Mathew Goodrich
• M.Div. student at Lexington Theological Seminary
• Seeking Commissioning
• Attends First Christian Church, Missoula, MT
“After serving as a camp counselor for several years, I felt a call to ministry because I have seen injustice brought on by our society and Christianity as a whole. Instead of leaving the church, I thought it would be better to strive for change within. I look forward to continuing as a camp counselor and utilizing my background in theatre and healthcare in my ministry.”
Stephen Gumber
• M.Div. Completed at The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology in 2015
• Seeking Ordination
• Youth Pastor at Northwest Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) – Seattle
Stephen (he/him) joined the staff of Northwest Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Seattle in 2015. He has fourteen years of experience in youth and children’s ministry in Texas and Washington. He completed his Master of Divinity through the Seattle School of Theology and Psychology in 2015. He delayed seeking ordination for several years because of thyroid cancer and family changes. Along with being a youth pastor, Stephen is a full-time dad to two kids. Inside the church and out at camp, Stephen loves teaching kids about the love of God and neighbor. He holds a deep commitment to youth ministry. Stephen’s wife, Rachael, works as a Nurse Manager at Virginia Mason Medical Center. Together they and their two children live in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle.
Juli Prentice
• (she/her/hers)
• Pursuing Master of Divinity at Seattle University School of Theology and Ministry
• Seeking Ordination
• Member of Lake Washington Christian Church in Kirkland, Washington
Juli Prentice lives on five wooded acres in Western Washington state. Most mornings she can be found deep in these woods with a mug of black coffee in her hand, marveling at the colors and smells of the forest, attempting to feel her place in the web of all things. As Mary Oliver says, ‘Ordinarily I go to the woods alone…I don’t want to be witnessed talking to the catbirds or hugging the black oak tree. I have my way of praying, as you no doubt have yours.” As a former Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, Juli has a passion for connecting people to the life-giving practices of play, rest and renewal by removing or creatively adapting the barriers that keep us from entering into these practices. This translates into ministry work as she actively seeks to identify and mitigate barriers between people and the Divine. Drawing deeply from Liberation Theologies, Critical Social Theories and Trauma Studies, Juli is especially interested in the impact of biblical interpretation on people’s lived experiences. She is committed to learning from people who have been wounded and marginalized by Christianity. She is passionate about providing opportunities to facilitate healing from the damage done by biblical interpretations and theologies that justify exclusion rather than invite people into full life in God’s family. Juli is in her 4th year as a Master of Divinity Student and will graduate in Spring 2022. She shares her home and her heart with her husband Nathan, two children, a robo-dwarf hamster and the best, most beautiful kitty, Artemis.