FAITH AND METAPHOR STUDIES (SFMS) - Key Persons
Alan Klein, Esq. is a practicing corporate attorney in Manhattan, New York. Alan is also a professional art photographer with an interest in visual metaphor. His website is called https://imaginedrealities.com. Alan lends not only an artistic flair but a legal presence on the board of SFMS.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Critic
Dr. Leonard I. Sweet is a cultural critic, semiotics theologian and futurist. He leads the only DMin program in the country linking semiotics and metaphor to the theory and practice of ministry at Portland Seminary. Dr. Sweet is an international speaker, owner of the resource https://preachthestory.com and distinguished visiting professor at Portland Seminary, Drew Theological Seminary, Tabor College and Evangelical Seminary, in addition to teaching programs at Southeastern Seminary. He is a strong advocate for interdisciplinary study and is proud to sit on the board of SFMS.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Jesse Caldwell III is an attorney and superior court judge in Gastonia, North Carolina. Jesse's interest in metaphor studies stems from his Christian faith. A frequent lay preacher in churches of various denominations, Jesse is a guest contributor to the website, https://preachthestory.com. Jesse is proud to support SFMS in creating new avenues for communication across the disciplines.
Job Titles:
- Board Member & Co - Editor for "Mandorla"
- Communications and Creative Consultant
Len Wilson is a communications and creative consultant, and co-journal editor for "Mandorla." He is co-founder of Midnight Oil Productions, former Senior Leadership Acquisitions Editor for Abingdon Press and author of ten books, including Th ink Like a Five Year Old. Len holds a Bachelor's in communication from McMurry University; studied at the Annenberg School at the University of Pennsylvania; received an MA in Religious Communication from United Theological Seminary; and is finishing a DMin from Portland Seminary. Len has spent his career advocating for creativity and more effective communication in faith and church life and currently serves as Creative and Communication Director at St. Andrews UMC church in Plano, Texas. Len is a strong advocate for metaphor and semiotic theory and is excited to be on the board of SFMS.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Founder, President & Executive Director of SFMS
- Positions of Chief Co - Writer at PreachtheStory.Com
Lori Wagner holds positions of Chief Co-Writer at PreachtheStory.com, DMin Faculty Advisor at Portland Seminary and Adjunct Instructor at Wesley Seminary. She was a former Assistant Professor of German and English Literature and an academic VP in her first career with publications in the cultural studies of science and literature. After completing her graduate work at the University of Pennsylvania about 25 years ago, she changed careers, completing an MDiv at Drew Theological Seminary and a DMin at Portland Seminary. She is currently a speaker, consultant, author of fiction and nonfiction in the area of metaphor studies and senior executive pastor in Quakertown, PA. Lori is dedicated to fostering interdisciplinary conversation and metaphor studies throughout culture. She believes, if we integrate our knowledge, we have much to learn from each other. She looks forward to healthy, innovative interchange among scholars and practitioners and an exciting future for SFMS.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Secretary of the Board
Norbert Haukenfrers, our board secretary, is a former Marine Engineer and Construction Superintendent. Following his ordination to ministry in 2005, he changed careers and began ministering to addicts and indigenous people in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan for 14 years. He is currently serving as the Incumbent Priest of St. Peter's Anglican Church, Okotoks Alberta and National Board chair of Threshold Ministries, Canada. Norbert completed a DMin in Semiotics and Future Studies at Portland Seminary, which sparked his recent publication called Fire, Water and Wind: God's Transformational Narrative (2015).
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Robert Feinberg is a semi-retired Jewish rabbi currently serving as a chaplain for the Jewish chapel at the US Naval Base in Great Lakes, IL. He is a professional fundraising consultant and instructor and has raised funds for some of the largest synagogues in the country. Bob is proud to be part of the interdisciplinary board of SFMS.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Treasurer of the Board
- Social Media Guru and Biomedical Engineering Researcher
Vern Hyndman is an entrepreneur, social media guru and biomedical engineering researcher. Vern considers himself a curious traveler of all disciplines and spends his time reading voraciously and making contacts with interesting people from around the world. In his spare time, Vern is husband to Shelley and father of four amazing young adults. Vern is excited to be part of SFMS and currently serves as Treasurer of the board.