169th Annual Gathering of CCNC-N

Pastor Ama Zenya

Pastor Ama Zenya serves at Woodside Village Church in Woodside, CA. She learned this prayer framework from Apostle Emmanuel of the Ivory Coast and looks forward to joining in prayer together.

Angela Urata

Angela works part time as Development Director at the Oakland Peace Center since 2020 and part time as an Administrative Director at Interplay since 2021. She is a graduate of Occidental College.

Beth Grose

Beth is a member of Lafayette Christian Church and is co-facilitating the Labyrinth workshop at the 169th Annual Gathering.

Carl Cordes

Regionally and locally Carl has been extremely active and committed to youth education and support. He has, on a number of occasions, participated in and directed Feb Camp, served as a camp counselor for summer programs, taught Sunday School, organized youth events and is always looking for creative ways to involve young people in the faith community. Carl has served as Moderator for First Christian Church Vallejo. He is forward-looking, encouraging, insightful and a model of someone who lives a life grounded in the Christian faith. Carl has served previously on the Regional Youth Council. Carl is a University of Minnesota graduate and is retired as Drafting Room Manager at Ce Toland & Son.

Rev. Christy Newton

Rev. Dr. Christy Newton is the pastor of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Vallejo. She also teaches social ethics, spirituality, and practical theology for Lexington Theological Seminary. This past summer she went on a sabbatical made possible by a Lily Foundation Renewal Grant, which enabled her to travel to Chartres Cathedral in France to walk its labyrinth laid down in the year 1200 and to receive formal labyrinth facilitator training with Lauren Artress. She considers the labyrinth an ancient, timeless, and revolutionary spiritual tool capable of transforming individuals and the world.

Gabrielle Poli

Gabrielle Poli is a Marine Theologian. She will explain the profession in the workshop. She is an employee of Creation Justice Ministries and a member of the Christian Church of Pacific Grove.

Rev. Godfree McIntyre

Rev. Godfree McIntyre gave his life to Jesus in 1981. He has had rich and rewarding experience working in many different areas of ministry and worshiping in a wide variety of church environments. He is currently the transitional interim pastor at Arden Christian Church in Sacramento. Godfree has 5 children and 1 grandchild. He likes to garden, ride his motorcycle, and write poetry. Godfree has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in Communication Studies from Sac State, and a Master's of Divinity from Claremont School of Theology. He has completed 6 units of Clinical Pastoral Education and continues to work as a Hospice Chaplain. Godfree has also completed his studies for a Doctorate of Ministry with the College of Pastoral Supervision and Counseling (CPSP) and is a Supervisor in Training with CPSP. Godfree is a progressive leader with a rich cultural/religious background including Pentecostal, Quaker, Buddhist, and Hindu flavors. As one of just a few transgender persons ordained with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), he is proud to be working with his region toward expansive gender and sexuality inclusiveness. Godfree is also a member of the Christian Church of Northern California Nevada Education Ministries and Justice Commission, and is an anti-racism trainer. He has a passion for holistic social justice, as well as ecumenical and interfaith collaboration.

Rev. Janet Warner Chapman

Grad of Brite Divinity School & ordained May '88; Served congregations in Ft. Worth, TX; Kansas City, MO; Selma, CA; and current pastor of First Christian Church, Redding since 2014

Rev. Jesse Kearns

Bio - Rev. Jesse Kearns is an ordained Disciples minister currently serving as the pastor of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Chico, California. He came to faith in his late teens and was introduced to the Stone-Campbell heritage churches while attending college at Northwest Christian College in the central Willamette valley of Oregon where he was raised. He received his M.Div from Emmanuel School of Religion in Johnson City, Tennessee and completed some additional post-graduate work at Lexington Theological Seminary in Lexington, Kentucky. He served as Associate Regional Minister for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Virginia and as Minister of Search and Call for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Northern California-Nevada. He is passionate about interfaith ministry and has served as President of the Chico Area Interfaith Council and is host of Faith and Common Ground, a radio show/podcast that celebrates the intersection of faith and public life. He is married to Rev. Mary Kearns, an ordained Disciples minister who serves as a hospice chaplain in Chico.

Rev. Jim Mitulski

Rev. Jim Mitulski is the pastor of the Congregational Church UCC of Belmont CA He has been a pastor for 40 years in the Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC), the United Church of Christ, the Disciples of Christ, and the Fellowship of Affirming Ministries in Massachusetts, Texas, Minnesota, Colorado, Texas and California. He is a former staff member at Pacific School of Religion (PSR) and a founder and pastor of New Spirit Community Church at PSR. He is the vice president of the Board of DIrectors at the Oakland Peace Center

Jim Thomas

Jim Thomas, our Ministry Associate, serves as the regional office manager and director of communications. He has a master's degree in Instructional Science and Technology from California State University Monterey Bay, and a bachelor's degree in business management from St. Mary's College in Moraga, CA. He joined the team in March of 2014, bringing with him a wealth of skills in business administration, graphic arts, and computer technologies. He has been involved in technology since the mid-1970s when he bought his first computer as a hobbyist. He became a software engineer in the 80s and developed database driven programs. In the 90s, he transitioned from programming desktop apps to developing web apps and working with internet start-ups in creating their online presence. After the dot-com crash at the turn of the century, he focused his efforts on automation and social media. Prior to the pandemic, he worked in the areas of online collaboration, content streaming, videography, and video production, which have become valuable assets in this changing world we find ourselves in today. He considers himself a lifelong learner and enjoys exploring cutting edge technologies.

Kimberly Brown

Kimberly is an Elder and also a member of the Blue Theology Task Force at the Christian Church of Pacific Grove. She assists youth groups who visit the Blue Theology Mission Station for learning and serving opportunities in ocean stewardship.

Rev. LaDonna Harris

Minister LaDonna Harris retired from law enforcement in 2016, with nearly 35 years of service. Today, as a womanist theologian, LaDonna worships and serves at Mills Grove Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Oakland, CA., where she is an ordained Elder. She is the Facilitator for the Women's Ministries Council in the Northern California - Nevada Region of the Disciples of Christ. LaDonna is currently working on her DMin dissertation at the Berkeley School of Theology and is under Training and Care pursuing ordination in the Disciples of Christ.

Rev. Larry Love

Pastor Larry Love has been serving churches in the CCNC-N region for forty-two years and has spent thirty-three of those years as the pastor of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Woodland. Born and raised in Idaho and then Oregon, Larry attended Northwest Christian College (now Bushnell University) and Fuller Theological Seminary. Larry served the Red Bluff/Corning/Redding Parish of the Christian Church beginning in 1981. He began his ministry in Woodland in 1989. Larry is married to Nancy Love, and has two young adult children, Micah and Alexa. Larry loves church camp and has served on multiple committees of the CCNC-N region, the General Board of the Christian Church, and the General Nominating Committee, loves God...and loves the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Monica Myers-Greenberg

Monica Myers Greenberg is vice president of the Foundation’s Mountain West zone, which includes the area from Colorado to Northern California and north to Alaska. Rev. Myers Greenberg is a graduate of Bethany College in Bethany, West Virginia, and Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, Texas. Originally from Ohio, she served congregations in the Northern Lights Region for 21 years before joining the Foundation staff in 2021. She shares, “I look forward to partnering with people who love the church and have a passion for insuring, through their own generosity, that the church’s faith and witness will continue for many years to come.” Monica resides in Seattle, Washington with her son and their dog. Monica can be reached at mgreenberg@ccf.disciples.org.

Rosario Ibarra

Rev. Rosario Ibarra serves as a Building and Capital Services Advisor for Disciples Church Extension Fund, assisting congregations on ministry and building planning as well as on loans and capital fundraising services. Before becoming a minister, she used to work in the banking industry in promotion, finances, and loans. She also served as a Pastoral Assistant for Building Community in Diversity and Loan Officer with the United Church of Christ. She is a bilingual-trained coach who loves serving and establishing partnerships with diverse and multicultural congregations.