Speakers

Meagan Gillan

Thursday evening
Meagan Gillian is director of Women Ministries for The Evangelical Covenant Church. In that role she loves to connect with women to encourage, inspire, and learn together. Meagan has led Women Ministries through significant transitions, integrating it into the Make & Deepen Disciples mission priority where she oversees AVA (Advocacy for Victims of Abuse), Missional Moms, and calling women to grow as disciples who make disciples. She loves time with her adult children and grandchildren, and anything that takes her outdoors. She is married to Scot, a pastor, and together they have served Covenant churches in Denver, Kansas City, Boston, Tucson, and now Naperville, Illinois. Meagan is a graduate of Wheaton College and a licensed minister in the ECC.

Jessica Leep Fick

Friday evening
Jessica is the Evangelism Resources Director for Stonecroft Ministries, a non-denominational organization focus on evangelism and leadership development among women. Originally from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, she has had a passion for evangelism since she was a child. She recently published her first book with InterVarsity Press, titled Beautiful Feet: Unleashing Women to Everyday Witness. Jessica and her family live in the Kansas City area.

Nicole Bullock

Saturday evening
Nicole Bullock is a church planter and lead pastor at Blue Oaks Covenant Church and a teacher at Bethel Seminary in Minnesota’s Twin Cities. She is a native of Chicago’s west side. Having a passion for community development and social justice, Nicole pursued a Bachelor’s in Social Work from Western Illinois University. After working several years for a parachurch organization in Chicago and feeling a call to full time ministry she went on to attend North Park Theological Seminary, graduating with a Masters in Divinity. In her spare time she enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Gail Song Bantum

Sunday Morning
Gail Song Bantum is the executive pastor and discipleship elder of Quest Church in Seattle, Washington. As a second generation Korean American, formed in the Korean immigrant and Black Pentecostal traditions, Gail considers it a privilege to serve as the president of the Evangelical Covenant Church’s Asian Pastor’s Association. She is an ordained minister in the ECC, received her M.Div. from Duke Divinity School, and her Bachelor of Music from The Eastman School of Music.

Jessica Perez

Triennial XV Worship Leader
Jessica is the Worship & Creative Arts Director at Crossroads Church in Loveland, Colorado. Jessica’s parents planted Crossroads 20 years ago and she has played an intricate role in building the ministry through worship, children’s ministry, student ministry & creative arts. She is passionate about music, leadership, team building and set design. Jessica loves community and leaders supporting leaders. She is married to Mike, a middle school band director and they have three children, Jackson (9), Sophia (8), and Micah (6). In addition to ministry, you’ll find Jessica cooking, camping, skiing and blogging…with her extreme love for people, she’s often hosting impromptu parties for family and friends. She studied Music Education with an emphasis in piano from the University of Northern Colorado and taught elementary music before coming on staff at Crossroads, 16 years ago.

CovTalks

During our main worship sessions we’ll hear stories and wisdom from experienced ministry practitioners. Additionally, on Friday morning we’ll be introducing CovTalks, inspired by the popular TED Talk format. Each of these mini-talks will highlight key aspects of a topic in 7-10 minutes. All of these presentations are designed to encourage and equip you in your relationship with God and with the people in your community.

Cherith Anderson

Drinking Deeply From a Firehose: Focusing the Flow for Life to the Fullest
So many options, so little time. What if we don’t need to have/be/do it all? What if life in Christ and in community helps us to use (only) our gifts, focusing the flow for a quenching drink instead of letting the force of comparison blow us away?

Cherith Anderson is the Director of Adult Education at Covenant Harbor Bible Camp and Retreat Center in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

Jodi Moore

Spiritual Dehydration
I am thirsty and I need a drink. Nothing makes me more aware of the complicated life I lead than when I find myself in the desert. Where do you find water when traveling in the desert?

Jodi Moore is the Lead Pastor at Ceresco Covenant Church in Ceresco, Nebraska.

Meztli Gonzalez

How Am I Drinking Deeply At This Place in My Journey?
We are well aware of the benefits of drinking water, it is is hydrating, energizing, it serves to antioxidize, & to detoxify. Are we allowing God to fully quench all those areas? Do we find ourselves a bit hydrated and are seeking to be quenched by his living word.

Meztli Gonzalez is studying at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois.

Michelle Sanchez

On Becoming a Drink
Jesus said that those who drink from him will have streams of living water flow from them. But what does that really mean? Together we’ll explore the life-giving joy that is found in drinking from Jesus in order to become a drink for others.

Michelle Sanchez is the Executive Minister of the Make And Deepen Disciples mission priority for the Evangelical Covenant Church.

Prajakta David

Spring in a Desert
We often find ourselves in a desert place. In this deep dryness, how can we continue to see God reveal Himself as the spring that brings life? How can God use our season of dryness to create an oasis that gives life not only to you but all God’s people.

Prajakta David is the Manager of Ministry Services for the Serve Globally mission priority of the Evangelical Covenant Church.