Hello, hi and also oh, hey, I didn’t see you there!
Writing an introductory bio always feels a little strange to me. Also writing that sentence, which makes it sound like I do this twice monthly, which I do not. Anyway, I’m forced to wonder, “What do you want to know about me? What will you find interesting, and what will make you wrinkle your nose? And how do I do this at all without making it read like I’m preparing to audition for a reality show?”
Here's my quick bio:
Regina Heater (she/her/they) is a self-avowed and practicing ecumenist, story-collector and story-sharer. She earned a BA from West Virginia Wesleyan College (Communication and Christian Education) and an MDiv from Drew University. After a decade of practicing pastoral care with anxious patients in a dental office, she’s currently a church administrator at a suburban United Methodist Church in northern NJ. A collector of rainbow-themed items, she is unironically enthusiastic about a wide range of topics, including how people experience God in the world, gardening and women's college sports. She is fiercely committed to intergenerational faith formation and the Wesleyan Quadrilateral.
I'm a facilitator. In my day job, that looks like my work as a church administrator at a local United Methodist Church, where the things I do help make the ministries happen, from coordinating communication efforts to paying the bills to conspiring with anyone who wants to about how to take ideas for ministry and give them what they need to grow. I've initiated Yarnbombings for Pride, gardening with preschoolers at the childcare center, and strategized communication plans for mission and outreach programs, annual stewardship campaigns, and capital improvement initiatives. In the space outside the "9 to 5", I work with non-profit organizations for fund-raising, social media strategy, and digital community development. I write curriculum, and I "train the trainers" who are implementing curriculum.
Let's talk.
Writing an introductory bio always feels a little strange to me. Also writing that sentence, which makes it sound like I do this twice monthly, which I do not. Anyway, I’m forced to wonder, “What do you want to know about me? What will you find interesting, and what will make you wrinkle your nose? And how do I do this at all without making it read like I’m preparing to audition for a reality show?”
Here's my quick bio:
Regina Heater (she/her/they) is a self-avowed and practicing ecumenist, story-collector and story-sharer. She earned a BA from West Virginia Wesleyan College (Communication and Christian Education) and an MDiv from Drew University. After a decade of practicing pastoral care with anxious patients in a dental office, she’s currently a church administrator at a suburban United Methodist Church in northern NJ. A collector of rainbow-themed items, she is unironically enthusiastic about a wide range of topics, including how people experience God in the world, gardening and women's college sports. She is fiercely committed to intergenerational faith formation and the Wesleyan Quadrilateral.
I'm a facilitator. In my day job, that looks like my work as a church administrator at a local United Methodist Church, where the things I do help make the ministries happen, from coordinating communication efforts to paying the bills to conspiring with anyone who wants to about how to take ideas for ministry and give them what they need to grow. I've initiated Yarnbombings for Pride, gardening with preschoolers at the childcare center, and strategized communication plans for mission and outreach programs, annual stewardship campaigns, and capital improvement initiatives. In the space outside the "9 to 5", I work with non-profit organizations for fund-raising, social media strategy, and digital community development. I write curriculum, and I "train the trainers" who are implementing curriculum.
Let's talk.
Presentations and Days of Learning
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Looking for some inspiration for your community for evangelism? I'll customize the presentation to what you need, whether it's an all-day event or for just a few hours, for any size group. Need a retreat speaker or trainer? I'm an experienced, energetic preacher and teacher. Evangelism, faith formation, communication & digital ministry presentations can be developed into consultations that include communication audits and strategic plans.
Here's a sample of the talks I give: Training for Small Group Facilitators Social Media as a Tool for Evangelism Meaningful and Mindful Social Media Use Using Social Media to Pray Creating a Strategic Plan for Communication & Digital Ministry The Kyrie Project: Experiencing Mercy Vocation & Ministry Discernment Whole Church & Intergenerational Faith Formation (based on the work of Maria Harris) |
What's a presentation with me like?
Energetic and encouraging, with an emphasis on moving beyond theory to creating a workable plan for your community. Honest and down-to-earth, drawing on personal stories and experiences. Occasionally, I will also break into song. What are you like (aka my favorite people to work with)? You're curious and committed to trying something new, even if it feels strange or uncomfortable. You believe in sharing the Good News, because you believe in the Good News. And you like to laugh. |
Projects, Collaborations and Communities
Current Projects
Communities of the Spirit: Living into Hope as Resurrection People – Youth Curriculum
Mission U 2025 Youth Curriculum, United Women in Faith, Lead Writer
Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen, York, PA - fund-raising and social media consultant
Community Guide, United Women in Faith Digital (hosted on Mighty Networks)
Small Group Facilitation Training (with Julia Koch)
Other Projects
Food Justice, Racial Equity and Liberative Missions Curriculum, Skylands District, Greater NJ Annual Conference, United Methodist Church (consultant)
#PrayersForDaysThatEndInY - A project that started the week before the presidential inauguration in 2017, featuring original prayers every Sunday evening and often through the week inspired by people's posts and tweets.
The Kyrie Project - during Lent 2018 I coordinated a multi-author, interfaith exploration of mercy across contexts and experiences.
Previously, I collaborated as part of the leadership and moderation teams for several weekly tweetchats: #chsocm, for church and social media, the online community #slatespeak, #hlthsp a health and spirituality chat and #interfaithchat, all on the platform previously known as Twitter.
Selected Writing/Blog Contributions
Kyrie Project Finale // The Kyrie Project, 04/07/2018
I Will Repent, With God's Help // The Slate Project, 12/05/2016
#24PropheticWords | Reclaiming My Christian Identity // The Slate Project, 12/08/2017
Mary Daly and The Invitation to Explore Wild Ideas About Inclusivity: A Memorial Reflection, // The Open Tabernacle: Here Comes Everybody
02/03/2010
Trinity Lutheran Church | Resources for Mindful Social Media Use
Communities of the Spirit: Living into Hope as Resurrection People – Youth Curriculum
Mission U 2025 Youth Curriculum, United Women in Faith, Lead Writer
Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen, York, PA - fund-raising and social media consultant
Community Guide, United Women in Faith Digital (hosted on Mighty Networks)
Small Group Facilitation Training (with Julia Koch)
Other Projects
Food Justice, Racial Equity and Liberative Missions Curriculum, Skylands District, Greater NJ Annual Conference, United Methodist Church (consultant)
#PrayersForDaysThatEndInY - A project that started the week before the presidential inauguration in 2017, featuring original prayers every Sunday evening and often through the week inspired by people's posts and tweets.
The Kyrie Project - during Lent 2018 I coordinated a multi-author, interfaith exploration of mercy across contexts and experiences.
Previously, I collaborated as part of the leadership and moderation teams for several weekly tweetchats: #chsocm, for church and social media, the online community #slatespeak, #hlthsp a health and spirituality chat and #interfaithchat, all on the platform previously known as Twitter.
Selected Writing/Blog Contributions
Kyrie Project Finale // The Kyrie Project, 04/07/2018
I Will Repent, With God's Help // The Slate Project, 12/05/2016
#24PropheticWords | Reclaiming My Christian Identity // The Slate Project, 12/08/2017
Mary Daly and The Invitation to Explore Wild Ideas About Inclusivity: A Memorial Reflection, // The Open Tabernacle: Here Comes Everybody
02/03/2010
Trinity Lutheran Church | Resources for Mindful Social Media Use