Workshop Two

About the Workshop: How can our bodies nurture our discipleship to Jesus Christ? How can they support openness and responsiveness to the Holy Spirit, so that we can incarnate prophetic presence and action in this world God so loves? Our human bodies are NOT merely “spirit taxis,” but are a key, integrational component to spiritual discernment, repentance, and transformation. Come and experientially explore some of the God given gifts and tools of our bodies for helping us discern and develop greater leadership presence, healthy boundary setting, and appropriate self-care as authentic, prophetic Christian leaders.

Rev. Dr. Rebecca Letterman served at Roberts Wesleyan University for nearly 18 years, both as Professor of Spiritual Formation at Northeastern Seminary and as the Director of the university’s Intellectual and Spiritual Humility Institute. Rebecca is a certified spiritual director and certified embodiment coach, and is an ordained elder in the Free Methodist Church.

Rebecca earned her BA in English from Roberts Wesleyan University, an MA in Linguistics from Syracuse University with an emphasis in language and culture, a PhD in Linguistics from Cornell University, and an MDiv from Northeastern Seminary. She is a frequent retreat facilitator, podcast guest, and workshop leader, and is co-author (with Dr. Susan Muto) of Understanding Our Story. She is working on a forthcoming book on the integration of the body and Christian spiritual formation. She is a wife and mother, and delights in the gifts of family and friendships, gardening, cooking (and eating!), reading, watching good films, and hiking.

She is the founder of Embodiment Consulting Services – a ministry that seeks to support the church in reclaiming the formative potential of the human body for Christian living – offering workshops, retreats, online classes and other resources, and one-on-one coaching.

About the Workshop: As leaders, we hear the voice of the Lord to minister to others, but how do we lead others into discerning God’s voice? This workshop will provide a pathway towards discipling others in spiritual formation. As we explore the first-half-of-life living as a concept of knowing our identity and building the container of our lives, it’s important to understand how our enneagram type influences our internal narrative. Many people miss the invitation to lean into second-half-of-life living, but when we understand how to decode our internal narrative and connect to our identity in Christ, then we are better prepared to contain living water and release our prophetic voice to bring healing and freedom to others.

Deedra Mager and Megan Hall are the Directors of Dauntless Grace. Together, they have over 40 years of experience working with women, children, and young adults in various forms of church and school ministries. Deedra has headed up the dance, drama, and worship departments in her home church and now serves as the Spiritual Director in a residential home for survivors of trafficking. Megan spent a decade in youth ministry and education and now works in K-12 professional development. Now the two women run a nonprofit to help connect women to a meaningful story through retreats, workshops, and their podcast, The Dauntless Grace Exchange.

About the Workshop: As societies face increasing immigration, how we listen and choose to be present with the Other offer powerful modes of grace and peacemaking. With stories from the Polish-Ukrainian border and Middle East migration, this workshop fleshes out a new imagining of presence as missional and challenges us to consider how power and privilege affect that presence. Practical tools that cultivate healthy and grace-filled discussion will be provided.

Teanna Sunberg lives in Poland and is a recognized Nazarene voice on border response and cross-cultural ministry. She has lived in eastern Europe for 29 years as a Nazarene missionary and is currently working on her PhD in intercultural studies at Biola University. Her dissertation focus is on presence and violence at borders. She is an author and professor/lecturer in intercultural studies, a mom of 4 daughters, an ordained elder, and a women’s clergy advocate.

About the Workshop: Teaching children to become anti-racist means becoming aware of our own biases so that we can be intentional about not passing them along. Participants will learn about the distinction between being colorblind and color-conscious and discuss how to recognize and participate in systematically dismantling unjust power structures. This workshop is designed for anyone working with or raising children and teens.

Katherine received her BA from the University of Kentucky in psychology and her MDiv from Asbury Theological Seminary. She founded the Winton Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the Justice Network of the Free Methodist Church. She was ordained a deacon in the Free Methodist Church in 1982 and an elder in 1985. In addition, Callahan-Howell has authored a book on spiritual disciplines as well as articles in publications such as Leadership Journal and Light and Life Magazine. She and her husband Roger have four grown children and three grandchildren.

Rev. Marissa Mattox Heffernan has served in several different contexts of worship ministry for over 20 years. She built and led worship teams, toured as a part of a worship duo, and teaches inclusive practices of worship leadership. The unity experienced in worship has driven Marissa to explore what the culture of Christianity would look like if all people were equally recognized as image-bearers of God. Marissa serves as Co-chair/Director of the Justice Network of the FMC, on the board of the African Heritage Network (FMC), and as Co-pastor at New Hope Free Methodist Church in Rochester, NY. She also leads in the areas of leadership development, and is a trained facilitator in racial justice conversations. Marissa is married to her best friend, Matt, and is mom to three daughters. She loves a good road trip, a good book, and a bag of yarn.

About the Workshop: Men (and other women) actively need to participate in creating space for women’s voices of proclamation and leadership. This happens with intentionality. In this workshop, participants will learn about practical ways to lead and serve so women can live fully into the Spirit-filled places of leadership to which God has called them. Participants will walk away with 12 (or maybe more like 14) practical ways to advocate for women in ministry, based on the hope we can move forward into a vision of shared leadership in the Church.

Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Graham has served as a co-pastor, lead pastor, missionary, children’s pastor, and elementary teacher. Elizabeth currently serves as co-senior pastor of Nexus Church of the Nazarene in Beaverton, OR alongside her husband, Jaron. She is an ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene. Elizabeth and Jaron have one son, Quentin. She enjoys traveling internationally, visiting national parks, hiking, reading, and a hot cup of tea.

Rev. Dr. Jaron Graham has served as co-pastor, District Superintendent of the New Zealand District, lead pastor, director of Nazarene Theological College New Zealand, and a missionary. Jaron currently serves as co senior pastor of Nexus Church of the Nazarene in Beaverton, OR alongside his wife, Elizabeth. He is an ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene. Elizabeth and Jaron have one son, Quentin. Jaron enjoys traveling internationally, visiting national parks, hiking, reading, and a good movie.