Meet the 2026-27 Virginia NYI Council!
Clay Bryan
President
Pastor Clay Bryan serves as the Young Adult, Youth, & Technology Pastor at Compassion Church of the Nazarene in Lynchburg, Virginia. He was elected to serve as the Virginia District NYI President in 2026.
Caleb Kriner
Vice President
Pastor Caleb Kriner serves as the Student Ministries and Worship Pastor at East Gate Church of the Nazarene in Roanoke, Virginia. He was re-elected to serve as the Virginia District NYI Vice-President in 2026.
Christy Marshall
Treasurer
Christy Marshall serves as the NYI President at Charlottesville First Church of the Nazarene. She was re-elected as the Virginia District NYI Treasurer in 2026.
Tim Sluss
Communications Coordinator
Pastor Tim Sluss serves as a Youth Pastor at Leesburg Church of the Nazarene and has served in an appointed position as Communications Coordinator since 2017.
Christopher Cruz Osorio
Communications Coordinator
Pastor Christopher Cruz Osorio serves as the Pastor of Student Ministries at the Church of the Nazarene - Harrisonburg and Esperanza Viva and has served in an appointed position as Communications Coordinator since 2021.
ELECTED VIRGINIA NYI REPRESENTATIVES
2026-27
25 Years and Older
Daniel Guizar
Jasmine Bryan
24 Years and Younger
Rocky Barber
Tevin Layman
Melanie Cruz Osorio
Abby Schafer
EVENT AND PROGRAM DIRECTORS
Christopher Cruz Osorio - Winter Retreat
Jasmine Bryan - Youth Leader Retreat
Bertha Cruz Osorio & Caleb Kriner - Ultracamp
Clay Bryan - Mosaic Young Adult Retreat
Tim & Heather Sluss - TNT (VA District)
Bucky Wince - Teen Bible Quizzing
Julia Silverthorn - Nazarene Youth Conference (VA District)
What is Nazarene Youth International (NYI)?
"In NYI, we focus on the three core strategies of evangelism, discipleship, and leadership development. More commonly, we refer to these as “BE, DO, and GO.” These three strategies are at the very core of who we are. They are our message and mission. These three core strategies create the fabric of Nazarene Youth International. Everything we do in NYI is colored by Be, Do, and Go. Everything we do should flow out of our focus on evangelism, discipleship, and leadership development.
In Evangelism, we are called to BE God’s light in the dark and ignored places of our world. We are to BE a faithful example of God’s unconditional love. In BEING in Christ and BEING with others, we allow the Holy Spirit to work through our lives and we trust God with the results.
Through Discipleship, we journey together with other believers as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus. As we DO life together, we learn what it means to talk together, serve together, sacrifice together, fall and get back up together. We DO the hard work of becoming more like our Savior, living surrendered lives in community.
In Leadership Development, we challenge and empower youth and their leaders to GO out into their communities as models of Christ’s servant leadership. We cannot afford to wait until we think we know enough; we must GO now, learning along the way."
