food and open to anyone seeking a space to find comfort, respite, and community. Community groups also meet at Barth House Episcopal Center. During the interview, Maggie also discusses the welcoming nature of the Episcopal Church and Barth House Episcopal Center, emphasizing their openness to diverse perspectives and willingness to engage in curious, questioning conversations. She highlights the value of admitting uncertainty and not having all the answers, which she finds particularly appealing to young adults. She expresses how working with young people has given her hope for the future and continuously challenges her perspectives, keeping her engaged and learning. Maggie invites the community to participate in various activities at their location, including their Holy Eucharist and Healing Service held most Wednesdays at noon, followed by free lunch, and their community meetings and events. She encourages people to visit the space at 409 Patterson Street and consider using it for their own group meetings or book clubs. She provides contact information, including the Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee website (edwtn.org), email (barthhouse@episwtn.org), and phone number (901-482-6760) for those interested in connecting or learning more about their offerings. Visit https://edwtn.org/ministries/college/ to learn more about Barth House Episcopal Center.