VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 3/11/19)—American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) has selected six individuals to participate in its “Co-Creators Incubator,” a newly created initiative that seeks to turn individuals’ Christ-centered ideas into viable ministries.
Chosen via an application process, the individuals—referred to as Co-Creators—are as follows:
- Rebecca W. Driscoll, Collegeville, Pa.;
- Tony J. Gapastione, Redwood City, Calif.;
- Suzanne H. Kershaw, Philadelphia;
- Aria Michal Kirkland-Harris, Richmond, Va.;
- Rachael Lawrence, Springfield, Mass.; and
- Alyssa Blanca Vasquez, Chevy Chase, Md.
Co-Creators are at various points in bringing their ideas to fruition, from brainstorming to launching. While fostering collegiality, the incubator will provide Co-Creators with resources to develop their ideas or enhance their ministries, matching them with creative partners who may provide long-term financial and other support.
The cohort will meet both in person and virtually via ABHMS’ new online networking platform ministrElife for eight months, beginning in April. During a Kickoff Summit in April at ABHMS’ Leadership and Mission Building, King of Prussia, Pa., Co-Creators will interact with mentors possessing expertise in entrepreneurship, theological framing, leadership development, networking, congregational and community partnerships, missiology and strategic thinking for storytelling, collaboration and experimentation.
Mentors are as follows: the Rev. Thomas L. Bowen, director of the Office of Religious Affairs for Washington, D.C.’s Mayor Muriel Bowser; Molly Grisham, an expert in personal growth, team building and custom workshop and curricula creation; the Rev. Dr. Debora Jackson, director of Lifelong Learning at Yale Divinity School; the Rev. Dr. Amaury Tañón-Santos, networker for Synod of the Northeast, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.); The Rev. Dr. Chakravarthy Zadda-Ravindra, associate regional minister of American Baptist Churches of Metro Chicago; and John (“J.L.”) Zoeckler, an educator and research and innovation expert.
Additional information is available online, by emailing cocreators@abhms.org or by phoning the Rev. Sarah Strosahl-Kagi at 888-79-ABHMS or 610-768-2462.
American Baptist Home Mission Societies partners with American Baptists to promote Christian faith, cultivate Christ-centered leaders and disciples, and bring healing and transformation to communities across the United States and Puerto Rico.
American Baptist Churches USA is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with approximately 5,000 congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.