Faculty

Andy Sistrunk

Andy Sistrunk, a native of Keystone Heights, Florida, has traveled the nation performing, writing music, and speaking for the past ten years. Andy is a regular worship leader and speaker for churches, retreats, and camps. He is a church planter, currently serving as the pastor of the brand new North Campus of Van Dyke Church, one church in multiple locations in the Tampa Bay Area. Andy is a graduate of Florida Southern College (B.A.) and Asbury Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and is passionate about the future of the United Methodist Church. Andy is passionate about the church engaging the culture, and seeing transformation in our churches and our world through that engagement. He is currently developing a brand new blog and website, to be introduced for the first time at Reclaim: A Gathering For Young Adults.


Bob Bushong

Bob Bushong has served as the Senior Pastor/Minister of Preaching at First UMC, Winter Park for the past ten years. In that position Bob brings leadership to the overall ministry of the church, giving specific direction to the worship life of the congregation and to the ongoing process of discerning and putting into practice the overall vision for the ministry of the church. Bob is heavily involved in various forms of pastoral care, teaching, leading small groups, and in giving leadership to the church’s young adult ministry. Bob’s passion for young people has led him to serve in a variety of teaching and mentoring capacities with youth and young adults for the past thirty-five years.

A graduate of Duke Divinity School and Princeton Theological Seminary, Bob has served churches in Florida since 1981, including as the founding pastor of a new church start. Bob and his wife, Jeanne have been married for thirty-six years and have two adult children and two grandchildren.


Nikki Byron

Nikki Byron currently resides in Los Angeles, California, but is native to Florida. Nikki works full time for Erwin McManus at McManus Studios and also as his personal assistant. She currently operates DreamLABs, which are small groups that meet all across the world with the purpose of keeping each other accountable to live out our God given dreams. Nikki is certified in StrengthsFinder by Gallup and is using this tool to help other’s discover their God given potential. She has traveled across the US and Canada helping groups better understand the talents given to them. She is inspired by people who live out their greatest destiny by actively pursuing God’s dreams for their life. May of 2010 holds great excitement as she will graduate with a double master’s from Golden Gate Theological Seminary along with marrying her childhood sweetheart.


Vance Rains

Vance Rains is the pastor of the Florida State University Wesley Foundation: United Methodist Campus Ministry and is the Executive Director of Higher Education and Campus Ministry for the Florida Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. His passion is ministry with young people, and his vision is to see today’s college students become the leaders of widespread renewal in the United Methodist Church and beyond. Vance majored in Public Speaking and Communication at the University of Central Florida, a Masters of Divinity at Duke Divinity School, and Doctor of Ministry in Preaching and Church Leadership at Asbury Theological Seminary. His doctoral dissertation focused on creating culturally indigenous worship for Generation X. Vance was ordained by the Florida Annual Conference as a Deacon in 1993 and an Elder in 1996. Following seminary, Vance became the Minister of Program and Administration at the First United Methodist Church of Winter Park. Following a year of Doctoral studies at Asbury Theological Seminary, Vance started a new church in Port St. Lucie, FL to serve a primary unchurched community. During his time in Port St. Lucie, Vance was also a “Faith and Life” columnist for the Port St. Lucie/Stuart News. In 2003, Vance and his family moved to Tallahassee, FL to begin his work at the FSU Wesley Foundation. In 2008, his responsibilities were expanded to include oversight of the nine United Methodist campus ministries across the Florida Annual Conference. Vance’s wife, Kelly, is the Youth Director at Trinity UMC in Tallahassee. They have two children – Malinda (15) and John (14) – who are both sophomores at Leon High School.

Cory Britt

Cory Britt is the lead pastor of Fleming Island United Methodist Church in Fleming island, FL.

Stephen King wrote in one of his novels that life has teeth and sometimes it bites. Cory believes that from the ashes of our burnt out expectations and the bruises of our battle worn identities we can discover the freedom of the abundant life that only Jesus Christ can offer and provide. It was only when he was most lost that Cory was able to be truly found. The passion he carries is to share with those whose identity, way, and purpose has been damaged in our daily encounters with life, that there is new life to be had when we discover that our true identity is found in the image of God.

Cory Britt has served as a United Methodist Pastor in Florida for 6 years. He was the co-creator and recording artist for FunnyBones, a children's entertainment ministry based in KY, a former Youth Minister, and dabbled in the Music Business industry in Nashville, TN. He and his wife Amanda have a 2 year old daughter named Sydney who is a true practitioner of living the artistic moment of fun.

Emily Oliver

Rev. Emily Oliver: Associate Director of the Center for Clergy Excellence, Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church

Rev. Emily Oliver is an ordained Elder in the Florida Conference, and a graduate of Southern Methodist University (BA Music, BA Religious Studies) and Duke Divinity School (M.Div.) After pastoral internships in a variety of local churches and in hospital chaplaincy, Emily served three years as an associate pastor at Christ Church United Methodist in Fort Lauderdale, and currently serves on Conference staff as the Associate Director of the Center for Clergy Excellence.

Emily’s ministry focuses on young clergy and young candidates interested in ordained ministry. Her passion is to help young people discern and pursue their calling, while also making the United Methodist Church a more vibrant place to raise up the next generation of leaders.

Emily is married to Rev. Andy Oliver, and they live in Lakeland, FL with their 1-year old son, Liam.

Kristellys Estanga

Kristellys grew up in one of the nicest neighborhoods in South Florida and it just wasn’t enough for her. So she traveled into another world. She, and some of her friends, drove into Downtown Miami and got to know people who have been made poor. This was a better world. She was enlightened and determined to do something for those around me, at the cost of her own comfort.

She had heard about Jesus all her life and grew up in the evangelical church. But she only met Jesus in the poor. At 18 years old her life had been messed up in the best way possible. Jesus’ blessing over peacemakers drives her. The world keeps her up at night, brings her to tears, wakes her up and gives her hope. And it is to the world that she gives her service--to Jesus, disguised as the poor.

Kristellys graduated with a Bachelor’s in Psychology and a Minor in Religious Studies from Florida International University. She is an anti-genocide advocate who has traveled to Washington D.C. a couple times to talk to Congressional members about the crisis in Darfur and Northern Uganda. She has also organized local advocacy events in Miami, FL. She worked with Invisible Children to rally people on April 25, 2009 to raise the profile of the child soldiers in Uganda as well as to meet with Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen’s staff on November 18, 2009. She is currently working with FIU-MDC Wesley in Miami, FL developing programs which encourage students to serve and change their communities as well as volunteering with the International Rescue Committee on the side. Influenced by the teachings and lives of Tony Campolo and Shane Claiborne, she is currently finishing up her Master’s in Community Development from Eastern University with a focus on post-conflict peace building.

Paulette West

Paulette West became Executive Director for United Methodist Volunteers in Mission, Southeastern Jurisdiction (UMVIM SEJ) in July 2009. Prior to that, she was a Connectional Ministries Consultant with the North Alabama Conference serving as the director of Mission and Advocacy; Conference Secretary of Global Ministries and Conference UMVIM Coordinator. She is the first lay female director for UMVIM SEJ.

Paulette has a member of Trinity UMC in Birmingham, Alabama for over 23 years with her husband, John West, a certified public accountant. They have two children.

Paulette enjoys scuba diving, reading, and relaxing at Logan Martin Lake.

Gee Sprague

Pastor Gee Sprague is an ordained elder of the United Methodist Conference and was appointed to start CrossRoad United Methodist Church in September 1995. He has served as Youth Director and Associate Pastor at several churches within the Florida United Methodist Conference. A graduate of Florida Southern College, with his Master of Divinity Cum Laude from Candler School of Theology at Emory University, Gee has been involved in missionary work throughout the United States, Brazil and Africa.


Michelle Weger

Passionate about worship, Michelle Weger strives to create moments where people can experience the tangible love of Christ. Leading worship is a career that Weger "fell into" by accident. Helping launch a young adult ministry during her college internship, Weger was called upon when the planned worship leader bailed in the eleventh hour. "If you had told me four years ago that I would be leading worship in the local church, I would have laughed at you," Weger explains. "My pastor pointed at me and said 'you're on,' and I truthfully didn't know if I could do it or not, but I was willing to try. The truth is, God found me in the music and He continues to surprise me all along the way. I am just chasing after God and inviting others to come along! Life is hard and messy- but the Lord is so gracious." Weger leads worship with a unique sense of honesty and authenticity. A graduate of Southeastern University, Weger has her B.S. in Theology and has been leading worship full-time for the last two years. In March of 2009, Weger released her first full length album, "Embers of Faith." Currently, Michelle and the guys are writing new songs and creating new sounds, with hearts for worship and hope.

ACCESS218 Band

The ACCESS218 Band leads worship for weekly ACCESS218 Gatherings as well as special events and services. The ACCESS218 Band is comprised of many talented musicians and vocalists who's chief goal and desire is to worship the Lord in spirit and truth. The Band released their newest album Freedom Songs this past December and have been touring this spring sharing their songs of freedom and hope with young adults throughout the southeastern United States. The band is incredibly excited to lead a generation of young people in worshipping our King and are hoping that as a result of that worship we will all live lives of Kingdom advancement! "It's all for Him or it's all for nothing!"