- - = = Family Ministry Conference - March 16 - 17, 2007 = = - -

Conference Sponsors

Lancaster Bible College
and Graduate School

Association of Marriage &
Family Ministries

Family Research and
Counseling Center

In Step Ministries

Family Ministries Conference Speakers

Register for the Conference
Conference Schedule
List of Workshop Titles

Website	Brad Aldrich, M.A. - Executive Director - Family Research and Counseling Center, Gap, PA Joined FRCC in May 2005. Brad is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who received his masters degree from MCP Hahnemann University, and his BA in psychology from Messiah College. Brad is a clinical member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. He is experienced in providing positive focused help to families, couples, adolescents, and children who are experiencing difficult times in a number of areas including marital difficulties, depression, ADHD, sexual issues, addictions, and family communication issues. Brad is also the director of FRCC’s new Life Assistance Programs, which are an outreach to local churches, businesses, and schools.
	Jonas and Anne Beiler - Gap Family Center, Gap, PA In 1988, Jonas and Anne founded Auntie Anne's Hand Rolled Soft Pretzels, which has grown into an international franchising corporation with over 850 stores. Four years later, Jonas opened the Family Resource and Counseling Center to provide counseling services and resources that help families and individuals to reach their potential. Today, the center has 15 paid staff members, including 10 counselors. Currently, Jonas is CEO of JoAnn Realty Associates and is actively involved in projects that strengthen marriages and families on the local and national level. Anne and Jonas are maintaining their vision of helping children and families and focusing energies on the development of the Gap Family Center - a hub that brings together multiple family related resources and services all under one roof. Jonas and Anne, have two daughters and three grandchildren. They reside in Gap, PA where they are actively involved in the development of community partnerships to meet emerging needs and opportunities.
	Judd Buckwalter, M.A. - New Life Counseling Services, Mount Joy, PA Judd Buckwalter is a marriage and family therapist practicing for New Life Counseling Services in Mount Joy and contract counseling with Providence Behavioral Health in Leola and New Life Psychological Services in Ephrata. He completed a MA in family and marriage counseling at the Lancaster Bible College Graduate School in 2005 and is an LPC candidate for the spring of 2007. Mr. Buckwalter also is a full time professor in the professional counseling program at Lancaster Bible College. He is married for 19 years to his wife Susan and they have four children. They are active members of Calvary Bible Church in Mount Joy.
Website	Eric and Jennifer Garcia - Co-founders of AMFM. The Association of Marriage and Family Ministries (AMFM) is committed to encourage, resource, train and equip the local church and other support organizations in the vital area of marriage and family ministry. Prior to launching AMFM, Eric spent the past eighteen years as a business owner, board member, business and ministry consultant, and executive. His real passion is engaging relationships with individuals and couples, encouraging them in their walk with the Lord or challenging them to a new life in Christ. Jennifer has been an elementary school teacher, involved in the choir and worship teams, and a very active mother of four. She is now working with Eric doing research, connecting with ministries, and most recently traveling and speaking on Marriage and Family Ministry with Eric. The Garcia's have been married fourteen years and have four children. Their oldest, Hudson is eleven, Erika is nine and their twin boys, Elliot and Wesley are seven. Their family enjoys spending time in Alaska, attending youth basketball and soccer games (even coaching some of them), and involvement in their home church.
Website	Todd Henley, M.A. - Youth Pastor - Bethany Grace Fellowship, East Earl, PA Todd has been the Youth Pastor at Bethany Grace for 9 years, overseeing a leadership team of 18 adult volunteer. As a youth pastor, he is committed to enriching the family to build a healthy church so the youth ministry can reflect God's love and compassion for all. Todd is passionately in love with his wife Jan! They have been married for 11 years and have three children, Jordan 8, Moriah 6, and Noel 2. They make their home in the New Holland area.
Website	Deb Hinkel, M.A. - Asst. Prof of Church & Min. Leadership, Lancaster Bible College Deb is from the central Pennsylvania area. She grew up in a Christian home in the Carlisle area where, as a teenager, she was active in Youth for Christ ministries. She graduated from Millersville University with a bachelor's degree in educational media, and met her husband, Mark, during their participation in Intervarsity Christian Fellowship. Deb continued her education at Lancaster Bible College where she graduated with a Master of Arts degree in Ministry. Presently, she is an Assistant Professor in the Church and Ministry Leadership department at Lancaster Bible College, overseeing the Women in Christian Ministry program. Prior to coming to LBC, she spent 15 years in professional church ministry developing programs in Christian Education and Women's ministry. Deb and Mark have been married for 30 years and have three adult sons. She and her husband live in a 140-year-old home which they have enjoyed renovating over the past 20 years.
Website	Burdette Lahr, M.Div., M.S., and Nedra Lahr, M.S. - Staff Therapists, New Beginning Therapy Services, York, PA Burdette is the Executive Director and a therapist of New Beginnings Therapy Services, Inc. He is also an ordained minister, currently serving as the Associate Pastor for Marriage and Family Ministries at the Stillmeadow Church of the Nazarene. Burdette received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Mount Vernon Nazarene University, a Master of Divinity degree from Nazarene Theological Seminary, and a Master of Science degree in Family Therapy from Friends University. He has received extensive training in the area of relational healing, Nedra is a staff therapist for New Beginnings Therapy Services, Inc. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Rehabilitation Services Education from Penn State University and a Master of Science degree in Family Therapy from Friends University. Nedra has specialized training in the area of grief and loss and also enjoys teaching alongside her husband. Burdette and Nedra are the proud parents of two little boys, Nathan and Timothy. They find fulfillment in daily life with their sons, family, friends, and church family, and together enjoy traveling, kayaking, hiking, and photography.
	Greg Larsh, Ph.D. - Director of Professional Development - House on the Rock Family Ministries Following doctoral studies at Trinity International University, Greg served churches as pastor of marriage and family education, pastoral counseling, training and small group ministries. He has conducted over 50 marriage and family retreats, conferences, seminars and camps. He is a certified Building Family Strengths instructor. Currently he serves as the Director of Professional Development for House on the Rock Family Ministries. Dr. Larsh has taught at LBC graduate school, Evangelical School of Theology, and The Penn State University, Hershey Medical Center, nursing continuing education. He has been married to Esterina for 31 years and they have three married daughters.
Website	Bruce McCracken, Ph.D. - Founder House on the Rock Family Ministries Bruce was born and raised in Aldan, a small suburb of Philadelphia, PA. He is the oldest of three sons raised in a Christian home. He completed a B.A. in Christian Education from Taylor University in Upland, IN, and his Masters and Ph.D. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He has served as Chair of the Christian Education Department for 17 years, and the Dean of Undergraduate Education for 6 years at Lancaster Bible College in Lancaster, PA. Bruce founded House on the Rock Family Ministries in 1988 as an extension of his speaking and teaching ministry at LBC. It was through the prodding of several elders from his home church that he initiated launching full time in this venture. He's been married to Karen for 32 years, and they have 2 adult sons - Ryan and Ross.
Website	Bill Melone, M.A. - Care Ministries Director - Lancaster County Bible Church, Manheim, PA Bill is the Care Ministries Director at Lancaster County Bible Church, which includes oversight of marriage and family ministries. He graduated from Lancaster Bible College in 1986 and completed his master’s degree at LBC in 2005. He was a pastor for nine years in England in the 1980s and 90s. Bill and his wife Julie have been married for 25 years and have three children, and recently gained a lovely new daughter-in-law. They have lived in Manheim since 1999.
Website	Robb Palmer, D.Min. - Pastor of Family Life Ministries - Lebanon Evang. Free Church, Lebanon, PA Dr. Robb Palmer is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with the State of Pennsylvania, as well as a Certified Pastoral Counselor (Fellow Level) with the American Association of Pastoral Counselors. He graduated from Trinity School of Divinity (Deerfield, Illinois) with a M.Div. degree and from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary (Philadelphia, Pa), with a D.Min degree in Marriage & Family Studies. He currently serves as Family Life Minister at the Lebanon Area Evangelical Free Church and has been an ordained minister with the Evangelical Free Church of American for almost twenty five years. Dr. Palmer is a Clinical Member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and carries multiple certifications in the marriage and family therapy/ministry arena. Currently, he lives in the Lebanon Area, with his wife Virginia, two adult daughters and one fascinating, delightful and always intriguing teenage son.
Website	Jeff Parziale, Ph.D., and Judi Parziale, Ph.D. - Founders - InStep Ministries, Tucson, AZ. Jeff is an author, counselor and ordained minister and, in his thirty years of counseling, has witnessed not only the impact of death and divorce but also the challenges of singles and single-parents and the struggles of remarrying couples that were not fully prepared for remarriage and stepfamily life. Judi is a research health psychologist who understands the immense challenges facing today's stepparents and stepfamilies. Together, they are excited about what God is doing in the lives of singles and stepfamilies. Jeff and Judi are passionate about singles, single parents and stepfamilies and about equipping pastors and leaders to effectively minister to these wonderful, courageous people in their congregations and communities. Jeff and Judi Parziale have been married for nearly fourteen years. They each brought three children into their marriage. The challenges of working through the issues of remarriage and stepfamily life led them to start InStep Ministries. Their vision was to offer hope and encouragement to singles, single parents and stepfamilies by sharing their own successes and failures.
	Pastor Paul Perreault - Pastor of Family Ministries, Faith Baptist Church, Sellersville, PA Paul grew up in Rhode Island with Christian parents and a church that loved to reach the inner-city kids of Providence. His heart and love for reaching kids with the gospel of Christ came to life during his high school years and has never let up. Paul received his bachelor’s degree from Bob Jones University. During his time there he met his wife, Jennifer, on an outreach ministry to children in downtown Greenville. Paul is now at Calvary Baptist Theological Seminary in his senior year of his Masters of Divinity degree. Presently, Paul is the Family Ministries Pastor at Faith Baptist Church in Sellersville, PA. He also is the director of Gospel Ministries to Children of the Delaware Valley which is an evangelistic ministry with the desire to reach unsaved, unchurched children for Christ. Paul and Jennifer have been married for 8 years and have three of the cutest kids you have ever seen, Luke-4, Leah-2, Ryan-10mo. Just ask to see the pictures! Paul and Jennifer desire to make their home “heaven on earth.”
	Steve Prokopchak, M.A. - Author, Speaker Steve Prokopchak has been involved in the Christian counseling field for 27 years. He earned his Master of Human Services degree from Lincoln University. His wife Mary is a registered nurse and works with Steve in premarital counseling. He is available for training, counseling and marriage seminars. Steve and Mary have been married for 31 years, have three children, and co-authored the book Called Together.
Website	Fred Raupp, Th.M. - Pastor of Administration and Family Life - Christian Fellowship Church, New Holland, PA Fred received his Certificate in Biblical Counseling from Christian Counseling and Education Foundation in 1992, and his Th.M. in Pastoral Ministries from Dallas Seminary in 1997. Fred served as a Pastor of Single Adult Ministries at Hawthorne Gospel Church from 1997-2000, and currently serves as Minister of Administration and Family Life at Christian Fellowship Church in New Holland, PA. He is married to Renee of 14 years and they have two children - Freddy, and Lauren. They make their home in Bowmansville, PA.
Website	Kelly Kirk-Wentzel, M.A., L.P.C - Bethany Christian Services Kelly Kirk-Wentzel, M.S., LPC has 20+ years in the mental health field with her past four years in adoption services. She received her Masters in Clinical Psychology at Millersville University and is a Liscensed Professional Counselor. Her duties include training, approving, and supervising international adoptive families. She enjoys "being a part of the process that brings families together and seeing children joined with their families." Kelly and her husband of seven years, Eric, have adopted their two children from Guatemala.
	Omar Zook L.C.S.W, B.C.D., M.A.R. - Associate Pastor for Pastoral Care, Hershey Evangelical Free Church, Hershey, PA Pastor Omar received his degree in Sociology from Eastern Mennonite College, and his Masters from University of South Carolina, and Evangelical School of Theology. He is a Board Certified Diplomat through the American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work, and is an Adjunct Professor in Marriage and Family Counseling at Lancaster Bible College. Omar is married to Evie of 33 years, and have 2 adult children, and 3 grandchildren. His hobbies include gardening, traveling, reading, and sports.

Register for the Conference
Conference Schedule
List of Workshop titles