Memoirs: Learning from Women Who Lead
What does it mean to lead with courage, compassion, and conviction in uncertain times? This summer, join us for a transformative reading journey through the memoirs of three extraordinary leaders:
- Jacinda Ardern, A Different Kind of Power: A Memoir
- Loretta J. Ross, Calling In: How to Start Making Change with Those You’d Rather Cancel
- Mariann Edgar Budde, How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith
Together, we’ll explore how power can be exercised differently, how courage is cultivated, and how communities can be transformed through empathy and accountability.
Across these stories, we’ll wrestle with questions like:
- What does faithful, values-driven leadership look like in complex, often polarized times?
- How can bravery show up in small, daily choices as well as public moments?
- How do we build communities that lead with grace and justice rather than fear or shame?
- And what might it look like to lead from the center of our convictions — not just our titles?
Whether you’re discerning your next step in leadership or seeking to be encouraged by the stories of those who’ve led with heart, this is a space to learn, reflect, and grow together.
Come for the books. Stay for the conversation. Leave with renewed courage to lead where you are.
We hope you can join us.
HOW IT WORKS
- Each book has a specific date for discussion (see below). You can sign up for just one, but we think there is value to committing to the full story arc represented by all three.
- Each individual conversation has a $25 fee, or you can pay $60 for all three. The link to the registration form is below. If this is cost-prohibitive for you, please email ironsharpeningiron@ptsem.edu; limited scholarships are available.
- Participants are responsible for purchasing or checking out the books themselves. The two short stories are linked below.
featured authors and texts
A Different Kind of Power: A Memoir by Jacinda Arden
Virtual Discussion: June 24, 2026 — 12-1 pm ET
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern shares how empathy and integrity shaped her leadership through crisis, inviting us to see power as a force for healing and hope.
Questions we’ll explore:
What does it look like to lead with compassion in a culture that often rewards control?
How do we hold both strength and tenderness in public leadership?
What can faithful leadership learn from Ardern’s redefinition of power as service and care?
Calling In: How to Start Making Change with Those You’d Rather Cancel by Loretta J. Ross
Virtual Discussion: July 21, 2026 — 12-1 pm ET
Activist and scholar Loretta Ross invites us to move from “calling out” to “calling in,” leading with accountability, compassion, and justice. Her story reframes leadership as the work of repair and reconciliation.
Questions we’ll explore:
How can we hold people accountable while still embodying grace?
What does it mean to lead movements—or ministries—without reproducing harm?
How might “calling in” transform the way we build and sustain community?
How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith by Mariann Edgar Budde
Virtual Discussion: August 18, 2026 — 12-1 pm ET
Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde reflects on the moments—both hidden and visible—when courage is called forth by faith. She shows how bravery grows through prayer, vulnerability, and conviction.
Questions we’ll explore:
How is courage cultivated in seasons of uncertainty or fear?
What does spiritual bravery look like for women leading in ministry and public life?
How can we strengthen our communities to practice courage together, not alone?