STS Rhode Island
On Thursday, March 19th, 2026, Small Town Summits will host a Summit at Frenchtown Church in East Greenwich, RI. Pastors and lay leaders from small places across Rhode Island will marvel together at the sin-defeating cross and the death-conquering resurrection of Christ in order to consider what it looks like for ministry to be rooted in Christ’s cross and resurrection.
Christ Our Savior
March 19th 2026
The good news of the gospel is not simply that Christ’s redeeming work is gloriously accomplished and Christ’s person is gloriously awesome. It’s that his whole person and his entire work are ours through faith. The greatest benefit of what he’s done is that we can bask in who he is – eternally. He is ours forevermore. Throughout 2026, Small Town Summits will gather small-place New England churches, pastors, and laypeople to exult in the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In our Spring Summits, we’ll focus on 1 Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Paul summarizes the saving gospel by saying ‘Christ died for our sins’ and ‘he was raised on the third day.’ At the beginning of the letter, he says ‘I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified’ (2:2). At the end of the letter, he devotes an entire chapter to Christ’s resurrection, concluding, ‘Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain’ (15:58). 1 Corinthians shows that the cross and resurrection are the focus and fuel of gospel ministry. They give us something glorious to proclaim and the indomitable resolve to proclaim it.
8.30 – 9am - Arrival and registration
9 – 10am - Welcome, Singing, STS Vision, Introductions
10 – 10:45am - Session #1: The Cross of Christ as the Focus of Gospel Ministry and group discussion
10:45 – 11am - Coffee break
11am – Noon - Session #2: The Resurrection of Christ as the Fuel of Gospel Ministry and group discussion
Noon – 1pm - Lunch
1 – 2pm - Breakout sessions
2 – 2.15pm - Break
2.15 – 3pm - Session #3: Panel Discussion and Q&A: What does it look like in practice to ground gospel ministry in the cross and resurrection?
3 – 3.30pm - Prayer
In our first two main sessions, Joel Sedam and Shawn Carpenter will speak to the focus and the fuel of gospel ministry in the cross and resurrection of Christ. Our last main session will be a panel giving Summit participants opportunity to ask specific counseling questions for discussion among the panelists and fellow Summit attendees.
Joel grew up in Westerly, RI. After graduating with a B.A. in Theology, he continued his studies at Southern Seminary. He has worked with InterVarsity Fellowship and has served on the pastoral staff at Grace Harbor Church in Providence. He and his wife Jen moved to Bristol in June of 2015, where they and their core team planted Mount Hope Church.
Shawn Carpenter is the lead pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Nashua, NH. Prior to coming on board with Trinity in 2019, Shawn was a church-planter in California. He is a graduate of Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, NC. Shawn and his wife Laura have four sons, two who are out into young adulthood, and two still at home. He enjoys his coffee black-no sugar, Herman Bavinck, and the NBA League Pass, and not necessarily always in that order…
Luke Harding
Many pastors are crunched for time. As a result, preparation for preaching can prove difficult. Pastors can be tempted to short circuit key ingredients to faithful and focused sermon preparation. This breakout session will seek give biblical perspective and practical tools, helping ministers pray dependently, tighten their exegetical process, prune unnecessary content, and proclaim God's Word - all in a way that connects to the hearts of the people in your church.
Luke and his wife, Sara, have had five children—Jane, Jack, Hudson, Annie, and Rosie. They both grew up outside of Detroit. Luke completed his seminary education at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, After seminary, Luke was part of the pastoral team at a church in Northern England before moving to East Providence to become the lead pastor at Godspeed Church.
Tim Zulker
In Galatians 2:10, Paul wrote that he was eager to remember the poor. Martin Luther claimed, “After the preaching of the gospel, the office and charge of a true and faithful pastor is to be mindful of the poor.” Edwards, Spurgeon and many others taught and lived the same conviction. The Old and New Testaments reveal a God whose heart is particularly inclined toward the poor and toward those who are generous to them. But poverty and the poor are hard to address. Pastors and leaders are often paralyzed by the complexity of needs. So in this session we’ll offer clear ways to care for the poor in small places and how to partner with churches in urban poor neighborhoods as well.
Tim Zulker is the Executive Director of New England Urban Church Planting. In 2003 he founded what would become NEU Church Planting with a vision to see the church in New England grow through evangelism and church planting. He was one of the planters of Godspeed Church in East Providence, RI in 2005. Prior to founding NEU Church Planting, Tim had been in campus ministry, serving with Princeton Christian Fellowship at Princeton University from 1983 to 1994 and then with Cru at Brown University from 1994 to 2003. Tim holds degrees in English Literature (MA) from Boston College and Christian Thought (MA) from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
Amber Dewberry
In this breakout, we will explore how a scripture-centered approach to women's ministry forms lasting patterns of worship in both the church and the home. In small town ministry we may be particularly tempted to believe we don't have much to work with or much to offer, but if we are rooted in pursuing the Lord through his word together, we have more than enough. We will also consider ways in which we may be tempted to let our women’s ministry be shaped by personalities, trends, or even “women’s issues." Together we will explore practically what it can look like to ground women's ministry in and around God's Word, and so ensure that we are leaving a legacy of worship that honors the Lord.
Amber has been a pastor's wife for 15 years who is currently serving in Newport R.I. Amber received her M.Div from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and is passionate about helping women read, understand, and live in light of Scripture. She leads a weekly women's Bible study in her home.
Meet the Team
Dan is the pastor of Grace Bible Church in Cranston, RI. He's a graduate of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and serves on the Board of Directors for the Baptist Convention of New England. He and his wife Joy have three daughters and two sons.
Joel grew up in Westerly, RI. After graduating with a B.A. in Theology, he continued his studies at Southern Seminary. He has worked with InterVarsity Fellowship and has served on the pastoral staff at Grace Harbor Church in Providence. He and his wife Jen moved to Bristol in June of 2015, where they and their core team planted Mount Hope Church.
