I am an avid adventurer and outdoorsman.  I received my undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan, majoring in Middle Eastern History and Turkish and Islamic studies. This is where my life and faith really changed through great friends and a strong campus ministry.  It was also during these same years that I met my wife, Mackenzie! 

We married shortly after college, moved to Turkey, and after a brief season there, spent a decade in Mt. Pleasant growing our family, educations, and experiences in ministry.  Our two kids, Kaley and Aiden, were born there too.

In 2016, took on another big adventure and moved to West Michigan. Mackenzie completed a doctoral degree at WMU in educational leadership and special education.  I finished a Master of Divinity degree and ordination at Calvin Seminary.  By the fall of 2019, we both completed our educational goals and were ready for the next step! I then started the process to a launch a new church in southwest Michigan.   We began meeting as a church launch team in January of 2020, and have been on this adventure ever since. 

I grew up in the Grand Rapids area and came to Kalamazoo to pursue a degree in Multimedia Arts & Music Technology at Western Michigan University. During my time at WMU, my faith and leadership skills really grew. I have lead with other ministries, and been with Converge since the beginning! Some of my passions are music, photography, videography, audio engineering!  

I just completed my Master's of Divinity degree at Western Theological Seminary and grateful to take my first official pastoral calling at Converge. 

Liz is a professional educator with a passion to help kids experience Jesus in real ways.  She is also a mother of two kids and understands the importance of our church's role in helping families develop their kids’ faith in fun and practical ways. When she is not leading at church, you will probably find her spending time with friends and family, reading, gardening, playing cribbage, or zooming with her kids through the neighborhood on her pink scooter. She also really loves to make time to get away and visit the mountains!

Liz has an M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction and is currently taking seminary courses to further her education in order to better support kids and adults at Converge.

I have been a part of Converge since it began when my wife, Sarahruth, and I joined...

I grew up in Monterrey, Mexico and moved to the USA in 2015. I was looking for better opportunities and a better future for my children and me. In 2023, I found a church home at Converge where I can serve God and the community with my gifts and talents. I serve on the worship team, missions team, and other places I can help. One of my goals is to be able to go to different places in Latin America and share what God has done in my life.

My husband Lee and I have been married for 37 years.  I am a retired legal assistant and Lee is a "kind-of-retired" builder.  We have three grown children and four grandchildren. I have been attending Converge for threeyears.  It has been amazing to see and experience God’s movement in and provision for this body.  I grew up in the church until I was 18 then parted ways.  Even though I did not feel welcome in church, I was always aware that God was there, but as a person that I did not have a personal relationship with.  Several years later I had an encounter with Jesus and started the journey to where I am today.  He revealed to me who He is and began to teach me who I am.  Over the last 35 years God has provided and led me through such a variety of positions and experiences leading up to the last two years of seminary classes with The Foundry.  I am looking forward to what is in store for me next.  “For such a time as this” from Esther 4 has been my standard.  Each new experience is for such a time as this, God’s time in God’s plan.  Great is His faithfulness!  I am honored to be an elder of Converge and serving the Milwood Neighborhood. 

My wife Kayleigh and I made the decision to follow Mitch and Mackenzie Sheahan based on their calling from God to start a church plant. We had spent the previous 7 years at The Bridge where I had first gotten to know Jesus myself. The Bridge was a special place to us, but the calling God put on our hearts to join this church was too strong to miss. We absolutely had to do it. We joined Converge before it was even called Converge with our three kids, Claire, Eric, and Maddie. 

Since that decision, God has continued to build on that foundation. We have taught classes, led small groups, served on the worship team, and have done our best to respond to God’s calling on our lives to build His church here in the Milwood neighborhood. We have learned more about what it looks like to be people on mission, inviting people our lives and church home. The joy of seeing so many people find their way to Jesus through Converge has given us endless amounts of joy.

I am nearly finished with a two year theology course, and this incredible education experience has led me deeper in my understanding of Scripture, emboldened me to teach and preach The Word, and has completely surprised me.  I am incredibly excited for the opportunity to be an elder at Converge with two other excellent church leaders who have done it before. Together, we will serve this church through prayer and spiritual guidance. I cannot wait to be a part of it in this new capacity!