Center for Clergy Renewal Staff

Rev. Rachel Young Binter 

Rev. Rachel Young Binter began her work as the director of the CCR in January of 2025. Rachel is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).  She was trained in street and shelter ministry among young adults with The Night Ministry during her time in seminary in Chicago, served in two congregational settings in the Milwaukee area, and has most recently been a campus pastor with Lutheran Campus Ministry in Greater Milwaukee at the UW-Milwaukee campus. In her role as a campus pastor, she served a broadly ecumenical group of students, and her ministry initiated and helped lead interfaith dialogues and events on campus. She is a member of Proclaim, the professional community for Lutheran ministers and candidates who publicly identify as LGBTQIA+, has served as a chaplain within that community, and been a presenter at LGBTQIA+ events and conferences. She is a certified therapeutic yoga teacher, a Reiki practitioner, and an herbal apprentice at Alice’s Garden Urban farm. She has led many retreats over the years at Holy Wisdom with parishioners, colleagues and students, and is grateful to be rooting down on its holy ground. Rachel and her husband, Kurt, live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Their eldest, Nadezhda, is a healthcare worker and activist in Milwaukee, and their youngest, Hans, is a free improvisational pianist living in Brooklyn. 

Contact Rachel Young Binter at

Rev. Kathleen Owens

Rev. Kathleen Owens serves as Manager of Clergy Programming and Communications. Kathleen is ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and served two Madison-area congregations, before joining the staff of CCR in February 2023. She is also part of Cohort 2 of the Contemplative Renewal Immersions. Ecumenical formation is central to Kathleen’s call to ministry and work. She has 15 years of service on national and statewide committees working on Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations. Her experience includes serving on the PCUSA General Assembly Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Relationships and serving on the Unity & Relations Commission of the Wisconsin Council of Churches. Kathleen lives in Verona, WI with her husband, Bill, two children, three forever cats, and an ever-revolving community of foster kittens.  

Contact Kathleen Owens at

Reflection Circle

The staff of the CCR receives support a committed group of volunteers who serve on the Reflection Circle. This team provides guidance and insight for the work of CCR.  Pamela Johnson and David McKee co-lead the Reflection Circle. They are joined by Mary Hoddy and Michael Shinners.

Holy Wisdom communities

The communities of Holy Wisdom Monastery provide outstanding resources for the CCR. Many talented individuals serve the monastery in important roles. These communities offer support to the immersion experiences and ongoing monastery without walls. The communities of Holy Wisdom Monastery include:

AboutCCR StaffContemplative Renewal ImmersionsDeep BreathSupport CCR