2025 INSTRUCTORS
We are very excited about the team we're assembling for FCP National – and there's many more to come! Please keep them in prayer as they prepare to share with us throughout the week during devotions, workshops and performances. You may read their biography by clicking their image. This staffing list is tentative and may be subject to change.
JJ Graves is the creator of Douglas Talks, a YouTube channel seen by children in more than 180 countries! He and Douglas have performed hundreds of shows all over the United States and on six international ministry trips. JJ was a children’s minister for six years before going into digital ministry full-time in 2019.
Bonnie, co-directs the Celebration Puppeteers with her husband Jim in Indianapolis. The two have led the ministry of 15 youth and adults for over 40 years. They also keep busy designing and building all their own scripts, shows, and puppets for their programs. Bonnie has decades of wisdom for building puppets and teams that last.
Pastor Brett Belleque is the Director of Children's Ministry Resources for InFaith where he encourage, educates, and equips missionaries across the US who work directly with children. He is also known as "The Magical Mr. B" a Balloon Sculptor and Gospel Magician who delights children, adults and families at churches, libraries, community events.
Since 1982, Jim and his wife Bonnie have been co-directors of the Celebration Puppeteers at Old Bethel United Methodist Church in Indianapolis. They are also puppet designers and puppet makers for ministries all around the world. Jim is a long-time workshop leader for regional and national conferences. He co-wrote “The Puppet Director’s Notebook” with Dale VonSeggen and his patterns made their way into Christian bookstores through the book “Puppet Patterns” by Children’s Outreach.
Kristofer is the man behind beloved ministry brands as Puppedcation, PlaySoup and One Way Squared and has 15+ years of experience in multi-media, puppetry, creative arts, and children’s ministry. Kristofer has trained under some of the nation’s top puppeteers. He previously served as president of the Fellowship of Christian Puppeteers (FCP). Kristofer is the founder of Kristofer Sommerfeld Productions.
Linda and her husband Ray directed the Patchwork puppet ministry for over 35 years. She now leads "Patchwork Gen 2," an intergenerational puppet ministry that presents the Kingship of Jesus Christ in a variety of settings with a variety of techniques! Linda's a registered nurse and retired as a System Director of Education for the School of Nursing in Elmira, NY. She serves as Treasurer for the Fellowship of Christian Puppeteers.
Creative ministry has been Britney’s passion for over 30 years. She has been sharing her experiences and talents through workshops for the past decade at regional and national conferences. She co-directs the Celebration Puppeteers in Indiana and has passion for directing out-front pieces, using mime, rods, signing, and more.
Lynette Lee has been leading the iBlast Creative Ministry at Grace Church in Hummelstown, PA since 2017. She was previously an assistant director and served on the team alongside her son and daughter for many years. A teacher by trade, Lynette is passionate about equipping the next generation to use their gifts for Christ. She is currently a teacher at a private Christian school in the Harrisburg, PA area.
Gabriel has been passionately involved creative arts for over 20 years and God has accomplished infinitely more than he might have ever imagined! Gabriel has a heart for teaching young people the value of pouring their gifts at Christ's feet. He is the Creative Ministries Director at his church in the San Francisco Bay Area and has trained teams and leaders throughout the United States and Mexico, Panama, Nicaragua and Ecuador.
Vicki Knuckles has decades of experience in puppetry, creative ministry, and children's ministry. She faithfully serves at Allegan Christian Center alongside her husband Paul Knuckles, Senior Pastor. She is also on the Board of Education for Allegan Public Schools. She takes great joy in equipping the next generation of leaders for creative ministry through the SPROUTS Kids Program at FCP.
Melissa has been involved in puppetry and creative ministry for over 35 years. She is a gifted puppeteer, puppet builder, clown, signer, face painter, and children's ministry leader. Her career has included being an intern for One Way Street, working at One Way Street as a puppet builder in the Construction Zone and teaching workshops at festivals throughout the country, leading children's and youth ministries at different churches, and teaching English to international students online.
Patsy has been working with and making puppets for 25+ years and has been teaching children's church for 45 years. She has been involved with FCP throughout the decades as Secretary, Conference Registrar and a Workshop Leader. She has been on two mission trips to Honduras where she taught how to make and manipulate puppets. She also has puppets in Ecuador, Philippines and China.
Elijah Knuckles is a pastor, puppeteer, sound engineer and videographer and with a gift for sharing truths in a variety of ways. He has been involved in puppetry and creative ministry for over 30+ years. His greatest joys are Christ and their family.
Peter Wray has shared a life-long fascination with puppetry and has served on the ministry team, Christ in Action, alongside his wife and 3 grown children. Peter is a puppeteer, music procurer, prop builder and enjoys exploring puppetry style outside of the traditional rod-arm puppets.
Curtis Aube is passionate about using creative arts to share the gospel. Since 2016, he has been bringing the Bible to life in engaging and memorable ways for his church's children's ministry. In 2019, Curtis launched Bible Block, a YouTube channel featuring puppetry and Bible lessons designed to make Scripture fun and accessible.