Leadership Development, Pastoral Care, and Church Planting, JBU Report

Cal Swenson

Leadership Development

Revite Seminars

We presented a Beta version of our Revitalization seminars in the Spring and are beginning the process of scheduling and presenting this seminar regionally for our pastors and churches.

2025 Ministers Retreat

We had a Minister’s Retreat in Novato at New Life Church, and one in Las Vegas at The International Church of Las Vegas this past year. Both of the retreats were well attended and were filled with inspirational teaching, great worship, and awesome connections.

Outdoor Nations Campfire

In January we gathered ministers from all over our district for a retreat that focused on ministering to those in the Outdoor Nation. We processed, discussed, and discovered strategies to effectively reach out to individuals who normally wouldn’t attend a church service and were actively involved in outdoor activities.

Pastoral Care

As our District continues to grow and flourish, there are always opportunities to minister to our ministers. 2025 was a full year of pastoral care. Hundreds of contacts were made that included face to face meetings, phone calls, and Zoom and FaceTime connections. I am thankful for a great Pastoral Care Team! Our 2025 team consisted of Bob and Linda Bridges, Terry Cedarblom, Dennis Conrad, Teri Herndon, Jeff Miller, Nathan Rhodes, and Dean Sanner.

 Special Thanks

God has blessed our District with a great team at our District Resource Center! Special thanks to our District officers, Pastor Bret Allen, Dr. Sam Huddleston, and Dr. Jay Herndon, our ministry teams, our administrative staff. They have enabled our office to effectively minister to the pastors and churches in our district.

Respectfully Submitted,

Pastor Cal Swenson
Director of Leadership Development,
Pastoral Care and Church Planting

Just Between Us

Coffee Connections

In 2025, Just Between Us focused on building connections around small tables, which we call Coffee Connections. Coffee Connections are like small groups or cohorts. Thirty-two ministry women co-led Coffee Connections in 19 of our 24 districts. We held 30 Coffee Connections, with over 150 women participating. I’m grateful for the resources that allowed JBU to gift every leader with a custom-made Coffee Connection T-shirt or sweatshirt. In addition, every team received a BILL card (a pre-paid debit card) to use for their Coffee Connections to bless the ministry women who attended.

BIG THANKS to the Coffee Connection Team Leaders: Coleena Anderson – Rev Dianne Andrus –  Rev Dawn Annas – Colleen Epperson – Rev Morgan Ferrante – Rev Leslie Fitzhugh – Katie Gavigan – Suzette Gitchel – Rev Karen Hagan – Rev Debbie Heden – Rev Nancy Heverly – Shawna Huson – Rev Chaunda Jensen – Rev Cindy Johnson – Barbara Kallevig – Gail Krob —Angel Layden – Rev Trecy Marr — Rev Jennifer Miller – Rev Ingrid Nash – Rev Christina Olson — Rev Beverly Ott – Rev Debbie Powell — LeAnne Pyzer – Lina Richardson — Rev Tabi Rogers – Jenell Sanner – Rev Anayansi Schlipp – Shelby Scott – Rev Linda Scott — Vicki Vinculado – Christine Walters. You’re a blessing!

First-Time Senior Pastors Wives’ Cohort

Being the lead pastor's wife is a unique calling. And no one quite understands the joys and challenges of being a First-Time Senior Pastor's wife like other First-Time Senior Pastors’ wives. With over 130 years of combined ministry experience, Valerie Allen, Linda Huddleston, and I are honored to meet with this special group of women. This cohort is an exclusive, by-invitation-only group that coincides with the Executive Officers’ First-Time Senior Pastors Cohort. In 2025, we hosted 9 cohorts, averaging 8 women in person, with an additional 2-4 joining on Zoom. This has proven to be a very valuable time for all of us.

 Female Ministers

Here are some fun facts about our 2025 Minister Roster!

·         We have 439 Female Ministers. That’s up by 10 from 2024.

·         We have seen a yearly increase since 2018.

·        31.5% of the NCN Minister Roster is women.

·         We have twenty-two Female Ministers serving in World Missions.

·         Twenty-five women received or advanced their credentials.

·         Eight women received Ordination.

·         And, we have 17 Lead Pastors. Geneva Arnold – Olivia Bibb – Jennifer Campbell – Teresita Casual – Robin Dowell – Ginger Hohm – Cynthia Ishihara – Rachel Klinge – Christian McElwain — Hilda Morris – Shirley Natnat – Trinity Neilson – Becky Peters – Guadalupe Sanchez – Abby Sterling – Verna Vetter – Rose Warren

 Notable Honors in 2025

Seven women serve on the Presbytery:

• Executive Presbytery – Cindy Johnson, Connie Pack (Honorary), Lindsey Severyn

• District Presbytery – Dawn Annas, Jennifer Klier, Lupe Sanchez, Abby Sterling, Verna Vetters,

Abby Sterling was presented with the Superintendent’s Unity Award.

Verna Vetters was a District Council speaker.

Bridget Gallup served as the Under 40 Representative on the General Presbytery at the General Council.

Omega Camacho serves as the National Director for the Filipino Fellowship for the Ethnic Network of Women Ministers.

I am honored to represent the District as Southwest Regional Facilitator for the National Network of Women Ministers, with Dr. Melissa Alfaro. As well as serving on the Ministry Wives Team with the National Women’s Director, Nonda Houston.

Special Notes of Thanks

Thank you to our leadership: Superintendent Bret Allen for entrusting this ministry to me, to Assistant Superintendent Dr. Sam Huddleston for your heartfelt encouragement, to my husband, Dr. Jay Herndon, for supporting me in countless ways so I can volunteer my time to lead JBU, to my supervisor, Rev Cal Swenson for cheering on JBU, and to the DRC team who all assist in one way or another. I am grateful!

To Rev Valerie Allen and Rev Linda Huddleston, by compadres, thank you! I wouldn't want to do this without you.

Finally, a big shout-out to the JBU Committee: Rev Valerie Allen, Rev Lynn Clayton, Jennifer Feliciano, Dionna Garza, Katie Gavigan, Rev Linda Huddleston, Rev Christina Jimenez, Rev Cindy Johnson, Rev Mikhaila Nunes, Ataliate Tuirabe, and Rev Lindsey Fisher. I love you, girls!

Respectfully Submitted,

Rev Teri Herndon

Just Between Us