Core
Members
Joshua Kingsley
Joshua Kingsley is a priest, musician, scholar, and organizational leader based in Portland’s Montavilla neighborhood. He serves as senior pastor of Spirit of Life and works at the intersection of spiritual formation, community organizing, and organizational development, helping people and institutions navigate meaningful change.
Ordained as an Episcopal priest and educated at the Graduate Theological Union, Joshua has served Episcopal, United Methodist, and Lutheran congregations. He has built relationships across diverse communities, including housed and unhoused neighbors, and has guided organizations through seasons of growth, transition, merger, and closure.
Joshua is a doctoral candidate at the University of Idaho, where he researches organizational development and decolonized workplace spirituality. His work explores how spiritual practices can foster more inclusive, adaptive, and resilient organizations. He regularly presents to professional and academic audiences and consults with churches and nonprofits across denominations.
Rooted in the Christian tradition and shaped by Benedictine spirituality, Joshua describes his approach as “reachingly rooted and ordered.” He holds a certificate in spiritual direction from the Franciscan Spiritual Center and co-founded Nehalem, an intentional community where he lives with his teenage child, housemates, and several pets.
Before ordination, Joshua was the founding artistic director of Portland Chamber Music. He holds a Master of Music in clarinet performance, has performed as a classical and jazz musician, and has taught music in schools and community settings.
Whether preaching, teaching, consulting, or performing, Joshua brings kindness, clarity, and courage, helping individuals and organizations align their practices with their deepest values.
Matte Edey
Co-founder & Sporting DirectorHere's a polished biography suitable for a nonprofit organization's website.
Matte Edey is a musician, administrator, designer, and community leader who is passionate about building welcoming communities through music, hospitality, and thoughtful leadership. With more than 15 years of experience serving churches and nonprofit organizations, Matte brings together creativity, organizational excellence, and a deep commitment to helping people thrive.
As a classically and contemporary trained pianist and vocalist, Matte has led music ministries across Lutheran, Episcopal, Methodist, and Pentecostal traditions. They are known for creating collaborative environments where volunteers of all ages and experience levels feel encouraged, valued, and empowered to grow. Their approach to worship blends the richness of global hymnody with contemporary musical styles, creating experiences that are both meaningful and accessible.
Beyond music, Matte has extensive experience in nonprofit administration, communications, technology, and design. They have guided organizations through major transitions, including implementing new technology systems, improving communications, expanding volunteer engagement, and supporting creative outreach initiatives. Their background in journalism, web development, UX/UI design, and visual communication allows them to bridge artistic vision with practical organizational leadership.
Matte currently serves as Parish Administrator at St. Michael’s & All Angels Episcopal Church and Music Director at Grant Park Church in Portland. They are also a founding board member of Montahalem Community Housing, where they help advance innovative approaches to community building and public service.
Whether leading music, coordinating volunteers, designing communications, or strengthening organizational systems, Matte is dedicated to fostering communities where people experience belonging, creativity, and shared purpose.
Lara Halsey
The Rev. Lara Halsey is an Episcopal priest, direct care specialist, and designer who lives in the Nehalem community, which she co-founded.
Lara studied political science at Sewanee: The University of the South in Tennessee. Her academic focus on micro-lending informs her leadership style, as she places her trust in individuals closest to the need rather than in programs designed to address it.
Before becoming a priest, Lara was a direct caregiver at the L’Arche community in Washington, D.C. There, she formed deep spiritual relationships with people of different cognitive abilities and her colleagues as they lived and worked together. This intentional spiritual community experience continues to inform her work and life.
Lara studied divinity at the Virginia Theological Seminary. She has served as the curate at Grace Memorial Episcopal Church in Portland, where she started and led a thriving community dinner for the insecurely housed in the neighborhood. Before serving at Grace, she was responsible for youth formation and Christian education at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Whether leading a church, working in an L’Arche house, or living in her intentional community, Lara has deep experience in spiritual community. Lara loves reading, being in nature, and playing in the water.
Schuyler Halsey
Schuyler is a practical theologian who lives and leads in the Nehalem community. There, he writes, draws, and creates new works inspired by the Bible, Marxism, and anarchy. Schuyler is also a professional care provider with CPE training, specializing in hands-on care.
His academic and professional background is in theater. He directed a college production of Burt C. Royal’s Dog Sees God at the College of Charleston in South Carolina. Additionally, he served as a teaching artist and director for the Aspen Theater Juniors’ Show and Program. This theater experience allows Schuyler to empathize and imagine with others by inhabiting their roles.
Schuyler holds a Master’s degree in Practical Theology from Virginia Theological Seminary. His primary research focused on the relationship between the church and theater in Europe and on the Episcopal Church’s response to the AIDS crisis of the late 20th century. Influential thinkers for him include Dr. Cornel West, Paulo Freire, and James Baldwin.
Currently, Schuyler works with L’Arche, providing care to residents of that community. He is a co-founder and resident of Nehalem, an intentional spiritual community that offers hospitality. Additionally, he is the author and leader of Chapel Crisis. He enjoys hiking, attending lectures, visiting museums, and writing by the window on sunny days.
Grace Sayre
Grace is a mother of two, gardener, educator, and passionate advocate for children and families. She believes that hospitality begins with creating spaces where people feel seen, welcomed, and empowered to flourish. Her work has been shaped by a deep commitment to nurturing community, honoring the dignity of every person, and cultivating environments where children and families can thrive.
Grace studied social sciences and early childhood education at the University of Oregon before expanding her training through Trackers Earth, where she focused on youth engagement, outdoor education, and food systems. She earned her Primary Montessori certification from Montessori Northwest and continues to deepen her knowledge through ongoing professional development, most recently completing Orton-Gillingham reading training.
For five years, Grace served as a Primary Lead at SunGarden Montessori, designing individualized learning experiences that fostered independence, curiosity, and respect. She mentored new educators, partnered closely with families, and helped cultivate a collaborative school community grounded in care and belonging. Her experience spans early childhood education, nature-based learning, mentorship, and family engagement.
Grace is currently pursuing a Master of Social Work with the goal of helping build, curate, and protect spaces where children and families can access the support, resources, and relationships they need to flourish.
Her spirituality is rooted in a lifelong devotion to the Creator, nurtured by growing up in the Pacific Northwest. She approaches faith holistically, recognizing the sacred rhythms of creation and the transformative power of gathering around shared tables, shared work, and shared stories. Grace believes hospitality is a spiritual practice, one that invites connection, healing, and belonging.
Inspired by the Creator, the natural world, and the resilience of young people, Grace dreams of one day helping establish a youth-led community garden where children can cultivate both the land and a deeper sense of purpose, stewardship, and community.