Colors of Hope

Alysha Laperche (they/them) and Rev. Luther Young (he/him) bring a message of hope to conclude another amazing volume of voices hoping in color.

Chrissy was raised in the legacy industrial city of Youngstown, Ohio. Chrissy devotes passion for social justice to their union-laborer father and concern for Latin American solidarity to their mother, who found refuge in the US from Medellin, Colombia, during the height of the civil war in the 1980s. Chrissy received a BA in International and Financial Management from Hiram College and an MA/MEd in Higher Education Administration and Counseling from Kent State University.  At Kent, Chrissy worked in Student Affairs, coordinated experiential education, civic engagement and service learning trips, taught Student Development and Leadership courses and served on the staff Sustainability, Equity and Professional Development committees.  While studying at Hiram College, Chrissy helped with the creation of the 501c3 Hiram Farm Living and Learning community for people with autism spectrum disorders, and co-founded the Olive Branch fair trade store at Hiram College.

Hello! I’m Michael or Marren Jennys (they/she), a Queer, trans, Genderfluid, Enby, Image Bearer!
Fair warning, I'm a huge geek/nerd, and I tend to fall down rabbit holes when I listen/watch/read about things; like: Lgbt-fiction, Comic books, She-Ra, RWBY, cosplay, and theology (Oh My)! I’m super excited to facilitate a space to help people like me explore their place in Adonai's love! Join me as we foster and create a safe fellowship space for all LGBTQ+ people of faith, and allies!

Logan Rozos (he/him) is a 20 year-old actor and gay Black trans man. He made his professional acting debut in 2019 on the Peabody-nominated television drama David Makes Man, and voiced the audiobook of Stonewall Award-nominated author Kacen Callender’s 2020 book Felix Ever After. He was an honoree in Teen Vogue’s inaugural 20 Under 20 Queer Artists and Activists To Watch and a recipient of the 2019 Parity Award for outstanding work by LGBTQ people of faith. He is currently working on a documentary about trans masculinities and mental health called What Will I Become? You can check out Logan on Instagram @loganrozos, his poetry @thedelinquentporpoise, and his documentary @whatwillibecome_doc

Melissa Guthrie Loy (she/her) is an ordained minister with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) with a passion for ecumenism. Setting a place at the table for all has always been a part of Melissa’s call. Perhaps because she was asked to leave a leadership position in a church when she came out as gay. Perhaps because she and her son were unwelcome in a different church because of his disabilities. Perhaps because she understands God as an embodied God whose image is in every body. She’s intentional about affirming every single body: queer bodies, disabled bodies, everybody.

William DeShay C. Jackson is a third-year Master of Divinity student, a fourth-generation Disciple of Christ, and is seeking ordination with the Mid-America region of the Christian Church DOC. They earned a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Culver-Stockton College with an emphasis in piano and voice. Outside of Culver-Stockton, DeShay has performed as a solo and collaborative musician with a host of instrumental and vocal ensembles in Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, and Texas, providing music at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans, LA, Illinois Music Educators Conference, and multiple schools, churches, and homes..

DeShay currently serves as Minister of Music for First Christian Church in Granbury, TX, Vice-President for Brite Black Seminarians, and serves on the Brite Chapel Planning Team. DeShay loves sloths, Jazz, and aspires to a “Womanist Co-Conspirator.”

Kyle Miller-Shawnee (he/him)

Kyle Miller-Shawnee is a Disciples of Christ musician, justice advocate, and queer theologue who focuses on the intersection of queer justice and the Hebrew Bible. Kyle is a graduate of Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, Oklahoma and currently serves this institution in educational ministry.

A proud queer man, Kyle also delights in serving as the choirmaster at the Parish Church of St. Jerome, Tulsa’s first and oldest queer-affirming church. Serving in a diverse parish that has recognized the inherent value of queer children of God since its inception in 1996 empowers Kyle to use the theological and community-building skills learned in seminary to listen, engage, and help build a queer, justice-orientated heaven on earth.

Nadia Tavera (she/they) is a student of Master of Divinity at Pacific School of Religion in CA.  She has experience working with the LGBTQ+ community in Mexico City since 2007. She comes  from a long Pentecostal tradition in their family. Their Theology looks to decolonize traditional  interpretations of the Bible and provide new ways of liberation for the oppressed (LGBTQ+,  women, poor) based on God's grace and Love. Nadia strongly believes in the Holy Spirit's power  for healing and restoring hearts and bodies and maintaining unity among believers.

Rev. Sandhya Jha delivers a message about community, proclamation, and courage through the lens of the color Pink and the theme of Sex from the original pride flag by Gilbert Baker.

Sandhya Jha (she/they) serves as Founder and Connections Consultant for the Oakland Peace Center, a collective of 40 organizations working to create equity, access and dignity as the means of creating peace in Oakland and the Bay Area. A queer-identifying ordained pastor with a master's in public policy, Sandhya is comfortable in the pulpit, on the picket line or hanging out with friends and friends-to-be over a good cup of tea and a good story. They serve as an anti-racism trainer in the DOC Northern California-Nevada region.

The Rev. Allen Harris (he/him) is the Regional Minister for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Capital Area and began his ministry there on June 15, 2015.  Rev. Harris brings to his ministry gifts and graces in many areas but is especially experienced in and passionate about leading congregations and individuals through Anti-Racism/Pro-Reconciliation, Open & Affirming, and Accessible Congregational processes, as well as in transformational leadership, using social media for mission, and in mentoring new clergy.

Join Rev. Harris as he explores John 17:1-11 through the lens of courage, spirit, and the pride flag color purple.

Bendiciones amades. Soy el reverendo Chaim Rodríguez, pero la mayoría de la gente me conoce simplemente como CJ. Utilizo el pronombre el. Soy un puertorriqueño y queer, y orgulloso de serlo dos. En la actualidad desempeño como pastor de la Iglesia Cristiana Nacional (Discípulos de Cristo) en Washington DC y pronto estare mudando a la cuidad de Minneapolis, Minnesota para comenzar un programa de PhD en el area de Teologia Sistematica en Luther Theological Seminary.

CJ insufla vida al concepto de armonía al iluminar las verdades modernas que se pueden encontrar en el antiguo texto de la carta de Pablo a los Efesios.

Meet the Rev. CJ  (he/him/his, el), a proud queer Puerto Rican currently serving as the pastor of Iglesia Cristiana Nacional (Discipulos de Cristo) in Washington DC and soon relocating to begin his journey as a PhD student in the area of Systematic Theology at Luther Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

CJ breathes life into the concept of harmony by illuminating modern truths that can be found in the ancient text of Paul's letter to the Ephesians.

Rev. Luther Young, Jr. (he/him) is a Disciples of Christ minister, musician, public theologian, and social justice advocate who focuses on racial equity and LGBTQ+ inclusion. Luther is a graduate of Vanderbilt Divinity School and a current Ph.D. candidate in sociology at The Ohio State University. His current research investigates the causes and effects of homophobia in predominantly black churches.

Tune in this week as Luther engages the color turquoise, lifting up how God's children are mystical beings who find belonging in the Holy Spirit.

YaNi Davis is a graduate of Claremont School of Theology with a Masters of Divinity. YaNi has always been passionate about the impact of words, storytelling and healing as tools for transforming the global village. YaNi believes firmly in our power as storytellers and sets this example every day of her life, whether through the music she creates, the spoken word pieces she shares, the sermons she preaches or the wisdom she imparts into others. YaNi is a Kidney Transplant Survivor. She founded the ministry My SupaNatural Life and has dedicated her life to spending awareness around wholistic care for those navigating varied phases of chronic conditions. 

This week, YaNi brings a word about a favorite color, a historical remembering of LGBTQ+ experiences, and a fresh perspective to 1 Peter 2:2-10.

Melissa Guthrie Loy (she/her) is an ordained minister with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) with a passion for ecumenism. Setting a place at the table for all has always been a part of Melissa’s call. Perhaps because she was asked to leave a leadership position in a church when she came out as gay. Perhaps because she and her son were unwelcome in a different church because of his disabilities. Perhaps because she understands God as an embodied God whose image is in every body. She’s intentional about affirming every single body: queer bodies, disabled bodies, everybody.

Join Melissa in this week's podcast as she brings the theme of "Sunlight" to life through a re-imagination of John 10:1-10.

Andy Deeb (he/him) is a transgender man who grew up in Michigan in a charismatic church in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. He holds an MDiv from San Francisco Theological Seminary, and is currently a PhD student in Hebrew Bible at Drew University. He has had a tumultuous relationship with Church. After coming out, he was kicked out of his church and barred from communion within the whole denomination. During that whole process, it was his experiences of the Spirit in worship and the Bible that were his foundation.

Join Andy as he boldly addresses the concept of healing by also addressing the reality of suffering and pain.

Rev. Sophia Jackson (he/him, she/her) is a graduate of Pacific School of Religion where he earned his Master of Divinity and Certificate of Spirituality and Social Change. As a formerly incarcerated and substance involved individual, Sophia seeks to assist churches in widening the circle of their concern in order for them to build bridges across differences so that the practice of Restorative Justice can begin to create the change we wish to see manifested in this world.

Join Rev. Sophia Jackson as she shares a message from Colossians 3:1-4 (MSG), offering words on transformation through Christ, the life-giving practice of embracing self, and viewing our lives as possibilities beyond our current circumstances.

Alysha Laperche (they, them, theirs) is a current student at Phillips Theological Seminary, where they are pursuing their Master of Divinity (MDiv). They are also a coffee enthusiast, sunset-lover, and aspiring author. 

Join Alysha as they engage with Philippians 2:5-11, exploring ideas around intersectional justice, consent, and sex.