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Deborah Happel


 Deborah Happel

Deb Happel likes change. That's a good thing for someone who's lived in 10 states, raised five children, and worked jobs ranging from newspaper journalist to tween ministry coordinator to massage therapist. That said, some changes stink. When Donald Trump took office in 2017, Deb found herself protesting for the first time in her life. Two years later when her beloved church made a horrible decision banning gay ordination and marriage, Deb decided to leave. The thing that kept her relatively sane was her book club. Called The Others after Will Willimon's "Fear the Other," the group started meeting right after the 2017 inauguration and is still meeting today. Its lifelong community servants and the insightful works they discussed assured Deb she wasn't alone. The Jim Wallises, Richard Rohrs, and Nadia Bolz-Webers of the world had already graveled her bumpy road. The Others led Deb to the Goose. She's hoping to celebrate that gift by starting a book club at this year's festival.  



EXPERIENCES
    Activity Time Information
    Show Date
    Fri 4 Sep 2026 2:00 PM to 2:50 PM
    Title ShortBound Books, Unbound Conversations: Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff
    Venue Convo Table 08
    Experience DescriptionHit with the barrage of fascism and oppression we see every day, it's easy to feel utterly isolated and despondent. Book groups can be an important help. They combine community, wisdom, and literary guides to help us understand issues and fight injustice. To help get the conversations flying, four of your fellow geese are hosting book groups in Convo Hall. There will be sign-up sheets at each discussion session for folks who want to meet online throughout the year. \Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal\ is as goofy and irreverent as its name suggests, but this book gets you thinking. Author Christopher Moore gives young Jesus a best friend and sends them on a quest to find the three wise men. Jesus, who is called Joshua, wants to know what it means to be the Messiah. Biff just wants to protect his friend. The whole thing is hysterical, but the reader comes away thinking about everything from world religions and philosophies to how hard it is to be a regular, messed-up person traveling with Christ. Deb Happel fell in love with Biff years ago. She can't wait to hear what other geese think of his gospel.
    Show Date
    Sat 5 Sep 2026 2:00 PM to 2:50 PM
    Title ShortBound Books, Unbound Conversations: Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff
    Venue Convo Table 08
    Experience DescriptionHit with the barrage of fascism and oppression we see every day, it's easy to feel utterly isolated and despondent. Book groups can be an important help. They combine community, wisdom, and literary guides to help us understand issues and fight injustice. To help get the conversations flying, four of your fellow geese are hosting book groups in Convo Hall. There will be sign-up sheets at each discussion session for folks who want to meet online throughout the year. \Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal\ is as goofy and irreverent as its name suggests, but this book gets you thinking. Author Christopher Moore gives young Jesus a best friend and sends them on a quest to find the three wise men. Jesus, who is called Joshua, wants to know what it means to be the Messiah. Biff just wants to protect his friend. The whole thing is hysterical, but the reader comes away thinking about everything from world religions and philosophies to how hard it is to be a regular, messed-up person traveling with Christ. Deb Happel fell in love with Biff years ago. She can't wait to hear what other geese think of his gospel.