Summer Celebration 2008 Speakers

Brenda Pace

Dates speaking: 7-14 June 2008

Week's Topic title: Heroes on the Homefront

Short synopsis of weeks topic:

"Heroes on the Homefront" week with speaker Brenda Pace is a special week for wives and their children whose husbands are deployed in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Brenda Pace is an author and speaker, who has had the opportunity to encourage military women all over the world. She is the co-author of the devotional, Medals Above My Heart . Brenda is married to an active duty Army chaplain.

Cindy Wesley

Dates speaking: 9-16 June 2007

Week's Topic title: Heroes on the Homefront

Short synopsis of weeks topic:
"Heroes on the Homefront" week with speakers Brenda Pace, Cindy Wesley and Anne Borcherding is a special week for spouses and their children whose husbands are deployed in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

Biography: Cindy Wesley is a proud army brat, her dad having served 2 tours in Viet Nam and over 30 years of military service. She is married to LTC Eric Wesley, an armor officer, former battalion commander in OIF 3, and now the current G3 of 1 ID. She and her husband feel called as a family to the military and they strongly believe that we, as leaders, are called to minister to the military community in the high tempo post 9/11 world.

She has been active throughout Eric's time in the military within the chapel, OCF, PWOC, and their unit FRGs. She has helped to sponsor 2 WOW conferences at FT. Stewart during OIF 1. Most recently she spearheaded a vision alongside OCF to begin the "Heroes on the Homefront" weeks at Spring Canyon , which was followed by the series "Hope for Homefront Heroes" for Command magazine, a column for which she has written and recruited other authors. She and Eric have 3 children: Tyler, Austin, and Meredith.

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Jim Ellis, PhD

Dates speaking: 28 June - 5 July 2008

Week's Topic title: "The Most Excellent Way" (Marriage Week)

Short synopsis of weeks topic:
Jim Ellis, PhD, a retired Navy chaplain and currently the director of Continuing Studies and professor of Organizational Leadership at Union University's Gemantown, TN campus. Jim will be exploring with us, The Most Excellent Way. This is a marriage seminar which finds its roots In 1 Corinthians 13 and travels through the Scripture from Genesis to The Song of Solomon, from Corinthians to Ephesians and Peter. This Biblically based seminar includes group discussion and work in the Bible focusing on practical application of the principles taught. Jim and his wife, Shirley, have been married for 30 years and have three daughters.

Biography:

Chaplain Jim Ellis, retired from the Navy in June 2005 as a Commander completing 27 years active duty. His last assignment was as the Seventh Coast Guard District Chaplain in Miami , FL. Previously Jim was the Command Chaplain for Marine Aircraft Group 39 when it deployed to combat in OIF I in January 2003. This was his second tour with Marines. Jim and his wife Shirley have been married for 30 years and have three daughters. Jim has a PhD in Organizational Leadership.

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Chaplain Greg Schannep

Dates speaking: 7-14 July 2007

Week’s Topic title: Discerning God's Will

Do you want to be used in the Body of Christ, but you're not Sure if you are an arm or a leg? We will look at both Spiritual Gifts and natural gifts to help you discover how you can be best used by Him. Greg has been married to Marty for 37 years. He is a retired chaplain presently working for Texas Congressman John Carter.

Short personal bio: Greg Schannep was born in El Segundo, California. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, and a Master of Divinity degree from Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California.

He served in the United States Army with the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina, from 1965 to 1967. He was honorably discharged at the rank of Sergeant.

After completing his education, he returned to active duty in 1977 and served as a Chaplain for twenty-eight years, retiring in 2004. He was stationed in Korea, Germany, Hawaii, Kansas and Texas (4x). His assignments included 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment (2x); 3d Infantry Division; 25th Infantry Division; 1st Cavalry Division and III Corps. Among his awards, COL Schannep received the Legion of Merit Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Airborne and Air Assault badges, and the Special Forces Tab.

He is married to the former Martha (Marty) E. Haley. They have six children and four grandchildren. Chaplain (COL) Schannep, retired, was appointed to the staff of Congressman John R. Carter on 1 January 2005 and serves Texas District 31, as Regional Director.

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Mike Snavely

Dates speaking: 14-21 July 2007

Week’s Topic title: Creation Week

Mike Snavely leads a ministry called Mission Imperative. See their website at www.natureofcreation.org for more details. Mike and a variety of "assistants" from nature will guide us on "safari" to learn about creation and the author of it - God. Mike will cover topics that include creation evidence, the flood, dinosaurs, science vs. evolution and ancient civilizations. Mike, a son of missionaries, was raised in South Africa among the Zulu people. His fascination with wildlife and a variety of "pets" throughout his life, helped confirm his conviction that nature speaks of design - not accident. He and Carrie, his wife, live in Jonestown , PA and have three children - Luke, John and Laura. Mike and Carrie founded the Mission Imperative! Ministry educating people regarding the origins issue and to present the Gospel through "creation" evangelism.

Short personal bio:

Mike Snavely was reared in rural South Africa, the son of missionary parents.   His father was a bush pilot for a remote hospital station among the Zulu people.  Throughout his life he has been fascinated with wildlife and had a wide variety of interesting experiences growing up in that region, including a vast array of "pets". After graduating from Oak Hills Christian College in Minnesota in 1979, he returned to South Africa to work for the National Parks Service in the world-famous Kruger Park. Following this, he began a career as an African wildlife artist.

In 1985 he married Carrie Baum who grew up near Hershey, Pa. Carrie attended Lancaster Bible College and was an executive secretary for the Pa. Turnpike Commission before becoming a full-time mom.

In 1986 they returned to South Africa with TEAM (The Evangelical Alliance Mission) and served by teaching at Durban Bible College. Since returning to the U.S. they have developed a ministry of teaching subjects related to creation, in seminar format, using nature and wildlife as a basis.  They founded this ministry in 1995 as a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit corporation, after several years of informal teaching on the subject.

Mike and Carrie have three children - Luke (1986), John (1989) and Laura (1991) - who are home-educated.

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REV. CHUCK STECKER, D. MIN

Dates speaking: 28 July - 4 August 2007

Week’s Topic title: Raising kids to keep their faith

Rev. Chuck Stecker is the President and Founder of A Chosen Generation. Chuck is an ordained minister of the Gospel with the Evangelical Church Alliance and has earned a Doctorate of Ministry specializing in Christian Leadership. As an Army Lieutenant Colonel, Chuck served in various key leadership and staff positions, including 3 years on the Joint Staff in the Pentagon. Chuck has served the Lord in the local church in various ministry and leadership positions After his retirement, he served with Promise Keepers for three years as the Regional Director of the South-Central Region. In 1997, Chuck launched a ministry, Mission Capable Men, and then A Chosen Generation in 2000.

Chuck uniquely combines several years of business experience, 23 years of military service and over 10 years of full-time ministry to bring forth a clear strategy to equip, train, empower and release a new generation of leaders. He has a passion to see churches return to truly intergenerational communities and develop the clear pathways that keep young adults actively connected to their churches and see them develop into the leaders that will impact every area of our society.

His clear vision and leadership teachings have impacted churches, schools, the military and businesses all over the country and as well as other nations. He is able to boldly challenge men and women of all ages to develop strong moral character and give them principles that they can apply to their lives to become spiritually mature and responsible adults. His speaking style is powerfully humorous and he is truly gifted in speaking to youth and adults alike. Chuck is available to speak to audiences of any age in churches and at conferences, rallies and retreats on Developing Strategic Leaders, Leadership, Rites of Passage, Mentoring/Coaching, Ministry to Men as well as Character and Integrity Issues.

Chuck has recently written a book for parents and leaders about Rites of Passage entitled Men of Honor & Women of Virtue, Raising Kids to Keep the Faith. In addition, Chuck has authored several articles and was a contributing author to Effective Men's Ministry: The Indispensable Toolkit for Your Church . Chuck also has served as an adjunct professor at Denver Seminary.

Chuck and his wife Billie make their home in Littleton, Colorado and are a vital part of their home church, Grace Community Church . They have a married daughter with two granddaughters, a married son and a son serving in the U. S. Army.

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