In April of 2018 the Godly Play Foundation Board of Directors, staff, and Trainers announced a new pilot program in the United States: Godly Play Missioners. The goal for Missioners was to bring Godly Play to the world and to bring the world to Godly Play. Through gatherings, introductory sessions, stories in “outside the box” locations, and concentrated work with existing programs including reaching out to people who we have trained, everyone was hopeful that the volunteer Missioners would work to change the world through Godly Play. The larger vision was for Missioners to become the bridge for programs needing support before or after attending Core or Advanced Training. You can read about the success of the first year and apply to be a Missioner here!
Ashley Bond
Ashley Bond is the Director of Children’s and Family Ministries for Trinity Episcopal Church and a Godly Play Missioner.
Melinda Wenner Bradley
Melinda Wenner Bradley serves as the Youth Religious Life Coordinator for Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). She is a Godly Play US Trainer and the Director of Communications for Faith & Play Stories, Inc.
Sabrina Evans
Sabrina serves as the Director of Christian Formation for the Diocese of Oklahoma.
The Reverend Ebony Grisom
When she is not in a Circle, you can find her reading, traveling, enjoying her friends and family, or advocating on Capitol Hill. Ordained in the American Baptist Churches, USA, Ebony is thrilled to be a Godly Play Missioner while serving in ministry at an anti-poverty non-profit.
Cynthia Inkso
Cynthia Insko is an ordained clergy person in the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
Mary Hunter Maxwell
She is currently the Director of the Preschool at Second-Ponce in Atlanta. A practitioner of Godly Play since 2006, Mary Hunter loves to tell stories to children of all ages and is passionate about nurturing and sustaining Godly Play mentors and programs.
Kat Mercer
She currently serves as chaplain at St. Luke’s Nursing Center, a ministry of Grace Episcopal Church in Carthage, MO, where she incorporates Godly Play into her ministry, and provides consultation and support in children’s ministry for congregations.
Teresa Phares
She has an MA in Curriculum & Instruction from Spring Arbor University, as well as an MA in Theology from the University of the South. Teresa also works for the Foundation as US Training Operations Manager and Director of Membership.
Charissa Simmons
Charissa Simmons is the Family Ministries Coordinator for Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, Oregon where she supports programming and care for children and their families.
Jana Sundin
Currently a seminarian at Church Divinity School of the Pacific and the Canon for Children’s Ministries in the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona. Jana works to support new and existing Godly Play practitioners and programs throughout the state.
Joy Studer
Currently Joy resides in Lake Stevens, Washington and is working with synods, preschools, and even the local Food Bank.
Alison Talley
Alison Talley lives in Juneau, a community of about 32,500 in Southeast Alaska. She is the parish administrator at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.
Anna Thomas
Anna lives in Boca Raton, FL and serves at St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church where they regularly build circles of all ages. She also works part-time for the Foundation helping with communications.