Adult Course Faculty

The Rev. Forrest (Woody) Amidon is a retired Presbyterian Minister and elementary school teacher.  He is a member of the Logan County Art League and attends painting classes at the Columbus Cultural Arts Center.  A highlight of the past several years has been attendance at the Kanuga Water Media Workshops near Hendersonville, N.C.  His work is presented at several art shows each year and at the Art League Gallery at the Holland Theatre in Bellefontaine, OH. He and his wife, Katie, live in Bellefontaine, OH

The Rev. Lynn Fonfara is the pastor of Hope Lutheran Church, Citrus Springs, Florida, and a frequent participant in Covenant Gathering. A former wallflower, Pastor Lynn is very familiar with the butterflies that fill the gut when asked to speak and pray in public.

Eric Frisch is a musician, worship leader and creative thinker based in the Columbus, Ohio, area. He is passionate about God, people & the arts and loves finding new ways to merge those passions. Eric has been active in music & media ministry for more than 15 years and has served as the Worship Arts Director at CenterPoint Church in Lewis Center, Ohio, since 2007. He also co-hosts "The Plugged In Church", a weekly technology podcast for small churches and performs throughout Ohio and the midwest with a variety of classical & pop/rock groups. Eric lives in Columbus with his wife Ashley and enjoys reading, writing & simple living.

The Rev. Alice McDowell recently retired after more than 30 years of professional ministry, the last 23  as an intentional interim pastor. After having served in 3 installed and 15 interim positions, living in 14 states from Idaho to New York, Michigan, and Arizona, Alice has now settled back in her hometown of Indianapolis, IN, where she is active with the White Lick Presbyterian Church. She has always found meaning in the Seasons of the Church Year as rich and inspiring avenues to worship and education.

Carla Mavis has led adult study in her congregations for more than 10 years.  She taught and led Synod Schools for more years than she cares to count, as was instrumental in creating Covenant Gathering after Synod School was no longer funded.  Carla has chaired the CG Design Team for seven of its eight years.  She recently retired as a special education teacher, and now lives in Circleville, OH.

The Rev. Wendy Pratt is the pastor of Delta Presbyterian Church in Lansing, MI in Lake Michigan Presbytery. She's a graduate of Albion College and Louisville Seminary. Wendy is a veteran participant in Covenant Gathering, as well as in Synod Schools in both Lincoln Trails and Synod of the Covenant. With her daughter Lena, she enjoys camping and many kinds of music.

Bobbi Updegraff is a committed Presbyterian woman who regularly participates in the New Wilmington Mission Conference and leads workshops on mission throughout the country. Her passion is enriching faith in our youth through mission. She has led and participated in more than 10 international mission trips and countless domestic projects. She is a writer and has written several stories for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Horizons and Presbyterians Today, many Guideposts articles and devotions – and six mystery novels. She is the Mission Chair of Nothumberland Presbytery and is currently helping with the Hurricane Irene flood recovery work with that Presbytery. She is also a substitute teacher, a wife, mother of three, grandmother of two and “mother” to countless children she has worked with in Honduras.

The Rev. Raafat L. Zaki is a child of God, a Christian Arab American of Egyptian ancestry, born into devout Presbyterian family; grew up and sojourned with diversity, immersed in ecumenism and interfaith dialogue.  He holds academic degrees from Cairo, Egypt, an M.A. in Religion from Seoul, Korea, a Master of Divinity from McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, IL, and he has completed a Ph.D. coursework at the Chicago Theological Seminary, Chicago, IL.  Raafat was ordained as Minister of Word and Sacrament by the PCUSA, and served in three pastoral capacities, two offices with the General Assembly, and as Director of Global Faith Engagement and Church Relations with Habitat for Humanity International, and most recently as the Stated Clerk and Associate Executive with the Synod of the Sun.  Currently, Rev. Zake serves as the Transitional Synod Executive for the Synod of the Covenant, as the Co-Chair for the General Assembly's Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy, and as the Vice President of the Ohio Council of Churches.

Covenant Gathering 2013 Staff

Dave Bunnell (Worship Enabler)

Brian Kelley (Co-Director)

Brian is stepping out from behind his technology station this year to be a Co-Director.   He's started attending Synod School and Covenant Gathering after marrying Karen 13 years ago.  Brian is retired from his first career, and now works part-time as an associate hospital chaplain.  He's also volunteers for the MDA Telethon every Labor Day.

Michele Slone (Co-Director)

Michele Slone has agreed to take the job as co-director after 4 years as children and youth coordinator at Covenant Gathering.  Michele is a child of camp and conference ministry, having attended camps and conferences since the age of five and survived many years counseling, directing, leading music, and energizing at camps and conferences.  Michele has taught music in the public school system for 17 years, but her absolute favorite job is being Mom to her 4-year-old son, George!

Chip Weisberger (Activities Director)

Dani Miller (Children and Youth Coordinator)

Ruth Fish (Registrar)

Ruth Fish is a former secretary who is now retired. I am still the secretary at the Somonauk United Presbyterian Church. In my spare time I watch two of my four grandchildren, and volunteer for a few community groups. I am looking forward to this year's Covenant Gathering and reuniting with friends that I have made through past years and looking forward to meeting all the new attendees!

Dave Fleming (Treasurer)

Carla Mavis (Chairperson, Covenant Gathering Design Team)

Carla is a long time Synod School and Covenant Gathering attendee and faculty member.  She has been teaching adults in her home church off and on for the last 10 years. She has two grown children and lives in Jackson, Ohio.

SPECIAL GUESTS

Mission

Bobbi Updegraff is a committed Presbyterian woman who regularly participates in the New Wilmington Mission Conference and leads workshops on mission throughout the country. Her passion is enriching faith in our youth through mission. She has led and participated in more than 10 international mission trips and countless domestic projects. She is a writer and has written several stories for Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Horizons and Presbyterians Today, many Guideposts articles and devotions – and six mystery novels. She is the Mission Chair of Nothumberland Presbytery and is currently helping with the Hurricane Irene flood recovery work with that Presbytery. She is also a substitute teacher, a wife, mother of three, grandmother of two and “mother” to countless children she has worked with in Honduras.

Synod and PCUSA

Rev. Raafat L. Zaki is a child of God, a Christian Arab American of Egyptian ancestry, born into devout Presbyterian family; grew up and sojourned with diversity, immersed in ecumenism and interfaith dialogue.  He holds academic degrees from Cairo, Egypt, an M.A. in Religion from Seoul, Korea, a Master of Divinity from McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, IL, and he has completed a Ph.D. coursework at the Chicago Theological Seminary, Chicago, IL.

Raafat was ordained as a Minister of the Word and Sacrament by the PCUSA, and served in three pastoral capacities, two offices with the General Assembly, and as Director of Global Faith Engagement and Church Relations with Habitat for Humanity International, and most recently as the Stated Clerk and Associate Executive with the Synod of the Sun.  Currently, Rev. Zaki serves as the Transitional Synod Executive for the Synod of the Covenant, as the Co-Chair for the General Assembly’s Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy, and as the Vice President of the Ohio Council of Churches.