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OUR MISSION
Fifth Element Free Church seeks to unite spiritual beings from all walks of life, much the way aether does. We glean wisdom from ancient teachings regarding the original four elements: FIRE - the spirit, passion and zest for life that is the birthright of every soul incarnated on Earth; EARTH - access to the abundance that is all around us, in forms both tangible and intangible; AIR - the knowledge, information and education necessary to support an enlightened society; and WATER - emotional and intuitive prowess. AETHER, the fifth element, connects us all, and allows each of the other four elements to thrive in peace and harmony with their surroundings. Aether envelops; it protects and provides structure and pathways for the advancement of light. Fifth Element Free Church's mission is to do the same.
For Those Called to
Something More
At Fifth Element Free Church, we recognize that many people feel called to gather, serve, teach, and lead in ways that reflect their spiritual convictions, values, and understanding of the Divine.
For some, that calling extends beyond personal ministry and into the desire to establish an independent church community rooted in shared purpose, stewardship, and spiritual freedom.
Many people assume the only path forward is through heavily institutionalized or highly corporate religious models. We offer an alternative perspective—one that allows individuals to explore the formation of a free church grounded in faith, community, and responsible self-governance.
We work with individuals who are seeking to build spiritually aligned communities while remaining intentional about structure, operations, leadership, communication, and long-term sustainability.
Our role is not to create replicas of ourselves, but to provide education, perspective, resources, and organizational insight for those discerning how to responsibly establish and lead their own church community.
We recognize that starting a church can feel overwhelming, especially for those navigating legal, financial, operational, and organizational questions for the first time. Many people feel called to serve but lack access to practical guidance or grounded support.
Through shared experience and community, we aim to help leaders think clearly about stewardship, integrity, communication, governance, and the practical realities involved in building a lasting spiritual organization.
This path is not about isolation or personality-driven leadership. Healthy churches require clarity, responsibility, structure, and a sincere commitment to serving people well.
We are not a conventional church model. We are a growing network of individuals, ministries, and spiritual communities exploring what it means to live, lead, and serve with greater alignment between faith, values, and daily life.
If you feel called to explore the formation of your own church community, we invite you to connect with us and continue the conversation.
Your Free Church Includes:
Free Church formation with Fifth Element Free Church provides structure, guidance, and education to help you thoughtfully establish and steward your spiritual community with clarity, integrity, and long-term sustainability.
This includes:
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Educational resources related to church formation, stewardship, governance, and organizational structure
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Guidance in clarifying and articulating your church’s mission, values, and spiritual purpose
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Insight into operational considerations such as leadership, communication, financial stewardship, and community development
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Access to shared educational materials, tools, and organizational perspectives
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Opportunities for connection with others exploring similar paths
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Ongoing support and dialogue as your church community develops and evolves
We recognize that every church community is unique. Specific structures, expectations, and areas of support are discussed.
HOW TO KNOW IF FIFTH ELEMENT IS RIGHT FOR YOU:
Those who feel aligned with this path are often individuals who sense a clear calling to establish and steward a spiritual community rooted in their values, beliefs, and understanding of the Divine.
Many people exploring this path recognize that conventional religious or institutional models do not fully reflect the way they feel called to gather, serve, teach, or lead. In those cases, building a free church may offer a more aligned expression of that work.
Those best suited for this path are typically able to clearly articulate the purpose, mission, and values of the community they hope to create. They are motivated by sincere service, spiritual conviction, and a desire to responsibly support the needs of the people they serve.
Fifth Element Free Church operates with a strong emphasis on integrity, stewardship, communication, and respect for established First Amendment protections. We believe spiritual communities should be built thoughtfully, responsibly, and with a long-term mindset.
This path is generally best suited for individuals who are self-directed, emotionally grounded, transparent in their conduct, and willing to take responsibility for leadership, operations, communication, and ongoing growth within their communities.
Starting a church requires more than inspiration alone. It requires consistency, stewardship, discernment, humility, and a willingness to navigate both spiritual and practical responsibilities with maturity and care.
This is not a path for those seeking shortcuts, external status, or avoidance of responsibility. It is for those who feel genuinely called to create and steward a meaningful spiritual community while remaining committed to ethical leadership, continued learning, and service to others.
More Offerings
People come to Fifth Element Free Church from different places, with different levels of clarity about what they are seeking. Whether you are exploring your own beliefs, feeling called to build something of your own, or looking to deepen your understanding, there are a few ways to begin.
Each of these paths reflects a different stage of engagement. You are not expected to have everything figured out—only to begin where you are.
If you are seeking a deeper understanding of how to steward a church or ministry with clarity and responsibility, our course Navigating Freedom provides a foundational place to begin.
If you are simply looking to explore, you can follow along with our community and teachings through our ongoing content and shared reflections.
If you feel called to express your work as ministry, you can learn more about becoming an integrated ministry of Fifth Element Free Church and what that path involves.
What People Are Saying About Fifth Element:
Saturday Sermons With Fifth Element:
Meet The Ministers
Freedom Was Calling. We Answered.
Fifth Element Free Church was officially founded in 2023 by Jessica D'Angio and Jordan Bernard. Since then, our community has grown to include more than two dozen ministries, spanning across thirteen states (and counting!). We have ministries serving their communities in various fields, including but not limited to: agriculture, education, holistic health, elder care, pre and post-partum services and general spiritual maintenance practices. Our intention at Fifth Element Free Church is to help people find God in their own way, and on their own timeline. We promote sacred sovereignty above all else.
Trustees
Trustee
Jordan Bernard
Jordan is a lover of coffee, quiet moments, and ideas that challenge the status quo. For over a decade, her path has woven through healthcare, holistic practice, and ministry, always guided by a desire to create systems that are more transparent, human, and free. After leaving conventional healthcare, Jordan built her own direct primary care practice, which revealed how intentionally isolated many independent practitioners and small businesses are.
Through this journey, she discovered the importance of integrity, authentic communication, and honoring the spirit of agreements—along with a deeper understanding of the difference between what is legal and what is truly lawful. She now applies these insights to help ministries, leaders, and entrepreneurs create sustainable structures beyond the limitations of old paradigms. In this season of transition, Jordan is committed to living gently, intuitively, and intentionally—honoring integrity, fostering connection, and helping others imagine new possibilities for how to live, work, and heal.
Trustee
Jessica D'Angio
Jessica received her Juris Doctorate from Emory School of Law in 2003, and was admitted to practice law in New York in 2004, and in Massachusetts in 2010. She has since designated herself as retired from both bar associations, preferring to counsel people on their rights in the private domain. Jessica is a Constitutional scholar who has argued before the Supreme Court, and has been published several times on Constitutional issues. She has practice experience in the fields of general business litigation, real estate, administrative law, and law enforcement. She taught law to undergraduates at Brandeis University for more than a decade. Now, Jessica runs her own ministry, and assists others in forming ministries and navigating the private domain. She’s a single mom of four, a practicing astrologer, an avid yogi and an active member of the recovery community.
Board of Advisors
Advisor
Jay Warren
Dr. Jay Warren has dedicated his career to helping people live happy and healthy lives. He has been a prenatal and pediatric chiropractor for over 20 years, and he practices inside a multidisciplinary prenatal wellness center in San Diego, CA. He is an instructor for the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, the host of the popular podcast “Healthy Births, Happy Babies,” and the creator of many online courses for pregnant women and new fathers. Dr. Jay also helps doctors and other healthcare providers create unique business structures designed to protect their rights in practice, freeing them from licensing and scope of practice restrictions.
Advisor
Julie Rowan
Julie is trained as a nurse practitioner and has practiced in the conventional medical system for over 20 years. Prior to that, she worked as a veterinary technologist and owned an equine training facility. Through her experience caring for people in the hospital as well as outpatient clinics, she realized that the entire system is flawed, it’s foundation built on fallacies. She has always had a deep connection with animals and nature, and her greatest passion is to provide avenues of healing to all creatures. She recognizes the importance of every living entity, and that we are all connected through a complex maze of relationships. It is her mission help others connect to themselves, the nature around them, and most importantly to our Creator.
Advisor
Rebecca Negron
Becky is a mother, early childhood educator, and passionate believer in freedom in childhood. She left her job as a public school teacher after the birth of her daughter, when standardized education began to no longer resonate with her. Lessons in motherhood quickly taught her about the importance of play and autonomy in childhood, leading her down a path of self-discovery and entrepreneurship.
Through her work within the world of education alongside her yoga practice, she gained a deep understanding of the importance of the relationship between her inner and outer worlds.
It is Becky's intention to help build a community where children can thrive and families feel supported, so together we can mold the next generation of leaders who can help create a better world.
Advisor
Jodi Standring
Jodi has a deep love for the natural world and the native plants surrounding us. She started her career in education in 2004, working with traumatized youth in residential and day program settings. She is trained in both experiential education and herbalism, including a two-year apprenticeship in folk herbalism at the Gaia School of Earthen Education in Putney, Vermont. Jodi is also a certified Montessori Guide, through the Association Montessori Internationale, and has served children in a Montessori setting in a multi-age early education classroom. She brings a diverse lens to her teaching and approach, incorporating emotional recognition and regulation alongside love of learning through plants and nature. Jodi is currently a director of early education for an organization that teaches children outdoors 100% of the time. Connecting children to nature is truly where her heart is. Guiding children through the process of trusting themselves is the core to creating adults who trust themselves and follow their intuition.
