Annual Gathering Session Leaders
Annual Meeting
Rev. Fred Oaks
President of the Board of Managers - American Baptist Churches of Wisconsin
Fred Oaks is a graduate of Northern Seminary and was ordained in 1987 by Elliott Avenue Baptist Church in Springfield, IL. He served American Baptist churches in IL, MI, and IN until 2005 when he became a program director at the Kern Family Foundation in Waukesha.
Ms. Ruby Jackson
Vice President of the Board of Managers and Chair of the Program Committee - American Baptist Churches of Wisconsin
Ruby Jackson is ABC-WI vice president of the Board of Managers and Chair Program Committee. Retired from Milwaukee County Dept of Human Services, she is a long-time member of Metropolitan MB Church and also serves as Board member of Project Focal Point.
Workshops
Workshop A - COVID Changes "Idea-Swap", presented by Commission on Congregational Mission
Rev. Walt Hoshaw, Facilitator
Pastor - First Baptist Church, Beloit
A life-long American Baptist, Walt Hoshaw graduated from Northern Seminary. He has been pastor of First Baptist Church of Beloit since 2018.
Rev. Terry West
Associate Minister - New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, Milwaukee
Reverend Terry J. West, SR. serves as one of the Associate Ministers of The New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin under the leadership of Dr. Archie L. Ivy as Pastor/Teacher. Reverend West is from a family of twelve siblings, a Vietnam Veteran and the father of one son.
Rev. Mark Weisser
Pastor - First Baptist Church, West Allis
Mark Weisser has been pastor of First Baptist Church of West Allis for more than 25 years. He enjoys playing the guitar, reading Biblical Archaeology Review, and playing video games with his wife Pam.
Mrs. Dianna Brophey
Summer Camp Director - Camp Tamarack Transformed
Dianna Brophey is a professional educator currently teaching in person and digital learners concurrently. She also ventured into virtual camp planning this summer as the summer camp director for Tamarack Transformation 2020.
Rev. Holly Anderle
Pastor - First Baptist Church, Racine
Rev. Anderle is Pastor of First Baptist Church of Racine, WI, and director of the church's Monday Night Hot Meal program. A longtime advocate for those experiencing homelessness, she is the President of the Board of Directors for the Homeless Assistance Leadership Organization shelter (HALO).
Workshop B - English Bible Study on "Transformation"
Rev. Dr. Demetrius Williams
Pastor - Community Baptist Church, Milwaukee
Demetrius K. Williams serves as pastor of Community Baptist Church of Greater Milwaukee and as an Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Comparative Literature at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Workshop C - Reshaping Church: Learning from Unplanned Transformation
Rev. Dr. Angela Jackson
Central Baptist Theological Seminary
Angela Barker Jackson is an ABC minister currently serving as Grant Officer at Central Seminary. Her work is primarily focused on both clergy and congregational vitality, and she is particularly interested in fundraising as ministry.
Rev. Dr. Ircel Harrison
Pinnacle Leadership Associates
Ircel Harrison is Coaching Coordinator for Pinnacle Leadership Associates and Supplemental Associate Professor of Missional Theology at Central Seminary (Shawnee, KS). He is launching Summit Coach Training with Pinnacle this fall.
Workshop D - Baptist History and Polity: The Associational Principle
Rev. Dr. Pam Durso
President - Central Baptist Theological Seminary
Pam Durso is president of Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Shawnee, Kansas. She began her tenure on June 1. Pam previously served as the executive director of Baptist Women in Ministry (2009-2020), the associate executive director of Baptist History and Heritage Society (2003-2009), and assistant professor of Church History and Baptist Heritage at Campbell University Divinity School (1999-2003).
Workshop E - Burmese Bible Study on "Transformation"
Pastor Stanley
Pastor - Emmanuel Chin Baptist Church, Greenfield
Stanley Cung has been pastor of Emmanuel Chin Baptist Church, Milwaukee since 2018. He is a Ph.D Candidate from Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky.
Lunch
Rev. Dr. C. Jeff Woods
Interim General Secretary - American Baptist Churches USA
Rev. Dr. C. Jeff Woods is currently serving as the Interim General Secretary for American Baptist Churches, USA. He previously served as the Executive Minister for the American Baptist Churches of Ohio and served several pastorates in Indiana where he was born.
Facilitated Conversations
Racial Justice
Rev. Walter Lanier
Pastor - Progressive Baptist Church, Milwaukee
Walter Lanier is finishing his 9th year as the pastor of the Progressive Baptist Church of Milwaukee. In addition to pastoring, he is an educational administrator, a lawyer, a mental health advocate and has a deep commitment to building and serving community in pursuit of the “beloved community” popularized by Dr. King based on justice, equal opportunity and love of one’s fellow human beings.
Post-COVID Emerging Ministries
Rev. Betsy Perkins
Pastor - First Baptist Church, Delavan
Rev. Betsy Perkins has served as the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Delavan WI since 2016. She came to pastoral ministry after working in health care as a nurse and serving with International Ministries in India.
2020 - Stories of Faith
Rev. Jason Mack
Pastor - Underwood Memorial Baptist Church, Wauwatosa
Rev. Jason Mack is pastor of Underwood Memorial Baptist Church in Wauwatosa, WI. He lives in Madison, WI with his son Ethan and wife Tara. Rev. Mack has been involved with the region through the Board of Managers, Finance Committee and New Wineskins initiative. He is a DMin student at CBTS focusing on leadership and congregational transformation.
Closing Worship
Rev. Dr. Marie Onwubuariri
Executive Minister - American Baptist Churches of Wisconsin
Rev. Dr. Marie Onwubuariri has served as Regional Executive Minister of ABC Wisconsin since August 2014. Marie has led with an emphasis on effective administration and relational cooperation as a foundation for compelling and equipping the region toward rootedness, collaboration, growth, and transformation. Marie will preach from one of her own life scripture passages, Romans 12:1-2, as she reflects on the transformation that she has seen and experienced within the ABC Wisconsin family.