This fall we’re delighted to welcome a new group of pastors and church leaders to our 2026 Mosaic Cohort! Representing a variety of denominations and traditions, from California to North Carolina and many spots in between, these congregational leaders are united in their desire to become equipped to lead their church communities in the work of embodied peacemaking as a central outflowing of their discipleship.
Navigating local and global concerns that include escalating racism, a rise in poverty, violent anti-immigrant policies, and more, these pastors are all coming to Mosaic with a desire to grow in their ability to help their congregations respond in active and practical ways. One of our 2026 Cohort pastors described why now is the right time for their involvement in Mosaic:
“The rise of polarization and Christian Nationalism is being increasingly felt by our congregation and community. While the congregation regularly embraces a spoken commitment to peacemaking, it has been challenging to put into practical terms what peacemaking looks like in our own community. But now it feels more pressing than ever to deepen our commitment to peacemaking and flesh out what that means in our daily living and ongoing action.
We see the Mosaic program as an opportunity to learn from stories of peacemaking in other contexts to inspire our peacemaking practices and ground us in resilience and hope as we deepen those practices.”
Get to know more about each of our 2026 Mosaic cohort members below.
Jeremie Kilgore, Senior Leader, The Ascent Church
I’m Jeremie, Senior Leader at The Ascent Church, where I’ve spent my time building a place where people can actually belong, not just show up. My work is rooted in a simple conviction: most of us aren’t looking for another program, we’re looking for people who know us and stay. That’s shaped how I lead—fewer polished performances, more real tables and honest conversations, and a community that holds each other through the ordinary weeks, not just the milestone ones. I’ve watched belonging do what sermons alone can’t: turn strangers into family and doubt into durable faith. In this cohort, I’m hoping to sharpen how I think about purpose and community at scale, without losing what makes it feel like home.
Kurt Kroon, Co-Pastor, Cascade Church PDX
Kurt grew up in the central valley of California in a small town where he rooted for the 49ers, enjoyed the wide open space of living in the country, and had a very Christian upbringing. He met his wife working at a youth camp near Santa Cruz, California and moved to the Pacific Northwest for college. After getting married, Kurt started working as a youth pastor first in Hillsboro, and then in East Portland. Eventually, Kurt transitioned into social justice work locally and internationally, and helped start Cascade as a community that prioritized curiosity in the spiritual journey. Kurt and his wife Sally live in Vancouver, WA with their two boys
Sarah Swartzendruber, Co-Pastor, Cascade Church PDX
I live in Milwaukie Oregon with my husband Zach, 2 kids (Kinsley (5) and Zoey (3) and dog Briggs. My career in ministry started with a love for students and kids as I had gone to school to be a teacher. After college I took a “fun” youth pastor job that eventually led to co-planting / co-pastoring Cascade Church PDX, which started in 2015. While at Cascade, my passion for teaching kids progressive theology and the lack thereof which is when Zippee started (progressive kids curriculum). I love anything active, being with the people I love, and a great meal or cup of coffee.
“[I hope that our] community will experience the engaged presence of love from our community and that the members of our community will have hopeful and helpful outlets for their ideologies of justice, reconciliation and peacemaking.”
Samantha Beach Kiley, Associate Pastor, Church on Morgan
Samantha Beach Kiley works at the intersection of art and faith. She serves as the Associate Pastor at Church on Morgan in Raleigh, North Carolina. Her path to ministry took the standard route: a decade of making theater and teaching young artists. Samantha is the co-author of “Next Sunday: An Honest Dialogue about the Future of the Church.” She is married to Will, an Enneagram 7, and they have two children, Eloise and Finnegan.
Justin Morgan, Founding Pastor, Church on Morgan
Justin Morgan is the founding pastor of Church on Morgan, a United Methodist congregation in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, that seeks to remind people of the beauty of God and each other.
He is increasingly curious about how the depth and wisdom of the Christian tradition might help people navigate an age marked by polarization and cultivate communities of deeper belonging and peace.
Justin holds degrees from Eastern University (B.A.), Duke Divinity School (M.Div.), and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (M.S.W.). He and his wife live in Raleigh with their two teenagers.
“We hope Mosaic will clarify our approach and language around issues of justice, reconciliation, and peacemaking. We also hope this will help us discern new lay leaders in our congregation for this work.”
Kendra Grams, Pastor, First Presbyterian Church of Hudson
Kendra Grams (she/her) serves as the Pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Hudson, WI, where she takes great joy in collaborating to build a caring, inclusive, creative, intergenerational community within the congregation and in the wider Hudson area. She is passionate about embodying God’s expansive and welcoming love for all, following Jesus’ way of justice and peace, and leaning into the creative work of the Holy Spirit. She, her husband, and their two children enjoy traveling, exploring both God’s glorious creation and the rich histories and stories of diverse cultures.
“We hope that the Mosaic program will help us deepen our congregation’s understanding of how care and compassion work interfaces with justice work, including the work of peacemaking. Additionally, we hope this will help empower and enliven our work of peacemaking both as a congregation, and in each individual’s daily Christian living.”
William James Fehrenbach, Lay Leader, First Presbyterian Church of Hudson
I am a retired teacher, a FPC Hudson congregation member active with Property Committee, the Sanctuary Choir, volunteering as a tutor in our collaboration with the English Language Learners program at the local high school. I am also active in the wider community as a Rotarian, a member of the Hudson Area Public Library board, and a trainer for volunteer trishaw pilots for the Cycling Without Age program in the State of Wisconsin. An avid bicyclist, hiker, cross-country skier, and pickleball player, I live in Hudson with my wife Mary. We have three adult sons, three daughters-in-law, and five grandchildren who keep us very busy.
Clare Ferguson Bravo, Lead Pastor, Rose City Church
Clare Ferguson Bravo is the Lead Pastor of Rose City Church in Pasadena, California. She holds a Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary and is a trained restorative justice community circle facilitator. Clare is passionate about helping faith communities become places of belonging and healing in order to make a meaningful impact in their neighborhoods. When she’s not pastoring, she enjoys spending time with her six-year-old son and exploring the natural beauty of Southern California.
“I hope that through the Mosaic cohort, we as a church would deepen our understanding of privilege and power dynamics within our own congregation so we can better embody God’s kingdom in our own structures.”
Roxanne Veronica Morales, Associate Pastor, Rose City Church
I am a wife and proud mother to two great kids, a 21 year-old daughter and 12 year-old son. I’m Latina, born and raised in Northeast Los Angeles. I was recently ordained by the Free Methodist Church of Southern California. For the past 10 years I’ve had the joy of serving alongside Pastor Clare at Rose City Church in Pasadena.
We look forward to sharing more with you about our 2026 Cohort members and the shared learnings from our peacemaking journey here on the Mosaic Blog as well as on the Telos Substack.
