Rebecca grew up in Virginia, then studied at Elon University and Wake Forest University School of Divinity. Before coming to Emmaus Way in 2020, she was a hospital chaplain in Los Angeles and a children's minister in North Raleigh. 

As pastor of Emmaus Way, Rebecca convenes a staff team of equals, who work collaboratively with each other and our co-ministers. She is passionate about dialogical preaching, power sharing, supporting women in ministry, and restorative justice practices.

Rebecca lives in South Durham with her two sons, Atticus and Isaac, and her beloved dog, Mia.

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Ian, a native of Indianapolis, studied agriculture at Huntington University. By way of midwestern food banks and Peruvian coffee farms, he landed in Durham in January 2023, where he quickly found community in Emmaus Way. He is thrilled to have the privilege of walking alongside the youth and helping to cultivate a space designated for them to build community, ask big questions, and explore faith and its place in their lives. In addition to his work with Emmaus Way, he works as a greenhouse research assistant for an agriculture company in RTP. He can often be found at the local cinema, the houses of friends, or at home reading about his latest topic of curiosity.

Chessa Rich is a singer, songwriter, teacher, and multi-instrumentalist based in Durham, NC. After a period of living and teaching in Spain, Chessa moved back to her North Carolina home in 2013 and quickly became a sought-after collaborator, adding keyboards, flute, and vocals to projects by NC artists including Dante High, Skylar Gudasz, and Hiss Golden Messenger. She grew up singing hymns in the choir at First Presbyterian Church in Burlington and experiences spiritual connection most often while making music with other people. She currently teaches music to young people and released her debut full-length record, Deeper Sleeper, in 2023.

Claire grew up in Texas, and studied religion and interpersonal communication at Baylor University. She moved to Durham in 2021 to attend Duke Divinity School, graduating with her Master of Divinity in 2024. In the fall of 2024, she began teaching the preschool and kindergarten class at Emmaus Way, and became the Interim Children’s Minister in September 2026. In addition to her work at Emmaus Way, she is the Minister with Children and Youth at Binkley Baptist Church in Chapel Hill. 

Claire is passionate about taking children seriously as theological thinkers and full participants in community life. She loves to encourage curiosity and imagination through storytelling, and welcome mystery and wonder in the life of faith. Outside of children’s ministry, Claire loves to talk about all things comedy, reading, and reality television.