ASSOCIATE PASTOR OF DISCIPLESHIP MINISTRIES AND SYSTEMS
Kristina first arrived in Kentucky to attend Asbury University, where she met her Lexington-native husband, Ted. After the two married in 2015, Kristina began her journey with Embrace (as the Office Manager) and her journey at Asbury Theological Seminary within months of each other. Throughout her years of both formal study and of learning in the thriving Embrace community, Kristina grew into new roles and responsibilities at Embrace. She graduated from the seminary in 2020 with both a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Leadership and then transitioned into a full time Associate Pastor role.
In her current role, Kristina provides leadership and direction for the nursery, Wonder Room children’s ministry, Youth Group, and Small Group ministries at Embrace. You will also find her at our weekly outreach meal and worship service, The Gathering, as well as semi-regularly leading worship or preaching in our services. Kristina deeply enjoys having the opportunity to know and walk with Embracers in all life stages, and she loves helping folks—especially those who are new around here—come to see Embrace as home and see themselves as beloved members of the family of God.
In addition to her work at Embrace, Kristina fulfills her call to ministry as a singer-songwriter, speaker, ghostwriter, and occasional adjunct professor. She sees all her various gifts and interests uniting under the banner of storytelling. She is passionate about sharing and making the story of God accessible, helping others find their voices and tell their testimonies, crafting the narratives about what ministry is and why the church matters for the next generation of leaders, and also about processing her own story of discipleship through the creative outlets of writing and song. You can find her original music on your favorite streaming platform, released as two EP’s: Once More Arise, and Get Going (released as Kristina Conner).
ASSOCIATE PASTOR OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND ACCESSIBILITY
Tanya Torp, is not originally from Lexington, but she got here as soon as she could. A self-proclaimed "Air Force Brat", she was raised in several cities around the United States.
As a bi-vocational Pastor, Tanya's full-time job is Executive Director at Step By Step, Inc, a ministry where she and her co-laborers encourage and equip young single mothers, ages 12-24. Additionally, Tanya manages her consultant business as a keynote speaker and workshop facilitator in the following areas: strategic planning for nonprofits, equity & inclusion, volunteer management, community liaising, youth empowerment, radical hospitality, and social cohesion.
Her ministry passions are discipleship, leadership development, intercessory prayer, women's ministry, and worship ministry.
Tanya loves spending time with her husband, Christian, a Civil Rights attorney, and their two sons, cooking for friends and neighbors, and watching Doctor Who.
WORSHIP LEADER
A native of Lexington, Laban was raised in a Mennonite family where the echoes of 4-part acapella singing and string ensembles forever influenced his musical stylings. Since the age of 8, he has made music on worship teams, playing the drums, guitar, piano, violin, and singing.
In a world all too easily driven by consumption, Laban believes there's something incredibly refreshing about making music together as a collective group with gratitude for our Creator. The giving and receiving that's embodied by a congregation's worship is a glimpse of the Kingdom of God. We all play equally important roles in lifting and being lifted up. Any given week at Embrace we know that there's a room full of gratitudes and laments, and it's an honor to carry those together as we walk with Jesus.
Laban and his wife, Camry, reside in Georgetown, KY with their two daughters, Copland and Remi.
Laban is an ambient, cinematic composer releasing music as Laban. He currently has two albums that are live for streaming: Love Carries and A Place By The Mountain.
He studied at Rosedale Bible College before earning degrees in accounting from the University of Kentucky. Laban works in M&A for Brown & Brown Insurance.
CHURCH ADMINISTRATOR
Rachel grew up south of Lexington in London, KY. She attended Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN, and received a Bachelor's degree in Bible and a Masters degree in Christian Studies. She served as the Chaplain for the Nashville Rescue Mission’s women’s shelter for 2 years, then spent the next decade focusing on raising her two children.
As Church Administrator Rachel takes care of the day to day needs of the church. She has a passionate desire to help people discover that they are deeply loved by God exactly where they are. Rachel loves spending time with her husband Jon and their two teens Elijah and Zoe.
LEAD PASTOR
John and his wife, Laura, have been living and working in Embrace’s neighborhood in North Lexington for many years. John’s journey in the community began in 2006 when he became the youth pastor at The Rock/La Roca UMC (now Embrace). In 2011 he and his wife founded a nonprofit, Common Good, which focuses on Christian community development in the neighborhoods surrounding Embrace. For three years he served as the Co-Executive Director at Common Good before becoming the pastor at Embrace in 2014. John graduated from Asbury Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity in 2013, and was ordained as an Elder in the United Methodist Church in 2017. He believes the Bible has power and speaks to the most pressing issues of our time. John is passionate about justice, peacemaking, discipleship, and worship. His vision is that Embrace would be an alternative prophetic community deeply committed to following the teachings and example of Jesus.