Workshop One

About the Workshop: As both a Registered Dietitian (RD) and a local licensed Nazarene pastor, Erin will bring insight and awareness to unhealthy relationships with food that actually hinder our calling in ministry. Connections will be made between food, stress, sleep, emotions, and ministry performance. This session will be both educational and introspective with tips and tools given to rebalance attendees’ relationship with food.

Erin Aylor has a unique career path combination, having been in both education and dietetics simultaneously over the past 22 years. She is a Registered Dietitian, holding a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics from the University of Central Arkansas and a Master of Science in Nutrition from Auburn University. She is a licensed educator, holding a Bachelor of Education in Family and Consumer Sciences from the University of Central Arkansas and a Master of Educational Leadership from Arkansas Tech University. She holds a Certificate of Pastoral Ministry from Phillips Theological Seminary and recently finished her Course of Study requirements from Northwest Nazarene University.

She is a licensed educator in Arkansas, having worked with 3rd graders through college students in a variety of education settings, including teaching and program management at the community college level. Her dietetic work includes specialty focus areas of food service systems management, care for those with diabetes, and supporting those who navigate life with cognitive and physical disabilities. She is a Certified Ketogenic Nutrition Specialist.

Upon receiving God’s nudge to begin a path into ministry ~5 years ago, she began her ministerial classes while continuing to work full-time. She now holds her local ministerial license from the North Arkansas District of the Church of the Nazarene and is on-track to receive her district licensure this year. Her passion lies in the intersection between nutritional health and spiritual health. She enjoys educating, encouraging, and empowering those within her sphere of influence towards better overall health. Specifically, she has a heart for helping those in ministry to have optimal health for the benefit of both themselves and their ministry reach.

She’s been married 29 years to Warren Aylor and has 3 children, ages 16-24. She enjoys reading non-fiction, nosing around at yard sales, and collecting vintage and personalized license plates. Her life verse is Psalm 34:8 “Taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed are those who trust in Him.”

About the Workshop: This transformative workshop is designed to help you develop a more intimate relationship with God and strengthen your ability to discern His voice in your life and ministry. It offers a safe space for women to explore personal experiences, learn valuable spiritual tools, and draw support from others who share similar aspirations.

Through a series of interactive activities and discussions, participants will delve into the power of listening, and discerning God’s voice in ministry. It will provide participants with practical tools to cultivate deeper connections with God through quietude, discernment, and communication in ministry. Attendees will learn how to ask questions and note insights during journaling sessions. 

Rev Ruth Conlon is passionate Senior Accredited Pastoral Supervisor, Spiritual Director, Leadership Coach, Author, Speaker, Lecturer, Retreat Director, Minister, Student and Friend. She has completed her Masters in Divinity and is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Ministry with a focus on spiritual formation and holiness. Ruth is deeply committed to guiding others on their spiritual journey towards deeper intimacy with God. She supports individuals and organizations to live and/or lead from the inside out by integrating spiritual formation, leadership growth, development, and strategy. 

Ruth’s work as a Senior Pastor of Pursuing Holiness Ministries reflects her passion for nurturing others. She believes that spending time in the secret place with God is essential for receiving His guidance and experiencing His love, grace, and mercy in a profound way. Ruth recognizes that women face unique challenges in ministry and need a safe space where they can be honest about their struggles, fears, and doubts. 

Through her courses, one-to-one sessions, and prayer meetings, Ruth has journeyed with many people, calling them to deeper intimacy with God and authentic Christianity. Her devotion for Christ and His Word is evident in all aspects of her work. Ruth’s commitment to spiritual formation and holiness makes her an excellent guide for anyone seeking to deepen their relationship with God.

About the Workshop: In Acts, we meet Philip’s daughters who are prophetesses and throughout church history we have the accounts of the desert fathers, desert mothers, and mystics, most of whom were single. 62% of adults in the US are unmarried, yet most individuals and churches have not been equipped on how to unleash the power of singlehood (both temporary or long-term singlehood). Not only does this impact those who are currently single, but having healthy singleness (similar to healthy marriages) in a church has huge benefits in cultivating a prophetic community and a healthy church. Although much of the church currently is under-equipped in this area, historically the church has offered a powerful view of the single life. This session will increase participants’ understanding of singleness through a Biblical lens so that they can live more holistically if/while they are single, pastorally guide those in their congregation who are single, and begin to unleash the prophetic power of singleness in their church to reach a world that is desperate for a healthier alternative than what cultures offers.

Rev. Rachel Bird is passionate about seeing the church reach its full potential. She holds an M.Div, is ordained in the Church of God, and currently serves as the NextGen Pastor at Pennway Church of God in Lansing, MI. Rachel also works as a project manager at a tech company that keeps her engaged with interesting people and projects around the world. In her free time, Rachel likes to study, write, travel, do triathlons, and spend time with friends and her two pups.

As a 34-year old single woman in ministry, Rachel has spent time personally and scripturally exploring the topic of singleness in the church, as well as academically through her master’s thesis, and professionally through research and presentations that include a discussion of the impact of prolonged singleness on the younger generations. With a deep love for scripture and the church, she is excited by what she sees in the upcoming generations and longs to help equip others to unleash the prophetic power of the single life at all ages.

About the Workshop: The purpose of this workshop is to help participants become aware of how racism impacts their lives, and how all people unconsciously and consciously participate in racist systems. Rev. Dr. Chao-Reza will discuss practical ways to resist racism and to communicate, listen, and promote anti-racism as a daily practice. Participants will look at practical tools to invite them to live into “the dream and vision poured out by the Spirit (Acts 2:17-21)” of the Church moving towards restorative justice.

Rev. Dr. Estela Chao-Reza has over 15 years of experience in church ministry and currently resides in Honolulu, Hawai’i. She is passionate about connecting with people from all different walks of life and discovering the relationship of humanity within our differences. She has much knowledge in working with marginalized urban and multicultural communities in various contexts. She completed her doctorate at Nazarene Theological Seminary in Spiritual Formation and Discipleship, focusing on the church movement toward anti-racism and restorative justice. She has taught seminars on trauma-informed spirituality, spiritual formation practices, ministry in crisis, palliative spiritual care, and spiritual assessments in healthcare. She also teaches and preaches in her local church as one of the pastors. She is a Board-Certified Chaplain through the Association of Professional Chaplains and an ordained Elder in the Church of the Nazarene.

About the Workshop: The time to prepare a congregation for a woman pastor isn’t when one is on the way. It’s now. What can a male leader who wishes to see women treated equally, while ensuring the long-term health of the church, do to prepare them for a female leader before one ever gets hired? Participants will be given specific steps to prepare a congregation to think like egalitarians and receive resource information to teach their congregations about egalitarianism.

Dr. Jill Richardson pastors Real Hope Community Church in suburban Chicago. Her doctorate is in Church Leadership in a Changing Context, with a focus on the next generation and preaching. She has written or contributed to 8 books, and her articles have appeared in leading national magazines and websites. Her tagline is “Reframed: Picturing Faith what the Next Generation.” She also enjoys traveling, gardening, volunteering with World Relief, breaking out in random musical numbers, emerging victorious in Lord of the Rings trivia, and a good cup of Earl Grey.