GUEST SPEAKER

BILL MARKHAM

Bill has served as Lead Pastor of Central Community Church in St. Catharines, ON, a growing multi-generational church in the Niagara Region, since 2008.   He is a dynamic communicator who harnesses the ability to translate the timeless truth of God’s Word in such a way as to connect with both the growing believer and the first-time seeker. He is passionate about seeing people discover their God-given potential and live it out passionately by serving others. Bill always engages in honest conversation about leadership, creativity and the church and will be refreshingly transparent as he discusses lessons he is learning as a Lead Pastor in a growing, multi-staff, multi-generational church.

WORSHIP

JON & SARAH SLATER

Jon serves as the Worship & Creative Arts Pastor at Calvary CW in Woodstock, ON. He, along with his wife Sarah and their two children, Joelle and Levi, love to explore worship through creativity and music. Their passion is to see people encounter the presence of Jesus in a life transforming way and to see their purpose renewed inside of meaningful relationship and worship.

BEV GIROUX

Bev Giroux is a worship leader and songwriter who loves to sing wherever she is, at any and all times. She has led worship at church’s, conferences and retreats for over 15 years. One of Bev’s main passions in life is helping others encounter God through worship. She released her first album of original songs called, “Every Waking Day” in 2015. Bev is the wife to Wayne and mother to her favourite Melody and they live in Stoney Creek, ON.

BLAIr MERCER

Blair and his wife Angela have been living the dream in ministry for almost 20 years along with their two teen age kids, Isaac and Michaela.  Their family’s passion is to work with teams of people to create positive change in the world through Jesus. Over the years they have done this with music, messages, trips, games, sports, events, teams, camps, food, arts, gifts and pranks. Currently, Blair serves on the WODistrict Executive, New Churches Network and gives leadership to WOD Creative Resource. They have ministered over all of these years at Gateway Church in London as youth Pastors and now serve as the Campus Church Pastors to Gateway Church in Komoka that they planted in 2012.

CARL PATTERSON

Carl is the Lead Pastor at Parkway Church in Corunna, ON. He has a heart to help people discover God's purpose for their lives, reach their God-given potential, and live life with intentionality. He loves building leaders and preaching Jesus.

When he's not thinking Kingdom, he's doing life and making memories with his wife jodi and three kids, binge watching Netflix, and reading something new.

CRAIG LUFF

Besides being known as a huge leafs fan and a master of Dad puns, for more than 15 years Craig challenged and equipped students, to passionately pursue Jesus and His call on their lives!  A passion that he still has and invests in today. Currently, after sensing a new challenge in his calling, he and his amazing wife Cora have the honor of lead Pastoring some amazing people at Community Church in Waterdown ON, along with their daughters. 

CHRIS CHASE

Chris Chase is husband to Rebecca (14) & dad to Eliana (10) and Liam (7). He currently works at Master’s College and Seminary (7 years and counting), helping to promote student and staff stories through various social mediums while also connecting with churches through pulpit ministry and coffee meetings (meaning: he talks a lot). Prior to Master’s, Chris spent 10 years in pastoral ministry, serving as a student ministries pastor, ministry team leader, and assistant pastor. When not with his family or working, Chris enjoys coffee and eats with friends, going to the gym, watching sports, reading a good book or trying to convince his family that one more pair of exclusive Jordans is a good investment.

CINDY ROSE

Cindy serves as the Children and Family Ministries Director of the Western District of PAOC. She is married to Mark and is mom to their two sons, Curtis and Aaron. She has been involved in pastoral ministry for 25 years, travelling across Canada with Rubber Chicken Company, serving on staff at churches, and teaching and speaking at various leadership events. Additionally, Cindy holds an M.A. in Spiritual Care and Psychotherapy, and is a Registered Psychotherapist with a private counselling practice in St. Catharines, Ontario. She enjoys working with leaders to help them grow in their passions, while also being emotionally, mentally, and spiritually healthy.

DAVE SLATER

Dave is a visionary leader who considers every day a new day to learn and grow. He has served in various ministry roles as a Church Janitor, Youth Pastor, District Youth Director, Church Planter, District Executive Member, New Churches Network Co-Director, and Lead Pastor (But lets be honest, Youth Ministry was his favourite :). Presently, he is the Lead Pastor at Parkview, a multi-site Church in Guelph where he has served for nearly ten years. He is convinced that the when people know who they are in God ANYTHING is possible! Dave is married to Beth, they have one eleven-year-old daughter, Katie and golden retriever named Penny.

GIANPAOLO GALESSIERE

Gianpaolo has been serving as associate pastor at Central Commuinty church for 10 years. His role has changed a number of times over those years; from youth to children’s to now family pastor, but his commitment to serve Central’s vision has stayed strong. Playing the role of 2nd on a large team isn’t easy, but Gianpaolo has learned a number of key leadership qualities to not only make it work, but thrive.

JEFF HACKETT

Jeff Hackett - Husband, Father and Advocate. Having been a pastor for over 20 years, Jeff now works for ERDO (Emergency Relief & Development Overseas). He has a passion to advocate for those who don't have a voice, and believes in the power of the local church to change the world. 

JUSTIN DRIEDGER

Justin Driedger is currently the Weekend Experience Director at Central Community Church in St. Catharines, ON. While his day job revolves around using creativity to solve problems and lead teams, his heartbeat is for Jesus, his beautiful wife and Worship Director Melanie, his 2 boys Eli and River, travelling the world, and less importantly just shy of frozen Coke Zero. Rumour has it he's a #3 on the Enneagram and has a firm belief that there is no limit to what God can do in and through you.

KARMYN BOKMA

Karmyn Bokma is currently serving as the Lead Pastor at The Meeting House, Oakville. She is passionate about helping people discover, and understand more deeply their identity in Christ, and nothing energizes her more than leading teams of people as they work and serve out of who God has made them to be. She is a graduate of the Arrow Leadership program, which was instrumental in her understanding and growth in leadership. Karmyn is married to Ben and they have three kids: Elliana, Ezekiel and Silas.

KATHLEEN VAN ENGEN

Kathleen Van Engen currently serves as the Director of Tattered Tiaras, an organization which supports and empowers teenage girls. Prior to moving to Peterborough, ON where Kathleen also serves on staff at Master's College & Seminary, she pastored with her husband Bobby at King Street Community Church in Oshawa, ON in the areas of youth and young adult ministry. If you follow Kathleen on social media it won't take long to recognize her life's passions: Jesus, her family (including three boys), and speaking up in the areas of mental wellness and leadership. 

MIKE SWITZER

Mike comes from a background in ministry and has been in youth and worship leadership for over a decade. Mike, his wife Nicole, and two kids Judah & Norah live in London Ontario where they serve at Royal View Church. Mike has a heart and passion to see young lives changed through Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit and cannot wait to be with you in February at Elevation.

RACHEL ERNST

Rachael is part of the pastoral team at Gateway Church in London, ON. In 2016, she and the Gateway team began the journey to planting Gateway Western on the university campus, where she currently pastors. Rachael also works as a Registered Nurse at LHSC with a background in acute medicine, mental health and women's health. She is a community advocate for accessible mental health resources and the discussion of the intersection of spirituality and mental health. She is passionate about communicating God's Word, investing in young leaders and helping others unlock their God given potential.

SHANE STEWART

Shane is a veteran youth ministry worker and recovering youth pastor (watch out: youth ministry just might be contagious)! He has a strong belief that life works best when you’re emotionally and spiritually healthy. In addition to loving his wife (Vicki), music, rugby and the Brazilian National Football team (the real game of football), Shane also spends his time as an interim youth pastor at Faith Church in Welland, as a student at McMaster, and does other things too. He firmly believes that God reveals both His own heart and the heart of the person who is pursuing God, for the good of the pursuer.