Our Speakers

  • Corey Turnpenny

    (she/her)
    is the spiritual leader of Church in the Wild, an eco-spiritual community. She is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church but in 2019, felt the Spirit’s call to plant an eco-spiritual community for those who, like her, feel closest to the Divine in Nature. Corey earned her Masters in Divinity from Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School and now lives with her spouse, their 2 kids and 2 dogs in Windsor, NY.

    Corey will be leading our opening and closing circles, weaving music, wisdom, poetry, and Earth-centered meditation into a shared time of worship to book-end our time together.

  • Kenneth McIntosh

    (he/him)
    is an author, educator, and spiritual companion. He has written more than a dozen books published by Anamchara Books, including Water from an Ancient Well; has led workshops in Ireland, the UK, and throughout the US; and has shared his insights on podcasts and webinars. He taught comparative religion at the college level and has led churches in five different denominations. Currently, he lives in the Western Finger Lakes of New York State with his wife Marsha and their cat Bunty, where he also enjoys time with his granddaughter, hiking, fountain pens, fantasy fiction, and historic-themed craft projects. With his wife Marsha and other companions-on-the-way, Kenneth has been shaped by blister-making, soul-renewing pilgrimages in Spain and Scotland. He is available for in-person or online events; contact him at kennethmcintosh.com.

  • Melina Rudman

    (she/her)
    is a spiritual director, writer, and educator. She is the author of Sacred Soil A Gardener’s Book of Reflection (Anamchara Books), as well as almost-daily reflections on melinarudman.substack.com. 

    She is a garden-mystic who grows fruit, flowers, vegetables, and herbs at her half-acre home in the suburbs of Hartford, CT.  Melina is also a mother, grandmother, sister, friend, quilter, and plant-based foodie. 

  • Ellyn Sanna

    (she/her)
    is an author and the managing editor of Anamchara Books. She wrote the modern translation of the writings of Julian of Norwich (All Shall Be Well, Anamchara Books), as well as many educational and inspirational books for various publishers. She is also a regular contributor to US Catholic magazine, where she frequently writes about gender issues and weird (sometimes bizarre!) saints' stories.

    Ellyn feels closest to Spirit when she's in the woods, surrounded by green, and she considers her two dogs and her cat to be beloved companions on her spiritual journey. She lives in Central New York State with her husband and is the mother of three adult children and the delighted grandmother of a preschooler.

Cassie Gibson

is a musician and Binghamton native with a deep passion for the Universe and the unknown. With a 9-year background in worship leading in a church environment, they love the way music can connect us with the Source, no matter our background, and they make it their mission to create an environment where spiritual openness and inner healing can take place.

A group of people seated in a circle in a spacious room with large windows, a wooden ceiling, and a colorful banner hanging. A woman stands in the middle reading, while a man beside her plays guitar.
A woman and a man sit closely together in a room, with the woman's arm around the man's back. They are watching a performance or presentation; the woman holds his hand on his back. In the background, two women are playing musical instruments, and there are colorful triangular flags hanging across the room near large windows letting in natural light.
People sitting on wooden benches around a campfire in a wooded area with fallen autumn leaves.
A lake surrounded by green trees under a blue sky with white clouds.
Night sky filled with stars over a wooded lake with a dock.