Staff: Steve Kriss

Area(s) of Focus: Communication strategies, Emerging leadership, Missional partnerships, Emerging congregations

Residence: Philadelphia

Congregation: Philadelphia Praise Center

LEAD Congregational Assignments: Deep Run East, Doylestown, Georgia Praise, Greensburg Worship Center, Nations Worship Center, Philadelphia Praise Center, Vietnamese Gospel, Whitehall

Languages English, Spanish, Italian

Read Steve's Blog

Education:

• ABD, Rhetoric & Communication, Duquesne University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 2001-present
• Master of Divinity, Drew University Theological School Madison, New Jersey, 2005
• Master of Arts, Communication, Duquesne University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 2000
• Bachelor of Arts, Psychology & English, Eastern Mennonite University Harrisonburg, Virginia, 1994

Language abilities: Speak Spanish, Italian and limited Indonesian

Organizational Leadership:

• Director of Communication & Leadership Cultivation, Franconia Mennonite Conference Souderton, Pennsylvania, 2005-current
  
  • Coordinate publications, public relations and web-based projects
    
  • Develop partnerships and initiatives toward leadership development
    
  • Working toward integration of intercultural and formational activity
• Executive Director 2004-2005, Program Director 2001-2004
  Mennonite Urban Corps/PULSE Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Coordinated young adult workplace assignments toward community-building, peacemaking, stewardship, justice and the arts
  • Lead weekly seminars on urban life, community and faith for post-undergraduate leadership/service initiative
  • Developed grant proposals and funding opportunities
  • Coached emerging projects nationally for service and learning
• Urban Ministry Director, Allegheny Mennonite Conference Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 2003-2005
  • Coordinated church-initiation efforts in Greater Pittsburgh
    
  • Facilitated monthly gathering of project leaders in the city
• Pastoral Team, Carpenter Park Mennonite Church Davidsville, Pennsylvania, 1996-2002
  • Served in various roles in congregational life to guide through transition
    
  • Assisted in development of mission ideals/initiatives and leadership gifts
    
  • Lead, developed and coordinated numerous service/learning initiatives
• Interim Pastor, Redeeming Grace Fellowship Staten Island, New York, 2000-2001
  • Served as transitional leadership in a multiethnic Mennonite congregation
  • Coordinated lay leadership and preachers
  • Developed opportunities for youth service/learning experiences

Editorial/Public Relations Experience:

• Editor/Publication Coordinator, Drew University Theological School Madison, New Jersey, 1999-2001
  • Initiated new academic publication, coordinated articles and production
    
  • Edited book projects for Dr. Leonard Sweet, Dr. N. Lynne Westfield
• Editorial Team, Mennonite Publishing House/Herald Press Scottdale, Pennsylvania, 1994-1998
  • Edited Christian Living magazine (circulation 5,000)
    
  • Refined internal communication publication
    
  • Worked to develop diverse contacts for marketing and public relations
• Communication Assistant, Eastern Mennonite University Harrisonburg, Virginia, 1993-1994
  • Edited admissions materials
    
  • Assisted in design work for display and print projects

Teaching Experience:

• Adjunct Professor, Palmer Theological Seminary, Eastern University Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2008
  • Teaching Learning, Leading and Nonviolence with nontraditional students
    
  • Helping to develop a platform for Urban and Anabaptist studies
• Instructor, Eastern Mennonite Seminary Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 2008
  • Taught Contemporary Anabaptist Theology and Ethics
  • Helping to develop coursework for satellite campus in Philadelphia region
• Instructor, Ursinus College Collegeville, Pennsylvania, 2005
  
  • Taught Intercultural Communication for undergraduate students
• Associate Instructor, Duquesne University, Italian Campus Rome, Italy, 2004
  
  • Taught Intercultural Communication
    
  • Developed onsite service and learning opportunities in the city
• Associate Instructor, Duquesne University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 2001-2003
• Assistant Director of Public Speaking Program, Duquesne University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 2002-2003
  • Taught undergraduate courses in the Dept. of Communication/Rhetoric
    
  • Coordinated and assisted in orienting/mentoring associate instructors
• Saturday College Teaching Assistant, Duquesne University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1999
  • Assisted in the instruction of adult learners for marketing and advertising
• Adjunct Instructor, Penn Highlands College Johnstown, Pennsylvania, 1997-1998
  • Taught Introduction to Composition with diverse community college students

Scholarship:

Academic and Conference Presentations:

• Seeking undogmatic and unconventional dialogue: Communicating spiritual, mystical and critical encounters
  • National Communication Association @ San Diego, November 2008
• Let it Begin with Me: Global Ethics and Peace-Building in the Classroom: Nonviolence and education: Toward rooted compassion
  • National Communication Association @ San Diego, November 2008
• Missional, Multicultural and the Real: Next Challenges in Theology and Praxis for the Missional Church
  • Biblical Seminary, Hatfield, PA, October 2008
• Stumbling toward and glimpsing a real future in the present moment
  • Bluffton College Forum, Bluffton, OH, September 2008
• Incarnating Shalom in the Desert of the Real: On Being a Peace Church in a Constantinian World
  • Messiah College, Grantham, PA, August 2008
• Making a Difference among the Existentially Homeless: Exploring Simone Weil’s Need for Roots
  • Top paper, Philosophy of Communication Interest Group
  • Eastern Communication Association @ Pittsburgh, May 2008
• Mennonites and Globalization: Identity and Directions for Nonviolent Community: Multiculturalism, Pluralism and Globalization
  • University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse, October 2007
• Emerging Virtual Missional Faith Communities
  • Regional Area Conference Leadership (Mennonite Church USA), May 2007
• Community Images of the Church
  • Ministry Inquiry Conference sponsored by Lilly Foundation, March 2007
  • Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, VA
• Confessional, Missional and Pastoral
  • Holding Fast to the Confession of our Hope, June 2006
  • Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Eklhart, IN
• What is to be remembered at Shanksville? The Story of Flight 93. November 2005
  • National Communication Association @ Boston
• Mennonites and Globalization: Faith, Communication and Praxis
  • Council on Church and Media @ Pittsburgh, May 2005
• Mennonites and Globalization: Faith, Communication and Praxis
  • National Communication Association @ Chicago, November 2004
• Mennonites and Globalization: Faith, Communication and Praxis
  • Religious Communication Association @ Chicago, November 2004
• Who put the “Study” in Study Abroad?
  • Association for General and Liberal Studies @ Kansas City, October 2004
• Hospitality as Christian Interpersonal Communication Ethic
  • Religious Communication Association @ Miami, November 2003
• Raising Mary: Resurrecting the work of Mary Parker Follett for Organizations
  • Pennsylvania Communication Association @ State College, October 2003
• Raising Mary: Resurrecting Mary Parker Follett for Organizational Communication
  • Duquesne University Dept. of Communication/Rhetoric, September 2003
• Hospitality as Interpersonal Communication Ethic
  • Duquesne University Dept. of Communication/Rhetoric, March 2003
• Understanding Exiles: Mennonite Identity in US American Urban Contexts
  • James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, October 2002
• Spiritual Transformation, Social Justice and Short-Term Mission
  • Messiah College, Grantham, PA, May 2002

Publications:

• See franconiaconference.org for recent web-based articles
  
• Regular columnist, On the Way, Mennonite Weekly Review mennoweekly.org, Sept 07-present
  
• Editor Growing Leaders, Jan. 06-present
  
• “May I wash your feet?” Leader, Summer 2008
  
• “Honest questions of nurture, angst and hope.” Growing Leaders, Winter 2007
  
• “Another day in Paradise or Philadelphia?” DreamSeeker, Winter 2007
  
• “Seeing fear and beauty under bright but empty skies.” DreamSeeker, Fall 2006
  
• “A hope for community” Christian Living, December 2002
• “Holy and Hallowed: Life After New York, After September 11" DreamSeeker, Winter 2002
• “Making the Man, Shaping the Faith” DreamSeeker, Summer 2001
  
• Review, Tasting the Dust by Jean Janzen The Banner, November 2000
  
• Other articles have appeared from 1993-2000:
  • Purpose, Missionary Messenger, Gospel Herald, Christian Living, The Mennonite, Mennonite Weekly Review, Reconcilers, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown Republic

Academic Honors and Awards:

• Lalitta Nash McKaig Foundation Regional Scholarships, 1999-2004
  
• Allegheny Mennonite Conference Leadership Training Grants, 1993-2003
  
• Henry Lambdin Scholarship; Drew University, 1999-2002
  
• Kauffman Center Grant; Eastern Mennonite University, 1993
  
• Elmer Ediger Memorial Scholarship, Mennonite Health Services, 1992-93
  
• Michael Sattler Academic Scholarship, Eastern Mennonite University, 1990-94

International Study & Research:

• Spain and Morocco Christian faith formation, June 2008
  
• Java & Bali, Indonesia Faith and religious pluralism, December 2007
  
• Madrid and Malaga, Spain Emerging Anabaptist communities, October 2005
• Palermo, Sicily Religious co-cultures in Italy, May 2004
  
• Havana, Cuba Political/theological concerns, January 2000
• Moscow & St. Petersburg, Russia International communication, May 1998
• Jerusalem & Amman, Jordan Biblical site investigations, December 1997
  
• Mindanao & Luzon, the Philippines Ecology/international business, Summer 1993

Service/Learning Project Leadership:

• Louisville, Kentucky: Louisville Urban Corps, July 2004
• Wenden, Arizona: Mennonite Disaster Service, March 2002
• Tlapa de Comonfort, Mexico: Mennonite Central Committee, August 2001
• New York, New York: Mennonite Churches of NYC, 2000-2001
• Mulhall, Oklahoma: Mennonite Disaster Service, March 2000
  
• Coamo, Puerto Rico: Mennonite Disaster Service, Spring 1999
  
• Philippi, West Virginia: Heart & Hand Ministries, August 1992
  
• Seattle, Washington: Mennonite Youth Venture, July 1992
  
• Raleigh, North Carolina: Virginia Mennonite Conference, March 1992

Leadership Contexts:

Academic Service:

• Coordinator, Interpersonal and Organizational Communication Interest Group
  • Pennsylvania Communication Association, 2003-2004
• Learning Community Instructor
  • Duquesne University College of Liberal Arts, 2002-2003
• Academic Colloquium Assistant Coordinator
  • Duquesne University Communication & Rhetorical Studies, 2002-2003

Board Leadership and Service:

• Eastern Mennonite Seminary
  • Conference Constituency Council, 2007-current
    
• Mennonite Weekly Review
  • Inter-Mennonite communication, 2007-current
    
• Spain Support Team
  • Mennonite Mission Network, 2004-2007
• Allegheny Mennonite Conference
  • Mission & Service Commission, 2000-2004
• Johnstown (PA) Service Adventure
  • Chair of start-up support team, 1997-99
• PULSE/Mennocorps
  • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1995-98

Contextual Learning and Service:

• Center for Anabaptist Leadership Los Angeles, California, Summer 2003
  
• Reconcilers Fellowship Jackson, Mississippi, July 1996

Affiliations:

• Ordained pastor Franconia Mennonite Conference, Mennonite Church USA, 2005-current
  
• Johnstown (Pa) District Mennonite Churches, 1996-2002
  
• New York City Council of Mennonite Churches, 2000-2001

Memberships:

• Eastern Communication Association
  
• Religious Communication Association
  
• National Communication Association
  
• Anabaptist Scholars Network

Congregation-based Sermons and Presentations:

• Ambler Mennonite Church
  • Ambler, PA, August 2008
    
• Deep Run East Mennonite Church
  • Doylestown, PA, July 2008
• Salford Mennonite Church
  • Harleysville, PA, May 2008
• Garden Chapel
  • Victory Gardens, NJ, March 2008
    
• Blooming Glen Mennonite Church
  • Blooming Glen, PA, March 2008
    
• Bally Mennonite Church
  • Bally, PA, 2007
    
• Nations Worship Center
  • Philadelphia, PA, 2007
    
• Philadelphia Praise Center
  • Philadelphia, PA, 2006-2007
    
• Salem Mennonite Church
  • Quakertown, PA, 2006-2007
    
• Carpenter Park Mennonite Church
  • Davidsville, PA, 1996-2007
    
• West Hills Fellowship
  • Moon Twp, PA, 2003-2004
    
• Redeeming Grace Fellowship
  • Staten Island, NY, 2000-2001
    
• Stahl Mennonite Church
  • Johnstown, PA, 1997
    
• Immanuel Mennonite Church
  • Harrisonburg, VA, 1994
    
• Calvary United Methodist Church
  • Portage, PA, 1993