Retreat Guides

Drew Jackson is a poet, speaker, and public theologian. He is the author of God Speaks Through Wombs: Poems on God’s Unexpected Coming, which was a finalist for the Christian Book Award, and Touch the Earth: Poems on the Way. His work has appeared in Oneing from the Center for Action and Contemplation, The Isolation Journals with Suleika Jaouad, Christianity Today, Made for Pax, The Journal from the Centre for Public Christianity, Fathom Magazine, and other publications. Drew was a contributing artist on Jon Batiste’s Grammy-nominated album World Music Radio, and also appeared in the award-winning documentary American Symphony on Netflix. Drew is also a co-host of the Everything Belongs podcast from the Center for Action and Contemplation.

Drew received his B.A. in Political Science from the Univ. of Chicago and his M.A. in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. He currently works as the Managing Director of Mission Integration for the Center for Action and Contemplation, and lives in Brooklyn, NY with his wife and daughters.

Aaron Niequist is a liturgist, writer, and pastor. Aaron recently graduated from General Theological Seminary in NYC and currently serves at St Peter’s Episcopal Church Chelsea. After leading worship at Mars Hill Church (Grand Rapids, MI) and Willow Creek Church (Barrington, IL), he created A New Liturgy - a collection of modern liturgical worship recordings. He then curated a discipleship-focused, formational, ecumenical, practice-based community called “The Practice”. Aaron released a book called The Eternal Current: How a Practice-Based Faith Can Keep Us From Drowning and continues to create resources to help others flesh it out.  But that’s just job stuff.  The best part of his life is his wife Shauna, and their sons Henry and William.

Nina Barnes is a trained spiritual director and coach with a passion for accompanying others in navigating life. Nina is honored to help others experience and embody love, hope, redemption, and a journey of belovedness. Along with a Master of Arts degree in Spiritual Formation & Leadership, Nina holds certifications in Conflict Coaching/Mediation, Bias Awareness and Mitigation, StrengthsFinder Training, Enneagram Training and Coaching, Spiritual Transformation, Spiritual Direction, and Human Resources Management.

Outside of work, Nina desires to make a meaningful impact as she serves as a board member for two non-profit organizations, and in her most cherished role as mother to an adult son and “daughter-in-love”, along with treasuring being “Gramma Nina” to their two beloved little girls.

Rev Lisha Epperson is a minister, movement specialist, and Christian meditation practitioner.

Since 2019, she has served as pastoral associate at St. Peter’s Chelsea in New York City and was recently ordained as a priest in the Episcopal Church.

As part of her work, Lisha teaches embodied practices (movement and faith-based meditation) to Christian communities. These therapeutic practices support overall wellness and help balance the demands of modern life. She offers movement workshops and quiet day retreats designed around these themes and shares resources and tools to encourage a life long practice of self-care and spiritual formation.

Jonathan Merritt is one of America’s most popular writers on issues of faith and culture. He is the author of several critically acclaimed books, including Learning to Speak God from Scratch: Why Sacred Words are Vanishing - and How We Can Revive Them, named “Book of the Year” by the Englewood Review of Books.

Jonathan is an award-winning contributor for The Atlantic, a contributing editor for The Week, and a regular columnist for Religion News Service. He has published more than 3000 articles in respected outlets such as The New York Times, USA Today, Buzzfeed, The Washington Post, The Daily Beast, and Christianity Today.

Jonathan is also a sought-after speaker at colleges, conferences, and churches on topics relating to spirituality, politics, and current events.

Jonathan currently happily resides in New York City. He is an aspiring dog dad, a college football fan, and intolerable before coffee.

And many more! It truly takes a village to guide a retreat like this, and we are thrilled to be part of such a gifted and passionate retreat team.