our roots

OUR ROOTS

Hi, we’re edenlight. We’re a husband and wife duo that plays and records original music. We play all kinds of venues: music festivals, coffee shops, community events, wineries, restaurants, bars, inner-city store front churches, biker events…...wherever the door opens. Out in the highways and byways where people are. Our music is rooted in life. It is inspired by our walk with Jesus and our journey in the Kingdom of God. Becoming who we are..........And especially connecting with others and helping them connect to the God who has so graciously blessed us all.

A special opportunity that God has given us over our career is to perform in prisons; from minimum security and super-max prisoners to death row inmates with literally days to live. It is very humbling and encouraging to present our music and share hope with men and women who have found themselves in the darkest of circumstances. Most people are trying to get out of prison. We keep trying to get back in. That’s what YELOline Initiative is about….. sponsoring edenlight to perform for and connect with as many inmates as possible.

MISSION & vision

MISSION:

YELOline Inititative's mission is to take hope to the incarcerated and unseen population of our society to encourage them in their individual pursuit of personal and spiritual reconciliation.

VISION:

For the block of time we fellowship with the men and women in each institution, our hope is for everyone in the room to walk away feeling encouraged, vital, and challenged. We hope that these feelings result in an identification with their innate humanity and a connection with normalcy. Normal enough to give and receive love, and human enough to experience grace.

To encourage the population outside of prison to recognize the dignity and the challenges of all incarcerated individuals and their families.

To help local churches recognize their unity with the church behind bars, inmates who are still seeking and the families of all who are incarcerated.

To positively impact prison chaplains, their coworkers and the programs they have in place.

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:38-39

Help us do what we do

our BOARD & staff

We are privileged to be working with a board of very talented individuals from diverse backgrounds who are unified in YELOline’s goal of sharing the hope of gospel with our nation’s inmate population through original, faith-based music.

President, Dave Bicko Dave is a co-founder of YELOline Initiative and a co-founding songwriter/performer with edenlight. He has over twenty years of experience in performing concerts in state prisons throughout Ohio and Pennsylvania. He has worked with at-risk youth and families and is privileged to turn heartbroken stories into songs of hope for a heart broken world.

Vice-President Gary McCurdy Gary has over 30 years of experience working with incarcerated youth. He is a calm presence, a man of thoughtful wisdom and a dedicated follower of Jesus.

Secretary/Treasurer Sue Bicko Sue is a co-founder of YELOline Initiative and a co-founding songwriter/performer with edenlight. She has also been performing behind bars for over twenty years. She is a talented artist who has been gifted with a powerful voice, a passionate heart and deep love for God.

Additional board members are:

Londa Eells: Londa is a mother who has navigated the challenging reality of encouraging and supporting an incarcerated family member. She is passionate in personal evangelism and sharing the Kingdom of God with those around her.

Pastor Kenny Holeva: Kenny is Associate Pastor of Lyona Bible Church. He is a husband, father of three children and a man with a humble, servant’s heart.

What We Believe

Our beliefs can be best articulated in the Nicene Creed, one of the earliest creeds of the church:

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, light from light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary
and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father
who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen