Don Neufeld is the Canadian Coordinator for Mennonite Men and is a clinical social worker in private practice in the Niagara Region in Ontario. He co-edited the book Peaceful at Heart: Anabaptist Reflections on Healthy Masculinity.

Elsie Goerzen has been with the MCC BC End Abuse Program since 2007. Previously she worked as a Registered Nurse, a child abuse prevention facilitator, a music teacher, and a parenting educator.  For 19 years, Elsie was the Coordinator of Sardis Doorway, a support program in Chilliwack for single mothers with preschool-age children. Elsie has been married to Walt for 54 years. They have two sons, two daughters-in-law, and five grandchildren ages 18-23. Walt and Elsie enjoy gardening, reading, and spending time with family. 

Heather Peters (she/her) serves as the Peacebuilding Coordinator for MCC SK. In this role she focuses on trauma education, restorative justice capacity building, and promoting reconciliation opportunities. She has been a community educator for more than 15 years around the globe leading workshops in churches, prisons, offices, playgrounds, in the shade of trees, and even classrooms. When not working, Heather is engaging with her daughter’s imaginative play, taste testing her partner’s baking, and scheming ways to ruralize her urban property in Saskatoon. Heather’s education has come in the form of a MA in Human Security and Peacebuilding, a BA in International Development, a Bachelor of Theology, and many life lessons from living around the world and seeking good and interesting relationships from the people that come into her life.

As MCC MB Abuse Response & Prevention Coordinator, Jaymie Friesen raises awareness and offers resources and workshops relating to healthy relationships, boundaries, and abuse, while supporting individuals and communities impacted by interpersonal trauma. Jaymie entered this role with experience as a healthy relationships educator, sexual assault crisis counsellor, and mental health worker. She holds a BA in Social Sciences and Counselling, and is currently working on her Masters in Psychotherapy and Spirituality. 

Rod Friesen is the Restorative Justice Program Coordinator and began working with MCC Ontario in May 2017 and oversees programs and projects for individuals reintegrating to community from prison. He also is involved in peace and restorative justice education. Over his career in nonprofit management and human resources, Rod has been in various leadership roles in the social services sector. He has a passion for building peace by supporting creative ways to build healthy communities. Rod graduated from Conrad Grebel University College in the Master of Peace and Conflict Studies Program. In addition to having formal education in non-profit and human resources management, conflict mediation, he is also a Certified Human Resources Leader.

Val Peters Hiebert is the assistant program coordinator for the Abuse Response and Prevention program of MCC MB. This role complements her academic work where she most recently was Assistant Professor of Sociology at Providence College. Val completed a Theatre and Sociology BA at Providence, a Sociology and Anthropology MA at the University of Manitoba, and her PhD in Social Sciences (Sociology & Anthropology) at Western Sydney University. Her academic specialties are gender, children & violence, language & culture, cultural anthropology, and marriage & family.
Living on the hobby farm near Mitchell where she and her husband enjoyed their married life (Jacob Friesen 1960-2017), she is an active member of her faith community and invests considerable energy into community education an advocacy. She is an avid gardener with a pantry annually full of organic plenty, as well as a life-long runner and now cyclist. To her delight, she has also recently become a grandma!! Whether in the garden, the classroom, or the public commons, Val feels awed by the privilege and wonder of planting and watching things grow.

Cynthia Tam is an ordained pastor and the national coordinator for disability ministries of the Alliance Canada. She has a professional background of occupational therapy and a Ph.D. in practical theology. Cynthia is also involved with Village Eulogia for Families with Special Needs, an organization that focuses on supporting families raising children with disabilities.

Lynne Leyland has been mum to Elizabeth for over 25 years and has spent much of that time trying to ensure Elizabeth has a fulfilling, engaging life in-community where Elizabeth is recognized for her abilities rather than her disability, including an active role in their church.

Keith Dow serves as Manager of Organizational and Spiritual Life with Christian Horizons, where he tends to the theological roots of organizational culture and champions accessibility and belonging in the Body of Christ. Author of “Formed together: Mystery, narrative, and virtue in Christian caregiving,” Dr. Dow obtained his PhD with ethicist and theologian Hans Reinders through Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam in 2019.

For over ten years, Stella Chung had been a family caregiver to her aging parents with dementia and chronic illnesses. While caring for her loved ones, she discovered her true calling and became a spiritual director. Stella's passion is to help others grow closer to God and be rooted in Christ's love.

Heather Renée Morgan is an emerging Crip Theologian, ordained pastor in The Alliance, Canada, and MDiv student at Emmanuel College at the University of Toronto. Her lived experiences with disability include being a person with disabilities, being married to someone with disabilities, having three children with various levels of disabilities, and pastoring a church with many who have disabilities. She is the first power wheelchair-using pastor in her denomination - as far as she knows!

Lydia Fawcett has been with MCC BC End Abuse Program since 2018. Before coming to MCC, Lydia worked for the Yukon Government in Family and Children’s Services for 2 years and the Ministry of Children and Family Development in BC for 25 years. She held numerous positions during this time ranging from child protection worker to Assistant Director. During those years, she worked in Aboriginal Child Welfare for 10 years both within the MCFD Aboriginal Services in the Fraser and Xyolhemeylh [HEE-yock-MEE-th], Fraser Valley Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society. Many years ago, Lydia also was the Dean of Women at Columbia Bible College for 2 years. Lydia is married to Brian and they have one adult son. Lydia enjoys walking, reading, quilting, and spending time with family and friends.

Beth Anne Fisher’s passion for thinking theologically about mental health comes through her own experiences with ADHD, depression, and PTSD as well as walking alongside loved ones through a range of diagnoses, crises, and struggles. She supports ministry leaders and students through her work at Emmanuel College (U of T) and with New Leaf Network. She is also a PhD candidate at Emmanuel College and a candidate for ordination in the Presbyterian Church in Canada.

Jayden Jones is a Seminarian at Emmanuel College and a Candidate of Ordained Ministry with the United Church of Canada. Jayden is a storyteller, a poet, and a seeker who enjoys learning of the Bible’s relationship to history. The last of five children, Jayden grew up ecumenically with a Roman Catholic Mother, a Moravian father, and extended family who went to Historically Black Anglican and Pentecostal Churches. Jayden’s ecumenical experiences and personal experiences with disability helped shaped an understanding of God and the creation of differing bodies and minds. Jayden enjoys meeting God in nature, in stillness and in spaces where people are encouraged to bring their entire selves.

Anthony Siegrist has long been fascinated by the intertwined root systems of faith and ecology. He joined A Rocha after previously serving as a pastor, professor of theology, adventure guide, and farm hand. For someone who loves the outdoors, Anthony has invested far too much time inside classrooms, completing an MSc in Environmental Sustainability, a ThD in Christian theology, and publishing his research along the way. With his wife Sarah and their three young boys, Anthony enjoys exploring the green spaces and cultural history of the larger Great Lakes region. They love tromping through local forests with their hound named Rhubarb, as well as canoeing in Algonquin Park and hiking in the Adirondacks. Anthony welcomes opportunities to write and speak on topics related to faith and ecology.

Luke Wilson serves as the CEO of A Rocha Canada. He has been in various marketing and communications roles with A Rocha since 2009. He enjoys serving on the Board of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities. In his spare time, he loves hiking, beekeeping and riding his e-scooter to the office. Luke and Lindsey have three lovely children; Olivia (6), Ezekiel (4) and Abigail (1). They call East Hamilton, Ontario home.

Rick Faw has been a lead educator at A Rocha Canada since 2004. In 2014 he became the Vice President of Programming, and in 2022 moved into the role of Education Director.

Rick combines academic backgrounds in science (BSc) and theology (MCS) with a love for the outdoors. His desire is for people to integrate their spiritual life with their experience of the created world. Rick, along with his wife Crista and children Jared and Zoë, lives and plays at Kingfisher Farm in Surrey, BC.

Zoe Matties first came to A Rocha as an intern in sustainable agriculture and environmental education in 2012 and 2013 as she was seeking a way to put to practice her passion for food justice. Since then she has worked in leadership roles in places such as Antarctica and West Africa, and completed a Master’s of Science in Food Systems and Society. She also worked for A Rocha in BC as Schoolyard Farm Coordinator.

She is excited to bring her enthusiasm for the work of A Rocha to the role of Manitoba Program Manager. She hopes to grow programs that inspire wonder and hope though integrating faith, creation care and everyday life.In her free time she enjoys walking in the woods, reading good books and sharing a meal with friends.

Jeff Neven is Indwell’s CEO and has been with Indwell for 21 years, first as a volunteer board member and a year later joining our staff team. Jeff and Maria and their four children, live in Hamilton’s east end, not too far from several Indwell buildings. Together with others they helped to plant New Hope Church, which meets at Indwell’s Perkins Centre. Jeff loves meeting new people, bicycles and pick-up basketball. Jeff holds a Masters of Social Work with a focus on Community, Planning, Policy and Organizations.

Dr. Dallas Friesen has served as People Developer at Indwell for nearly two years. He provides leadership in the areas of training, leadership development, spiritual care and organizational culture. He has 10+ years of experience pastoring, with his wife Leanne Friesen, at Mount Hamilton Baptist Church. He also spent six years in a denominational role developing resources, coaching leaders, and consulting with churches in the areas of leadership development, church revitalization and church planting. Dallas and Leanne live on the central Hamilton mountain with their two teenage children.

Jess Brand has worked for Indwell for 12 years and has been active in church mission and church planting in Hamilton for 20 years. Community engagement with her church in Hamilton’s East end is what drew Jess into working with Indwell. As Regional Manager for Indwell in Hamilton, Jess supports Indwell’s programs here and leads direction for future programs and initiatives. In her role she has lived the ins and outs of supportive housing blended with churches, both in personal and professional experience. Jess and her husband Tim and their three kids are part of New Hope Community Church, who meet in an Indwell building, with many tenants as members.

Graham Cubitt is the President of Flourish, a social purpose non-profit development services company supporting affordable housing development. Graham has overseen the housing development for over 1000 households in southern Ontario through his role as Director of Projects and Development with Indwell, with another 1,200 homes in construction and planning phases with various organizations. Flourish's approach to affordable housing focuses on creating vibrant, livable communities where people can thrive. Graham is also a Canadian leader in Passive House multi-residential design strategies, having overseen numerous certified projects since 2016. Graham is actively helping communities to realize that high-value, cost-effective and sustainable affordable housing with supports is possible when people work together for shared long-term benefits. Graham and his wife Emma are active in St. John the Evangelist Anglican parish in Hamilton, as well as various neighbourhood ventures.

Brad Jersak is an author and teacher based in Abbotsford, BC. He currently serves as the Dean of Theology & Culture at St. Stephen’s University (SSU.ca/graduate) in New Brunswick and teaches peace studies courses with IRPJ.org and is a regular speaker with the Open Table Conference crew.

He writes regularly for the Clarion Journal and CWR magazine.

Through his books and seminars, Brad shares the good news that God is Love, perfectly revealed in Jesus Christ, and that God’s love heals wounded hearts and empowers us to heal this broken world.

With over 30 years in church leadership in various capacities, Chris Schroeder is passionate about connecting the Canadian church to those in need - in their communities, Canada and around the globe. Chris has been serving in various roles with World Vision for over 15 years – currently as National Manager of Church Engagement and Christian Partnerships, and as a sponsor and supporter - a tradition he continues with his wife and four children. He currently lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba and serves at Soul Sanctuary

David Kinnaman is the author of the bestselling books Faith For Exiles, Good Faith, You Lost Me and unChristian. He is CEO of Barna Group, a leading research and communications company that works with churches, nonprofits, and businesses ranging from film studios to financial services. Since 1995, David has directed interviews with more than two million individuals and overseen thousands of U.S. and global research studies. He lives in Fort Worth, Texas and has three children.

Daniel Copeland is the Associate Vice President of Research of Barna Group and oversees the strategy, operation and execution of the firm’s published and proprietary research. Daniel is trained as a social researcher and is passionate about producing objective knowledge that inspires meaningful and significant change in the world. In his Barna tenure, he has designed and conducted more than one-hundred individual studies. Daniel works closely with organizations across the globe to help them critically consider best practices in navigating this cultural moment. Daniel has a B.A. and an M.A. in Sociology from Georgia State University, as well as an undergraduate minor in Religious Studies. He lives with his wife, Heidi, in Atlanta, Georgia.

Amy Bratton is the Director of Operations & Publishing for the New Leaf Network and the project manager for the Canadian Multivocational Ministry Project. She lives in Saskatoon, SK with her husband, Tim, and their two sons, Oswald and Ira. She is a lay leader at Riversdale Neighbours church and an Adjunct Professor with Rocky Mountain College in the area of Spiritual Formation. She writes and speaks about the history of Christian spirituality, with a focus on the early Methodist understanding of Christian maturity known as “perfect love.” Read more from her in her book Witnesses of Perfect Love: Narratives of Christian Perfection in Early Methodism.

Lea Wilkening works with the Canadian Thriving Multivocational Ministry Project (CTMMP), a partnership of New Leaf Network and Briarcrest Seminary. She is also pastor of The Cottage, a church plant in Oakville, Ontario. Some of her "sacred side hustles" involve performing and teaching improv, serving on charity boards, and parenting her two teens with her husband, John. Mutli-vocational ministry is a great fit for her and she loves supporting and learning from other multi-vocational leaders.

John Vanderstoep loves Jesus. He’s married to Carol. They have five children (plus 5 partners) and a grandchild. They love Fergus, especially their neighborhood. They dream about what the church can be and grieve what it often is. They are hopeful. He works as a realtor to serve others and pay the bills. They lead a home-church called The Bridge and their recent focus is to ruthlessly eliminate the toxin of hurry while they live as Jesus-focussed people of peace.

Gabriel Wee is the lead Pastor at Toronto Life-Spring Christian Fellowship and owns 4 BeaverTails franchises in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). He is married to Karyne and have 4 children; Justus, Hope, Mercy and Faith.

Both Gabe and Karyne grew up in the church where they met, fell in love, and got married. During their younger days, both fell away from the Lord for many years, but through miraculous encounters with the Father’s love and the embrace of a loving church family, their lives were redeemed and restored. Now they can’t help but share that love with others.

The desire of their heart is to see people fall in love with Jesus both inside and outside the church

Terence Schilstra is a missional community leader at The Table, serving among the urban poor in downtown Thorold, Ontario where he lives with his beautiful wife Karen and their four children. He has been involved in church planting and missional communities in various capacities for more than a decade. His passion and calling are to cultivate the imagination of the church towards faith and missional engagement in their neighbourhoods.

Terence is also an entrepreneur. He and his wife own and operate a small aerial lift rental company in their city. Before he went into co-vocational ministry, Terence worked as an overhead crane technician for 15 years, serving the industrial sector throughout North America. This high risk work earned him a plush six-figure salary and a corporate vehicle. Terence and his family had a comfortable lifestyle and home in one of the wealthiest suburbs in their city. That is, until they received a Divine call to give it all up to live and serve among the urban poor in their city.

Elle Pyke is the Director of Programs & Innovation for the New Leaf Network. Elle has served on the board of a number of organizations such as Women Powering Technology Global, TEDxWaterlooWomen and The Christian Entrepreneurial Leaders Organization. She is currently pursuing her MA in Theology and Culture from the Institute for Religion, Peace and Justice at St Stephen's University. She loves spending time with friends and family, the great outdoors and all things New Leaf.

Christa Hesselink has been guiding individuals and groups as they dig deeper into their spiritual life for her entire twenty-five-year career, working in higher education, non-profit development, and church ministry. She is the founder of SoulPlay, and is a well-respected keynote speaker, workshop facilitator and retreat leader. Her focus content includes: transformation & vulnerability, the inner-life of an effective leader, contemplative spirituality, grief & loss, and soul care. Christa is known for her strategic and collaborative approach to working with individuals and teams and her greatest satisfaction comes when designing compelling experiences for people to slow down so they can wake up to their own soul. She holds a Master’s of Leadership and a Master’s of Theology degree and has been named a “Hero of Children” from World Vision Canada. She is the Canadian best-selling author of Life’s Great Dare and the founder of the Love2Love Project which supports vulnerable children in multiple countries around the world. Christa is a certified coach and certified spiritual director with the Haden Institute. She has also completed the intensive Enneagram coach training program with the Narrative Tradition. Rooted in the Christian tradition, Christa has found deep meaning and hope, and enjoys companioning others who endeavour to deepen their connection to God – to Spirit, Source and Soul.

(Rev) Wendy Janzen is planter and pastor of Burning Bush Forest Church, a worshiping community that has been going outdoors for monthly worship gatherings in parks and wild spaces in Kitchener-Waterloo, ON for over seven years. She also serves part-time as Eco-Minister with Mennonite Church Eastern Canada, is a spiritual director, and writes wild liturgies and eco-spiritual practices. Her passion is for inviting people to ground themselves within God's beloved community of creation, and moving from ego-centric (and anthropocentric) understandings of Christianity to eco-centric experiences of faith and discipleship. She lives with her husband, Chip and their two teenage sons, in Kitchener, Ontario.

Randy Klassen has served with MCC since 2015, including his current position as Indigenous Neighbours program coordinator since 2020. Prior to 2015 he taught at Bethany College (Hepburn SK) for 13 years, and pastored in Alberta; he is currently also an adjunct faculty at Horizon College. Randy is a lover of history and stories, of the land and the night skies. He and his wife Darlene have lived in Saskatoon, in the heart of Treaty 6 territory, for over 20 years. They are grateful to call this beautiful landscape home, where they’ve raised four children and welcomed six grandchildren, and are slowly learning more of what it means to live as treaty people. 

David Neufeld has had a long and productive career of service in a variety of social and religious settings. A graduate of Canadian Mennonite Bible College (Winnipeg), he was ordained as a lay minister in 1964. He worked for child protection with the Children’s Aid Society, and spent three years in overseas voluntary service with MCC in Viet Nam and India. Pastoral assignments have taken him to Kitchener-Waterloo, Ont., as well as N. Battleford, Herschel, Fiske, and Aberdeen in Saskatchewan. He has experience as a volunteer hospital chaplain. He has had life-long involvements with Indigenous persons and causes, and he played a key role in the founding and development of the Ancient Echoes Interpretive Centre in Herschel, SK. 

Jared Siebert serves in many capacities in the Canadian Church. He founded an organization of missionary church leaders called the New Leaf Network and is one of Canada’s leading inter-denominational church planter trainers. But church planting isn’t the only kind of experience he has garnered. In his ministry roles Jared has had the opportunity to work with churches of all kinds from all over Canada. He has acted as a consultant in churches large and small, urban and rural, and new and long established. He has written a discipleship curriculum, a handbook on church planter training, and a Church Health workbook called the LifePlan. As a sought after speaker and consultant Jared is uniquely able to draw insight and inspiration from a variety of sources and bring that to the table as he helps churches move toward unity and the mission of God.

Jutta Treviranus is the Director of the Inclusive Design Research Centre (IDRC) and professor in the faculty of Design at OCAD University in Toronto. With its origins in the ATRC, which she launched in 1993, Jutta has established the IDRC as an international center of expertise in the inclusive design of emerging digital systems, networks and practices. Jutta also heads the Inclusive Design Institute, a multi-university regional centre of expertise. Jutta founded and directs an innovative graduate program in inclusive design at OCAD University. Together with Gregg Vanderheiden, she is the co-director of the Raising the Floor Consortium that coordinates the Global Public Inclusive Infrastructure project. She leads many international multi-partner open source research networks that have created broadly implemented innovations that support inclusion e.g., Fluid Project, and Floe Project.

David H Pereyra is an architect, doctor in Theology, researcher at the OCAD University in Toronto, and seasonal Professor at the University of St Michael’s College in the University of Toronto, Canada. For over two decades Pereyra’s personal interests and academic focus centres on interdisciplinary aspects of our multicultural society, as expressed through art, music, film, worship, multimedia, technology and sacred spaces. He is particularly interested in sacred spaces as iconic points of reference that provide unique meanings to the collective memory of a culture, and how creative experiences of transmitting information and communication can reach users and vice-versa. His Latin American, European and North American multi-cultural background greatly enrich his experience of the world and his scholarly work. His area of expertise is the trans-disciplinary study and comparison of phenomenological and theological aspects in architecture and ritual, in a multidimensional perspective, across art forms, place and space.

Brandon Laird is an Inclusive Innovation Designer, Spiritual Entrepreneur, and Transformational Coach, interested in working with all types of Christ-followers to co-create the present and future church. This is encapsulated in these 3 areas: celebrations, parties, and releasing the captives.

Krista-Dawn Kimsey is a Ukrainian-German Canadian settler, currently migrating from unceded Coast Salish lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations peoples to Saskatoon on Treaty 6 land. She is the daughter of Gayle and Don Jenner, who were born and raised on Treaty 4 land; home to the Cote, Keeseekoose, The Key, Zagime Anishinabek, Kahkewistahaw & Ocean Man First Nations and the original lands of the Cree, Saulteaux, Dakota, Nakota, Lakota, and the homeland of the Métis. She is a mostly pleasant wife to Joel and an often spontaneous parent to her two teenagers: Judah and Gabriella. She currently serves on the executive team of Servant Partners Canada as the Director of Learning and Innovation. For 27 years her vocational passion and calling has been to facilitate creative and transformational learning experiences to disciple, train and coach leaders to love God and love their neighbours with greater justice.

Ched Myers, an ecumenical activist theologian, is a popular educator, writer, teacher and organizer, committed to animating and nurturing church renewal and radical discipleship, and supporting faith-based movements for peace and justice. Find his many publications at www.ChedMyers.org.

Elaine Enns, DMin, a Canadian Mennonite, is an educator, writer, facilitator and trainer in conflict transformation. She focuses on how restorative justice applies to historical violations, including issues of intergenerational trauma and healing. You can find her publications here.

Leah Perrault is the Executive Director of Southwest Homes in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, on treaty four territory. She is a fumbling but faithful disciple of Jesus, a grateful wife, and a practicing parent with a heart for finding God in human experience. Her column, Barefoot and Preaching, is available online at www.leahperrault.com.

Jonathan Puddle is a contemplative, Jesus-following mystic who helps people find God at work in their inner lives. He is the author of the award-winning, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You, and Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men. Having travelled the world and lived in many nations, Jonathan teaches from a culturally rich and spiritually inclusive framework. Before becoming a writer, Jonathan spent 10 years in charity leadership and he remains a visionary thinker with a strategic mind. A husband, father and foster parent, Jonathan and his family reside in Guelph. Find his podcast and more at jonathanpuddle.com.

Vania Levans is a pastor, spiritual director, teacher, musician. She is passionate about encouraging and nurturing sanctification—the life-long process of maturing in Christ, and sharing the good news of Christ with others. She enjoys working with, and learning from, people of other cultures, socio-economic statuses, and ages. She currently serves as the Lead Pastor at Marineview Chapel Christian Community Church in Vancouver, B.C.

Danny Zacharias grew up in Winnipeg (Treaty 1 territory), with his maternal ancestors (Cree/Anishinaabe) inhabiting the areas of Treaty 1 and Treaty 5 territory for many generations. After completing his Bachelor of Arts at Providence College, he and his wife Maria moved to Mi’kma’ki (Nova Scotia) to complete his Master of Divinity and Master of Arts (Theology) at Acadia Divinity College. While working part-time at ADC, Danny completed his PhD in New Testament studies through Highland Theological College (University of Aberdeen). During his time serving at ADC, Danny also completed the process of ordination with the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada and serves regularly in his local church. Danny also carries administrative responsibilities relating to the Master of Arts (Theology) program and the Hayward lectures. In July 2022, he began serving as Associate Dean responsible for curriculum. In addition to his role at ADC, Danny is a faculty member of NAIITS: An Indigenous Learning Community. More than any of these achievements, Danny is most proud to call Maria his wife, Lex, Jack, and Hudson his sons, and Ella-Rose his daughter.

Laurie Warkentin is the Education & Engagement Program Associate at MCC Ontario. She is passionate about participatory changemaking – especially across differences and working towards mutuality. Laurie looks to draw from the strengths and synergies of others and holds spaces for listening, curiosity, engagement, and co-creation. Laurie’s skills and background are in life coaching, facilitating team and leadership development, and she holds a Master of Arts in Global Leadership. At MCC Ontario, Laurie’s piloting a project that is practicing ways that MCC can facilitate and support a “listening into action journey” for churches/faith communities, organizations, and partners. The goal is to transform hearts, relationships, and systems as we work together for a just peace.

Scott Morton Ninomiya is the Indigenous Neighbours Program Coordinator for MCC Ontario. He was born and lives with his family in Waterloo Region; on the Grand River Watershed - the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe and Neutral Peoples. His diverse career has included work and learning in non-profit, academic, provincial and municipal government contexts. He attends St Jacobs Mennonite Church and is pursuing a Ph.D. part-time in the Environment Faculty at the University of Waterloo. Scott is a trained yoga instructor and loves to hike, camp and kayak whenever and wherever he can. Scott is passionate about Indigenous-Settler relations, the connections between Indigenous justice and climate justice, and the role of churches in helping to pursue both.

Andrea Calvert is a D.Min. student at Tyndale Seminary where she is researching the impact of spiritual abuse on our sacred story. She has a private spiritual direction practice where she specializes in helping individuals reclaim their identity after experiencing spiritual abuse, church hurt, or religious trauma. While she mainly focuses on the individual level, Andrea understands the importance of community, and seeks to help leaders foster healthy church cultures. She's passionate about helping others find their true spiritual identity within the narrative that the Trinity is weaving in their lives.

Andrea lives in Prince Edward County with her husband, two children, and numerous animals.

Corey Parish lives in Fergus, Ontario where he works as a local church pastor and social service worker. He completed his doctoral research at Tyndale University in Toronto where he trained as a practical theologian and Certified Spiritual Director. As an adult with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Corey’s research and writing focus on intersections of theology, neurodiversity, and community structures in the Church and society.

Jenn Burnett is lead pastor at The Well church plant in Kelowna, and has received her doctorate from Portland Seminary. She longs to see the body of Christ empowered by the Holy Spirit and contending for unity across difference. She also loves rugby, the outdoors, the colour orange and the chaos that goes with raising 4 kids.

Tim Bratton lives in Saskatoon, SK, along with his wife Amy and their two young sons. With a long habit of getting involved in church plants & startups, Tim currently helps with the teaching and worship at a Free Methodist church plant, Riversdale Neighbours church. Tim is an actor and playwright and serves as the Artistic Associate with Burnt Thicket Theatre. He’s also a care-worker, musician, vinyl record collector and dilettante with a special interest in deconstructing and redeeming the stories of recent church history and Evangelical pop culture.

Alicia Wilson lives in community with her sister, brother-in-law and nephew in Hamilton, Ontario. She is the founder of Restoration Project, a non-profit that teaches woodworking to adults with developmental disabilities. She is also the co-founder of a new housing movement called In My Backyard (IMBY for short). Alicia studied at McMaster Divinity College, where she finished her MTS

Michael Garner is an Anglican Priest and the Incumbent of St. Albans Church. Michael is also a chaplain at the University of Ottawa. He lives with his wife (Rochelle) and kids (Isaac and Elise) in Ottawa.

Rev. Dr. Sarah Travis is an Associate Professor, Ewart Chair in the Practice of Ministry and Faith Formation at Knox College, Toronto. Sarah is also an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Her primary areas of research and teaching are preaching, worship and the practice of ministry. From decolonizing worship practices to trauma-informed preaching, Sarah has published several books aimed at facilitating a conversation among Christians about topics that matter for the church today, including Unsettling Worship: Reforming Liturgy for Right Relations with Indigenous Communities (2023). She is a 2023 Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Teacher-Scholar Grant recipient, exploring how playful theologies can enhance the worship and self-identity of very small congregations.

Curtis Anderson was born and raised on Treaty 6 territory in the Saskatoon area. He has served in various ministry leadership roles for the past 20 years. Currently, Curtis serves as the Executive Pastor at Lakeview Church in Saskatoon. He also enjoys basketball, disc golf, chess, and spending time with his wife Tara and their children Theodore and Penelope.  

Leah Reesor-Keller is a speaker, writer, and leadership consultant who helps churches and nonprofits set vision and strategy for transformational change. She currently serves as transitional executive director of KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives. During her tenure as executive minister of Mennonite Church Eastern Canada, she led a historic revisioning process for the largest conference in the Mennonite Church Canada denomination. She has nearly 20 years’ experience working with faith-based and social justice organizations in Canada, Haiti, Jamaica, and Nepal. Leah holds an MA in development studies and a BA in political science and peace and conflict studies. She lives with her spouse and children in Kitchener, Ontario, where she is rewilding her urban yard one dandelion at a time.

Beth Lorimer is a social and ecological justice advocate with over 10 years experience in sustainable development. She has worked with academia, civil society and government, including Global Affairs and Status of Women Canada. Her work has focused primarily on freshwater management, climate justice, gender, and urban issues in Canada and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Beth was a Youth Council member of PWRDF and supported the work of justgeneration.ca and the Canadian Lutheran Anglican Youth (CLAY) National Youth Project Working Group. She has worked in social justice, camping, and youth ministry at the parish and diocesan level for the Anglican Church of Canada in Ottawa, Kingston, and Toronto. When not at work, Beth enjoys spending time by water with her family, including swimming, paddling and sailing in Ontario’s many great lakes and rivers.

For nearly 30 years, Randy Hein has been planting churches and engaging with grassroots initiatives in Victoria, BC. He has also worked at the local street church/food bank, taught as a sessional instructor, and has recently taken on a regional position with Vision Ministries Canada. Randy is passionate about revitalizing communities around restorative justice, the local Victoria arts scene, and has a longsuffering relationship with his beloved Canucks.

Beth Anne Fisher is a PhD candidate in Theology at Emmanuel College, part of the Toronto School of Theology, and has a Masters of Divinity from Wycliffe College in the same consortium. They belongs to the Christian tradition and also have extensive experience working in interfaith contexts. 

Over the decade since that moment, their education and career has led them to explore how faith leaders can build integrated theological and spiritual practices that help them lead with integrity and hope, building communities of spiritual healing rather than harm.