ELEVATE 2008 // The Line Up
Riley Armstrong
Emcee
Folk-beat singer/songwriter Riley Armstrong was born and raised in the remote Canadian farm town of Dapp, Alberta. Beneath the outer canvas containing Riley's soft voice, acoustic guitar, and sparkling percussion (live, mechanical, and sampled), there is a subtle world of unlikely banjoes, oboes, turntables, upright bass, and synthesizers that keep the music fresh with every listen. It's an unconventional and alluring approach that opens the mind, and a perfect fit for someone as innocently paradoxical as Armstrong. He's a self-confessing nature man who never really saw the ocean until a few years ago, a city-saturating artistic type who grew up staring at the detailed clouds above for inspiration while riding a tractor across his father's grain farm. Riley Armstrong is in the midst of his own great awakening, and his music reflects that breakthrough.
Shannon Williams
Worship Leader
Shannon Williams is a Columbus, OH based photographer, who formerly worked full-time in worship, campus and preaching ministries. While his career interests have changed, his passion for worship - and leading others in worship - remains. Shannon is father to three sons, Derek, David, and Dylan.
Darryl and Montina Canty
Drama
Darryl & Montina Canty serve in the youth ministry at the Ann Arbor Church of Christ. They have been married for 12 years and they have been doing ministry together for 14 years. They like to goof off, make people laugh, jump on the bed, and eat yummy foods. Darryl and Montina have two kids, Silver and Dakoda.
Sara Barton
Keynote Speaker
Sara is the campus minister at Rochester College. She is involved in mentoring, chapel planning, service projects, and overseas mission efforts. She is married to John, and they have two children, Nate and Brynn.
Keith Huey
Keynote Speaker
Keith Huey is a husband with three daughters, a member of the Rochester Church of Christ, and the chairman of the Religion department at Rochester College. He lives in Pontiac, enjoys bicycling, and loves to read about World Religions and Church History.
Gary Spear
Keynote Speaker
Gary Spear is the Youth Minister for the Mitchell Church of Christ in southern Indiana. He's served the past 12 years in full-time ministry and in sharing at youth rallies, retreats and conferences in several states. His background in political science and public speaking bring some fresh approaches in thought and presentation. He and his wife, Michelle, have two children, Collin and Elsa.
Randy Speck
Keynote Speaker
Honest. Real. Authentic. Those are the words Randy Speck would want to be use to describe a mission he is on. Having teenagers and adults alike involved in real, authentic discussions about life and what walking in the footsteps of Jesus looks like in a FaceBook-MySpace-text messaging world. Randy serves as the Superintendent of Oakland Christian School and the youth minister at the Lake Orion Church of Christ.