Pioneering in the Pulpit

Tehachapi Community Church, UCC,  Panel Moderator 

The Rev. Nancy Bacon is pastor at Tehachapi Community Church, UCC.  She is also a certified Interfaith Spiritual Director, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and certified practitioner of Mind-Body Medicine.  She is active with Global Ministries partners in Tijuana, supporting LGBTQ people in recovery with HIV, as well as projects in Uganda, to assist women and children. 

formerly of Temple Beth El, retired

Cheryl Rosenstein is the former spiritual leader and Rabbi Emerita of Temple Beth El in Bakersfield, which she served for 26 years. During her tenure, she also served as president of the erstwhile Bakersfield Interfaith Ministerial Association, the convener of the Kern Clergywomen, and was an active member of Faith in the Valley’s Clergy Caucus. Now residing in Santa Rosa, CA, she is the High Holy Day cantorial soloist at Temple Israel of Alameda, a member of Congregation Shomrei Torah and of the North Bay Organizing Project’s clergy caucus.

Co-pastor, Victory in Praise Church, 

Stockton and Executive Director, Faith in the Valley

Pastor Trena Turner left 25 years of corporate leadership in the telecommunications industry to join her husband in planting Victory in Praise Church in Stockton, California, and after ordination rose to serve as Executive Pastor. In 2014 Pastor Trena was introduced to faith based community organizing through PICO, a nationwide non-profit fighting for environmental, racial and economic dignity for all.  Trena now serves as Executive Director of Faith in the Valley, a merger of five Central Valley PICO affiliates.ks, or connect data from your collection.

Emmanuel Lutheran Church

Rev. Dawn Wilder began serving as pastor of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Bakersfield March of 2017. She was first ordained in 1996 by the MCC churches, and has since transferred her ordination to the ELCA. Dawn has over ten years experience working with homeless and underprivileged youth. She has also worked as a chaplain and bereavement counselor for a hospice. She holds a Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological Seminary and completed a two-year residency in Clinical Pastoral Education at UCLA Medical Center. She also holds a MA in Technology Based Education from CSUDH.