About eleven:28

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Mission Statement

eleven:28 exists to help leaders thrive within the Kingdom of God by cultivating soul care.

Rhesa Higgins was called into ministry at the age of 17 which led her to earn a degree from Abilene Christian University focusing on youth and family ministry.

Rhesa stumbled into the contemplative life by following the bread crumbs of God through a book, a Google search and a nun. She has chosen to follow the path that leads closer to experiencing the mystery that we have named God. She seeks to walk alongside others as they discern the crumbs laid out by God for them.

Her current contemplative practices could best be summed up in the title of Denise Roy’s book, My Monastery is a Minivan. She is the mother of three children and finds God in every moment with them; in goodnight kisses, in hearing their hearts, in teaching them to pray, and in praying over each of them. While more formal times of silence for meditation, prayer, artistic journaling, and retreat are certainly helpful, the life of motherhood has become the place where the holy is encountered most deeply.

Rhesa is a spiritual director and experienced retreat leader. She is a graduate of HeartPaths, a 3 year training program in spiritual formation and direction. She teaches on a regular basis at Highland Oaks Church and writes occasionally. Rhesa serves as the founding Director for eleven:28 ministries in Dallas, Texas

Rhesa also serves as a member of the Advisory Board for Abilene Christian University’s Leadership Camps, on the executive board of Spiritual Ministries Institute, and as a New Contemplative for Spiritual Directors International. She is married to Chad Higgins, worship minister at Highland Oaks Church of Christ. Together they are raising their three children.

Trey Finley

Executive Director

Trey joined the staff of eleven:28 in 2018 after serving on the board of directors since 2013. A veteran of church leadership, consulting, and coaching, Trey brings a unique professional story to eleven:28 as executive director. Experienced in personal and leadership development, Trey has a passion for the potential for transformation every person has because of the image dei present in every person. Transformation isn’t possible without soul care.

Deanna Gemmer

Covenant Group Leader

Deanna Gemmer is a writer, speaker, leader, and pastor. She met her husband when they were summer camp counselors and now raise their two brave and inquisitive daughters at a camp where her husband is the director and she serves in a variety of roles, including pastoring summer staff. She has a passion to empower women that God has called to ministry and you can find her writing on that subject as well as a variety of musings at her blog, deannagemmer.com.

Laren McCormack

Covenant Group Leader

Laren has always known God to be a big part of her life from the time she was very little and she discovered what a true Daddy is like. She did not answer her call to ministry however until after graduating college. She has served in several formal and informal ministry jobs but finds the most meaningful times with her Daddy are when she is sitting alone or in a small group and just listening to his voice, or when she is walking in the rain and being reminded of the newness being created and nourished around her.

Cynthia Ownby

Covenant Group Leader

Cynthia cherishes the holy moments found in practicing silence through the sensory, shared spiritual formation with community, and in the normal practices of daily life. She loves living in Houston with her husband Cale and their Yorkies, Bandit and Banjo. She is a minister at Bering Drive Church of Christ, where she has served since 2009. Cynthia has a BA in Youth and Family Ministry (Abilene Christian University, 2009) and a MA in Spiritual Formation (Portland Seminary, 2018). Cynthia is inspired by the faith of the mystics, particularly Julian of Norwich, St. Ignatius of Loyola, and St. Francis of Assisi.

Jenn Porter

Covenant Group Leader

Jennifer knew her life was a call to ministry when she was 16 and began to serve as a student leader in the youth ministry of her small California church. Jennifer came to ACU in 1994, and got her B.A. in Youth and Family Ministry. She also met Randy at ACU and they married in 2000. They have two awesome boys, Kelton (b.2004) and Samuel (b. 2008). The Porters moved to Brazil in 2005 with the Salvador Mission Team and spent 8 years church planting, finding forever friends, and experiencing the radical life God has for all of us. After they returned to the states they settled in the Lubbock area to be near their families.

Betsy Stratton

Covenant Group Leader

Betsy has been leading Covenant Groups for eleven:28 Ministries since 2017. As a participant for many years before that, Betsy has seen the way these groups support women in ministry in powerful, life enhancing ways. Betsy graduated from Harding University with a B.A. in Youth and Family Ministry. She is also a photographer and particularly loves taking pictures of couples, families, and events. Betsy says of her position as a pastor, “God has truly blessed me by providing such a great place to be involved in His ministry. I pray that Jesus shines through me to everyone I encounter here.”