Save the date for

Access2023

July 11-13, 2023!

Thanks for joining us at Access2022 check out this
highlight video!

Grace College & Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana

Over the past 120 years, Winona Lake, Ind. has often served as the location for the annual gathering of what is now the Charis Fellowship. The founding of Grace Theological Seminary in 1937 and Grace College in 1948 helped establish Winona Lake as a hub of many of our Fellowship’s ministry initiatives for decades.

This summer we are excited to return to the beautiful Grace campus located in this historic town, just minutes from beautiful Winona Lake. We invite you to join us for an incredible time together at Access2022 Conference.

Workshops

Access2022 features opportunities to engage in discussion and learning experiences that can help provide valuable ideas and resources for ministry and Christian living. These workshops are topic specific, and help to create additional relationship connections for further input and advice. We encourage everyone attending Access2022 to participate in the workshops offered on Friday and Saturday.

Already registered for Access and need to choose your Workshops? Click below to get started!

Celebrations

Access2022 features multiple Celebration sessions where we gather to worship together and to be inspired and challenged as keynote speakers share with us from God’s Word. Please join us for all five sessions at Access2022. All celebrations this year will be held in the beautiful Manahan Orthopedic Capital Center (MOCC) on Grace’s campus.

Ministry Sponsored Meals

During Access2022, Charis Fellowship National Ministries are sponsoring breakfast, lunch, and dinner options at a discounted rate. In addition to being an affordable dining option, these sponsored meals provide opportunity to hear updates and learn more about what God is doing throughout the Fellowship. All meals this year (except Sunday lunch at the park) will be held in the spacious, newly renovated Alpha Dining Commons.

Charis Kids

For families attending Access2022 with kids from infant through sixth grade, Charis Kids is available during all Celebrations, sponsored meal times, and breakout workshop times This year we are teaming up with Momentum Ministry Partners to provide quality care filled with age-appropriate teaching times and fun activities throughout the day.

Want to help out? Become a volunteer for Access2022!

Sign Up!

A Schedule Designed for You!

Pre-conference will  include the following:

Fellowship Council Meeting: 8:30am–12:00pm
Location: Manahan Orthopedic Capital Center (MOCC) Room 106
The Fellowship Council is a group of 17 representatives elected to serve as the official board of directors of the Charis Fellowship, providing leadership and management to the business and affairs of the corporation.

Come-and-Go Luncheon: 11:30am-1:00pm
Location: William Male Center for Seminary Studies
This complimentary lunch is provided by Grace Theological Seminary for those attending the Access2022 Conference and has been scheduled to serve those coming to either the Charis Symposium or Fellowship Council meetings. Indoor and outdoor seating will be available throughout the Seminary grounds.

Charis Symposium: 1:00pm–5:00pm
Location: MOCC Room 106
The Charis Symposium is a gracious place for theological dialogue among Fellowship leaders. In its second year, the Symposium will continue its conversation on gender and sexuality as it strives to help develop, for the benefit of our Fellowship, the theological and pastoral implications of our biblical views on a variety of prominent topics.

ACCESS2022 Registration Begins: 3:00pm–6:00pm
Location: Upper Level of MOCC
Skip the lines and save yourself time on Friday morning by stopping in on Thursday to pick up your Access2022 information. You may purchase any available meal tickets at this time, but supplies will be very limited, and some meals may be sold out.

Momentum Ministry Partners Party! 5:00pm-7:00pm
Location: Lawn area in front of the Dane Miller Science Complex
Join the Momentum crew as they host a fun evening to kick off Access2022! Food provided includes hamburgers & hot dogs, plus sides and Kona Cups. Bounce house, music, and other fun activities are planned. The meal is free, but to offset costs, donations are accepted and appreciated.

July 15th – See Meals section for meal description.

Breakfast with Assist Church Expansion: 7:30am–9:00am
Location: Alpha Dining Commons. Tickets are required.
Assist Church Expansion is on a mission to help our Fellowship become an expanding movement. At this breakfast, you will hear updates from churches & leaders across the country that have partnered with Assist to take strategic steps from decline or stagnancy towards having a new day and hopeful future. You will also hear about the growing initiative for helping more churches grow healthier and become reproducing, church-planting churches. Come find out about how the Charis Fellowship is growing and living on mission together!

Session 1 – Access2022 Celebration: 9:30am–11:00am
Location: MOCC Main Arena. Session Speaker: Dan Allan
Dan serves as pastor of ministry development at Grace Church of Ashland, Ohio. He loves to see people know God, enjoy God, and develop a passion for Kingdom agendas.

Workshops: 11:15am–12:45pm
Location: See conference program booklet for workshop options and locations
Workshops are instructional times with discussions led by experienced teachers and leaders from within the Charis Fellowship. These times are designed to help us apply the Bible to our ministries and lives in practical, relevant ways.

Lunch with Inspire (Pastors and Wives): 1:00pm–2:30pm
Location: Alpha Dining Commons. Tickets are required.
Ministry is full of blessings and challenges, the mundane and the unexpected. Inspire (Charis Pastors Network) and Charis Women’s Thrive Network (Charis Pastors Wives) welcome you to the table to honor and encourage one another.

Free Afternoon for Various Activities: 2:30pm–5:30pm

Winona Lake Historical Tour:
First Tour: 2:45–4:00pm. Second Tour: 4:15–5:30pm
Location: Meet at Alpha Dining Commons. Reservations required.
Winona Lake has been “home” to Brethren gatherings since the 1880s. Join local historian Terry White on a narrated journey that will include information about the origins of the Brethren Missionary Society, the founding of Grace Theological Seminary, and growth of the Grace campus, as well as many sites linked to the “World’s Largest Bible Conference” in earlier days in Winona Lake. You’ll learn about the victories and tragedies that have occurred in Winona Lake over the years and will learn more of the Christian personalities whose roots are deep in the town, including Billy Sunday, Homer Rodeheaver, and Billy Graham. Minimal walking is involved.

Grace Seminary Doctoral Discussion & Dessert: 2:30pm-3:15pm
Location: William Male Center—Room 147
The Grace Seminary Doctoral team invites doctoral alumni, current doctoral students and those interested in Grace’s doctoral program to a fellowship dessert. We will be giving away faculty publications and giving a short informational update of Grace’s doctoral program.

Grace Financial Come-and-Go Reception: 3:00pm–5:00pm
Location: Kingsway Suites, 1401 Kings Hwy
Winona Lake has a rich heritage in the Charis Fellowship. It has been the location for many of our national organizations over the years. While some have relocated, Grace Financial remains in the custom building designed originally for the former Foreign Missions and Home Missions ministries. Please come meet our staff, enjoy light refreshments, hear more about our rebrand, find giveaways and gift-card drawings, and discover how you can benefit from the services we offer.

Worship Ministry Leaders & Travel Team Students: 4:00pm-5:30pm
Location: Philathea Hall Lounge
Momentum Ministry Partners is inviting all worship ministry leaders to a connect meeting with our Momentum Worship Travel Team students who are currently preparing for a future in this ministry area. We would love for these students to meet you, celebrate the joys of ministry, and learn from you as well. Momentum will provide refreshments and facilitate a Q&A time.  Whether you love investing in the next generation or if you’re looking for a future intern, resident and/or worship leader we’d highly recommend joining us for this time.

Boat Rides on Winona Lake: 30-minute intervals starting at 2:30pm
Location: The Boathouse Pier at 700 Park Ave.
Sign-ups are required (at registration)   

Winona Lake Greenway and the Village of Winona
Grab some friends, take a walk, and explore the area. The Village at Winona, a vibrant destination steeped in history. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this former summer retreat is now a shopping destination, with unique retail and service shops and a variety of restaurants and eateries. We know you’ll love experiencing one of the most beautiful and historic locations in Northern Indiana.

Dinner with Grace College & Seminary: 5:30pm7:00pm
Location: Alpha Dining Commons. Tickets are required.
At Grace College & Seminary, we are guided by our name. Grace is not just the tradition on which we were founded; it’s the future we embrace. Christ is the center of our community and we are excited to host you for Access 2022. During our meal together, we will celebrate all God is doing through both the college and the seminary and share what we believe God is calling us to in the future.

Session 2 – Access2022 Celebration: 7:30pm9:00pm
Location: MOCC Main Arena. Session Speaker: Brad Deetscreek
Brad, a graduate of Cedarville University and Grace Theological Seminary, has spent nearly 25 years in Youth and Next Generation ministry. He loves serving on staff as the Lead Pastor of Family Ministry at Grace Church of Greater Akron and training the next generation of leaders by teaching Youth Ministry at Grace College.

Charis Women – Retirement Celebration: 9:00pm
Location: MOCC Lobby

Charis Women invites you to join us for a retirement celebration for Viki Rife on Friday, July 15 immediately following the evening Celebration in the lobby of the MOCC. Refreshments will be provided along with opportunities to thank Viki for her years of service.

July 16th  –  See Meals section for meal description.

Breakfast with Encompass World Partners: 7:30am–9:00am
Location: Alpha Dining Commons. Tickets are required.
Join us for a celebration of how God is working through your missionaries around the globe. And explore with us the unique role of pastors, mentors, youth, and children’s workers in raising up the next generation of Great Commission workers.

Session 3 – Access2022 Celebration: 9:30am–11:00am
Location: MOCC Main Arena. Session Speaker: Scott Feather
Scott Feather has served as lead pastor of Gateway Church in Parkesburg, PA since 2014. Scott’s personal mission is to “Know Christ intimately and to relentlessly follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in awakening, equipping, and connecting others.”

Workshops: 11:15am–12:45pm
Location: See conference program for workshop options and locations
Workshops are instructional times with a discussions led by experienced teachers and leaders from within the Charis Fellowship. These times are designed to help us apply the Bible to our ministries and lives in practical, relevant ways.

Lunch with Eagle Commission & Chaplains: 1:00pm–2:30pm
Location: Alpha Dining Commons. Tickets are required.
The Eagle Commission links the Charis Fellowship and our military chaplains around the world, supporting their ministry, sharing prayer requests, and more.

Free Afternoon for Various Activities: 2:30pm–5:30pm

Grace Theological Seminary Open House: 3:00pm-5:00pm
Location: William Male Center for Seminary Studies
Grace Seminary invites you to visit the William Male Center to see and hear about all that God has been doing at Grace. There will be activities for children and an informational session for adults to catch up on GTS news. Tour the Seminary, meet our faculty, enjoy FREE ice-cream, drinks & snacks, enter a drawing for faculty publications & Logos Bible Software ($3K value). At 3:30pm there will be a video premiere of Ukrainian Missionary and Grace Alumni David Benzel.

DISC Golf on the Grace College Campus Course: 3:00pm
Location: Begins across the road from the pond behind “The Lofts”
Sign up for our 9 Hole DISC Golf Tournament, conveniently located on the campus of Grace College. There will be prizes so bring your best game! Course starts by the pond near the Lofts. Several sets of equipment will be available to use.

Winona Lake Historical Tour
Third Tour: 2:45–4:00pm.
Location: Starts at Alpha Dining Commons. Reservations required.
Join local historian Terry White on a narrated journey that will include information about the origins of the Brethren Missionary Society, the founding of Grace Theological Seminary, and growth of the Grace campus, as well as many sites linked to the “World’s Largest Bible Conference” in earlier days in Winona Lake. 

Children’s Ministry Leaders & Travel Team Students: 4:00pm-5:30pm
Location: Philathea Hall Lounge
Momentum Ministry Partners is inviting all children’s ministry leaders to a connect meeting with our Momentum Children’s Ministry Travel Team students who are currently preparing for a future in this ministry area. We would love for these students to meet you, celebrate the joys of ministry, and learn from you as well. Momentum will provide refreshments and facilitate a Q&A time.  Whether you love investing in the next generation or if you’re looking for a future intern, resident and/or children’s ministry leader we’d highly recommend joining us for this time.

Boat Rides on Winona Lake: 30-minute intervals starting at 2:30pm
Location: The Boathouse Pier at 700 Park Ave.
Sign-ups are required (at registration)   

Winona Lake Greenway and the Village of Winona
Grab some friends, take a walk, and explore the area. The Village at Winona, a vibrant destination steeped in history. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this former summer retreat is now a shopping destination, with unique retail and service shops and a variety of restaurants and eateries. 

Dinner with Momentum Ministry Partners: 5:30pm7:00pm
Location: Alpha Dining Commons. Tickets are required.
Momentum Ministry Partners wants to help you build momentum in your ministry! Please join us for dinner to learn about the exciting ways in which we want to partner with you in an effort to equip today’s young Christian leaders for tomorrow’s opportunities. This meal will include a brief corporation meeting and report as we celebrate all the ways God is at work in and through our local church partners and ministry.

Session 4 – Access2022 Celebration: 7:30pm9:00pm
Location: MOCC Main Arena. Session Speaker: Jim Brown
Jim has served as the lead pastor of Grace Community Church of Goshen, IN since 1996. He has a passion to see men come alive in Jesus and lead their homes well. He desires to see marriages flourish and to see children chase after Jesus their whole lives. He loses sleep over lost people coming to Christ. He longs to see his church fall deeply in love with Jesus and His Word so that they live to their redemptive potential.

July 17 –  See Meals section for meal description.

Breakfast with Grace Financial and Church Planters: 7:30am–9:00am
Location: Alpha Dining Commons. Tickets are required.
Please join us for breakfast to celebrate all that God is doing through Grace Financial and find out about new church planting ventures throughout our Fellowship. The Grace Financial team will briefly share new developments and past year’s results of the foundation. Following, church planters from around the fellowship will share ‘boots on the ground’ reports of success and opportunities in their ministries.

Charis Conversation: 9:30am–10:30am
Location: Manahan Orthopedic Capital Center (MOCC) Room 106

There is a lot of great stuff happening throughout our Fellowship! During this time, which is open for anyone who is able to attend, Phil Sparling (Executive Director) will share further updates on the Charis Fellowship as well as items to be voted on by delegates at the end of July and will provide opportunity for related questions and discussion.

Session 5 – Access2022 Celebration: 11:00am–12:30pm
Location: MOCC Main Arena. Session Speaker: Drew Flamm
Drew began serving this month as the new President of Grace College & Theological Seminary. He has more than 16 years of higher education experience at multiple colleges, the last nine of which have been at Grace. As a product of Christian higher education, he knows the transformative effect it has on a student’s faith and life. It is his highest aim to develop young adults who know Christ and make Him known. 

Charis Fellowship Lunch at the Lake: 1:00pm–2:30pm
Location: Winona Lake Park – 1590 Park Ave.
Meal tickets required or BYO lunch.

Come join us as we close out the conference for a fun outdoor Charis family meal down at Winona Lake Park! There will be a splash pad & playground for the kids, boat rides (starting at 2:00pm from the Boathouse Pier at 700 Park Ave). This lunch meal will not include the Charis Fellowship business meeting, as it is scheduled to be held online after conference on July 31. 

WORKSHOPS 

What are Workshops 

Workshops are instructional times with a discussion time led by some of our best teachers and leaders. These times are designed to help us apply the Bible to our ministries and lives in practical, relevant ways.

People who are registered for Access2022 can select ONE workshop for Friday and ONE workshop for Saturday. For those not participating in the Charis Conversations on Sunday morning, a limited number of workshop options are provided.

Already registered for Access and need to choose your Workshops? Click below to get started!

CHARIS KIDS

Calling all Kids to Access2022!

This year Charis Kids will be led by the Momentum Children’s Ministry Specialty Travel Team! Your kids get to join the fun with age-appropriate worship and teaching times, allowing them to learn more about Jesus through programming designed just for them. Charis Kids is for infants through sixth grade.

Childcare cost: $60 per child

  • Childcare will take place at Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church
  • Childcare will be available for mealtimes if both parents are attending the sponsored meals.
  • Childcare will be available to all registered kids during all scheduled workshops and celebrations.
  • Lots of fun is being planned that will allow your children to be active inside and out.
  • Childcare ends after the morning Celebration at 12:45 p.m. on Sunday, July 17.
  • If your teens are in seventh grade or higher they can register for Access2022 for free!
  • Download the detailed schedule.

We want your kids to enjoy their time at Access as much as you do.

Please register for Charis Kids by June 30. This allows us time to prepare appropriate lessons and plan activities to best minister to your children. 

Access2022 Main Session Speakers

Registration

Sorry, Registration for Access2022 is now closed.

Make the Most of Access2022

Lodging for Access

Warsaw Comfort Inn $109 plus tax
3328 E Center St
Warsaw, IN 46580
574-269-6655
Booking Link: Comfort Inn
Group Name: Charis Fellowship National Conference 2022
Block release date is June 29, 2022

Warsaw Holiday Inn Express $124 plus tax
300 Prosperity Dr
Warsaw, IN 46580
574-549-9400 Call to RSVP
Group Name: Access
Block release date: June 14, 2022

Warsaw Tru by Hilton $109 plus tax
200 Prosperity Dr
Warsaw, IN 46580
574-385-9400 or 1800-HILTONS
Booking Link: Tru by Hilton Warsaw
Code: Charis Fellowship National Conference or CFNC to receive your group rate.
Block release: June 18, 2022

Airbnb
Winona Lake
Use this link for: Winona Lake Airbnb

Grace College Lodging for groups or families

On-campus lodging at Grace College & Seminary is now closed.

Exhibitors

Exhibitors are by invite only to National and Cooperating Ministries who have been preapproved by the Charis Fellowship.

Register now as an Exhibitor

Access2022 Staff Members

Phil Sparling – Executive Director

Phil is senior pastor at Grace Community Church in Auburn, Calif. The church was launched in 1980 by three families, including Phil’s parents, and continues to thrive. Phil and his wife, Ruth, have four children and eight grandchildren. Phil has served as executive director of the Charis Fellowship since August 2019.

Rich Davies – Worship Leader

Rich has served on staff at Grace Church in Akron, Ohio, since 2020.  He is originally from southern California but has called northeast Ohio home since 2016.  He has been deeply involved in worship and arts since he picked up a guitar as a sixth grader.  Rich has had the opportunity to lead worship in hundreds of churches and events all over the United States. Rich is happily married to his wife, Renee, and together they have two children.  When he is not milling around Grace, you can find him having fun with his family, hunting for the ever-elusive good sushi place, or planning the next family trip to Disneyland.

Tim Hodge – Fellowship Coordinator

Tim has served as the Charis Fellowship coordinator since October 2020. Born and raised “down under” in South Australia, he trained and worked as a tradesman for General Motors for six years before pursuing ministry training in the United States. Tim is a graduate of Grace College and Grace Theological Seminary. He previously served 19 years as a Charis Fellowship pastor at Bethlehem, Pa., and at Grace Family Church in New Holland, Pa. He currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Charis Alliance. Tim and his wife, Heidi, have been married since 2001 and have four children.

Andrew Saunders – Networking Coordinator

Andrew has served the Charis Fellowship as Networking Coordinator since October 2021. His responsibilities include coordinating networking opportunities with leaders in Charis churches and ministries. He also serves on the executive team of the Fellowship Council by helping to plan and lead Focus Retreats and Access conference. Andrew is a graduate of Grace College and Seminary. Andrew previously served 19 years as a Charis Fellowship pastor at Palmyra Grace Church in Palmyra, Pa., and at Penn Valley Church in Telford, Pa. Andrew has been proudly married to his wife, Elizabeth, since 2000, and together they have six kids.

Sharmion Bowell – Office Manager

Sharmion serves the Charis Fellowship Office as Operations Manager in overseeing Access Conference, Focus Retreats, and much more. She is a graduate of Grace College School of Business. She previously managed a human resource department before she married her husband, Ryan, in 1995. Together they have four children. Sharmion attends Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church in Winona Lake, Ind., and has worked with the youth group and English as a New Language.

Mary Jane Leatherman – Support staff

Mary Jane has served at the welcome center during Access Conference for many years. Along with her husband, Tom, she has attend Grace Church in Wooster, Ohio, for more than 20 years, where they are both involved in a variety of ministries. Together they volunteer at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery. They have been married for 50 years, and enjoy spending their winters in Tybee Island, Ga. They have two children and four grandchildren.

Tom Leatherman – Support staff

Tom has served at the welcome center during Access Conference for many years. Along with his wife, Mary Jane, he has attend Grace Church in Wooster, Ohio, for more than 20 years, where they are both involved in a variety of ministries. Together they volunteer at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery. They have been married for 50 years, and enjoy spending their winters in Tybee Island, Ga. They have two children and four grandchildren.

Charis Kids Staff
Hannah Shaffer

Hannah is serving as a leader for Momentum Children’s Ministry Specialty Travel Team this summer. She has an undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education/Intervention Specialty from the University of Akron as well as a graduate degree from Lancaster Bible College in Formational Family and Children’s Ministry. She currently works as the Children’s Ministry Manager at Grace Church in Akron, Ohio. A few of Hannah’s favorite things include working with kids, owning lots of animals, being outdoors, and traveling.

Josiah Shank

Josiah is serving as a leader for Momentum Children’s Ministry Specialty Travel Team this summer. He graduated from Grace College in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in Educational Ministries and a minor in Biblical Languages. He is currently working on his Master of Divinity in General Ministry Studies and will graduate from seminary next year. He attends Grace Community Church in Goshen, Ind. His hobbies include volleyball, watching and critiquing a variety of movies and shows, and collecting things. His favorite place to be is in the heart of the city. He likes to debate, usually about theology, and occasionally experiments with assorted colors of acrylic paint in his hair.

Meals for Access 2022

Meals are sponsored by national and cooperating ministries of the Charis Fellowship.

Tickets are required. Purchase your meal tickets by June 30th on the registration page.


All meals will be held in the Alpha Dining Commons. Tickets are required.

Friday Breakfast with Assist Church Expansion
7:30 AM

Assist Church Expansion is on a mission to help our Fellowship become an expanding movement. At this breakfast, you will hear updates from churches & leaders across the country that have partnered with Assist to take strategic steps from decline or stagnancy towards having a new day and hopeful future. You will also hear about the growing initiative for helping more churches grow healthier and become reproducing, church-planting churches. Come find out about how the Charis Fellowship is growing and living on mission together!
Cost: $10

Friday Lunch with Inspire (Pastors & Wives) 
1:00 PM
Ministry is full of blessings and challenges, the mundane and the unexpected. Inspire (Charis Pastors Network) and Charis Women’s Thrive Network (Charis Pastors Wives) welcome you to the table to honor and encourage one another.”
Cost: $12

Friday Dinner with Grace College & Seminary
5:30 PM
At Grace College & Seminary, we are guided by our name. Grace is not just the tradition on which we were founded; it’s the future we embrace. Christ is the center of our community and we are excited to host you for Access 2022. During our meal together, we will celebrate all God is doing through both the college and the seminary and share what we believe God is calling us to in the future.
Cost: $15

Saturday Breakfast with Encompass World Partners
7:30 AM
Join us for a celebration of how God is working through your missionaries around the globe. And explore with us the unique role of pastors, mentors, youth and children’s workers in raising up the next generation of Great Commission workers.
Cost: $10

Saturday Lunch with Eagle Commission & Chaplains
1:00 PM
Cost: $12

Saturday Dinner with Momentum Ministry Partners
5:30 PM
Momentum Ministry Partners wants to help you build momentum in your ministry! Please join us for dinner to learn about the exciting ways in which we want to partner with you in an effort to equip today’s young Christian leaders for tomorrow’s opportunities. This meal will include a brief corporation meeting and report as we celebrate all the ways God is at work in and through our local church partners and ministry.
Cost: $15

Sunday Breakfast with GBIF & Church Planters
7:30 AM
Please join us for breakfast to celebrate all that God is doing through Grace Brethren Investment Foundation and find out about new church planting ventures throughout our Fellowship. The GBIF Team will briefly share new developments and past year’s results of the foundation. Following, church planters from around the fellowship will share ‘boots on the ground’ reports of success and opportunities in their ministries.
Cost: $10

Sunday Lunch with the Charis Fellowship
1:00 PM
“Come join us as we close out the conference for a fun outdoor Charis family meal down at Winona Lake Park! There will be a splash pad & playground for the kids, boating options, and more! This meal will not include the Charis Fellowship business meeting, as it is scheduled to be held online after conference. Check the schedule for address of the location.”
Cost: $12