STS Rhode Island
Our Extraordinary Christ // STS 2024
On Thursday, April 4th, 2024, Small Town Summits will host a Summit at Cornerstone Church in Warwick, RI. Pastors and lay leaders from small places across Rhode Island will explore the riches of the book of Hebrews in order to revel in the incomparable greatness of Jesus.
Childcare will be provided for kids 4 and under.
Our Extraordinary Christ
April 4th 2024
Small-town New England churches and pastors are used to feeling ordinary – and that’s because we are. We stumble, struggle, and sin. We get discouraged. We’re often weak, weary, and uncertain. What we most need is not someone to tell us we’re impressive. We need a truly impressive Someone. We need to be reminded of our extraordinary Christ.
From the very first lines of the book of Hebrews, Jesus is declared superior to every created being. And Jesus’ greatness is meant not just to be marveled at, but to motivate us to persevering love and obedience. In our 2024 Small Town Summits, we’ll explore the riches of the book of Hebrews in order to revel in the incomparable greatness of Jesus. We’ll see that the supremacy of Christ is rocket fuel for a joyfully tenacious life and ministry. The small places of New England desperately need pastors, laypeople and churches who don’t flame out, who doggedly and delightedly go on. The small places need people who care more about the fame of Jesus than their own. The greatness of Jesus will propel us forward and be our all-satisfying prize when our race is complete.
8.30 – 9am - Arrival and registration
9 – 10am - Welcome, singing, introductions and the vision of Small Town Summits
10 – 11am - Session #1: ‘Our Extraordinary God’ (Hebrews 1:1-14) and group discussion (David Pinckney)
11 – 11.30am - Coffee break
11.30am – 12.30pm - Session #2: ‘Our Extraordinary Brother’ (Hebrews 2:5-18)and group discussion (Joel Sedam)
12.30 – 1.30pm - Lunch
1.30 – 2.30pm - Breakout sessions
2.30 – 2.45pm - Break
2.45 – 3.30pm - Session #3: ‘Our Extraordinary Priest’ (Hebrews 10:19-25) and group discussion (Ben Ruhl)
3.30 – 4pm - Prayer
In our main sessions, Ben Ruhl, Joel Sedam and David Pinckney will exposit select passages in the book of Hebrews, in order to revel in the incomparable greatness of Jesus and to consider how that motivates a faithful endurance for those of us ministering in small-town New England.
Joel grew up in Westerly, RI. After graduating with a B.A. in Theology, he continued his studies at Southern Seminary. He has worked with InterVarsity Fellowship and has served on the pastoral staff at Grace Harbor Church in Providence. He and his wife Jen moved to Bristol in June of 2015, where they and their core team planted Mount Hope Church.
Ben Ruhl is the lead pastor of BeFree Community Church in Alton, NH and the Executive Director of Small Town Summits. He's a graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Moody Bible Institute. He is husband to Olivia and father to Davie and Cal.
David Pinckney has been pastoring since 1987. He led the planting of River of Grace Church in 2002 in Concord, NH where he continues to serve as one of the pastors. He works for Acts 29 as the Regional Director for the North Atlantic. He is a graduate of Bethel Seminary and a member of the TGC New England Steering Committee. David and his wife Sharon have raised four sons and one daughter. He enjoys traveling, history, people and bacon.
Robert Clark
In our small state of Rhode Island, there are ample opportunities to impact an important segment of our society, our military members and their families. Some of these families are away from all that they know and love, and can be vulnerable and ready for care. This session aims to demonstrate the need for military ministry and avenues in which our churches in small places can make an impact that can reach around the globe.
Robert Clark has been married to his wife, Amy, for over 26 years. Together, they have been blessed with 5 children (Alexis - 22; Andrew - 20; Aiden - 18; Asa - 10; Addisyn - 9) and a young man who joined their family this past year, Ysael - 20. Rob has pastored Cornerstone Church in Warwick, RI for over 20 years, and has been serving as a Chaplain in the military for over 11 years (8 US Navy Reserve; 3 RI Air National Guard). While he enjoys hiking, cycling, and other outdoor activities, his highest honor and joy is to proclaim the glory of God through the work of Jesus Christ.
Jeff Pierce
Every person in the pew is complex and shaped by a unique blend of genetics, life experiences, enslaving desires, and liberated fruitfulness. God knows and cares about each individual and has given in His Word exactly what we need for growth in grace. This breakout session will focus on helping leaders connect the simple truths of the Gospel with the complicated realities of people's everyday lives.
Jeff is a diligent student of the Bible and a skilled communicator. He has taught through Scripture for two decades and specializes in messages that connect the inspired truths of God to the real struggles of life. He is a graduate of Clearwater Christian College (2001), The Master’s Seminary (2007), and Westminster Theological Seminary (2021), from which he earned a Doctor of Ministry degree in Counseling. He has over 15 years of biblical counseling experience, serving individuals, couples, and families both inside and outside the church. He is a certified biblical counselor with The Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC) and The Association of Biblical Counselors (ABC). Jeff and his wife, Jill, have been married since 2001 and have been blessed with three daughters: Juliana, Jenna, and Jocelyn.
Shane & Kara Carvalho
Gen Z has garnered a reputation for being riddled with media addiction, anxiety and depression, and loneliness. However, younger Christians also have a growing reputation as being hungry for spiritual revival, seeing through hypocrisy, and boldly evangelizing. This session will talk about how churches can reach local college campuses and partner with students and young professionals in their congregations for fruitful, gospel-centered ministry.
Shane is a campus minister at Roger Williams University through the North American Mission Board. He's currently pursuing his MDiv. Kara is an editor at Christianity Today, holds a Masters in Theology, and is involved in discipling female college students. They are members and serve together at Mount Hope Church in Bristol, RI.
Paul Gordon
In the busiest moments of His ministry and when Jesus felt weakest, He often withdrew; retreated. Pastors in small places of small churches know how busy ministry can be and how few resources are available (time, funds, pulpit coverage, etc) So, how can one consider the idea of a retreat when the demands are so much and resources so precious? This interactive breakout will highlight the importance of retreats but focus on providing practical tools on how to retreat so busy small town pastors can find distance from everyday life, pursue presence with God and His Word, so they return to ministry with enduring purpose.
Paul Gordon has been in pastoral ministry since 2010 and since 2015 has been working to see a church planted in North Adams, MA. Paul juggles being a church planter, an Executive Pastor for the family of Terra Nova Churches, the director of the Village Green Collective along with being a husband to Nicole and father to Margot & Elgin. Despite the busyness you will often catch Paul retreating - especially in November when retreats are spent in his deer stands.
Nicole Artese
The testimony of God’s faithfulness through generations is of incalculable value to the church. In the book of Hebrews, we read, “Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Heb.12:1). This session will explore how a biblical model for intergenerational discipleship among women can lift our eyes beyond the struggles we face and strengthen the hope we have in Jesus. Our discussion will include practical tools for facilitating these discipleship relationships and ideas for overcoming common challenges.
Nicole has a heart for helping women understand God’s beautiful design for them and leading them to a deeper relationship with Christ. She has been married to her husband, Vin, for almost 13 years and they are blessed with two sons, ages 3 and 5 years old. Currently, they are enjoying a new season of ministry at Living Hope Church in Shelton, Connecticut, where Vin is the Teaching Pastor. In their previous church, Nicole served as Women’s Ministry Leader for six years. In addition to caring for her family and serving alongside her husband in ministry, she works as a private math tutor and teacher for Veritas Scholars Academy.
Meet the Team
Dan is the pastor of Grace Bible Church in Cranston, RI. He's a graduate of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and serves on the Board of Directors for the Baptist Convention of New England. He and his wife Joy have three daughters and two sons.
Joel grew up in Westerly, RI. After graduating with a B.A. in Theology, he continued his studies at Southern Seminary. He has worked with InterVarsity Fellowship and has served on the pastoral staff at Grace Harbor Church in Providence. He and his wife Jen moved to Bristol in June of 2015, where they and their core team planted Mount Hope Church.
