STS Connecticut
Our Extraordinary Christ
On Thursday, October 3rd, 2024, Small Town Summits will host a Summit at Hebron Church of Hope in Hebron, CT. Pastors and lay leaders from small places across Connecticut will explore the riches of the book of Hebrews in order to revel in the incomparable greatness of Jesus.
Our Extraordinary Christ
October 3rd 2024
Small-town New England churches and pastors are used to feeling ordinary – and that’s because we are. We stumble, struggle, and sin. We get discouraged. We’re often weak, weary, and uncertain. What we most need is not someone to tell us we’re impressive. We need a truly impressive Someone. We need to be reminded of our extraordinary Christ.
From the very first lines of the book of Hebrews, Jesus is declared superior to every created being. And Jesus’ greatness is meant not just to be marveled at, but to motivate us to persevering love and obedience. In our 2024 Small Town Summits, we’ll explore the riches of the book of Hebrews in order to revel in the incomparable greatness of Jesus. We’ll see that the supremacy of Christ is rocket fuel for a joyfully tenacious life and ministry. The small places of New England desperately need pastors, laypeople and churches who don’t flame out, who doggedly and delightedly go on. The small places need people who care more about the fame of Jesus than their own. The greatness of Jesus will propel us forward and be our all-satisfying prize when our race is complete.
8.30 – 9am - Arrival and registration
9 – 10am - Welcome, singing, introductions and the vision of Small Town Summits
10 – 11am - Session #1: ‘Our Extraordinary God’ (Hebrews 1:1-14) and group discussion (Jordan Brown)
11 – 11.30am - Coffee break
11.30am – 12.30pm - Session #2: ‘Our Extraordinary Brother’ (Hebrews 2:5-18) and group discussion (Tim Counts)
12.30 – 1.30pm - Lunch
1.30 – 2.30pm - Breakout sessions
2.30 – 2.45pm - Break
2.45 – 3.30pm - Session #3: ‘Our Extraordinary Priest’ (Hebrews 10:19-25) and group discussion (Ben Whittinghill)
3.30 – 4pm - Prayer
In our main sessions, Jordan Brown, Tim Counts, and Ben Whittinghill will exposit select passages in the book of Hebrews, in order to revel in the incomparable greatness of Jesus and to consider how that motivates a faithful endurance for those of us ministering in small-town New England.
Jordan Brown is lead pastor of Hebron Church of Hope, where he has had the privilege of serving since 2018. He is from Colchester, Connecticut and is a graduate of Cedarville University and Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Rachel, have two daughters -- Maeve and Isla. Jordan loves reading books, spending time with church members, watching soccer, and roasting coffee.
Tim Counts is the pastor of Northshire Baptist Church in Manchester Center, VT. He's a graduate of The Master's Seminary. He and his wife Melanie have two sons and one daughter. Tim writes regularly at He Must Become Greater.
Ben Whittinghill is the lead pastor of Rivertown Church which he co-founded in Brattleboro, VT in 2014. He’s a graduate of the University of Georgia and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Ben works bi-vocationally in commercial real estate. He and his wife Kayla have five sons and three daughters.
Tim Howard
Every pastor, at some point, will be confronted with conflict within his church. It can be especially tough for the small town pastor. In this session we will go over some unique kinds of conflict that pastors of small churches face and how to handle it in a way that is biblical and God-glorifying.
Tim Howard is the Senior Pastor of Eastford Baptist Church located in the small town of Eastford, Connecticut. Tim has been shepherding EBC for nine years and has previously served as a youth pastor and associate pastor at small churches in Connecticut. He has been married to his wife Sarah for fourteen years and has been blessed with three amazing kids, Karissa, T.J. and Trinity. Tim is passionate about the local church and seeing Christ exalted in the lives of those whom he has been called to shepherd.
Vin Artese
Today, somewhere between one-quarter and one-third of all pastors in the United States are bivocational. This is even more common in small towns and church plants. In this session, we will explore the benefits, challenges, and glories of bivocational ministry. We will discuss the differences between bivocational and covocational ministry, insights the Bible gives related to bivocational ministry, and some strategies for staying healthy in bivocational ministry.
Vin Artese is the Teaching Pastor of Living Hope Evangelical Free Church in Shelton, Connecticut. Vin has been a bivocational pastor for ten years while working as a high school history teacher. He has previously served as a Lead Pastor and Church Planter and has worked in Church revitalization. Vin holds M.A. degrees in both Teaching and Pastoral Ministry. Vin is blessed to be married to his wife Nicole and to be the father of his sons Vinny and Timmy.
Nathan Tharel
While not all pastors are called to an extended ministry in the same church, such perseverance often blesses a congregation and leads to fruitful ministry. In this session, we will discuss the blessings of a long-term ministry. We will also consider the special challenges to endurance in the pastorate in small places and what helps pastors persevere in our context.
Nathan Tharel has served as the pastor of Calvary Chapel in Canterbury, Connecticut, since 2009. He grew up in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and is a graduate of Vanderbilt University, Dallas Theological Seminary, and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He and his wife Zuleika have three children. The Tharels enjoy reading together, playing music, hiking, and being part of a small town church.
Tracy Oliver, Rachel Brown, Nicole Artese
Three pastors’ wives will share how their different church contexts and personalities result in different ways to disciple women. We become discouraged when we compare our ministry to those around us. Instead, let’s celebrate the beauty of our differences, and be encouraged to know that Christ is Lord over all the good works that he prepared for each of us to walk in.
Meet the Team
Pastor Nate is the pastor of The Federated Church of Willington. He has a passion to communicate God’s Word faithfully in order to help others grow in their worship of and service to our Lord Jesus. He met and married his best friend, Tracey, and God has blessed them with five children – Madison, James, Marybeth, Luke, and Hannah.
Jordan Brown is lead pastor of Hebron Church of Hope, where he has had the privilege of serving since 2018. He is from Colchester, Connecticut and is a graduate of Cedarville University and Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Rachel, have two daughters -- Maeve and Isla. Jordan loves reading books, spending time with church members, watching soccer, and roasting coffee.
