Dr David F. White is currently the C. Ellis Nelson associate professor of Christian education at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary. David formerly served as visiting assistant professor of youth and education at Candler School of Theology, Emory University, and the former director of the Youth Discipleship Project--a research project exploring cutting-edge approaches to youth ministry at the Claremont School of Theology in Claremont, California. His research interests include Christian practices of discernment, alternate approaches to youth ministry, approaches for engaging congregations as learning communities, conceptual models of vocation and social critical theories of adolescence. David is an ordained United Methodist elder, and comes to his academic work with approximately 30 years experience with youth ministry in Kentucky, Mississippi, Alaska and California. David's most recent writing includes a volume titled, Practicing Discernment with Youth, published with Pilgrim Press, and forthcoming from Cascade books, Awakening Youth Discipleship in a Consumer Culture. He is a regular speaker in conferences on various subjects, including, The Prophetic Role of Youth, Social-Critical Approaches to Youth Ministry, Postmodern Youth Ministry, and Youth ministry as Spiritual Discipline. David is a graduate of Mississippi State University, Asbury Theological Seminary, and Claremont School of Theology.
David White is the keynote speaker for Youth Workers' Gathering 2010. He will also lead a breakout session entitled, "Fanning the Sparks of Adolescent Interest Into the Flames of Lifelong Vocation."
Rev Keith J. Cordier, Sr. is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. In 1982, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. While in the Marine Corps he traveled throughout California and Asia. He was transferred to Kansas City, Missouri in 1996 to become a Career Recruiter. While in the Marines he received the call to preach and decided to retire after 20 years of service.
Rev Cordier attended Central Missouri State University and received his Bachelor's of Science in Special Education in 2006. He is currently in his third year at Saint Paul School of Theology. He is employed at Ozanam as a high school teacher to educate students with special needs. He previously served at St. Luke AME Church in Salisbury, Missouri, and Ebenezer/Grant AME Church in St. Joseph, Missouri. Rev Cordier is currently serving as the proud pastor of Cain Grant African Methodist Episcopal Church located in the metropolitan area of Kansas City, MO.
Pastor Keith is married to Angela Wills-Cordier and is the father of three sons; Keith Jr., Mario and William.
Pastor Keith has conducted marriage seminars locally and in Hawaii.
Rev Keith Cordier, Sr. will be the guest preacher at our opening worship on Friday night.
Bev Boehmer has been the United Methodist Missouri Conference Coordinator of Youth and College Ministries since 1996. She has served as interim youth director of several local churches. She has also served as full time youth director/Christian Education at 2 churches and volunteered for many years prior to being paid as a lay staff member. In addition, Bev has been a camp counselor, camp director, VIM team leader and has led many mission trips for youth, including international contexts. Moreover, she has led many seminars on a variety of topics, and led trainings, resourced and provided consultations for many local churches in youth ministry and Safe Sanctuaries.
Bev is married to a pastor in the Missouri Conference who serves Wesley UMC in Springfield. They have 2 children. Their son is a youth pastor and their daughter is married to a pastor. They have 8 grandchildren.
Bev Boehmer will lead a Friday night session entitled, "Youth Ministry 101."
Brenda Davids is the Kansas East Conference of The United Methodist Church Director of Student Ministries. She organizes conference youth events and camping programs at Camp Chippewa. She currently is a student at Saint Paul School of Theology working on a Master's of Divinity.
Brenda and her husband are the parents of four teenagers. They spend their free time watching football, movies and going to their kid's events.
Brenda Davids will lead a breakout session entitled, "Engaging Worship With Youth."
Matt Lurz is the Director of Flammable Student Ministries at Sunrise UMC in Colorado Springs. With 16 years experience in student ministries, Matt is gifted at holding on for dear life while God transforms the lives of students around him. From writing books, to developing dozens ofstudentsfor full time ministry he has followed where God is moving and seen lives changed forever. He has written iVision (helping students develop their mission) and Principles of Leadership.
Matt lives in Colorado Springs with his wife and 2 daughterspursuing adventure inministry, marathons and mountains above 14,000 feet.
Matt Lurz will lead a breakout session entitled, "New Youth Group Structures for a Changing Time."
Dr Sondra Matthaei grew up the church and served in local church education and programming ministries for a number of years prior to her arrival at Saint Paul School of Theology twenty-three years ago. She is a diaconal minister in the United Methodist Church and has found her calling in the ministry of teaching. Dr Matthaei is editor of Loving God, Loving Neighbor: Ministry with Searching Youth (2008), and author of Formation in Faith: The Congregational Ministry of Making Disciples (2008), Making Disciples: Faith Formation In the Wesleyan Tradition (2008), Faith Matters: Faith-Mentoring in the Faith Community (1996), and The God we Worship (1993).
Dr Sondra Matthaei will lead a breakout session entitled, "New Curriculum Resources for a Changing Time: Loving God, Loving Neighbor."
Dr Claire Smith is Director of youTheology and Youth Ministry Specialist-in-Residence at Saint Paul School of Theology. She is an ordained minister and served for ten years as Youth Coordinator for the Guyana Congregational Union. She also coordinated its Mission Education Unit of the Guyana Congregational Union.
Dr Smith has published devotional material, articles, and presented scholarly papers at Professional Meetings. Her chapter in Loving God, Loving Neighbor is entitled "Mission: Avoiding Fragmentation, Living in Love."
She enjoys connecting with friends and writing inspirational poetry. Her passion is creating space so that people may know God more.
Dr Claire Smith will lead the breakout session entitled, "From Inward Reach to Outward Stretch: Cultivating a Missional Identity With Youth."
Arionne Y. Williams currently serves as Minister to Youth and Families at her home church of Metropolitan A.M.E Zion, Kansas City, MO.There she leads a team of 12 youth workers and approximately 40 youth.In that ministry, she is implementing a relationship-focus approach to youth ministry that trains and empowers youth workers to respond to the divine call to nurture the young.
Arionne earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Development, with a concentration in Child and Adolescent Development with Music (voice) minor, from Howard University in 2005.She continued her studies at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, and completed a Master of Divinity, with a concentration in Music Ministry, in 2008.Upon graduation, she was awarded the prestigious Myrtle Saylor Seer Award for Commitment to the Expansion of Women in Scholarship and Ministry.After seminary, she pursued and completed the Certification in Youth and Theology at the Institute for Youth Ministry at Princeton Theological Seminary in 2009.
Over the years, Arionne has worked with youth in various capacities:Swope Corridor Summer Academic Program (Co-Site Director), 2007, Kansas City, MO; Youth Organizations Umbrella (Seminary Intern), 2006-2007, Evanston, IL; and Learning Academy Year Round Passport to Work Program (Group Facilitator), 2004-2005, Washington, DC; and Varick International Christian Youth Council (Midwestern Regional Vice-President), A.M.E. Zion Church, 2002-2006.
Publications:
"youTheology: An Exploration of Young Lives Lived in Love." (The Missionary Seer, July/August 2009).
"Factors Affecting the Academic Performance of African American Students." (2004, Howard University Ronald E. McNair Journal of Research, Volume IX).
Arionne Williams will lead a breakout session entitled, "Retaining Youth."
Michael Brandon Winstead is a licensed Nazarene minister and a PhD Candidate in Historical, Theological, and Ethical Studies at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL. His major research interests are African American religious history, the history of American Christianity, American civil religion, Wesleyan social ethics, and the relationship between Christian ministry and Hip-Hop culture. Brandon's dissertation in progress is entitled, "More Presence, More Power: Black Participation in the Church of the Nazarene, 1914-1969."
Brandon also serves as the Director of High School Ministries at Country Club Christian Church in Kansas City, Missouri and is an adjunct faculty member at Nazarene Theological Seminary.
Previously, Brandon has served in a variety of different urban youth ministries in Nashville, TN, Long Beach, CA, Kansas City, MO, Phoenix, AZ, and Quincy, IL. He has presented at theological and youth conferences. Brandon has also written several articles for online journals such as Didache: Faithful Teaching, an on-line academic journal that explores issues related to culture, faith, and higher education within the Church of the Nazarene and other Wesleyan traditions and institutions.
Brandon currently resides in Kansas City, KS with his wife Marlo and his two beagles Opri and Winnie.
Brandon Winstead will lead a Friday evening session entitled "Youth Ministry and the Teenage Brain: The Need for Religious Rhythm."
One God, One Day, One Love All youth groups: come worship, serve, and reflect with youTheology. Saturday, September 18, 2010 Holter Center, Saint Paul School of Theology
