Speakers

	Lisa Allen joined the faculty of Interdenominational Theological Center in 2005 as the Assistant Professor of Worship and Music. She teaches courses on Christian music and worship. Prior to coming to ITC, she was an associate pastor of Worship and Evangelism at Kingswood UMC and is an ordained elder in the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church. She has a special interest in Womanist theology, African American spirituality, and worship as well as worship and liturgy.
	Jim Antal is Minister and President of the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ, the largest Protestant denomination in the Commonwealth. In addition to leading churches in Newton, MA and Shaker Heights, OH, he served as Executive Director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation (USA), an interfaith pacifist organization. An environmental activist since the first Earth Day in 1970, he often teams up with Bill McKibben. In August 2011 he joined 1,252 climate activists who put the issue of the Keystone XL tar sands pipe line front and center in American political discussion by committing civil disobedience at the White House.
	Bruce Reyes Chow has been an ordained Presbyterian Teaching Elder for nearly two decades serving as the pastor of a multi-generational congregation in San Francisco, CA as well as the founding pastor of a church plant made of up mostly 20′s and 30′s. A blogger, author and speaker, in 2008 he was elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA), the highest elected office of the denomination. While Bruce’s interests lie in many areas of ministry: one of his greatest passions is helping communities and individuals to thrive in that space where life, faith and technology converge. He believes that the better handle congregations and leaders have on the use of social media and technology, the better they will communicate the gospel and express faith in life and online.
	Susannah Davis (often confused for being Ellen DeGeneres) is the founding pastor of Kirkwood United Church of Christ in Atlanta, GA. Susannah was ordained in the United Methodist Church and served churches and agencies in the North Georgia Conference for the following 12 years before receiving the call to serve in the United Church of Christ in 2006. Five years later, Susannah continues to lead Kirkwood UCC in worship, service and commitment to the teachings of Jesus Christ. She promotes meaningful worship that moves people toward a deeper relationship with God and others.
	Ruben Duran serves as Program Director for New Congregations in the Congregational and Synodical Mission unit of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He is responsible for promoting the development of Synodical mission strategies, local initiatives and emerging models for the multiplication of new communities of faith in the USA and the Caribbean.Ruben is a native of Lima, Peru, South America. He served parishes in the Seattle, Washington and Los Angeles, California areas prior to becoming Associate to the Bishop and Mission Director for the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, ELCA. He has also served as Associate Director for Latino Outreach in the former Division for Congregational Ministries, ELCA and Executive for Congregational Outreach Services in the former Division for Outreach, ELCA prior to his current position.
	Yvette Flunder is much sought after as a preacher, educator, conference speaker and singer. She has been a lecturer, Adjunct Professor and speaker at numerous seminaries to include Lancaster, Duke, Drew, Eden, Yale and New York Theological. She is the author of “Where the Edge Gathers: A Theology and Homiletic of Radical Inclusion” Pilgrim Press. In June 2003 Bishop Flunder was consecrated Presiding Bishop of The Fellowship a multi-denominational fellowship of 110 primarily African American Christian leaders and laity representing 56 churches and faith-based organizations from all parts of the United States Mexico and Africa.
	Victor Cyrus-Franklin Victor Cyrus-Franklin is Co-Organizer for RE:BIRTH, a faith-based community he and his spouse, Neema Cyrus-Franklin are developing to partner with churches and other organizations to develop creative worship and bible study experiences to support social change movements. He is the former Assistant Pastor of East Point First Mallalieu United Methodist Church, a multicultural congregation in East Point, GA. Through teaching, preaching, living, and learning, Victor has a passion for ministry that fosters intergenerational dialogue, communication, and growth. He has particular interests in exploring the intersections of popular culture and theology with attention to nurturing the struggle for social change.
	Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove is a celebrated spiritual writer and sought-after speaker. A native of North Carolina, he is a graduate of Eastern University and Duke Divinity School. In 2003, Jonathan and his wife Leah founded the Rutba House, a house of hospitality where the formerly homeless are welcomed into a community that eats, prays, and shares life together. Jonathan directs the School for Conversion, a nonprofit that has grown out of the life of Rutba House to pursue beloved community with kids in their neighborhood, through classes in North Carolina prisons, and in community-based education around the country. Jonathan is also an Associate Minister at the historically black St. Johns Missionary Baptist Church.
	Carol Howard-Merritt has been a pastor for 13 years, serving growing Presbyterian Churches in the swamps of Cajun Louisiana, a bayside village in Rhode Island, and in an urban neighborhood in D.C. She served as a pastor at Western Presbyterian Church, an intergenerational congregation in Washington, D.C. Western’s deep commitment to serving the poor in the city has helped to initiate programs like Miriam’s Kitchen, a social service program for the homeless which provides a hot, nutritious breakfast and dinner for over 200 men and women. She is the award-winning author of Tribal Church (Alban 2007) and Reframing Hope (Alban 2010). Alongside this site, Carol blogs regularly at Huffington Post, Augsburg Fortress’s The Hardest Question, and Dukes Divinity’s Faith and Leadership sites. She hosts Unco (short for Unconference), open-space gatherings where participants support one another while dreaming about and planning for the future of the church. And she co-hosts God Complex Radio, a podcast with Derrick Weston. Carol lives in Chattanooga, TN as a full-time writer and speaker.
	Michael Piazza is the Co-Executive Director of the Center for Progressive Renewal. Michael is a spiritual visionary and social justice advocate who, in addition to his work with the Center for Progressive Renewal, is President of Hope for Peace & Justice, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is equipping progressive people of faith to be champions for peace and justice. Rev. Piazza is an adjunct professor teaching church renewal with the Pacific School of Religion and Chicago Theological Seminary.Today, Michael is the senior pastor of Virginia Highland Church in Atlanta, GA.
	Cathy Townley was a worship leader in front of a congregation for a lot of years. As she says, “During that time, I didn’t really understand the deeper nature of worship. She wasn’t really “together” in the way I lived my life as I stood before the congregation each week. But I felt that worship was my life calling. God took me seriously on that. That meant a lot of pruning and shaping. Not easy, but real. I really believe that if you’re committed to being a worship leader, you are not safe! God will challenge you to grow and become the person God intended for you to be. That journey is not easy. That’s what I’ve “discovered.” Maybe you’ve discovered it already. It took a while for me. Anyway, it’s the only way God will allow you to stay in a position of leading others into Christ’s presence. If you’re not willing to let God shape you to be truly authentic, you crash and burn.”
	Cameron Trimble is the Co-Executive Director, CEO of the Center for Progressive Renewal. She teaches Church Planting and Renewal courses and is a sought after speaker across the country. Rev. Trimble is an adjunct professor teaching church planting and renewal at the Pacific School of Religion, Brite Seminary, and Chicago Theological Seminary. She has co-authored the book “Liberating Hope” with Michael Piazza in 2011. Cameron is also the co-pastor of Virginia Highland Church in Atlanta, GA.
	Peter Wells is a coach, social justice advocate and middle judicatory leader. For the last 11 years the Peter has served as an Associate Conference Minister in the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ. During his time with the conference he has worked with six Committee on Ministries and over 170 congregations. He also is the coordinator of the conference’s justice and witness programming and is a national trainer for the UCC JusticeLED program. Prior to coming to Massachusetts, Peter was the pastor of the New Ark UCC in Newark Delaware for over 17 years.
	Teresa Angle-Young is the founding minister of Sacred Tapestry, UMC new church start in the Atlanta area. She also co-teaches Church Planting with the Center for Progressive Renewal. She holds an M. Div. from Emory University, and is an Ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church. The Rev. Teresa Angle-Young as been endorsed by The United Methodist Endorsing Agency as a Life Coach. Angle-Young specializes in coaching church planters, preachers, issues around clergy wellness and life balance, clergy burn out, conflict resolution, relationships and couples coaching, work/career challenges, and many other areas. Angle-Young is one of only 18 endorsed Life Coaches in the United Methodist system in the United States. She is a contributing author of Ministry 3.0: How Today’s Church Leaders are Using Coaching to Transform Ministry and the upcoming book Stressless Preaching: Getting to Sunday Without Losing Your Religion and a contributor to many publications. She does group coaching, individual coaching, and executive coaching.

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