Keynote Speaker:

Jason Helopoulos

Jason was born in the “Land of Lincoln,” central Illinois. He graduated from Eastern Illinois University in 1999. Jason then attended Dallas Theological Seminary and completed a Masters of Theology degree (ThM) with a concentration in Historical Theology and Christian Education in 2003. He served on the staff of Park Cities Presbyterian Church as a pastoral intern for one year and then accepted a call as an Assistant Pastor at Meadowview Reformed Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Lexington, North Carolina. In the fall of 2007, Jason was called by Christ Church PCA in Grand Rapids, Michigan to plant a daughter church in Lansing, Michigan. He accepted the call and moved to the field (and snow) as church planter and pastored Providence PCA in East Lansing until 2012. In the summer of 2012, Jason accepted the call as Assistant Pastor of University Reformed Church in East Lansing, Michigan and accepted the call to Senior Pastor in the spring of 2018.

Jason is married to his beautiful bride, Leah. They are blessed with two wonderful children, Gracen and Ethan.

He enjoys spending time with his family, history, reading, laughing, watching a good Chicago Bears’ game (as rare as they are), and feasting upon Chicago-style pizza.

Workshop Speakers:

Ashley Belknap serves as the Executive Director of Engaging Disability (the Disability Ministry of the PCA). A gifted communicator with a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Reformed Theological Seminary, Ashley has the ability to tackle challenging issues with creative and practical ministry applications. She served for four years as Director of Women’s Ministries at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson MS, where she led a wide variety of ministry initiatives. As the mother of children with unique needs, Ashley has a personal passion to see families touched by disability discipled and enfolded into their church. Ashley and her husband, John, have three children and reside in Brandon, MS.

Bethany Belue is on staff with CDM serving in various roles within Children’s Ministry. Before coming on staff at CDM, she served as the Children’s Director at Redeemer PCA in New York City and Oak Mountain PCA in Birmingham, AL. She currently lives in Mobile, AL with her husband, Dustin, who is the assistant pastor at Grace Community Church PCA. Bethany and Dustin love investing in the next generation from small children to young adults. Life is full with their 2 young children, Patterson and Neely.

Jimmy Brock has been involved in children’s ministry since he was a child himself, serving churches in Virginia, California, Missouri, and Georgia as a Sunday school teacher, camp counselor, camp director, nursery coordinator, and most recently Pastor of Family Ministry. He is now the Church Planting Pastor for Resurrection Community Church in Virginia Beach, VA.

Mary Elizabeth Burton grew up in Alabama and graduated from Auburn University in 2013 (WAR EAGLE!). After graduating, she served on staff with RUF at TCU before moving to Chattanooga in the summer of 2016. Mary Elizabeth and her husband, Davis, love to travel, love tacos, love good stories and love any and all Tom Hanks films. They have a golden retriever, Hanks! This past June, they gave Hanks a best friend with the birth of their first son, Ezra. Hanks and Ezra are equally obsessed with one another.

Steve Collins is the Founder and Executive Director of Adults Protecting Children, which trains adults in how to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. Steve has comprehensive experience training adults and working with organizations in how to prevent the sexual abuse of children. His experience includes developing and implementing child protection policies. He has expertise in how communities can create child protection initiatives that can train enough adults in that community that the culture of the community is changed and becomes a safer place to raise children.

Mariah Cunningham works as a Next Generation Mobilizer for the MTW Midwest Hub. She previously worked in education for 12 years in the areas of special education, communication arts, third grade, and ESL. She lives near St. Louis with her husband Jeff and her four children Kai, Aschwin, Pyper, and Boston.

Stephen Estock is Coordinator for the PCA Committee on Discipleship Ministries (CDM). A former USAF officer, he has been in pastoral ministry for almost 30 years, serving churches in Montgomery, AL and St. Louis, MO. Stephen has also been an adjunct professor at several seminaries, including Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis and Reformed Theological Seminary in Atlanta. His Ph.D. is in education, with an emphasis on competency-based learning and leadership training. He and his wife, Susan, have three children and live in Atlanta, GA.

Katie Flores equips and encourages those who are working to promote discipleship among children in the PCA. She enjoys advocating for children as well as learning from them. Katie and her husband, Bryan, live in Birmingham, AL with their children, Caleb and Grace Anne. They worship at Covenant Presbyterian Church where Katie served in youth, children’s, and disability ministry for a combined 24 years before coming to work at CDM.

Deborah Harrell serves as the TCK Resource Team Leader for Serge. With over 30 years of ministry and education experience, Deborah provides educational seminars on Third Culture Kids, parenting conferences, oversees the Serge child protection policy and writes curriculum for both children and adults. Deborah is the author of What’s Up? Elementary, co-author of What’s Up? Discovering the Gospel, Jesus, and Who You REALLY Are (Teachers and Student Guides), a middle school Bible study and the Gospel Centered Parent. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, Jason, and daughter, Sarah.

Dr. John C. Kwasny is the Director of Discipleship Ministries at Pear Orchard Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Ridgeland, Mississippi. He is a Biblical counselor, an adjunct professor at Reformed Theological Seminary, and Director of One Story Ministries—authoring a complete discipleship curriculum for the church, home, and school (children and youth). John has written several books, including Children’s Ministry 101, Established in the Faith, and Learn it, Love it, Live it, Teach it.. (a 365-day children’s devotional).  He also does a weekly podcast called Biblical Counseling Today, dealing with individual, marriage, and parenting problems. John and his wife, Martie, have eight children, four sons-in-law, and four grandchildren.

Burress McCombe loves living in the Shenandoah Valley and has had the privilege of serving there at Covenant Presbyterian Church, Harrisonburg, VA as the Pastor of Worship. Burress also takes great joy in being a husband and a dad. He cares deeply for the church and desires to be a part of aiding the church in singing rich, biblically sound theology. He enjoys playing guitar, running, laughing and being bald.

Joe Parker is the Family Pastor at Atlanta Westside Presbyterian Church. For the past 30 years he has served in church plants to large size churches, from inner city to suburban settings. He has a passion for relationally engaging both our covenant as well as our community families with the gospel, equipping adults to disciple our next generation in such a way they grow to become Christ-changed, hope-filled, productive adults. Joe is head over heels in love with his wife Kelly for nearly 20 years, and are parents of their adopted boys Jacob and Makiah.

Dana Russell has been a member of Christ the King Church in Cambridge, MA for 25 years and has volunteered in the children’s ministry since its beginnings when the first children were born into the congregation. Her early years of service were spent on the nursery committee and teaching Sunday School at multiple grade levels. Dana has served as the Children’s Ministry Director since 2013 and is passionate about equipping teachers and parents in guiding and growing children in faith. She and her husband, Greg, an elder at CTK, are currently navigating raising three teenaged girls.

B.A. Snider has more than 20 years’ experience as a children’s director in churches ranging in size from 200 to 4,000 but finds her passion is the same no matter how many children she’s serving. Show the children Jesus. Teach the kids all of the Bible so they see that the stories from the Old Testament point to Jesus and that the New Testament shows how Jesus fulfilled God’s promises—yesterday, today, and forever. B.A. began her formal ministry as a children’s director and consultant in 1993, but she has taught and led music for children since she was in junior high school. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Tennessee and taught college until the Lord called her to seminary and full-time ministry. She graduated with a master’s degree in Christian Education from Columbia International University. Speaking at conferences, consulting with leadership, and training teachers brought her to Great Commission Publications (www.gcp.org) in 2014 as the Children’s Ministry Consultant and Marketing Director.

Laney Stayton – In one way or another, children’s ministry has been a part of Laney’s life,  starting as the child of a pastor and missionary, then through volunteering at her local church as a young adult, and now as a mom of three. After taking a quick detour as a certified shorthand reporter in Texas, the Lord called her to serve as the children’s ministry director of North Shore Fellowship in Chattanooga, TN. She has always had a love for children and desire to help them grow in their understanding of God through His Word, and she loves the opportunity her current role gives to welcome multi-generations to do the same.

Laura Tucker is the Children’s Ministry Director at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, AL. Laura grew up in the church and spent many summers there and at camp preparing her for a children’s ministry full of fun activities and time in God’s Word. Laura served as the nursery director before her role over preschool and elementary students. She is married and has three children who keep her involved in volunteer ministry to the youth as well. She enjoys time at the lake, playing tennis and cheering on the Dawgs.

Lisa Updike is the Director of Children’s Ministries at Covenant in Harrisonburg, VA and doesn’t remember a day when she didn’t love Jesus. Her ministry experience includes teaching, special education, leading children’s choirs, and writing. Several of her books and curriculum are available through the PCA bookstore. She and her husband, Kevin, have been married since 1989 and are blessed with 4 adult children, 3 of whom joined their family through adoption. Lisa and Kevin stay busy with church activities, creating art,  and best of all, doting on their two grandsons.

 

WORKSHOPS:

Location:

Ridge Haven Conference & Retreat Center

215 Ridge Haven Road
Brevard, NC 28712

828-862-3916

Conference Schedule and Meal Times:

Tuesday, April 9, 2024

2:00 pm: Check–In

3:00 pm: Opening Sessions

6:00 pm: Dinner

7:00 pm: Plenary Session 1

9:00 pm: Dessert Social

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

8:00 am: Breakfast and program

12:30 pm: Lunch

6:00 pm: Dinner

7:00 pm: Worship Service – Dr. Stephen Estock

9:00 pm: Dessert

Thursday, April 11, 2024

8:00 am: Breakfast and program

12:00 pm:  Lunch

1:00 pm:  Departure

It’s a curvy and mountainous ride to Ridge Haven, but once you’re there it’s beautiful!

Here are some things to note about transportation:

• Best airports:
  • Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP) – About 1-1/2 hours from Ridge Haven
  • Asheville (AVL) – About 1 hour from Ridge Haven
  • Charlotte (CLT) – About 2-1/2 hours from Ridge Haven
  • Atlanta (ATL) – About 4 hours from Ridge Haven
• There are no hotel shuttles and no Uber from airports to Ridge Haven.
• Even though it may say 25 miles, it will take you a lot longer than you think because of the mountain roads.

Directions to Ridge Haven: Click on this link and print out directions ahead of time…you will want to have a hard copy of them in case you lose cell service in the mountains.

Covid Precautions: Please see Ridge Haven’s website with updated Covid guidelines. We will have a pre-screening arrival form to be completed (as well as Ridge Haven’s standard waiver that everyone will sign). Ridge Haven follows the mandates from the State of North Carolina.

Medical Release: With registration, the attendee agrees and acknowledges they are participating in the conference on their own free will. While CDM and the venue work to provide the safest possible environment for the events, the attendee acknowledges freely and knowingly that as a result of their registration and participation, they hereby assume responsibility for their own well-being and safety, releasing CDM and the venue of any harm. Furthermore, CDM and the venue assume no liability for an injury or death of an individual participating in an event if such injury or death results from the inherent risks of contracting COVID-19. The participant assumes all risk when attending the event.

COVID-19 CONSIDERATIONS: I understand that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused potential dangers incidental to my participation in this Program, and that I may unknowingly be exposed to an individual who is carrying the virus. In light of this pandemic, I knowingly, willingly, and voluntarily agree to assume the risk of contracting the virus, and to hold CDM and the facility harmless from any exposure I may have to the virus while participating in the Program. I further agree that, if I am diagnosed with the virus or exhibit any symptoms associated with the virus within the 14-day period prior to the Program, I voluntarily will not participate in the Program.