The Nominating Committee of the Charis Fellowship is nominating the following people to the 2018-2023 term of the Fellowship Council of the Charis Fellowship:
Delegates at the annual corporation meeting of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches, Inc. (doing business as Charis Fellowship) conference will select one representative from each region from this list.
- Region A: Arctic, Hawaii, Mountain Plains, Nor-Cal, Pacific Northwest, Southern California-Arizona, Iowa Midlands, and Heartland; nominees are Rex Rodgers and Manuel Espinosa
- Region B: Northcentral Ohio, Northeastern Ohio, Northwest Ohio, Tri-State, Allegheny and Western Pennsylvania; nominees are Jonathan Wiley and Bill Hall
- Region C: Blue Ridge, Chesapeake, Mid-Atlantic, Northern Atlantic, Florida, and Southern; nominee is Rich Schneiders. Why only one name from Region C? Districts have the privilege of nominating names to the Fellowship Council. This year, only the Florida District nominated (Rich Schnieders). The Charis Fellowship nominating committee can add names but they felt that there was sufficient representation from other districts in region C.
Rex Rodgers
District: Nor-Cal
Church: Grace Church, Ripon, Calif.
Love God Completely, Love Others Compassionately, Love Self Correctly
The vision statement for Ripon Grace Church exposes the man behind it, Pastor Rex Rodgers. Rex throws boundless energy into pursuing this formidable goal while encouraging and equipping others to do the same.
Rex loves Jesus and believes in the power of the Gospel to change lives and satisfy the deepest needs of the human soul—healing, forgiveness, and unconditional love. He brings a unique creativity and hands-on approach to ministry. Before obeying God’s call to the pastorate, Rex worked as an electrician for twelve years, proficient as both a technician installing wires and as a foreman administrating the big jobs. He knows a thing or two about leading large groups of people.
Rex and his wife Alli have seven children.
Rex is currently working on his Masters of Arts in Local Church Ministry through Grace Seminary Deploy.
Manuel Espinosa
District: Southern California-Arizona
Church: Iglesia Cristiana De la Comunidad, Lakewood, Calif.
Manuel Espinosa is Pastor of Iglesia Cristiana de la Comunidad in Lakewood, California. He was born in Mexico and came to the United States in 1983 at the age of 24. Manuel came to know the Lord that very same year at the church that he now pastors. God saved Manuel from a life of alcohol and drug addiction, immediately after conversion he started preaching in the streets and to friends at the painting company where he worked. Manuel has had the privilege of working with prisoners in Terminal Island Federal Institution in the city of San Pedro California for the past ten years. Manuel and his wife Raquel and have four children. They met at a Baptist church in Wilmington, Calif., where Rachel came to know the Lord. Together they have been serving God at Iglesia Cristiana de la Comunidad for almost 20 years.
Jonathan Wiley
District: Northcentral Ohio
Church: Grace Polaris Church, Columbus, Ohio
Jonathan serves as Community and Connections Pastor and on the senior staff leadership team at Grace Polaris Church after originally joining the church’s pastoral staff in 2006 as young adults pastor. A native Buckeye from northeast Ohio, Jonathan met his wife, Kim, at Grace Polaris, where she has been connected since childhood. Jonathan studied business (Grace College) and theology (Grace Seminary) before serving as associate pastor at Community of Hope (Columbia City, Ind.) and working in management for a leading multi-national corporation in northern Indiana. In addition to spending time with his family, Jonathan enjoys the outdoors, water sports, handyman projects, and commiserating with Cleveland Sports fans. Jonathan and Kim have three elementary aged children.
Bill Hall
District: Western Pennsylvania
Church: Living Hope Grace Brethren Church, Saxton, Pa.
Bill serves as the pastor of Living Hope GBC. After graduating from Grace Seminary M. Div, he was the pastor of the Grafton Grace Brethren Church before joining the staff at Martinsburg Grace Brethren Church to plant Living Hope. Bill is married to Linda, who loves the outdoors, hunting, and camping.
Rich Schnieders
District: Florida
Church: Friendship Grace Brethren Church, Fort Myers, Fla.
Rich serves as the pastor of Friendship Grace Brethren Church. He holds a Ph.D. in Christian Philosophy and Apologetics, a Theology Masters and a Bachelor of Biblical Studies.