Onan Alvarez
Onan is from Houston, Texas and attends Evangelical Garifuna Church of Houston. He works with Young Adults in his congregation and is an active member. Onan was part of the Worship Band for the Orlando 2017 convention and has some great
skill on the drums.
Elyse Burton
Elyse is a sophomore at Tualatin High School in Tualatin, Oregon. She attends Portland Mennonite Church where she helps with the children’s worship. She is on the varsity girls soccer and tennis team and has played the violin since kindergarten. Elyse is in the chamber orchestra at her high school. Over the summer she enjoys volunteering for the city and a children’s music camp
Joy Cotchen
Joy Cotchen is from Johnstown, Pennsylvania and serves as Conference Minister of Children and Youth for Allegheny Mennonite Conference. She also works as a Medical Laboratory Technician. Stahl Mennonite Church in Johnstown is her home congregation. Joy attended her first convention at Wichita ’95 as a youth sponsor and began volunteering at youth conventions in Nashville and has been a volunteer ever since. Joy has a passion for, and believes there is something very important about, youth and adults connecting as the larger church. In her spare time Joy likes walking, being outdoors and hanging out with her four grandchildren. She is excited to be back at the worship planning table again.
Chris Cox
Born in Texas, raised in Alabama, previously serving in ministry in Georgia, and now as youth pastor at C3 Calvary Community Church in Hampton, Virginia, Pastor Chris Cox has devoted his life to mentoring, molding, and maintaining relationships with youth & young adults throughout the nation. He enthusiastically seeks to connect with individuals in the places they are most comfortable. When connecting with Pastor Chris, an office may not be the best option. He would rather serve his community, while being in the community. Aim for a burger joint, the local high school football game, or if you’re feeling brave, maybe even over his favorite game, Monopoly. He desires to be where the people are, helping youth & adults to not only discover who they are, but who God is trying to mold them into.
Seth Crissman
Seth Thomas Crissman is a passionate follower of Jesus from Western, PA who has lived in Harrisonburg, VA since 2005. Seth is a songwriter/musician for the Harrisonburg-based band, The Walking Roots Band, performing regularly inside/outside of the church. He cares deeply about leading the church in genuine expressions of worship. Seth is a pastor in MCUSA. Seth is married to Theresa, who he thinks is incredible. They have a daughter, Eliana, who loves rubber ducks and stacking blocks. Together, they help churches partner to share God’s Love in their local neighborhoods as long-term missionaries in the Shenandoah Valley with VMMissions.
Shannon Dycus
Shannon W. Dycus is the co-pastor at First Mennonite Church, Indianapolis and in her free time loves ethnic foods and dancing of all kinds. While in the field of education, feeling a quarter-life crisis, she lived in the Dominican Republic. She returned, with a call to ministry and entered seminary to be a third generation graduate from Christian Theological Seminary. From the Disciples of Christ tradition, the introduction of Anabaptism in seminary has been a great articulation of her beliefs. Shannon and her husband Gregory have two busy boys, ages 7 and 9.
Clayton Gladish
Clayton Gladish has served as one of the pastors of Hesston Mennonite Church for over four years. Previous to the call to serve in pastoral ministry, Clayton earned a degree in Biblical and Theological Studies from Bethany College (Hepburn, SK, Canada) and a Master of Arts in New Testament from Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary. He has worked in Children’s Ministry, been part of touring and church music teams, acted and assisted in dramatic productions, and has written curriculum for use during VBS and in Sunday School. These studies and experiences have fueled his passions for faith formation, biblical studies, and creating
compassionate communities.
Madalyn Metzger
Madalyn is the Vice President of Marketing for Everence Financial. In her role, Madalyn serves as the chief marketing officer for Everence, and is responsible for the strategic and operational vision of the organization’s marketing efforts across the U.S. She leads a national team responsible for creative marketing, branding, digital, media relations and communications. In 2008, Madalyn was recognized as one of the 40 young professionals under the age of 40 in northern Indiana and southern Michigan for her contribution and accomplishments in both the workplace and community. Madalyn and her husband, Kris Brownlee, live in Bristol, Indiana, and attend the Goshen City Church of the Brethren.
Vikki Pruitte-Sorrells
Rev. Vikki Pruitte-Sorrells is a native of Cleveland, Ohio and an ordained minister of the Word of the Mennonite Church of Ohio. Pastor Vikki has served on the Leadership Team for the Peace & Justice Support Network, the Ministry Development Leadership Team for the Ohio Conference, and as a Damascus Road Anti-Racism facilitator. As a part of her personal calling and ministry, Pastor Vikki serves as a bi-vocational pastor who also is also an educational administrator. Pastor Vikki’s personal mission is to serve God by helping others to “grow their relationship with God” in order to acquire personal peace. Pastor Vikki is the wife of Mark R Sorrells; the mother of Kamaal and Cynthia; the daughter of the late Robert and late Fannie R. Pruitte and a friend and sister of Christ to many.
Heidi Regier Kreider
Heidi Regier Kreider has been Conference Minister for Western District Conference of Mennonite Church USA since 2015. Prior to that she served as pastor at Bethel College Mennonite Church (North Newton, KS) and Emmanuel Mennonite Church (Gainesville, FL), and earlier was a church organist for several years. Heidi is married to David Kreider and they are parents of two young adult sons. Heidi grew up as the child of mission workers in Congo. She enjoys music, reading, walking, gardening and cooking.
