James Seward - Education Minister

James Seward has spent the past six years on staff at College Church in Wheaton, the first two years as a Ministry Associate leading the 20s ministry and four years as the Pastor of Singles and Young Adults.  During that time, he shepherded and directed ministries to the singles, twenties, single parents, and divorcees.  He also organized an annual pastoral training workshop attended by 100 area pastors.  His primary duties included regular preaching and teaching, discipleship, training teachers, counseling, and visitation.

Prior to joining the staff of College Church, James spent four years as a founding member of Holy Trinity Church, a church plant of College Church in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood.  There he led an inter-generational Bible study, served in the children’s ministry through teaching and writing curriculum, and spear-headed the university ministry.

James graduated from the University of Chicago (’02), earned a Masters in Biblical Exegesis from the Wheaton College Graduate School (’04), and was ordained by College Church (’07).

James grew up in a Christian home where he was taught to examine all of life through the lens of Scripture.  He put his faith in Jesus Christ at a young age and has grown steadily in his faith since that time.

James met his wife Karen while serving at College Church.  Karen grew up in San Diego, earned a degree in International Studies from Biola University, and moved to Wheaton to serve as a missionary with Little Lambs, an organization reaching orphans in Ukraine and Russia.  James and Karen have one daughter, Ann.  Though Karen left Little Lambs to stay at home with Ann, the Sewards continue to have a heart for missions.  They co-led a team of college students on a trip to Ukraine, and James has twice travelled to Vietnam to train pastors in biblical exposition.

In his free time, James loves watching and playing team sports, engaging people in conversation, and, most of all, spending time with Karen and Ann.

Vernon Hughes - Children’s Director

Vernon Hughes is a graduate of the University of Texas at Tyler, but growing up in Oklahoma; he’s a diehard Sooner fan.  Vernon was born and raised in Miami, Oklahoma, a small town in the northeastern corner of the state (coincidentally the same town where our youth go to camp).  While in college Vernon started spending his summers working at Sky Ranch, eventually staying on as an intern and finally into a full time position. 

Vernon finished his degree in Speech Communications at UT Tyler while working full time for Sky Ranch. 

Vernon has spent the last 14 plus years working with children in jobs such as Summer Camp Director for ten and eleven year olds, Summer Camp Program Director, Day Camp Director and currently as Outdoor Education Assistant Director and feels that God has called him to work with children. 

While working together at Sky Ranch, Vernon met his wife Rachel, and they have been married for 9 years.  They have two boys Andrew (4), and Matthew (17 months), and they are expecting another child in January.