Dr. Terrence Schofield, Trevecca’s associate provost for mission excellence and reconciliation, spoke recently at Unite Williamson County, a community gathering focused on bringing people together across lines of difference for engaging in interactive discussion.
The May event, held at Columbia State Community College in Franklin, gathered hundreds of community members, faith leaders and residents from across Williamson County. This year’s theme was “Coming Together,” with a focus on creating courageous conversations.
For Schofield, the opportunity connected closely with his work at Trevecca, where he helps lead conversations around mission, reconciliation, relationships and what it means to love one’s neighbor.
“It’s not about choosing a side,” Schofield said. “It’s about choosing the right way.”
Schofield’s message drew from Joshua 5:14 and challenged attendees to move beyond division by seeking common ground. He used the image of a group selfie to describe the kind of unity he believes communities must pursue.
“Unity is like a group selfie,” he said. “It’s different people leaning in to take a picture of what unity looks like.”
During the gathering, attendees were seated around tables and invited to discuss one central question: “What can I do to continue to unite Williamson County?”
Schofield said meaningful unity requires more than simply living near one another. It requires honest conversation and a willingness to move beyond comfort.
“There’s a difference between being neighbors and being neighborly,” he said. “We’re all comfortable in our little silos.”
The event brought together people from a wide range of backgrounds, including representatives from churches, civic organizations, law enforcement and multiple faith traditions. Schofield said the diversity in the room created an opportunity not only to speak, but to listen.
That posture, he said, is also central to the work of Christian reconciliation.
“You’ve got to meet people where they are,” Schofield said. “You’ve got to find common ground and then work your way out.”
Schofield said this approach is deeply connected to Trevecca’s mission and the kind of community the University continues to create. He sees Trevecca as a place where students, faculty and staff have daily opportunities to build relationships and learn from one another.
“We’re about trying to love our neighbors and love one another,” he said. “That’s the mission.”
For Trevecca students, Schofield said the work begins with simple steps:
“We all love to be comfortable,” he said. “But sometimes we have to get out of our comfort zone and enjoy what God has done. He brought 45 different nations to this table at Trevecca. So come on out of that little silo.”
Following the event, Schofield said organizers planned to review participant responses, reconvene and develop an action plan based on the conversations that took place.
His hope for Williamson County is that it becomes a place where people do more than open their doors…
“For them to open their hearts,” Schofield said. “That’s the goal.”
Video of the full session can be found on Unite Williamson’s YouTube channel.
Unite Williamson was founded by Franklin Mayor Dr. Ken Moore and Rev. Dr. Kenneth Hill as a way to strengthen community connection and create a shared commitment to unity in Williamson County.