Workshop 1:

Underground Ministries – One Parish One Prisoner: How Your Church Can Support The Reentry Process”

May 2nd at 2:00 PM at Bellingham Covenant Church

Facilitated by Sally Carlson, Associate Pastor, Shoreline Covenant, and Rachel Gough, Co-Pastor, Monroe Covenant

Underground Ministries’ mission is to open new relationships of embrace and trust between the incarcerated and the communities to which they return—for our mutual transformation and resurrection. Their program, “One Parish One Prisoner,” pairs your congregation with someone soon to be released to your area, and guides your team through a two-year journey of relationship-building, release planning, and holistic reentry support. What if every person released from prison had a local community waiting to embrace them? Join us for conversation and sharing with churches who are already on this journey of transformation and find out how you can join the movement of healing.

Workshop 2:

Clarifying Your Discipleship Pathway

May 2nd at 2:00 PM at Bellingham Covenant Church

Facilitated by Nancy Sugikawa, Discipleship Consultant, PacNWC

Do newcomers and new believers at your church know how to take their next step toward a deeper and more meaningful life with Jesus? Do long-time members feel equipped to come alongside younger believers and help them grow in their identity as beloved children of God? Join us as we look at the different stages of discipleship and how churches can become more effective in encouraging and resourcing members toward spiritual maturity, emotional health, and more fruitfulness in ministry.

Rev. Nancy Sugikawa is a Discipleship Coach with the PacNWC helping pastors and churches develop meaningful and transformative discipleship pathways. She is a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary and has served with several Asian American ministries that mentor young pastors. Nancy recently completed 19 years as Associate Pastor at Lighthouse Christian Church in Bellevue, WA, overseeing discipleship, leadership development, evangelism, and global outreach. Nancy grew up in Hawaii and has lived in different parts of the world. In her free time, Nancy and her husband Jon love to garden and hunt for edible mushrooms.

Workshop 3:

Preparing Your Church to Host and Steward Revival

May 2nd at 3:30 PM at Bellingham Covenant Church

Facilitated by Greg Johnson, Executive Director, Revive New England

Join us as we explore how to prepare our churches for a fresh move of God’s Spirit that can shape the next generation. Grounded in Scripture and inspired by historical awakenings, this seminar will examine how a biblical vision for renewal invites the Church into deeper surrender, prayer, and expectancy.

Greg is a teacher, preacher, coach, pastor, and prayer leader whose ministry calling is to prepare the Western Church for spiritual renewal. Greg served college students with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship for two decades. In addition to his role with Revive New England, Greg serves as the Pastor of Prayer and Renewal at Sanctuary Church in Providence, RI. He has an M.Div from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and is ordained in the Evangelical Covenant Church. Greg lives in Providence, RI with his wife, Sarah, and two sons, Noah and Silas. In his spare time, Greg enjoys playing and writing music, cooking, biking, and kayaking.

Workshop 4:

Where Have All The Young Adults Gone? Addressing our growing generation gap as our young people walk away from the church.

May 2nd at 3:30 PM at Bellingham Covenant Church

Facilited by Erik Cave, Director of NextGen Ministries, PacNWC

Many churches are suffering an age gap created by a lack of young adults in their congregation. This is an old problem that has grown worse with the rise of Gen Z. Will they return? Will the church survive? Is there hope for our youth? This workshop will explore the research that explains why this gap is getting bigger, share practical ideas for creating a welcoming environment for young adults, and offer hope to those who are concerned about younger generations.

Erik Cave serves the Pacific Northwest Conference as the Director of NextGen Ministries and the ECC as the Point Person for the Interim Youth Ministry Team. In this capacity, he supports children, youth, and young adult ministry as well as coordinating communications. He is ordained in the Evangelical Covenant Church and graduated from George Fox Seminary with a Masters in Spiritual Formation. Erik lives in Portland with his wife, Melanie. His son, Ducan, daughter-in-law, Shelby, and daughter, Ella all live, work, and attend OSU in Corvallis. In his free time, Erik enjoys riding on two wheels, paddle boarding, and a good sci-fi movie or video game.