Seeds Project Fellows

The Rev. Beth Wyndham is a children’s author and founding pastor of St. Nicholas Hill Country Episcopal Church in Bulverde, Texas. She has a passion for intergenerational ministry and creative expressions of church. Having been a figure skating coach, youth and children’s pastor, school chaplain, and now church planter, she is committed to empowering all ages to share the goodness and love they have found in Jesus. Beth received her MDiv from The Seminary of the Southwest and while there, discovered a love for creating books and resources for children and their families.

Angie Paek Te is a Korean American TCK (third-culture kid) who grew up in Indonesia and the Philippines. As a missionary kid, her life story involves moving more times than she can keep track of, which has helped her discover the beauty in embracing diversity. She currently works bi-vocationally as a Worship Pastor at New City Church of LA as well as at Fuller Seminary as a Program Manager for the M.A. Justice and Advocacy program. She is passionate about the intersection of faith and justice and seeks to center the voices of the marginalized. Angie is a graduate of…

Kelle Shepherd, founded Ferver Music Group with Christian Avila, an independent group of psalmists in the Southeast Michigan Region. Ferver Music Group seeks to provide Christian music that is charismatic and diverse in the Evangelical Lutheran Churches of America and abroad. Through various styles of modern worship, they hope to inspire our NextGen. In 2023, Ferver Music Group released “Keep Praisin’” and “It Is Well Affirmation Song”

Dr. Faith Quenzer is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and public health researcher working near the U.S.-Mexico border. Her clinical work has been in areas that were disproportionately affected by COVID-19 which were our Black and Hispanic communities in San Diego. Over the past several years, Faith has been building local, state, national, and international networks, non-profits, and churches, small businesses to help bring equitable and fair delivery of quality health care and medical education to the border community. Over the past few years, she has worked with the state department of public health and the county to help engage…

T. C. Moore (he/him)disciple, pastor, artist, author, advocate T. C. Moore is a pastor, graffiti artist, writer, and theology nerd. He serves as lead pastor of Roots, a Moravian community in St. Paul, Minnesota, and works with court-involved youth and young adults, applying restorative-justice practices. Since Jesus liberated him from gang life as a teenager, he has developed mentoring programs, planted churches, and served in community-based nonprofits for over two decades. He is a graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary’s Center for Urban Ministerial Education in Boston. And he’s the author of Forged: Following Jesus into a New Kind of Family….

Osheta Moore (she/her)Moravian Pastor, Spiritual Director Osheta Moore is a trained Spiritual Director living on Dakota land in Saint Paul, MN. She is an appointed Moravian Pastor; she and her husband shepherd a community of “misfits on a mission, finding our identity in Jesus” called Roots Moravian Church. Osheta has authored two books, Shalom Sistas and Dear White Peacemakers. In her writing she calls us to own our Belovedness and proclaims the Belovedness of others (especially those marginalized and harmed by oppressive systems), so that we can become genuine expressions of the Beloved Community right where we are. As a…

Kristin Klade is a Lutheran pastor and hospice chaplain in Fort Worth, TX, which is her hometown. She organizes and pastors Kyrie Pub Church, a worshipping community that has been meeting in various bars in Fort Worth for over a decade. Recently, the founding pastor of Kyrie retired, and Kristin has taken on the primary leadership role at Kyrie. In her calling both as a chaplain and as a pub church pastor, Kristin finds great purpose in reaching out to folks who have been hurt by the church or who would not be interested in walking into a “traditional” church….

Marlita Hill is a choreographer, multi-published author, and 20+ year educator who creates, teaches, writes, mentors, podcasts, and speaks for an international audience in and across the areas of faith, art, and entrepreneurship. Marlita is an Adjunct Instructor and MFA graduate with Belhaven University in Jackson, MS. Her books have been used for college ministry courses, small groups, and arts ministries. She showcases her own work and provides master classes, guest choreography, and residencies through her project, Speak Hill Dance Project. Hill is the creator of the Kingdom Artist Institute (KAI), which mentors professional artists of faith in building a…

The Rev. Sawyer Vanden Heuvel (he/him/his) is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). He was recently called to serve St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, SD, and is the mission developer and pastor for a new worshipping community forming in Sioux Falls called Shepherd’s Table. He earned his Master of Divinity in 2023 from Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, MN, and his Bachelor of Arts in 2012 from Augustana University in Sioux Falls, SD. He is passionate about building longer tables and creating spaces of belonging so that all may be fed, seen, heard,…

Amy Pan is the co-director of ReNew York, an NYC arts ministry under A.C.T. Int’l. She’s also an actor and a playwright, with a B.A. in Theatre from the University of Kentucky and a certificate from LAMDA. Together with Danielle Cummings, she builds community with Chrisitan creatives and engages non-Christian creatives in friendship. They also throw a lot of parties and events to equip Christians and to encourage interfaith discussion! Her latest accomplishments include a 2022 Off-Broadway debut of her play, “Highlighter Girl”, and upcoming features in the San Diego Indie Film Festival and Triborough Film Festival as Gracie Chen…

Rev. Danielle Cummings is the very extroverted, very excitable director of ReNew York, a NYC arts ministry under A.C.T Int’l. She’s an aspiring novelist and an award-winning playwright with a B.A. in English from UT Austin and an M.A. in “Ministry in the Global City” from City Seminary of New York. She actually grew up in a Chinese church and as a result was discipled by Asian American faith leaders. She loves communication, event-planning and above maybe everything else, learning from people who think differently. Her ministry is mostly relational care, but she and her ministry partner Amy Pan also…

A Theoretical physicist by training, David Rideout has spent his career working with scientists from across the globe. The span of his research connects many disciplines, including gravitational physics, genomics, medical imaging, international relations, and quantitative social science. As a truth seeker, David feels led to explore a new paradigm for doing scientific research across disciplines a n d institutions, in which scientists from all disciplines can come together with a heart to serve humanity.

Bryan Willkom is the founder and director of JesusFit – a nonprofit at the intersection of faith and wellness (getjesusfit.com). Bryan is an ecumenical faith leader, entrepreneur, coach and content creator. Bryan is also a part of a local community initiative called Beer Church.

Alejandra Williams is an educator by profession and has served in many roles at her local church in Jamaica. She uses the performing arts to unite believers in sharing the gospel. Moreover, she is a philanthropist, co-founding HeavenSent Foundation in Jamaica that spreads the love of Jesus Christ by meeting the psychosocial, spiritual, and economic needs of the less fortunate. Alejandra is also a motivational speaker and broadcaster of ‘Caribbean Gospel TV’ that hosts Christian programs across the world.

Mark Vorenkamp is the pastor of Revolution Church, a made-for-online Open and Affirming church. He is also a doctoral student in Fresh Expressions and Church Renewal at United Theological Seminary. He is an openly queer pastor working in the area of trauma-informed LGBTQIA2S+ ministry.

Nikki Taylor is an urban church planter and bi-vocational pastor at the Yellow Door House, a community centric house church in Greensboro, NC. With over seven years of experience serving non-profits she is committed to healthy hiring practices, trauma-informed human resource policies and cultures that empower people. She is a graduate of Southern New Hampshire University with a degree in Non-Profit Business Administration.

Dr. LaDonna Sanders Nkosi is founder of The Gathering Chicago Global, a global community of prayer and service which launched in 2016. She is also Founder & CEO of Ubuntu Global Village Communications where she leads Global Ventures and Healing Racism Retreats and Initiatives. A published poet, spoken word artist, speaker and scholar, Dr. LaDonna is a Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. Doctor of Ministry Scholar at McCormick Theological Seminary.

Melva L. Sampson is a digital hush harbor curator, ritualist, scholar and preacher. She is the creator of Pink Robe Chronicles ™ a digital hush harbor that centers faith and spirituality using womanist and Afrocentric values to highlight the importance of collective work and responsibility in healing and sustaining marginalized communities. She is currently working on her first book entitled “Going Live: Black Women Preaching in the Digital Age.”

Rory Philstrom is the Dungeon Master Pastor and has been exploring the intersections between tabletop roleplaying games and following Jesus for the last nine years. He leads retreats for church workers, organizes a local Dungeons & Dragons Youth Group, and works within the gaming community to promote justice, generosity, and love. Rory also serves at Christ the King Lutheran Church, an ELCA congregation in Bloomington, MN.

Shani E. McIlwain is a ruling elder at Faith Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC where she also serves as Moderator {2022-23) of National Capital Presbytery (PCUSA). Known for her candid personal stories she weaves her “messy” moments of life into practical teaching moments for others on Facebook or her new podcast Embracing Race. As a bestselling author, executive coach and facilitator she helps individuals and congregations dismantle oppressive systems to create a more equitable community.

Dr. Timogi is an Author, Educator, Teacher, and Preacher helping individuals and organizations move from Elusive to Empowered. She has written 12 books and facilitates Leadership Development courses for government, non profit, and corporate agencies. As a keynote speaker she has graced stages from prisons to Harvard. Dr. Timogi is an Ordained Elder and serves the ecclesia through Citadel Ministries International. In December 2022 she was ordained Pastor of The Citadel of Empowerment in Lexington, NC.

The Reverend Julie M. Hoplamazian is an Episcopal priest serving in New York City. She is the founder of Faith on Pointe, a ministry at the intersection of ballet and theology. Julie is passionate about making both dance and faith accessible to everyone.

Rev. Gail Goldsmith is the rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Lynchburg, VA. She loves parish ministry because the church can be our best practice for the Kingdom of God. She earned her M. Div from Bexley Seabury at the University of Chicago Divinity School. She felt called to parish ministry after serving as a pediatric hospital chaplain.

Dallas Flippin is the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Jackson, Michigan, a church that launched a restaurant style dinner ministry named Café Connection. After growing up in a toxic church environment, he feels called to develop safe churches where people can be real with who they are and who they are becoming. He is the Technology Consultant for the American Baptist Churches of Michigan.

Mike Davis is an electrifying performer and motivational speaker who reflects the knowledge of self, collective creativity, cultural consciousness, and the Gospel. He also makes space for youth and young leaders to encounter community, opportunity, and the presence of God through a program he founded called “Cultured” a performing arts based, outreach ministry in South Seattle.

Born in Taiwan, raised in Montreal, Ricki felt called to live incarnationally in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and pursue grassroots organizing and church planting. She has a passion for discerning with and equipping people to develop leaders who transform their neighborhoods for the common good. Ricki holds a M.Div through Fuller Seminary.

Andrew Nemr is an interdisciplinary artist, teacher, and speaker. His work has spanned the music, dance, theatre, and visual arts worlds, exploring art as a vehicle for storytelling, community building, and caring for people.

Rev. Tyler Sit is the pastor and church planter of New City Church, a church mainly led by queer people of color. Sit is a second-generation Chinese American, trained community organizer, and United Methodist pastor.

September Penn is a singer/songwriter and theater performance artist. She is the Music Director at Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles and has recently become the pastoral leadership of Angeles Mesa Presbyterian Church.

Jennifer Oliver is an educator, food scientist, food justice advocate, and an ordained itinerant elder in the A.M.E Church. She aids in transforming communities by filling need gaps in the area of hunger, poverty, and clean water through her food systems solutions consulting firm Dixon & Dukely, LLC and its nonprofit arm Manna Movement Collaborative.

Pastor Colleen Montgomery is an ordained pastor in the ELCA and is the mission developer for All Place Together. She is also called part-time to the Virginia Synod staff as Director for Digital Ministries.

JD Larson and his wife co-pastor North City Church in North Minneapolis. He is a co-vocational pastor and works in real estate and various entrepreneurial endeavors.

Chuck Whitley is a coach, trainer, pastor, non-profit leader, and business owner. Chuck currently serves as the executive director of 4C Business and has dedicated his life to influencing culture through kingdom business practice.

The Rev. Sean Steele is Vicar of St. Isidore Episcopal Church and The Abundant Harvest. Sean is a church entrepreneur and traditioned innovator. He received an MA in Theology from Creighton University, an MDiv from Seminary of the Southwest, and is a fully trained mediator, LDWF, and ICF Coach.

Jane Lam is a HongKonger in San Francisco, a 6th generation Christian (5th in ministry) from a family of Lutheran ministers. She serves at a community services NGO for low-income housing and plants micro house churches among first-generation immigrant seniors outside of work with a team of “unlikely leaders” (amazing seniors in their 70s-90s).

Heidi Ferris is an author, teacher trainer, public speaker, advocate, and environmental scientist. Heidi started Growing Green Hearts LLC in 2012 to increase climate literacy for communities and spark wonderment in Creation for youth.

Joe Davis is an artist, educator, and speaker based in Minneapolis, MN. He is the Founder and Director of the multimedia production company, The New Renaissance, the frontman of the emerging soul-funk band, The Poetic Diaspora, and co-creator of JUSTmove, racial justice education through art.

Mike Wu is a Chinese-Australian pastor, vocational coach, and church planter based in Kuala Lumpur. He was born in Shanghai, raised in Melbourne, and worked in banking and strategy consulting before seminary in the US.

Chris Kramer has served as a pastor and non-profit executive. Chris currently serves Oregon Synod as Dean o’ the Desert and on the Stewardship Table; He serves on the Board of Directors at Luther Seminary. Chris enjoys his family, outdoor adventuring, making music, and disappearing across Oregon on his motorcycle.

Kimmothy Cole is a multidisciplinary artist, organizer, and ritual practitioner in Austin, TX. Kimmothy works as the Director of Family Ministries at Servant Church and the Creator and Facilitator of Communitas, a small community rooted in holistic health and tangible relationships.

Alma Lizzette Cárdenas- Rodríguez is countercultural and faith rooted Writer, Poet, Published Author, & Mentor. She is a México-Estadounidense born, raised, and living in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California. She is her own definition of a mujer, a wife, mother, friend, mentor, mentee, pastora, and teóloga who values truth, justice, and the prophetic voice of our youth and women of color.

Charlene S. Bowden is an entrepreneur and a passionate minister and faith leader who focuses on building relationships by creating opportunities to invoke honest and transparent conversations. Charlene is the Founder of It’s Just Us Productions, and Founder and Executive Director of It’s Just Us in the Community, Inc.

Tim Anderson is an author, storyteller, dreamer, schemer, and neighborhood collaborator. He is the Founder and Executive Director of Ace in the City, a Minneapolis-rooted placemaking organization cultivating belonging by reimagining and repurposing spaces and how we inhabit them.

The Rev. Lou A. Weber IV is one of the Cultivators for the Florida Fresh Expressions Team. Lou serves as the Executive Pastor of First United Methodist Church of Melbourne, Florida. As the Executive Pastor, he leads staff development, operations, finance, Fresh Expressions of Church, and drives the vision and mission of the Lead Pastor. 

Tamisha A. Tyler, MDiv is Executive Director of Arts | Religion | Culture and a Ph.D. Candidate in Theology and Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary. Her work focuses on theopoetics and the arts, with her most recent project centering on the work of Octavia E. Butler. She serves in leadership at Kinship Commons, a worship collective that designs worship experiences centering the work and life of people of color. 

Rosario (Roz) is an experienced church planter who has planted and restarted four different congregations. Along with being a church planter, Roz is the author of 7 books, consults with church planters from across the country, and serves as Dean of the Chapel, Director of the Pohly Leadership Center, and a professor at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio.

Trin is a church planting pastor whose church is in its first years of life. Eden Community Covenant Church is a very different church that observes the Christian calendar but also the Jewish calendar. Eden Community takes a learning position as they observe the Jewish calendar and have the deepest respect for their Jewish brothers and sisters. 

At the time of the Seeds Project Fellowship, Scott served as an associate pastor at Northstar Community, a faith-based recovery ministry in Richmond, VA. As part of his role there he ran support groups for people in recovery, led Bible Studies, adult education classes, and a children’s ministry, as well as preached around 20-25 times a year. He was in his final semester of a second Master’s in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University. Scott McBean graduated from Fuller Seminary in 2011 with a Master of Divinity.

Josh grew up in Orlando, Florida, discovering a passion for marching band, Jesus, and serving others. After working in media production at a few large churches, he felt the longing to make a difference beyond the consumer-focused show of Sunday morning and was either going to do communication work for a non-profit in Africa or become a pastor.

A graduate of Fuller Seminary (MAT, 2020) and former Young Adults and Assistant East Campus Pastor at Neuma Church, Melbourne, Australia (formerly Bridge Church, 2012-2018), Sam Lim is now embarking on the adventure of church planting somewhere in the central southeastern region of Melbourne, with an anticipated launch in Spring 2021.

Dea Jenkins is an interdisciplinary artist, writer, curator, and CEO of Dea Studios. Through a series of life twists, including deciding not to pursue a career as a professional track runner, Dea “accidentally” discovered an interest and a talent for art making. As she discovered the world of painting, drawing, and graphic design, she ultimately chose to pursue an undergraduate degree in filmmaking from The Art Institute of Houston.

Bethany McKinney Fox is the founding pastor of Beloved Everybody Church, an ability-inclusive church in Los Angeles where people with and without intellectual, developmental, and other disabilities, as well as neurodiverse folks, lead and participate together. She is director of spiritual formation for Cyclical LA, a church starting network.

Jeff is a youth and teaching pastor in Crossville, TN. He grew up agnostic but at the age of 22, gave his life to Jesus and answered His call to ministry. Shortly thereafter, he and his wife were asked to come on as the full-time youth pastors at the church where he was saved. In 2017, he began a YouTube ministry called That Bold Life with a plan to teach others to live boldly for Christ in love.

Lydia Kelsey Bucklin serves as Canon to the Ordinary for Discipleship and Vitality in the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Michigan. She was formed from a young age in baptismal, collaborative ministry and currently works with congregations and communities of faith in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan re-imagining and co-creating transformative ways of being Christ’s presence in the world.

Linda K. Brown is the founder and CEO of Fully Unleashing Life. Her mission is to help individuals, particularly women, women in leadership, and churches and organizations know who they are and why they exist. Through transformational life coaching, evidence-based and psychoeducational trainings and workshops, people experience a metamorphosis.

Inés Velasquez-McBryde is a pastor, preacher, reconciler, and speaker. She is co-lead pastor of The Church We Hope For, a multiethnic church plant, with her co-pastor, Bobby Harrison, in southern California. She is also a chaplain at Fuller Theological Seminary where she earned her MDiv. Inés is originally from Nicaragua and has 20 years of combined ministry experience in church planting and pastoral staff leadership in multi-ethnic churches. 

Alexus Rhone (affectionately known as “Lex”) is a writer, producer, artistic theologian, and “revolutionary artist” devoted to candidly exploring the power of truth when “dressed” in story. Lex holds a Master of Arts in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, and a Bachelor of Journalism/Public Relations degree from the University of Texas at Austin.

Aleah’s current context is working in and with the Deaf community, both locally in Washington D.C. and globally. She is passionate about addressing the barriers and obstacles that marginalized peoples experience, especially in regards to accessibility within the church. Before moving to DC she served as an international missionary in the Dominican Republic and Mexico.

Jonathan earned his M.Div from the Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, was ordained in the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia, and opened a brewery in Ashville, North Carolina before being called to Spokane, WA to serve as Vicar of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church and the West Central Abbey. 

Cat Moore is an applied philosopher focusing on belonging and simple ethics, which starts with being a mom to her 11-year-old superhero son, Noah. She apprenticed to philosopher-theologian Dallas Willard, trying to make her lonely life work and come to understand the conditions for community. 

Darin McKenna is a queer pastor and church planter, currently located in North Hollywood, CA. Born and raised in the suburbs of Atlanta, GA, he has worked in church contexts for 8 years. He received his MA in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary in 2018. He is also a certified enneagram coach and teacher. 

Lily is a Marriage and Family Therapist in California. She has a particular interest and passion for serving marginalized and oppressed populations as a therapist and bringing the truth of Christ to her clients. Previous to the counseling profession, she spent 6 years working as a consultant for creative agencies globally.

Although a Massachusetts native, Cath Kaminski is a church planter in Lincoln, Nebraska. Lincoln has one of the highest populations of refugees per capita in the United States. This is one of the many reasons Cath moved there a year and a half ago to start Beacon Community Church. Beacon is called to racial justice and reconciliation ministry. 

The Rev. Charisse Jones is a dream catcher, purpose pusher, and vision catalyzer. Charisse is the founder and CEO of Grace + Grit Unlimited, LLC. Charisse seeks to create brave and bold spaces for women who are ready to own their worth and live the vision of who they are created to be. 

The Rev. Carl Johnson moved to the Twin Cities (MN) in the fall of 2016. He has a mission to abolish food insecurity in major cities starting with St. Paul, believing that race and economic justice are tied to food. Carl’s extensive knowledge of black culture and structures of identities in the black community has propelled his work with racial injustice. 

Al Han is the pastor and church planter of Perch.Church in Glendale, CA. The Perch.Church tagline is to simply “love Jesus and love like Jesus.” Even though he’s new to church planting, he’s served as a pastor for 18 years in youth, college, and young adult ministries. He has a passion to minister to Millennials who are spiritual wanderers and misfits. 

Paul Gorrell is the Founder of Peace Right Here a nonprofit on mission to recover and reshape imaginations to embrace, practice, and champion alternatives to violence. Paul is committed to equipping leaders to build what the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. referred to as the Beloved Community.