Leaders Bond at Northeast Pastors Conference

Story by Katie Bass and Kathy Symborski
Photos by Andrew Chappell

In late September 2022, pastors gathered at Calvary Chapel Finger Lakes in Farmington, NY, for the annual Calvary Chapel Association Northeast Pastors Conference. The event was spearheaded by Pastor Scott Gallatin, lead pastor at CC Finger Lakes, and his staff and church body.

Scott Gallatin (center), pastor of CC Finger Lakes, NY, amiably greets Matt and Lisa VanderVen (left and right) and their children as they arrive for the CCA Northeast Pastors Conference held last September. Matt is the pastor of CC Harrisburg-West Shore in Camp Hill, PA.

Rather than choosing a specific theme for the conference, Pastor Scott asked the speakers to seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance on what He would have them share. He recounted the planning process: “Plenty of prayer precedes the conference, and the Holy Spirit puts it together better than any person could.”

David Rosales (center), senior pastor of Calvary Chapel Chino Valley, CA, shares a laugh with men from the conference. David was one of the guest speakers, exhorting those gathered from Mark 1:14-20 on the importance of preaching repentance and the power of the Gospel to change lives.

Speakers were pastors Bil Gallatin, founding pastor of CC Finger Lakes; David Rosales of CC Chino Valley, CA; Ken Lang of Calvary Syracuse, NY; Rob Sullivan of CC Gainesville, FL; Brett Robinson of CC Palm Harbor, FL; Mark Kirk of Calvary Knoxville, TN; and Ray Tomkins of CC Webster, NY. The conference also included a session from Brad Huddleston (of Brad Huddleston Ministries) discussing digital addiction and how it robs us of our time with God.

Scott and his dad, Bil Gallatin, greet the conference attendees with kind-hearted humor before Bil delivers his message on God’s agape love. The conference was held at CC Finger Lakes.

Pastor Scott welcomed the attendees, then introduced Bil Gallatin, not only as his father but a “faithful servant, faithful shepherd.” Bil spoke to pastors on the agape love of God, urging them to examine if they truly have the love of Christ in their ministries when there is iniquity or heresy in the Church. Teaching from 2 Timothy 4:1-5, he challenged them not to hide behind John 13:35: “By this you will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Instead, he exhorted them to follow Paul’s command in 2 Thessalonians 3:6, to “withdraw from [every] brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us” if they do not repent.

The retreat-like atmosphere of the conference gave many the freedom to pray together and share their hearts individually with each other. Patrick Powell (right) and Willie Williams (left) embrace each other after a time of prayer. Both men serve at CC Finger Lakes.

Many attendees agreed that the conference felt more like a retreat than a conference. Scott shared that he kept hearing comments regarding how peaceful it was. He concluded, “The Holy Spirit ministered in a tremendous way. I can’t remember when I had so many comments from so many that were spoken to and blessed.”

Kathy Seeber (right) enjoys a time of fellowship with Denise Casiano (left) during a break. Kathy is married to Mark Seeber (back center), senior pastor of Geneva Christian Fellowship in Geneva, NY.

Attendees participate in heartfelt worship giving praise to the Lord for His goodness and grace.

Pastors and leaders reverently lay hands on each other as Scott leads the group in prayer.

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See CCA Northeast Pastors Conference teachings at: ccfingerlakes.org

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Calvary Chapel Finger Lakes maintains a close, brotherly love connection to many CC pastors in the region, as most have previously either worshiped or served there. In the atmosphere of this retreat-like conference, they freely shared with each other, giving rise to moments of prayerful intimacy and joyful reunion, captured in the following photos.

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