Rolland Kenneson has been in ministry leadership for over 30 years, serving churches and educational ministries throughout Colorado. He currently serves as pastor at Rosemont Baptist Church in Montrose, Colorado. His main mission in life is helping people find their identity in Christ igniting a passion within them to serve uniquely in the Body of Christ. Rolland received his bachelor’s degree from Colorado Christian University and obtained his Master’s degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has been married to Rhonda since 1992. Together they have one daughter, Jessica, who works as a biochemist. When he is not pastoring, coaching, or ministering, Rolland loves spending time with his wife, woodworking, leatherworking, tinkering in the shop, fishing, and enjoying the beauty of Colorado.

His book Flawed to Fruitful: Hope for Men has won 5 prestigious awards.

I am a Full-Time Worship Pastor in the local church. I have served in vocational ministry for almost twenty years and I served at my current church for 12
years. I currently oversee a successful and healthy worship ministry and team seventy staff and volunteers. Last year I published a book outlining all the
systems my team and I utilize in running the ministry. The book was aimed predominately at those just starting out as fellow worship leaders. I'm married and have two sons. I'm also an avid outdoorsman and I love to spend as much time outdoors as possible.

I am a semi-retired grandmother. My sons and their families live in other cities. My 86-year-old mother lives with me. She is in poor health and that limits the time I spend away from home. I am licensed as a Physical Therapist Assistant and Massage Therapist but mainly teach yoga part time at a local studio, as well as a couple of free classes in the community. As you can see, I'm drawn to the healing arts and love to help people live a healthier life if I can, including teaching them about their magnificent bodies or directing them to other resources. (I want them to have a vested interest!)
As for my interests, I consider myself an information junkie on a lifelong quest of learning, therefore I generally read, or listen to audiobooks in my car, to
learn new information.

I’m Danniella and I am delighted to join the Sheltering Tree. Earth team.   I am a lifelong bookworm and an avid researcher who enjoys music, cuisine, fashion, art, film, and too many other things to mention.

I have a professional background in education, advertising/PR, consultancy, and coaching. I am also a trained holistic aromatherapist, using Chinese 5 Element methodology to achieve energetic balance and wellbeing.

In my career I have worked with all ages from very young children to older adults and across multiple media and audiences.  The common thread that draws all these experiences together is communication.  For me, effective communication depends on genuine connection, sustained by a sense of humour and wonder at the world.

My motivation as a Writing Coach is to use my knowledge and experience to support authors to express themselves fully, positively and with confidence in their chosen genre. Let’s hear your unique voice!

Charles Hancock brings a lifetime of musical passion and excellence to the churches he serves. A lifelong resident of Fort Meade, Chuck has served churches and the community through music for decades. Beginning as pianist at First United Methodist Church of Fort Meade in 2006, he soon became Music Director and Pianist, leading Sunday morning worship, directing the adult choir, and organizing special programs such as annual Christmas Cantatas and the popular concert series “A Night at the Keys.”

Chuck’s gifts extend beyond the piano bench. He has recruited nationally recognized gospel artists to perform in Fort Meade, helped develop children’s choirs and handbell groups, and created a welcoming atmosphere of praise through music that touches hearts of all ages. His playing—both on piano and organ—reflects his deep love for God and his desire to help others experience the presence of the Holy Spirit through worship.

When he’s not at the keyboard, Chuck continues to serve his community in many ways, but music remains a central calling and joy in his life. He is also a published author and enjoys reading nonfiction.

Jessi Knippel-academic, writer, artist who recently moved back to the PNW where she grew up with her partner and children. She holds a BA in Theatre and in Religious Studies, as well as three MAs at the intersections of Religion, Gender Studies, Cultural Studies and Media and Art. She is currently in the early dissertation phase of an interdisciplinary PhD in Religion, Gender Studies and Media at Claremont Graduate School. She also has been known to assist audio narrators with preparation and research. Her research includes European Witchcraft/Witch trials, Religion of the Atlantic world,  Diasporic African Religion, Post/Ex-Evangelicals and Religious Deconstruction, Evangelicalism in the US,  High Control Groups/Emerging Religions (ie cults), Deviant Sex Cults, syncretism and folk practices in religion, as well as pop culture and religion.

Em’s love for non-fiction writing came from years of her own soul searching, personal development, healing and hunger for spiritual growth. Following the whisper within, she came into authorship organically through witnessing the world around her and attempting to make sense out of what often her limited human wisdom couldn’t. She spent many years as an intensive care nurse, travelling the country and caring for people of all walks of life. A lot of her developmental years were in the arena with the sick, the dying, those that were harmed, suffering and even witnessing the miraculous in the darkest of places. When facing any degree of adversity and unknown, what she noticed was that it often led people trying to either control or make sense out of their pain, their struggles, and how they ended up where they were in their life. Battling with uncertainty as many of us do daily, Em learned this undeniable truth of the human condition and the key to our resiliency — the power of our story and that on the other side of uncertainty, if we choose to remain open, steady and hopeful, the light will eventually fill the blank pages, the gaps in our psyche, a deeper part of us has been yearning to come to know.

I am a poet, photographer, writer and literary magazine editor. My professional background is in mental health, vocational rehabilitation counseling and program evaluation and quality assurance research. I am the author of poetry/photography collections including Sacred Strains of Praise (a Christlit Book Award Winner) published by Sheltering Tree.Earth. I am married with two daughters and one son. My hobbies include travel, speaking Spanish, hiking, and serving in my church and community. How grateful I am for Jesus Christ and his sacrifice which makes today bearable and all my best tomorrows possible! It is a pleasure to help you share your writing of light in a darkening world. 

August is our go-to researcher for all things. If you have a question about writing, visit his blog. If you can't find the answer there, send him your question and he'll get back to you.