Bob Ekblad |  Director of Tierra Nueva and The  People’s Seminary, WA.  Author, The Guerrilla Gospel, Reading the Bible With the Damned, and A New Christian Manifesto: Pledging Allegiance to the Kingdom of God

Bob and Gracie Ekblad are founders and co-directors of Tierra Nueva (New Earth) in Burlington, Washington.  Together they minister at Tierra Nueva and at their home-based retreat center New Earth Refuge in the Skagit Valley. They have three adult children. Bob is ordained in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).  He holds a ThD in Old Testament and is known internationally for his courses and workshops on reading the Bible. As Directors of Tierra Nueva, Bob and Gracie work together with a team of staff and volunteers to serve immigrants from Latin America, inmates, homeless people and people struggling with addictions. Training current pastoral workers and future leaders to minister to people on the margins of society is one of the Ekblads’ highest priorities. They believe theological reflection and teaching must be rooted in hands-on ministry to the poor and marginalized. Bob and wife Gracie founded Tierra Nueva in Honduras in 1982, which began as a sustainable farming, preventive health program and grassroots Bible study movement.

Donnell Wyche | Senior pastor,  Ann Arbor Vineyard, MI.

The Reverend Donnell Wyche serves full-time as the Senior Pastor and the Head of Staff. He grew up in Washington, DC and received his B.A. in computer science from The College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio and is a graduate of Vineyard Leadership Institute. Passionate about the intersections of race, faith, politics, and technology, Pastor Donnell started out as a Solution Architect at IBM in Southfield, MI. Since then, Pastor Donnell has served as a national task force leader for youth ministry and multi-ethnicity within VineyardUSA. He has led seminars and trainings on becoming culturally competent, transitioning your church to a multi-ethnic church, and has served as a part-time instructor in web technologies at Washtenaw Community College. Pastor Donnell is the president of the board of the InterFaith Council for Peace and Justice and has pursued issues of affordable, fair, and accessible housing as a board member of the Religious Action for Affordable Housing. His latest technology project is Community Center for Churches, a software tool to help pastors better care for and shepherd their congregants. Pastor Donnell is married to Maria, an early childhood advocate and speech-language pathologist, and together, they are raising three multi-ethnic, spiritually engaged, peace loving, politically aware, woke activists!

Kathy Maskell | Pastor of Discipleship, Blue Route Vineyard. Steering Committee, VJN.

Raised by Buddhist parents in San Diego, Kathy began her eastbound journey by first studying literature and poetry at the University of Chicago. While there, she got rocked by Jesus’s kindness and power. Kathy then pursued a teaching career, spanning from elementary to high school. While in New Haven, CT, Kathy worked for six years as the U.S. Advocacy Director of Love146, a leading anti-trafficking organization, and co-planted Elm City Vineyard Church. Kathy’s M. Div. work at Union Theological Seminary (NYC) focused on the study of abolitionist movements. She also developed Biblical resources on justice and exploitation. With leaders of poor-led organizations, she analyzed poverty as a root cause of human trafficking.

Sarah Elmer | Vineyard Eastern Region Worship Coordinator. Worship pastor, Chester Springs Vineyard, PA.

Sarah Elmer is a vocalist, recording artist, worship leader, and mother of three. Featured on Vineyard Worship projects Kyrie Eleison and Wear The Crown, Sarah is a key leader and influencer in the Eastern U.S.

Kwinn Tucker | Director, City Team-Chester.

A native of Arkansas, Tucker earned a B.S. in business administration from Williams Baptist College in 2002. In college, she served as a year-long intern with the Family Services Program, which helps to provide furniture and used clothing to those for whom both are often a luxury. Kwinn now serves as the director and is responsible for leadership development, strategy and fundraising. The organization’s outreach touches the lives of individuals and families, offering rarely given dignity and respect. She sees the face of God wherever she turns. This reminds her that Jesus told his followers “it is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Raj Lewis | Shelter and recovery manager, City Team-Chester.

Raj serves as the shelter and recovery manager at City Team in Chester, PA. Daily, he works with men in early recovery from addiction, homelessness, and in need of emergency shelter. In addition, he directs The Negev Life-Sharing Community, a housing community of families living in solidarity with men transitioning out of incarceration and addiction. Raj is also the co-founder of Seven Harvests, a seasonal fine-dining experience that connects local and sustainable agriculture, natural gourmet cooking, theology, and the reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals. Raj has directed workforce development programs for adjudicated youth and ex-offenders in Chester County and North Philadelphia. He’s currently pursuing a PhD in pastoral counseling at Neumann University. Raj has been a serious student of liberation theology for the past 15 years and is committed to living out the praxis of liberation in his ministry.

Caz Tod-Pearson | Director, The Simple Way.

I am a New Zealander who came to the US to participate in Mission Year back in 2004. Mission Year introduced me The Simple Way. Then, I moved to Kensington to pursue community with friends and neighbors in 2008. I love the energy that comes when we come together for celebrations and events, as much as I love quiet contemplative moments.

Clay Katongo | Pastor, Philadelphia International Alliance Church

Viviana Arce | Director, Philadelphia International Alliance Church Daycare

Tina Colon Williams | Worship pastor, Elm City Vineyard, CT. Immigration lawyer.

Tina is an attorney practicing immigration law, a worship pastor and a songwriter. Tina is passionate about cross-cultural community, and a musician who believes in the power of songs to change the world.

Andy Squyres | Worship pastor, Queen City Church, NC.

Songwriter Andy Squyres is an independent singer songwriter born and raised in Northern California but born and raised again in the suburbs of Charlotte North Carolina. He has served in local church ministry for many years and currently leads the worship ministry at Queen City Church. You can hear the South in his songs. His album Cherry Blossoms is the true story of his family and community walking through tragedy and into redemption. With all the honesty of a Flannery O’Connor short story Andy Squyres has presented his heart like a savage car accident in the middle of the highway, the devastation too brutal to look at, but, even harder to look away.

• $105 regular/ $120 at the door.
• $65 student.
• Day rate: $50 regular/$40 student.

• Per session: $24.

• Youtube Livestream will be available for Thursday, Friday morning, and Saturday main sessions.

THURSDAY, NOV. 14 @ Blue Route Vineyard, 425 W. Front St., Media PA 19063

12:30-1:30pm | Registration

1:30-5:30pm | Main Session 1, Including Conversation Groups and Immersion Sites: CityTeam & Crozer Seminary

5:30-7pm | Dinner on your own

7-9:15pm | Main Session 2

9:30-10:30pm | Reception

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16 @Blue Route Vineyard

8:15-8:45am Registration, Snacks, Coffee/Tea

8:45am-12:30pm | Main Session 5

FRIDAY, NOV. 15 @Blue Route Vineyard, then various sites in Philadelphia

8:30-9am | Registration, Snacks, Coffee/Tea

9-11am | Main Session 3

11-11:45am | Boxed lunch provided, travel to Philly

1:45-2:15pm | Circle of Hope Church + Immersion Sites: The Simple Way and Kensington organizations

2:15-3:00pm | Conversation Groups

3:30-5:45pm | Immersion Site: Eastern State Penitentiary, Conversation Groups

6-7pm | Dinner on your own

7-9pm | Main Session 4