Affirming Christian Fellowship 38th Annual Conference

Pastor David Thomas

Leading our Pastor's Retreat will be our Affirming Christian Fellowship President, David Thomas. 

Pastor of Abundanct Grace Church in N. Carolina Pastor David has been president of ACF since 2023. As president of ACF Pastor David reaches out to our Affiliates supporting the work they do in their areas, offering encouragement and praying for the needs that arise with each ministry. His message to our community on the Affirming Christian Fellowship Facebook pages invite us to grow in Christ together.

Pastor Paul Turner

Rev Paul Turner is the Editor-in-Chief of Whosoever.org and Founding and Senior Pastor of Gentle Spirit Christian Church of Atlanta, Rev. Paul M. Turner (he/him) grew up in suburban Chicago and was ordained in 1989. He was profiled by Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters in 2014 for their Spiritual Journey series, where he discussed his longtime ministry to LGBTQ+ people and others who have been neglected and turned away from the traditional church, along with his journey to the ministry and the challenges and joys of being a pastor and openly gay.

He was also profiled in 2008 in the first video interview for the “Questing Parson” blog of Rev. Guy Kent, former pastor of Epworth United Methodist Church in Atlanta’s Candler Park.

He and his husband, Bill,  celebrated their 44th anniversary in June 2026, the same month that the Supreme Court made marriage equality the law of the land, and they legally tied the knot on November 21, 2015. 

He and his husband Bill have lived in metro Atlanta since 1994.

Pastor Jack McConnell

Jack McConnell is a man of vision who has founded 21 churches and established a day homeless ministry as well as an LGBTQ+ resource center for his city. When he saw the discrimination and isolation among many in the local trans community, Pastor Jack formed the first transgender support group in the foothills of North Carolina. He holds an A.S. in Mental Health, a B.S. in Religious Studies from Barry University, and an M.S. in Psychology from New York Institute of Technology. Pastor Jack presently serves as Senior Pastor of our host church, St Jude Community Church in Winston-Salem NC, the Associate Pastor of Abundant Grace Church in Granite Falls NC, the Director of the LGBTQ+ Resource Center of Greater Hickory and has a private counseling practice in Catawba County NC.

Rev. “Adero” Cheryl E. Allison, PhD

Rev. Adero started in the music ministry at the age of twelve. She has since ministered in music and the Word in Michigan, Oregon and Arizona and continues to serve the Lord in all aspects of life. Pastor Adero serves as a co-pastor at Casa de Cristo Church and Apostolic Center in Phoenix, AZ. Adero is happily enjoying her new marriage with wife, Dusty, who has reinvigorated joy in her life. Pastor Adero enjoys reading, movies and time with her wife and their two dogs, Oreo and Luna.

“As a cisgender female, ‘african’ ‘american’, queer, ‘christian’ minister who is also a researcher I seek to implement the restorative justice of ‘Christ’ in a small congregation that brings results through faith, equity and the power of inclusion."

The results of applying the Christian principle of restoration to the rejected, homeless, addicted and wounded individuals who come through our doors allows us to see the miracle of lives changed on a daily basis.