FRIDAY, October 10
Session 1:
Friday Night, 8 PM
Worship: Alexander Pappas
Speaker: Carmelle Beaugelin
Concert: DJ El Vow
SATURDAY, October 11
Saturday Morning, 9 AM
OPTIONAL Youth Leader Meeting in Ballroom C
Session 2:
Saturday Morning, 10 AM
Acoustic Set: Tomorrow Has Come Ministries
Worship: Alexander Pappas
Speakers: Woo Kang and Michael Beck
Speaker Panel Discussion
Breakout Opportunities:
Saturday Afternoon, 2 - 5 PM
Saturday Afternoon Workshops.
2:00 - 2:45 PM.
Ballroom A: Audio Divina: Spiritual Practices (Tomorrow Has Come)
Ballroom B + C: Q+A with Bishop Cynthia
Moore-Koikoi
Free time/games
Saturday Afternoon Workshops.
3:00 - 3:45 PM.
Ballroom A: Audio Divina: Spiritual Practices (Tomorrow Has Come)
Ballroom B + C: Let’s Talk About It: Mental Health, Self Harm and the Power of Hope and Connection (Laura Jenkins)
East Hall Deck: Open Mic
Free time/games
Saturday Afternoon Workshops.
4:00 - 4:45 PM.
Ballroom A: Mission Project
Ballroom B + C: Fresh Expressions in Youth Ministry (Michael Beck and Woo Kang)
East Hall Deck: Open Mic
Free time/games
Please click here to view breakout times and descriptions.
Session 3:
Saturday Night, 7 PM
Intro: DJ El Vow
Worship: Alexander Pappas
Speakers: Woo Kang and Michael Beck
Response Time with Annointing
SUNDAY, October 12
Sunday Morning, 9 AM
OPTIONAL Youth Leader Meeting in Ballroom C
Session 4:
Sunday Morning, 10 AM
Acoustic Set: Tomorrow Has Come Ministries
Worship: Alexander Pappas
Speaker: Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi
Communion
VENUE INFO
The Wildwoods Convention Center
4501 Boardwalk
Wildwood, NJ
LOCATION GUIDE
WEST HALL: Sessions
EAST HALL
BALLROOMS: Workshops
Check-In
Registration and check-in will be open on Friday, October 11 beginning at 5:00pm, located at the Wildwood Convention Center front entrance. At check-in, attendees will be given a lanyard which will grant access to all IGNITE events.
Parking
Parking is FREE at the Wildwood Convention Center
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE AND SPEAKER
Carmelle Beaugelin
Carmelle Beaugelin Caldwell is a Haitian-American visual theologian and multidisciplinary artist who work moves in vibrant hues and layered textures —- a visual language of ancestral memory and sacred migration.
Drawing on the wisdom of Caribbean art traditions and Christian pneumatology, her practice is rooted in Kombit —- a Haitian philosophy of collective labor and mutual care —- as an act of ancestral remembrance and sacred co-creation of new divine realities.
A graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary (M.Div.), Carmelle founded BeauFolio Studio to curate collaborative experiences that merge fine art, spiritual practices, and play. Her work has been commissioned by Interfaith American, Duke Divinity, and A Sanctified Art.
Carmelle serves as Associate Director of the Missing Voices Project at Flagler College’s Center for Religion and Culture and sits on the board of Artworks Trenton. She has been awarded the 2025-2026 Overseas Missions Study Center (OMSC) Artists’ Residency at Princeton Theological Seminary.
SPEAKER
Michael Beck
Michael Beck is a pastor, professor, and author. Beck is a rare breed of both practitioner and scholar, actively engaged in frontline ministry while also researching and teaching at multiple academic institutions.
Michael and wife Jill have led a series of revitalizations and unconventional church plants with "the ones no one else wants or sees." They are currently co-pastors of Compassion and St Marks UMCs, where they oversee a holistic recovery housing program called Open Arms Village, and lead a network of fresh expressions gathering in tattoo parlors, dog parks, burrito joints, EV charging stations, digital spaces, and a substance abuse rehab. Michael serves as the Director of Fresh Expressions Florida, Director of the Fresh Expressions House of Studies at Perkins SMU, and Director of Fresh Expressions UM.
He is currently a graduate instructor of sociology at the University of Florida and teaches as an adjunct professor at several seminaries including Emory, United, and Duke. Beck is the author of 18 books and widely considered the primary practitioner and thought leader of the Fresh Expressions movement in the United States. Follow on Substack.
SPEAKER
Woo Kang
Woo Kang is an Associate Pastor at The Nett Church and the Lead Pastor of At The Table, a dinner Church in Historic Norcross, Georgia, launched in February 2023. At The Table has quickly become a welcoming and transformative space, particularly for young people, to rediscover what it means to be the Church and belong to a faith community. Through innovative, asset-based approaches, Woo is dedicated to meeting the spiritual needs of the community in fresh and meaningful ways.
As an Associate Pastor at The Nett, Woo has focused on outreach and discipleship ministries, helping to cultivate deeper connections within the congregation and beyond.
In his free time, he enjoys fishing, running, sleeping, exploring coffee shops, and indulging in great food with his wife, Lydia, and their beloved dog, Sugar.
SPEAKER
Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi
Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi will challenge us to “Go and make disciples of all nations” in the Sunday morning session, which will end with communion and a final invitation to “Go!” and share the story of all that God is doing in your life and in the world around you. You can learn more about Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi in the following articles:
A New Chapter for EPA&GNJ: A Conversation with Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi
ARTIST
Alexander Pappas
Alexander Pappas is a world-renowned Worship Leader and Songwriter.
Having served as part of Young & Free, and Hillsong Worship for over a decade, and penning songs like “Alive”, “Wake”, “Real Love” and “Echo” which have served the global Church.
ARTIST
Tomorrow Has Come Ministries
Tomorrow Has Come started as a group of young adult worship leaders coming together to lead worship for a single event. Originally 8 musicians from Virginia, the group now consists of over 20 musicians living throughout the United States. Led by Andrew LaBar-Dietz, the membership looks different for every service.
Tomorrow Has Come draws influence from a variety of music and artists, both secular and spiritual, including: traditional hymns, the music of Taizé, Chris Tomlin, Eric Whitacre, Gary Clarke Jr., Puppet, Chicago, Mumford and Sons, and more.
They walk an eclectic path, finding ways to use different styles of music to engage with God in new and creative ways, all while welcoming the listener into the holy moment. You never know exactly what you will find with Tomorrow Has Come, but you can be sure that worshipping God will be its heart.
DJ & Concert:
To date, El Vow has been featured in several national tours along many of today’s top artist such as Social Club Misfits, Tedashii, Derek Minor, KB, Travy Joe and many others. El Vow's music delivers a distinguishing style for his distinctive listeners. “I wanted to leave people with something more than just dope beats, I wanted to give them more substance” says Vow. Vow’s musical influences include Hip Hop, EDM along with traditional Mexican and latino music, which he claims to filter through his faith. It is no wonder El Vow continues to leave audiences hungry for more.
Although the ingredients in Vows secret recipes may seem to be requesting a slice in today’s music industry. El Vow also concentrates on other important things aside from the creative arts. El Vow and his family are currently raising support for their next season in ministry as full time missionaries. CLICK HERE to read more
DJ El Vow
Created Clothing
createdclothing.com
EPAUMC Camp & Retreat Ministry
WORKSHOP
Lauren Jenkins
Lauren N. Jenkins is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP), and a certified therapist in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (C-DBT) Lauren is also a mental health Advocate, empowerment speaker, and trainer with over 19 years of experience providing therapeutic support and interventions to youth and adults involved in the correctional/mental health systems. In addition, Lauren holds extensive experience facilitating professional development and training for government organizations, as well as community outreach organizations throughout Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Virginia, as well as across the United States. Lauren is a Certified Mental Health First Aid Trainer (Youth and Adult), through the National Council for Wellbeing, a Master Trainer in Adverse Childhood Experiences, through the ACE Interface cohort; and a certified facilitator of other various Trauma Informed and Cognitive Behavioral programming and trainings. In her advocacy work, Lauren is passionate about raising awareness on the impact of suicide on African American Communities. She is a committe member for the non-profit organization Black People Die By Suicide Too, Board Member for the Life of Joy Foundation, as well as a Suicide Prevention advocate and Trainer of various suicide prevention programs, including L.E.T.S. Save Lives: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention for Black and African American Communities through the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and is a Trainer and Co-Director for Soul Shop™ for Black Churches, a faith-based suicide prevention workshops, to support leaders and congregations minister to those impacted by suicidal desperation and suffering.
In August of 2021, Lauren launched The Journey2Well, LLC, (https://thejourney2well.com), a mental health and organizational wellness company to empower and equip organizations, through training, coaching and consulting to promote emotionally healthier staff, leaders, and work environments. The Journey2Well, LLC also provides psychotherapy and processing groups for individuals, primarily those called to the helping profession, in order to help improve their overall quality of life and so they can help others they have been entrusted to serve and support effectively and well.
When Lauren is not providing therapy, or serving as an advocate and trainer, Lauren enjoys leading worship, singing, and songwriting. She is a musician. From 2013-2020, she served as the lead singer for the Christian band "withLove," a Baltimore based band, who uses music and service to spread the word of God and the message to all to "Love God, Love People, and to do Everything with Love." She currently serves as the praise and worship leader at St. Paul United Methodist Church, located in Oxon Hill, MD under the pastorship of the Rev. Tony Love.
Creating community and belonging, asking questions, growing supportive inter-generational relationships, and processing together have been proven to make a significant difference in the faith formation of young people. Small group discussions are a GREAT way to do all of these things! During IGNITE, we encourage you to gather as a youth group, or break into smaller groups, for conversation.
Word of Encouragement:
You play a vital role in creating a safe and welcoming space for youth to explore their faith and ask questions. Your presence and guidance make a significant impact on their spiritual journey.
Tips, Tricks, and Practical Advice:
Be Present and Engaged: Put away distractions, actively listen, and show genuine interest in what the youth are sharing.
Create a Safe Space: Encourage open and honest sharing, and assure the youth that their thoughts and feelings are valued and respected.
Be Authentic: Let your personality shine through and allow the youth to be themselves. Authenticity fosters trust and connection.
Facilitate, Don't Dominate: Guide the conversation, but allow the youth to take ownership of the discussion. Ask open-ended questions that encourage them to think critically and share their perspectives.
Pray Together: Begin and end your small group time with prayer, inviting God's presence and guidance.
Throughout the weekend, you will need to provide your group with:
Friday: dinner
Saturday: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Sunday: breakfast, lunch (depending on how far you live from Wildwood)
Here are some great food options for your group during the IGNITE weekend:
Hybrid – Group members purchase their own fast-food meals on traveling days (Friday dinner & Sunday lunch), and you provide or purchase all Saturday meals & Sunday breakfast out of previously collected money or your youth ministry budget. Another idea would be to take a church offering in your Sunday service so that your church can bless the lives (and stomachs!) of their youth.
All meals provided – You provide or purchase all meals for the weekend out of previously collected money or your youth ministry budget.
No meals provided – You do not include the cost of food in the amount of money you collect from your group, and group members are responsible for purchasing all of their own meals for the weekend.
If you plan to make some of your own meals, we recommend asking your congregation to donate food for the weekend. Some examples of donations:
Mini-bagels with cream cheese, cereal with milk for breakfast, fruit, or donuts for breakfast
Bread, lunch meat, peanut/sun butter and jelly (be mindful of allergies in your group), chips, fruit, or a veggie tray for lunch
Salad, lasagna, baked ziti, rolls, brownies, or cookies for dinner
Paper plates, disposable silverware, and paper towels
Ask your students to each bring their own reusable water bottle
If you plan to eat out for one or more meals, we recommend researching restaurants ahead of time! We have provided a starter list of restaurants in Wildwood, NJ but still suggest that you call establishments before the trip to make sure they will be open and can accommodate your group. Try to book a reservation for your group, based on the IGNITE schedule for the weekend.
The Wildwoods Convention Center does not permit visitors to enter with food from outside the center. There is a concession stand inside the convention center.
During The Conference
Keep up to date with the IGNITE program for event schedule
Spend time with your church group
Engage in workshops and activities
Visit vendors and booths
Explore the local community
Attractions In Wildwood
Many groups plan to arrive early or stay after the conference to enjoy the local sites and activities.
Wildwood Boardwalk
Seaport Aquarium
Doo Wop Preservation League Museum
Cape May Zoo
Self-Guided Group Activities
Check out the following PDFs for activities your group can do together on Saturday afternoon:
