Reclaim Speakers
Andy Sistrunk
Jesus follower, church planter, progressive thinker, husband and father to two amazing boys, Andy Sistrunk is passionate about the church engaging the culture and transforming our world through that engagement. He has worked with young adults for the past ten years in campus ministry and local church settings. He is currently developing Connect Deland, a new community of young adults in Deland, Florida. This includes initiatives such as community gardening and a conversation forum in a local pub, seeking to introduce the community to Jesus in unexpected ways. Andy is excited to be back for a second year to share his innovation with the young adults of Florida at Reclaim 2011.
Icel Rodriguez
Originally from Cuba, Icel Rodriguez is the Director of Global Missions for the Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church. In her role, Icel oversees the global relationships that the Florida Conference has with East Angola, Cuba and Haiti, as well as providing missionary support and advance specials. As part of her work, Icel spent a year in Quessua, East Angola, with her husband, Rev. Armando Rodriguez and her daughter, Amanda Bosch. Armando and Icel now live in Tallahassee where Armando is the pastor at John Wesley UMC.
Mark Caldwell
Mark Caldwell is a minister with rich United Methodist roots. Growing up in Lakeland, Florida, he was involved with his church choirs and youth groups where he not only came to know Christ, but received a call to ordained ministry. In pursuit of this call, he received degrees from Florida Southern College and Duke University.
Three of his summers as a college student were spent working as a Team Member at the United Methodist youth camp in Leesburg, These experiences gave him the opportunity to learn how to play guitar and also exposed him to a variety of preaching styles which he employs in his own messages. He and his wife Tiffany have been married for thirteen years and have twin sons who keep the congregation at First United Methodist Church, Fort Lauderdale on their toes.
Besides serving First UMC Fort Lauderdale, Rev. Caldwell currently chairs the South East district's Congregational Excellence Team and serves on the Florida Conference Board of Ordained Ministry. He has also been active with campus ministries serving on the Florida Conference Board of Higher Education and Campus ministry as well as serving on the boards for the Wesley Foundations at University of Miami, Florida A&M University and Florida State University.
Michael Margio
A graduate of the University of Central Florida with a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies, Michael has been leading worship since he was 13 years old, in youth group. Now 26, Michael and his wife, Heather, live in Winter Park, Florida, where he is an Associate Director at CFL Wesley. Along with overseeing Discipleship Ministry, he is a worship leader alongside other developing worship leaders, whom he is priveledged to encourage and cultivate. Michael is passionate about leading worship, along with being the best husband he can be, and has much wisdom to offer young adults at Reclaim 2011.
Sarah Wilke
Sarah Wilke became the Publisher of Upper Room Ministries in July 2009. She also serves as Associate General Secretary of the General Board of Discipleship for the United Methodist Church; given The Upper Room is a division within the GBOD agency. Previously, Sarah was head of UMR Communications where she was the first woman to hold the CEO position in the 157-year history of the organization. Prior to her appointment at UMR Communications, Sarah served as the North Texas Annual Conference's urban strategist for four years. Her accomplishments included launching Project Transformation, a $1.3 million initiative that serves inner-city children. A graduate of the University of Kansas, she completed the Executive Master of Business Administration program at Southern Methodist University in May 2004. In 2000, she was selected Administrator of the Year for community-based ministries by the United Methodist Association. Before serving the North Texas Annual Conference, Sarah was the executive director of the Wesley-Rankin Community Center in West Dallas for 14 years, transforming the United Methodist mission into a potent outreach to youths and their families. In 2000, she was honored with the designation of the Sarah Wilke Youth Center at Benito Juarez City Park in Dallas by the Wesley-Rankin board. She came to the community center after 14 months in the U.S. Peace Corps, helping Costa Rican women develop small cooperative businesses. While there she became fluent in Spanish. Sarah is the daughter of retired United Methodist Bishop Richard Wilke and his wife, Julia, founders of the successful Disciple Bible Study series.
For additional information about Sarah Wilke, contact Sherry Elliott, Director of Administrative Services at [email protected] or 615.340.7250
Sean Gladding
Originally hailing from Norwich, England, Sean Gladding has made his home in the U.S. for the last two decades, where he has served in various forms of pastoral ministry, getting around on his '84 Ironhead Sportster. During his time at Asbury Theological Seminary he first encountered the concept of the metanarrative of scripture, an experience that has deeply shaped his life.
His first book, The Story of God, the Story of Us, has its origins in a Bible study Sean led during a summer internship at Mercy Street, a church in Houston, Texas, for people in recovery from addiction and from bad church experiences--often both. Sean went on to co-pastor Mercy Street for seven years, during which time he and his wife Rebecca narrated the "Story of God" with people who had never heard it before or who had only heard a fragmented version. Hearing the "Story" with both the enfranchised and those on the margins has continually deepened their understanding of scripture, and shaped their lives and the way they tell the "Story."
Over the years they have made "The Story of God" narrative freely available to anyone who wanted to use it. The "Story" has been told in homes, churches, college campuses, coffee shops, pubs and laundromats, spread over five continents.
Sean and Rebecca have two children. After their time with Mercy Street they returned to Lexington, Kentucky, to rejoin friends at Communality--part of the family of New Monastic communities--where they are seeking the welfare of the city.
Tim Downey
Tim Downey hails from Jacksonville, Florida. He currently serves as a youth pastor and worship leader at Heart of the Father Ministry in Lakeland, Florida. There he attends Southeastern University with a focus in Practical Theology. He has led worship in many places including the International House of Prayer (Kansas City, Jacksonville, Birmingham); Golgotha Church (Murmansk, RUS); and Oakleaf Christian Fellowship (Jacksonville). His primary desire at this point of his life is to see the body of Christ unite by corporately entering into God’s presence with singing and authentic praise of King Jesus. A scripture that has greatly impacted his life and ministry is John 17:24, “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” Tim is looking forward to sharing his knowledge and passion with young adults throughout Florida at the Reclaim 2011 Gathering.