Speakers
WSYG 11 will feature the following main stage speakers:
Mr. Paul Benz
Born in Oakland, California while his parents attended Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Paul grew up a few miles from the Ohio River in Eastern Kentucky before moving to South Whidbey Island, Washington. Paul moved to Southern California in August 2001 where he earned a BA in Theatre Arts from California Lutheran University. He currently works as a clerk for Trader Joes, a Clinical Assistant for a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in Malibu and has had Co-Star appearances on television shows: Criminal Minds, House, and The Event. He is a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and lives in Thousand Oaks. Paul’s work with the Malibu Rehab center provides him keen insights into the ‘imbalance’ delivered when one engages in drug and alcohol use.
Ms. Rachael Manzo
Rachael Marie Manzo is a 23 year old native of Santa Barbara and possesses an extraordinary amount of energy which always rubs off on others and loves to meet new people. She is completing her Masters at California Lutheran University in their Teacher Preparation Program. She has always wanted to be a teacher and remains constant in this dream while looking into seminaries for further religious education. In her spare time, Rachael, cooks with her friends, laughs a ton, and makes new discoveries about where God is guiding her. She wouldn’t be the person she is today if it weren’t for prayer and a lot of sunshine! While the culture around us would tell us that ‘image’ is everything, Rachael has fresh and transparent insights regarding self image especially as it relates to being created in the image of God.”
Ms. Paula Sturgeon
Paula Sturgeon was born in Kansas in the 1950’s; walking and talking at a very early age. This ‘picture perfect’ beginning was derailed when, at the age of 14 months, she was diagnosed with polio. Two months later an additional diagnosis of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis meant that life would never be ‘picture perfect’. Since then Paula has had over thirty major surgeries; the most recent of which was an above-knee amputation. Whether it’s keeping all four wheels of her power chair on the ground at the same time or staying upright on her computer-connected prosthetic device Paula has learned how to ‘balance’ matters of mobility. Her deep connection to God (and His gift of a quirky sense of humor) helps balance her life.
Rev. Manuel Retamoza
In his sixthh year at St. Andrews San Diego, the parish cannot remember a time when he wasn’t there. . Pastor Manuel was raised in Northern California, received his BA from Seattle Pacific University in 1994, taught preschool in San Joaquin Valley for three years and graduated from Luther Seminary in St Paul, Minnesota in the spring of 2004. Pastor Manuel is Associate Pastor of Youth and Family ministry. He is currently serving on the Multicultural Youth Leadership Event planning team, on the board for Third World Opportunities which organizes educational and service trips into Mexico, and a vital team player with the ELCA Youth Ministry Network Extravaganza Hospitality Team.
While he strives to communicate through contextual preaching with great emphasis in the liberating word of the Gospel of Christ, this becomes most evident in his day to day living. In his free time, Pastor Manuel spends time with his family enjoying San Diego and the Border. He also likes to golf whenever possible and enjoys listening to inane radio programs.
Mr. Aaron Tidwell
Aaron is a life-long Lutheran, and a life-long youth director. He simply cannot remember a time when matters of youth ministry were not at the front of his concern. Having served parishes in the southern California area, Aaron is most certainly drawn to the interior conversation shaped by the question, “what does this mean?” While he can play with the best, his listening and interactive skills set him apart as one of God’s gifted children. Aaron will help us balance the interior life of the Christian in the community of faith.
