Join the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids for a unique, seven-night Advent experience of prayer and song to quiet your heart and nurture your spirit during this most holy season.
December 17-23 • 6:00-6:45 pm • In-Person or Online
December 17 – O Wisdom
Speaker: Lisa Knight
Executive Director, Girls Choral AcademyLisa Knight is a dynamic force of passion and drive whose entrepreneurial spirit is expressed through her roles as the CEO of DV Apple Logistics, the owner of LMK Consulting, her Commercial Voice Over business, and her pivotal role as the Executive Director of the Girls Choral Academy. Lisa is also an accomplished performer, playwright, and director, with a reputation that spans both local and national stages. Her artistic endeavors are matched by her deep commitment to family, as the proud mother of 12 adult children, grandmother to 13, and great-grandmother to 3.
She is focused on empowering others and fostering sustainable change through her extensive community engagement, including serving on boards such as Family Promise, Circle Theater, UCOM, Steepletown, and the YWCA; as the Chair for the African American Arts and Music Festival; and in activities on multiple boards and committees. As a 2nd Ward City Commissioner, Lisa is the first Black woman to hold the seat and comes from a long line of advocates and change-makers in her community.
December 18 – O Adonai
Speaker: Pancho Orozco
Lector Coordinator and Youth Ministry Volunteer, St. Francis Xavier Parish
Born in California but raised in Michigan to immigrant parents, my life has immeasurably been shaped by my faith and my culture. I was quite introverted as a child and so that gave me a predisposition for the bookish and contemplative aspects of spirituality. At the same time, my parents were very active in the rapidly-developing community of Catholic Hispanics in the area, so I was often dragged to church basements and the homes of families looking to bring God back into their lives. Ultimately, this gave me a deep sense of how God is ever-present in the quiet interiority of a chapel, as well as the grateful smile of a hard-working, humble migrant.
Speaker: Sheena Walls
Free Store Coordinator, In the ImageSheena Walls has been the In The Image Free Store Coordinator for 13 years. She has served as a Board Member for Community Commitment Advisory Committee for Corewell Health, the Grand Rapids Circus Project, Compassion Leader for Kavod Fellowship Ministry, Chair for the Community Relations Committee for the City of Grand Rapids, Chair for Neighborhood Advisory Committee for Amplify GR, Boston Square Tree Lighting Committee, and the Good Grant Committee for Amplify GR. She is a proud mom of two who finds joy in serving our Grand Rapids community with God’s love and compassion. She believes that when we combine God’s love with genuine human care, transformation becomes possible—in our neighborhoods, our city, and in individual lives. One of her favorite scriptures is Psalm 139:14: “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” This truth reminds her that every person we encounter carries God’s image and infinite worth.
Speaker: Shawn England
Seminarian, Calvin Theological Seminary & Fisher for Celebration Fellowship ChurchWhile being a seminarian at Calvin Theological Seminary is Shawn’s primary work at present, he is truly a “fisher of men.” He serves as a Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ by “fishing for men” for Celebration Fellowship Church, a congregation of returning citizens. Shawn does outreach for them to stay in contact with recently released citizens.
Speaker: Hannah Bechtold
Director of International Programs, Aquinas CollegeOriginally from Central Pennsylvania, Hannah first moved to Grand Rapids to study at Calvin University. After graduating with a degree in International Development Studies, she spent 5 years working in Thailand for various nonprofits and served as a youth pastor for an international church. Since returning to Grand Rapids, she mentored for Calvin’s Project Neighborhood program (which she still helps run), worked at Heartside Ministry through COVID, and now supports international students and oversees study abroad programming at Aquinas College. In her free time, Hannah enjoys swing dancing (specifically lindy hop and balboa), gardening, reading, and planning her next trip.
Speaker: Coach John Robinson
Founder & Chief Possibility Officer, Leader Support CircleJohn Robinson is the Founder and Chief Possibility Officer of Leader Support Circle, where he helps leaders and changemakers reclaim clarity, energy, and purposeful action. He also serves as Wellness & Belonging Advisor at Head Start for Kent County, supporting staff well-being and family engagement. Drawing on over two decades of experience spanning education, coaching, and community leadership, John’s work blends compassion, creativity, and authenticity. A lifelong learner and bridge-builder, he partners with individuals and organizations across West Michigan to foster growth, connection, and renewal amid the challenges of uncertainty and change.
Speaker: Kent Dobson
Associate Pastor, Mayflower Congregational ChurchKent Dobson is the Associate Pastor at Mayflower Congregational Church. Formerly, he’s been a worship leader, teaching pastor, and high school religion teacher. He also offers pilgrimage experiences in Israel, where he studied, and wilderness retreats around the United States. He’s the author of the NIV First Century Study Bible, and a memoir called Bitten by a Camel. Kent is currently in Year One of the Spiritual Director Practicum through Dominican Center Marywood. He lives in Ada with his wife Amanda and has three children.
