How do we manage the challenges of today while living a life of faith? That’s a big question that a lot of us struggle with. Dr. Glen Miles, Senior Minister at First Community, will explore this question weekly along with his colleagues in ministry. In these episodes, Glen and his guests will share their experiences and insights gained through their many years in leading faith communities.
Episode Six: Adam Hamilton
Adam Hamilton is the founding pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas. He grew up in the Kansas City area, earned a B.A. degree in Pastoral Ministry from Oral Roberts and a Master of Divinity Degree from Southern Methodist University, where he was awarded the B’nai B’rith Award in Social Ethics.
He was named one of the “Ten people to watch in America’s spiritual landscape” by Religion and Ethics Newsweekly. For his work in racial reconciliation Adam was awarded the Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy Award. Named United Methodist Person of the Year for 2012 by the United Methodist Reporter for his leadership within the United Methodist Church. He’s received numerous other awards for community service.
Hamilton launched Church of the Resurrection with his wife and two children in 1990. It has since grown to over 20,000 adults and children in 2018 under his leadership. Today the church is the largest United Methodist Church in the United States with an average weekend attendance of over 12,000.
The congregation has a three-fold focus: Connecting with thinking people and inviting them to become followers of Jesus Christ, engaging in acts of justice and mercy in the community, and working to renew the United Methodist Church.
Adam has written over 25 books, published by Abingdon Press and Harper Collins, and Convergent, including:
- When Christians Get it Wrong
- Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White
- The Way: Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus
- Making Sense of the Bible
- Revival
- Unafraid: Living with Courage and Hope in Uncertain Times
Adam and LaVon have been married over 35 years and have two adult daughters and a granddaughter.
Episode Five: Carla Aday
In April 2017, the Congregational Board of Country Club Christian Church called Rev. Carla Aday as the church’s eighth Senior Minister.
Rev. Aday has served the church since 1988 in various capacities, most recently as the Executive Minister in charge of administration, finance and stewardship in addition to preaching, teaching and planning. As the Senior Associate Minister from 2004-2014, her responsibilities included developing mission partnerships, adult spiritual formation, leadership development, ministry planning and staff supervision. When she was hired in 1988, she was the church’s first female minister.
Rev. Aday holds a Masters of Divinity degree from Yale University where she was honored with the Mersick Prize for effective public address and preaching. She is an experienced teacher and trainer, holding licensing and certification with various curricula.
She has led 20 mission trips both internationally and domestically, including trips to Nicaragua and India. She is a member of the Association of Disciples Pastors in Theological Dialogue, past member of Clergy Spiritual Direction, and has previously served on the Administrative Committee and General Board for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), as Moderator of Greater Kansas City Region of the Christian Church, on the Homeland Ministries Board, as a board member of the Girl Scouts – Mid America Chapter, and as a member of the MORE2 Clergy Caucus.
She has served as a volunteer at Della Lamb Community Services, Argentine Middle School, Notre Dame de Sion School, Habitat for Humanity, and Marillac Center for Children. In 2017 she spent one month as a volunteer at Mediterranean Hope, a project working to address the dramatic refugee migration by sea from North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East towards Italy.
Rev. Aday was the recipient an Eli Lilly Clergy Renewal Grant for a 2002 sabbatical program in Great Britain, has conducted independent study in theology with professors from Yale Divinity School and St. Paul School of Theology, has competed a writing course with Yale Divinity School, and has written and contributed to numerous publications.
Rev. Aday and her husband Dr. Dave Ehman have three adult children, Connor Ehman, Kyle Ehman, Karmen Ehman Major, and five grandchildren.
Episode Four: Jim Keck
Jim, born in Des Moines, Iowa, started heading west for undergraduate study at the University of Colorado, Boulder and graduate study in Berkeley. He received his Doctorate of Ministry from Andover Newton Seminary and was ordained in the United Church of Christ in 1990.
In 1993, after serving churches in Berkeley and Corona Del Mar, California, he became the Sr. Minister of the West Concord Union Church, in Massachusetts. In 1999 he became the Sr. Minister at the Congregational Church of San Mateo, California. He also served as an adjunct faculty member at Pacific School of Religion; as president of the Peninsula Clergy Network which links 400 clergy with other area civic leaders; and as a board member of the Mission Hospice of San Mateo County. He has also served as a guest lecturer at Tufts University, Andover Newton Theological School, American Baptist School and Pacific School of Religion, as well as a keynote speaker for numerous denominational events.
When Jim is not at church he loves to play golf, basketball, handball, tennis, or just about any sport.
Episode Three: Russ Peterman
Glen’s guest this week is Russ Peterman.
Russ began as the Senior Minister of University Christian Church on the first Sunday in Advent in 2017.
Russ’s education includes receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree from our neighboring Texas Christian University (1990), Master of Divinity degree from San Francisco Theological Seminary (1994), and Doctor of Ministry from Columbia Theological Seminary (2004). Russ was ordained in 1995, and has served churches in Texas, Georgia, and California. Prior to coming to UCC, he served as the Senior Minister to First Christian Church of Concord, CA (2005–2017), the church where he was baptized as a youth.
Russ focuses his ministry on preaching and loves speaking with people about the heart-waking, soul-changing God who is capable of turning their lives inside out and the world upside down!
Russ is married to Kelli, his best friend of over 40 years, and together they have a blended family of four—twins Jake and Ella, Abigail, Caroline, and family dog, Poppy. Beyond his commitment to ministry, Russ is an avid runner, cyclist, and swimmer. In addition to finishing 8 marathons and dozens of half marathons, Russ has competed in triathlons and completed an Ironman in 2016. He also enjoys yoga, golf, and being involved in overall fitness. Last but not least, Russ is an avid TCU Horned Frog fan!
Episode Two: John Ross
Glen’s guest this week is the Reverend Dr. John F. Ross is the Executive Director of The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Program at Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota. The Heritage Program is an international initiative for individuals and institutions to explore the artistic and spiritual beauty of The Saint John’s Bible—the first hand-written, hand-illuminated monumental Bible in 500 years.
Prior to his work at Saint John’s, he served for 18 years as the Senior Minister of Wayzata Community Church—a 3,000-member United Church of Christ congregation in Wayzata, Minnesota. John began his 30 years of ordained ministry at First Community Church, Columbus, Ohio where he was Senior Associate Minister for 12 years.
John received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1989 from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He completed his Master of Divinity in 1995 at the Methodist Theological School of Ohio, and his Doctor of Ministry in May 2004 through the Chicago Theological Seminary.
John is married to his college sweetheart, Sheila, and together they enjoy a full and fast-paced life with their four grown kids: Brady, Madeleine, Anne Marie, and Logan.
Episode One: Amy Butler
Glen’s guest this week is Amy Butler. Pastor Amy believes deeply that courageous communities of people who live with tenacious love can change the world. Much of her career has been spent helping build communities of radical witness in the institutional church. She currently leads National City Christian Church as intentional interim Senior Minister.
Amy most recently served until 2019 as the seventh Senior Minister and first woman at the helm of The Riverside Church in the City of New York. She holds degrees from Baylor University, the International Baptist Theological Seminary, and Wesley Theological Seminary. Pastor Amy’s professional ministry career began as the director of a homeless shelter for women in New Orleans, Louisiana; she later became Associate Pastor of Membership and Mission at St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church in the city of New Orleans. In 2003, Butler was called to the position of Senior Minister of Calvary Baptist Church in Washington, D.C.’s Chinatown, where she was also the first woman to lead that historic congregation. Though leading institutions of faith in this moment can be one of the most challenging leadership tasks around, she is optimistic about the impact faith communities have on the world.
When she’s not busy leading, teaching, preaching or writing, Pastor Amy enjoys exploring the city wearing a mask, and hanging out with friends, at an appropriate social distance. She is an avid reader and loves to write, recently completing her first memoir which will be published by Penguin Random House Books. Pastor Amy is a single mom to three amazing young adults who are each making their way in the world; they are her favorites. She played the cello in high school but that has absolutely no relevance to her current life. Her children would say that her status as a licensed motorcyclist is the direct result of a midlife crisis, but she disagrees. And she hates exercise with a passion, perpetually bitter about a metabolism that requires it.