Finding Our Way: Recent Episodes
Southridge Community Church
In recent years, the importance of church boards has only heightened, where governance, oversight, protection and accountability have arguably never been needed more. So how does someone become that kind of leader? And, more importantly, how does a local church develop and position those kinds of leaders? Hear @shaneritzema describe his journey of becoming an Elder and Board member @southridge_church, and how he's growing into the kind of leader who can serve the church and Kingdom effectively in this new role. #findingourwaytogether
Over the years as a multi-site church, each of our @southridge_church locations has developed its own identity. And with that unique personality comes unique challenges and opportunities. As part of a 3-part mini-series on the state of each of our locations, hear our St. Catharines Location Pastor, @jeffmartens, share about local church life these days - in a way that can both update those of us in our community, and equip those of us leading in other local churches! #findingourwaytogether
Over the years as a multi-site church, each of our Southridge Community Church locations have developed their own identities. And with that unique personality comes unique challenges and opportunities. As part of a 3-part mini-series on the state of each of our locations, hear one of our Vineland Location Pastors, Nate Dirks, share about local church life these days - in a way that can both update those of us in our community, and equip those of us leading in other local churches! #findingourwaytogether
Over the years as a multi-site church, each of our @southridge_church locations has developed its own identity, and with that unique personality comes unique challenges and opportunities. As part of a 3-part mini-series on the state of each of our locations, hear our Welland Location Pastor, Tom Loewen, share about local church life these days - in a way that can both update those of us in our community, and equip those of us leading in other local churches! #findingourwaytogether
In recent weeks, Southridge has received some media attention because of recent changes to how it operates our homeless shelter. Over the years, the scope of our ministry to those experiencing homelessness has grown, and has changed especially during the pandemic.
So where are things at these days, and - more importantly - where are things headed for the future? Hear our Executive Director of Homelessness Services, Annie Froese, clarify where we're at and where we're headed!
Every year, in partnership with GLN Canada, Southridge Community Church hosts the Global Leadership Summit. And over the years, the vision and impact of the Summit has grown. Hear our Event Manager, Christine Baggs, describe the impact of the GLS on her life personally, and how we can not only experience that kind of impact ourselves again this year, but - more importantly - how we can each personally leverage the Summit in our workplaces and spheres of influence to grow the leadership culture across our region, FOR our region! #findingourwaytogether
One of the greatest challenges of vision casting for the future is just that - it's for the future. How can you invite people into a reality that you haven't yet delivered or even necessarily experienced fully yourself? Hear Jenn Surtees describe what it's been like in her life and leadership, as well as her ministry team's world, as they've been inviting people into a preferred future that they're still in the process of creating themselves. Discover how to navigate both casting and leading an "aspirational vision". #findingourwaytogether
When someone reaches the "finish line" of leading in a local church, how are they feeling? How does someone look back and reflect on their life and legacy in ministry? And what does someone see God's been doing through the whole arc of their experience in leadership? Hear retiring pastor Rick Zwiers share his reflections on almost two decades of ministry leadership at Southridge, as we prepare to celebrate his retirement from vocational church leadership! #findingourwaytogether
In many cases, when you want to develop in something - or want to develop someone - you sign up for a program to be trained by an "expert". Yes, counter-intuitively, faith formation works differently, where the greatest influences on faith and character development happen in the home. What does that mean for developmental ministries, especially those investing in the next generation? Hear @joneseycarrie describe the heart and vision for a local church's Family Ministry, where faith formation begins at home. #findingourwaytogether
The church is a volunteer-intensive organization, yet, so often, there's a chasm between the "doers" and those who "receive" its ministry. When that happens, what are we missing out on? And how can we reclaim the "Priesthood of All Believers" in a way that optimizes the discipleship of every participant in Jesus' work? Hear Vicky Reimer describe her heart for including and investing every single volunteer, and what Jesus can do in their lives when they're involved, together, in His work!
For many Jesus followers and ministry leaders, the week after Easter is a time to recover from the busyness of the previous season. And yet, the hope is that the realities of Holy Week can be experienced by ourselves and others in an ongoing way, throughout the year. As a local church leader, how can you encourage and nurture that moment-by-moment experience of the reality of Jesus' Risen Life? Hear Justin Brix describe the experiments he and his team tried during Holy Week, that they're hoping to inspire an experience of Holy Week, every single week throughout the year!
The difference between a "bounded set" approach to the Bible and faith is starkly different from what's known as a "centred set". Yet so many followers of Jesus, and even many churches, still often mix up and confuse the two value systems. Hear Adam Dyer describe how Jesus Collective is working to support churches in a greater understanding, and ultimately, a more effective implementation, of a more Jesus-centred approach to faith and local church life!
If you were a local church leader, who now spent the majority of your time around young adults, what would you hear about the church these days? Check out this conversation with Mark Buchanan about the insights and perspectives he gains from students at Ambrose University, and discover what the emerging generation thinks about the future of the church!
Coming out of the pandemic, it feels like a lot is changing - about faith, the church, and the future. How do you make sense of it all? Join us as Keri La Douceur shares the leading edge of her own faith journey, and what she's encountering on the front lines of local church and para-church ministry work these days. And discover how to adapt to the leading of God's Spirit in your own life and leadership!
What's the state of the union when it comes to the church empowering women? What's working, and what's not? And what are we learning about men and women leading well together? Hear Cathie Ostapchuk from Gather Women share what she and her ministry are learning these days, so you and your church can continue to grow in your female empowerment!
In previous conversations, we've learned about the spiritual power of retreats - making undivided space for God, that allows God to show up in amazing ways. Can those same values apply to students - to teenagers and developing young adults? Hear Karley Fecik describe what's been happening in our local church's student ministry lately, as she's led through a "retreat season" for students this winter - and had a blast doing it!
In your local church, how do your emerging gen feel about life and leadership these days? Hear the perspective of Owen Jeffries when it comes to faith and church, and discover how to more effectively activate, engage and develop emerging leaders!
Is there any difference between how leaders develop locally, and how they develop around the world? Hear Scott Cochrane of GLN Summit describe what he's experienced all around the world. And discover what he's learning about the most effective ways to develop leaders!
As the local church evolves, what role do denominations play? And, from your personal perspective as a follower of Jesus, what actually is a Christian denomination these days? Join in this engaging conversation with Brad Sumner, to hear how one local church leader (from our church's denomination) views the role, benefit, and challenges of belonging and relating to a denomination these days.
The new year is now rolling, but the question many of us are wondering is: can 2023 be any different than 2022? How do you "turn the page" after a really difficult or challenging season? Hear Southridge's Lead Pastor, Jeff Lockyer, describe how our local community is seeking to shift gears this year. And get a window into his head and heart as to how a follower of Jesus and Kingdom leader can make that shift personally as well.
As our local church launches into a new year of ministry, one of our top priorities is to foster close friendship relationships. Why are friendships so critical to a life of faith? Why are they essential to knowing Jesus, and perhaps even more critical to becoming more like Jesus? Hear Jeff Martens describe why fostering deep-spirited friendships matters so much to a local church and to following Jesus, and discover how a church like ours seeks to foster them. #findingourwaytogether
The New Year is a time of reflection. Where has God brought you? How have you grown? And where is God leading you? What's it going to take from you in order to get there? In addition to reflecting personally, it's also helpful to ask these questions as a local church. So join in as Board Chair Teresa de Feyter not only shares her reflections on where Southridge is at, but also shares how our Board of Elders engages in this process of both personal and church reflection every year in this season.
And just like that, after all the hustle and bustle, Christmas is over... so, now what? We've entered the strange week between Christmas and New Years, where everything feels like it's a bit in limbo.
How do we take advantage of this week and keep the practice of Christmas alive even as the season winds down?
Join us this week as we sit down with our Spiritual Practices Pastor, Mandy Kasper, and she encourages us to rest, recover, and experience the presence of Jesus that we've been celebrating this season.
Merry week-of-Christmas! It's the most wonderful time of the year! .... or is it?
While it's a season of joy and celebration and festivities, for many, this time of year is also really really difficult.
So amidst all the mixed emotions of the season, how do we find ways to refocus our minds and hearts on the true meaning of Christmas?
Join our Inspiration Pastor, Tom Loewen, as he talks about how he and our Southridge team are getting ready for the upcoming weekend.
We hope to see you there - Saturday, December 24th, 4pm, at all three of our locations.
The idea of retreats - taking time to get away from your normal life, refocus, relax - can sometimes seem like a dream: something that would be nice, but challenging to make it a practical priority.
Join in with this week's episode with our Shelter Director, Annie Froese, as she talks about the power of retreats and why it's vital to make them a spiritual priority in various seasons of our lives.
Last week's episode featured a replay of Shane Claiborne's talk at a recent event hosted at Southridge, and this week we're happy to have Shane join us again.
This week he sits down with one of our St. Catharines location pastors, Chris Fowler, to dig deeper into his own story, to chat about living in community, and to share encouragement for our Southridge family as we continue to grow in the ways of Jesus.
Last week we were thrilled to have author, speaker, and activist, Shane Claiborne join us for an evening of "building longer tables, not higher fences". If you weren't able to make it, check out this special edition of our podcast, featuring Shane's talk from that night. You're sure to be inspired by his heart and passion for the beauty of unlikely friendships.
Looking to get involved in relationships like this? We'd love to help get you connected. Drop us a line at action@southridgechurch.ca.
Life is full of interruptions - ranging from minor inconveniences to life-altering circumstances. No one is exempt, but how do we process those interruptions and see them as invitations to draw closer to God?
Take a listen to this week's podcast with our Family Pastor, Carrie Jones, as she talks about the life-threatening interruption of her year, and the beautiful things she's learned from it.
Every year, we embark on a series that we call Hope Lives..... but, why? Why do we come back to this idea year after year, giving it priority and emphasis in our annual church rhythm? What's so compelling about this hope, and why does it drive so much of what we do?
Join in this conversation with our Action Pastor, Nate Dirks, as he shares about our heart for hope at Southridge.
In this week's episode, we invite you to get to know Leanne Friesen. She is the lead pastor of Mount Hamilton Baptist Church, and will be speaking to us this coming Sunday as part of our Bullseye series. Tune into this podcast to hear her heart for the local church, and what it means to her to live a Jesus-centred life.
On Sunday, Mandy mentioned the importance of having a spirit of curiosity and willingness to learn. Jerry Reddy, pastor of Hillside Baptist Church in Moncton NB, has taken that outlook to the next level when it comes to church; he has made it a habit to regularly visit churches around North America, learning about what God is doing in their midst, and how that can inspire his own congregation. Check out this podcast episode to hear more about these church vision tours - and to hear what his team learned when they visited Southridge this month!
Around Southridge, we value clear and compelling communication when it comes to our proclamation of the gospel and who Jesus is, so we were excited for the opportunity to sit down with communications and marketing expert Ellen Graf-Martin. If you're interested in pulling back the curtain on the types of questions we ask when it comes to our own communications strategy as a church, you won't want to miss this conversation.
When Southridge started having deliberate conversations about what it means to become good relatives and do better as a church seeking to build relationships with Indigenous peoples, one of the voices who was so instrumental and insightful has been Patty Krawec. Patty brings a unique perspective to the relationship between Indigenous people and settlers/immigrants, with a special insight into the church's role in truth and reconcilliation. In this week's don't-miss episode, Patty sits down with Jeff to talk about all these things, and to introduce her new book, Becoming Kin (available wherever you buy books).
You may remember hearing from Jenn Surtees during our It Takes a Village sermon series in July. Check out this week's podcast as she sits down with Jeff to dive deeper into what it means to give God your "yes", and how that has been playing out in her life over the past few months.
Beginning this coming Sunday, we will be diving into a new series called Bullseye: Living A Jesus-Centred Life. Tune into this week's podcast with our Interim Welland Location Pastor, Jon Hand, as he talks about what it looks like to have a faith that is centred on Jesus (and why something so obvious isn't always easily lived out).
Continuing on with our deeper dives into some themes that we talked about on Vision Night, this week's podcast takes a closer look at the idea of Generational Transfer. Jeff sits down with Annie Froese, our Executive Director of Homelessness Services, who shares her experiences of growing up as a younger leader in the church, and why focusing on this process is so vital going forward.
One of the strategic goals of Southridge this coming year is to expand its capacity for "Love Beyond Belief", especially as it relates to the inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community. But what, practically speaking, does that mean? Hear our Spiritual Practices Pastor, Mandy Kasper, join in the conversation and talk about next steps.
At last night's Vision Night, we spent some time talking about where we sense God leading us as a community. One of those pieces was a goal of moving to more 'integrated missional gatherings'. What exactly does that mean and how could that change what things look like around here in the future? Check out this conversation with our Action Pastor, Nate Dirks, to catch this vision!
As we kick off a new ministry year, listen in to this conversation with Jeff Lockyer as he looks back over the last 25 years of the Southridge journey, and looks ahead as to where we sense God leading us.
It's been said that "everything communicates", which is why a Communications Ministry touches so many different parts of our community. Check out this week's episode as Jeff sits down with our Communications Director, Kelly Smalldon, to talk about how you could get involved in this vital ministry.
Our August podcast series continues with this episode featuring our Facility Director, Jesse Klassen. Jesse sits down with Jeff to talk about this behind-the-scenes ministry that is so vital to our community, and the many opportunities to get involved.
If you've attended Southridge even one time, you've seen the work of Mike Naundorf and his team - from the online service, to creative video elements, to baptism interviews, or even the recorded messages when a teaching pastor isn't live in your location, it's all the work of the media and production team.
Take a listen to this week's podcast episode where Mike talks about this group of behind-the-scenes creative people who do so much for our community - including how YOU could get involved!
Continuing on in our August podcast series highlighting some of our Southridge ministries, we're excited to sit down with Youth Pastor Karley Fecik today. Come listen in to this conversation where Karley shares her heart for the youth of our community, the direction youth ministry will be taking this year, and an invitation to join in the fun.
Wee can't wait to share our August podcasts with you! They are going to profile a bunch of our Southridge ministry leaders - to hear their hearts, what themes and trends they're noticing in their ministry areas, and discover some of the ways that YOU can get involved. Today, hear what @jade.bowie has to say about the future of partnering with parents to raise the next generation of kids! #findingourwaytogether
In just over one week’s time, the Global Leadership Summit will be back at Southridge. And, after two years of streaming online, we’ll finally be able to experience the simulcast of Summit together in person again! As we prepare, hear @robb_warren share why gathering together for the GLS makes a difference. And, beyond hosting the GLS, hear his heart for the role Southridge has in encouraging churches all across the country!
As we continue hearing from some fresh perspectives in our church, hear our Shelter Community Life Director Erica Singer's story and insights on life and faith. Another terrific example of an engaged emerging gen!
We are excited to continue in our month of Fresh Perspectives on the podcast, learning from the emerging generation of leaders in our community. If you're a long-time listener of the podcast (or a member of our Vineland location), Kelsey Knechtel is likely a familiar face. You're not going to want to miss her return to the podcast as she shares her heart and fresh perspective for the church.
It takes a village to raise a child, and we also believe it takes a village to raise a church. Which is why every July we set aside some time to learn from voices that we don't usually hear from on Sunday mornings. Historically that has meant pastors or speakers from other churches around the globe, but this year we're excited to hear from some of the emerging generation leaders from our own community. You'll hear from several of them on Sunday mornings, as well as on the podcasts this month.
We're kicking things off with Zach Wells from our St. Catharines location. You're not going to want to miss this conversation and the fresh perspectives that he brings to the table.
One of our annual highlights around Southridge is the Global Leadership Summit in August. Take a listen to this conversation with Christine Baggs, this year's event manager. Jeff and Christine discuss why this event has become so meaningful in our community, and how you can be involved - as either a participant or volunteer.
You can sign up for the GLS at southridgechurch.ca/summit
There has been lots of talk in recent days about changes in the Church - both in coming out of the pandemic, and also with a shift in generational leadership. How do Baby Boomers and Millennials work together to see the future of the Church thrive? Check out this conversation Jeff has with Nancy Beach and her daughter Samantha Beach Kiley as they talk about their multi-generational view on the future of the church. (And pick up their new book, Next Sunday, available wherever you do your book shopping!)
Despite parts of society "opening up", the pandemic and its fallout are still very much a part of our daily lives. This week on the podcast, Jeff sits down with Sebastien Moccio, a high school student and Family Ministry leader from our St. Catharines Location. Sebastien talks openly and vulnerably about his pandemic experience and the ways that it brought about a difficult season in his mental health and faith journey. Whether you're looking for insight into the teens in your life who are struggling, or whether you've been in a place of struggle yourself, you won't want to miss this conversation!
If reading the Bible can feel like a daunting task, you won't want to miss this week's podcast! Carrie sits down with Dr. Meghan Larissa Good to talk about her passion for Scripture and the joy she gets from Jesus-Centered Bible reading.
Megan is Teaching Pastor at Trinity Mennonite Church (Glendale, AZ) and author of The Bible Unwrapped: Making Sense of Scripture Today. She is a graduate of Portland Seminary, Duke Divinity School and Gordon College. Meghan is a frequent preacher and lecturer at churches and universities across the country, speaking on subjects such as biblical hermeneutics, emerging Anabaptism, and contemporary preaching. She lives in Phoenix, AZ with a prized dinosaur bone and a ridiculously large book collection.
Join us on this week's podcast episode as Jeff sits down with Mike Ashcraft, the pastor of Port City Community Church in North Carolina. Listen to Mike talk about his church's journey into being a more Jesus-centred church, how they deal with divisive ideas, and what it means to live a "To Be Concluded" life.
Tune into this week's podcast as Carrie sits down with Alyssa Esparaz to talk about what it looks like to lead a life of compassion. Alyssa is a communicator and advocate. She brings her passions for youth, justice and Jesus to her role as Content and Public Relations Manager at Compassion Canada. Alyssa is a recent graduate of the University of Toronto, where she studied International Development. Some of her favourite things in the world are Raptors basketball, going on airplanes and eating way too much ice cream. Find her on Twitter and Instagram: @_godsgal4ever
At different times in our church's history, we've launched Catalyst Teams - a way to energize and encourage some core members as we enter into new seasons. Take a listen to this week's podcast as Jeff chats with Andy Naundorf of our Welland location. Andy gives us his reflections on his recent Catalyst Team experience as a part of re-opening and "re-launching" the church.
What does it look like when our Leaders' Village ministry takes intentional steps to pour into the leadership of the emerging generation in our Southridge community? Take a listen to this conversation with Courtney Labelle, a young leader from our St. Catharines location, as she chats with Jeff about what it looks like to enter into this mentoring relationship, some upcoming events, and the power or pizza.
As we just kicked off our new Sunday morning series about The Foundations of Faith, we're loving the chance to sit down with leaders of other churches who are also pursuing Jesus-centered communities. Take a listen to this conversation Jeff has with Jeremy Duncan, the lead pastor of Commons Church in Calgary to hear what the pursuit of Jesus means to them.
Is there a difference between a "Bible-centered" church and a "Jesus-centered" church? Is there a difference between following God and following Jesus?
Take a listen to this week's podcast where Jeff sits down with Meredith Dancause, the Lead Pastor of The Well Church in Edmond, Oklahoma. If you've ever felt like the Jesus of the Bible isn't who you see portrayed in church, you're going to love her perspective and her story.
Coming out of both Easter and our recent Aftermath series, we're looking forward to May where we will be entering into a series called The Foundations of Faith. Whether you've just been recently introduced to Jesus, or are re-examining long-held beliefs, have a listen to this conversation with our Connection Pastor, Jeff Martens, where he explains why this is going to be a series impactful to all of us.
As we gear up to Easter weekend, Jeff sits down with our Inspiration Pastor, Tom Loewen, to talk about Holy Week and the significance that we can find in it. If you're looking to appreciate this week in a new way, you'll want to check out this episode of Finding Our Way.
Join Jeff in today's podcast as he sits down with Mike Goldsworthy, a speaker, author, and consultant from Long Beach, California. Mike shares about his passion for supporting ministry leaders in community, and about his own deconstruction journey (and why he doesn't use the word "deconstruction"). Don't miss it!
In our current Sunday series, Aftermath, we've recently talked about impact of mental health, trauma, and grief, that we've been experiencing over the past couple years. Today on the podcast, Jeff digs a bit deeper into this topic with Joan Hyatt. Joan is not only a member of our Board of Elders, but also a licensed psychotherapist, and has seen the reality of increased mental health struggles in her practice firsthand. For those wanting to learn more - whether you're struggling yourself, or supporting someone who is, you won't want to miss this conversation.
Today Ontario has removed the mask mandate for most public spaces in the province.... it's a decision that has some rejoicing and has some feeling even more cautious. As we at Southridge move into a "mask optional" mindset, Jeff sits down with our Family Ministry Pastor, Carrie Jones, to talk about what that practically looks like, how we can live out Love Beyond Belief in this season, and how this conversation fits into the larger picture of how everyone is doing these days.
It's not uncommon these days to ask someone how they're doing and for the response to be, "Fine, I guess", but reading between the lines it's obvious that people are not actually fine. We're not ok. As we head into a new message series, we wanted to take a pause and address where we are at these days. Even with the relaxing of restrictions and looking forward to what that can mean for the future, we are feeling fractured and traumatized by all we've been through (and are still going through). In today's podcast, Jeff sits down to talk with our Spiritual Practices Pastor, Mandy Kasper. Like many of us, Mandy is no stranger to deep pain over the past two years and shares her hope for this upcoming series - that it will be an opportunity for healing & mending and meeting with Jesus as we walk through trauma, grief, division, and weariness. Take a listen to this powerful conversation and if you hear any part of your experience in this, we invite you to join us over the next four Sundays as we walk through this together.
Each spring, the staff of Southridge participate in a Best Christian Workplaces Institute (BCWI) survey- a chance to take stock of culture and efficiency and do some hard work in creating a God-honouring workplace. Today Jeff sits down with Al Lopus, the CEO and cofounder of BCWI to talk about the process, why it's valuable, and how this ministry came to be.
We have loved having so many of our leaders returning to their roles in areas like kids ministry after a couple years of lockdowns and restrictions. Today we talk to one of those leaders - someone who not only took a break from leading because of a pandemic, but because he was attending university overseas. We are so happy to have Owen Jeffries back in Canada and back leading kids in our Vineland location. Take a listen to this conversation to hear his heart for the faith of kids in our church, his thoughts about empowering the emerging generation, and the thing he misses most about living in Europe.
We are so excited to have Jesus Collective's Executive Director, Matt Miles on the podcast today. Tune in to hear his passion for the local church - why it's important, what it should be, the good it can do in the world, and how it all comes back to Jesus.
Coming out of yesterday's Annual General Meeting where we approved the 2022 Operating Budget, we wanted to sit down today to talk with our Acting Minister Services Director, Kathy Van Driel. Kathy has served as Southridge's Finance Director for many years, and has the inside scoop on all things related to the church/money relationship. If you've ever been curious about where your giving goes, and how we aim to steward that responsibly, you won't want to miss this episode.
This coming Sunday is our Annual General Meeting, where our church members come together and take care of some of the "business" side of things, including approving the 2022 operating budget and reaffirming elders. Why are meetings like this important and something we encourage members to be a part of? Check out this conversation with our Board Chair, Teresa de Feyter as she shares about stepping into this new role and why she'd love to see everyone out at this week's AGM.
Join us for this week's episode of the Finding Our Way podcast, with guest Joel Thiessen. Joel works at Ambrose University in Calgary and is part of Flourishing Congregations, an organization that is passionate about church health and growth. If you're curious about the state of the church in Canada, you'll find this conversation fascinating.
Join us for today's podcast where Jeff sits down with with Jud Stade, who has an unmatched passion for seeing the emerging generation come to know Jesus in real and powerful ways. Whether you are someone with young people in your direct circles, or whether you're just excited about the impact that this generation can have in the church, you won't want to miss this insightful conversation.
Sometimes it can be easy to make our faith journey about just the thinking and the knowing, without allowing time for the being. Christa Hesselink, founder of SoulPlay, has made her life's work about encouraging people in the slowing down to generate mind and heart habits that focus on experiencing the presence of God. If you're in a place of feeling weariness in your faith, don't miss this conversation with Christa and the wisdom that she brings.
We believe in being a church where it's safe to ask questions, regardless of where you are on your faith journey. One of the specific ways we love doing that is through the Alpha program - an open environment for discussing faith and life, where no question is off-limits. Today on the podcast, we're excited to sit down and chat with Shaila Visser, the National Director of Alpha Canada. Tune in to learn more about Alpha, about evangelism, and Shaila's story.
As we kick off 2022, Carrie sits down with Southridge's Lead Pastor, Jeff Lockyer, to discuss vision and direction for the upcoming year and what it looks like to make the New Year truly NEW. Check it out!
If you've been around Southridge for any length of time, you've undoubtedly heard the phrase "friendship makes the difference". On today's podcast, Jeff sits down to chat with Elaine Orr - it's a conversation about how her life was changed, and how the natural response was to pour love into others. You're not going to want to miss this story!
As we wrap up our Hope Live series, we are excited to have this conversation with Grace Jones. Grace is an emerging gen leader at Southridge who is passionate about compassion and justice in her community, and the world. You won't want to miss hearing about her heart for loving others - whether it's cooking meals for land defenders at 1492 Landback Lane or the development of a new greenhouse at our Welland location to combat that community's food insecurity needs - as well as her insights into why this emerging generation is so passionate about compassion & justice.
As the Christmas season ramps up, join us on the podcast this week as we chat with Rob Hogendoorn, pastor of Forest City Community Church in London, as he talks about the way his church uses the Christmas season to uniquely serve their community.
Yesterday in all of our kids classes at Southridge, we launched into a brand new teaching curriculum called One Story. We are so excited about this new content and how it will help all our Southridge kids to grown spiritually. Today on the podcast, we are thrilled to chat more about this with Natalie Frisk. Natalie is lead pastor at The Meeting House Brantford, as well as curriculum pastor for One Story kids and youth curriculum. She is author of Raising Disciples: How to Make Faith Matter for Our Kids (Herald Press). Natalie has an MTS from McMaster Divinity College and is presently working on her doctorate in practical theology with an emphasis on the spiritual experience of children. She is married to Sam and mom to Erin.
(For a chance to win a copy of Natalie's book, head on over to our Family Ministry's social media channels today!)
As we dive into our annual Hope Lives series on the Sunday mornings leading up to Christmas, we want to take a moment to chat with our Action Pastor, Nate Dirks. Take a listen to this conversation about how gatherings drive compassion.
This week, we are excited to sit down with Keri Ladouceur, a pastor from the Chicago area, to talk about church health, church growth, church learnings from the pandemic season, and more. If you're interested in learning more about church leadership, this is a great conversation to take in!
Throughout the months of COVID lockdowns, we grieved the shutting down of our buildings on Sunday morning and having to shift to the backup plan of online services. But God can bring good things from bad situations and we quickly learned that the online service was serving as a way for those who might not otherwise be able to attend Southridge to become a part of the family.
On today's episode, Carrie sits down with Helen Garda to hear one of these stories. Helen and her family began taking part in the online service while they were living in Edmonton. They're now living in Niagara and call Southridge home. Check out this amazing conversation!
So many big decisions regarding the direction, vision, and life of our church are made by our Board of Elders. This group of amazing, behind-the-scenes leaders is elected by our members, serve as volunteers, and are instrumental to who we are as Southridge.
This year, you appointed two new elders - we already heard from one of them back in September, and today we are excited to introduce you to the other. Dee Neuman is not a stranger to this podcast (check out her episode about Resiliency back in May of this year!), and has such a heart for the people of Southridge. You won't want to miss this conversation and the chance to get to know her a bit better.
What do the emerging gen leaders feel about the local church these days? In this week's podcast we sit down to talk with Victoria Archibald; she works at the Shelter as Resident Services Support, and is one of Southridge's awesome young leaders. You won't want to miss what she has to say!
findingourwaytogether
On this week's episode of Finding Our Way, Jeff sits down to chat with Jason Ballard of Canadian Church Leaders Network. Jason is a pastor in Vancouver and it's a pleasure to hear him talk about his love for the Church in Canada, in all its beautiful messiness.
Join us this week on the Finding Our Way podcast as we chat with author and worship leader, Aaron Niequist. Aaron is a friend of the Southridge community, and it was through him that we started giving language to the concept of a 'spiritual gymnasium'. Tune in to this episode for a conversation about the power that spiritual practices can have in our lives.
We know that so many people experience a time of deconstruction at some point in their faith journey, which is why we are so excited to sit down this week to chat with Lina AbuJamra. Lina is the author of a new book called Fractured Faith, where she talks about her own period of deconstruction. If you've ever found yourself questioning God, your faith, or the church, you won't want to miss this episode of Finding Our Way.
Tune in to this week's podcast as we chat with our new Family Life Pastor, Karley Wall. Karley has been a volunteer leader with CURRENT, and we are so excited to have her transition from her former role as a Housing First Worker into this new position. In this conversation she shares her heart for the youth of our church, some new changes in the R!OT and CURRENT programs this year, and how you can get involved. You won't want to miss this one!
This week on the Finding Our Way podcast, we are thrilled to sit down with Danielle Strickland. Danielle is a speaker, author, justice advocate, and someone that we as a Southridge community have admired and respected for so long. In this conversation, she shares her heart about a bunch of things that we also feel passionate about - things like female empowerment in the church, how the church can better love those who are experiencing marginalization, and the importance of spiritual practices in our daily lives. Check out this episode (and then check out your favourite bookstore for her most recent book, Better Together).
So many big decisions regarding the direction, vision, and life of our church are made by our Board of Elders. This group of amazing, behind-the-scenes leaders is elected by our members, serve as volunteers, and are instrumental to who we are as Southridge.
This year you appointed two new elders, and we look forward to introducing them to you on the podcast so that you can get to know them a bit better. First up, we are so excited to share this conversation with Wes Reimer. Wes is a long-time member of our community and you're going to love hearing his heart for Southridge.
Typically the Sunday after Labour Day, we anticipate a big launch season and return to a regular ministry rhythm... but what does that look like in a season where we are still adhering to provincial health regulations and restrictions, where we are not yet fully out of this pandemic season. This week's podcast episode features a conversation with our lead pastor, Jeff Lockyer, talking about how things are feeling around our Southridge community, and what we can look forward to in this somewhat unusual launch season.
This week on the podcast, we are thrilled to sit down with Cathie Ostapchuk, co-founder of Gather Women, a movement dedicated to connecting and empowering women in the Canadian church.
Whether you're a woman looking to be encouraged in what God has called you to, or someone looking to be a part of seeing these changes come to be, you're not going to want to miss this conversation. Cathie is a passionate leader, whose love for the church is apparent in every word she shares, and we are so thankful for all that she has to share in this conversation.
Working behind the scenes of the parts of Southridge that you interact with is the Ministry Services Department. It's their job to support the ministries and programs of the church in areas such as facilities, IT, finance, HR, and communications. Today we sit down with our Director of Finance & HR, Kathy Van Driel, to chat about what's happening behind the scenes at Southridge as we enter this season of reopening. Much like our other departments, there are tons of opportunities to get involved, so if you're wanting to volunteer but are more of a 'behind the scenes' personality, check this out!
As our Sunday morning In-Person Service is seeing more and more people gathering together, it's never been more important to be focused on loving people and ensuring that everyone who walks through the front door knows that they are welcome. Today on the podcast we sit down with our brand new Director of First Impressions, Malorie Van Weelden. Malorie has a huge heart for hospitality and for equipping all of our First Impressions volunteer teams; this includes parking attendants, ushers, greeters, cafe servers, tour guides, and Welcome Center teams. If you're looking for a way to get involved in the Southridge community (even if you're on the new side yourself!), you won't want to miss Malorie's vision for this important and impactful ministry.
To get involved, you can reach her at mvanweelden@southridgechurch.ca
In a month where we are excited about re-gathering for "worship services", we are sitting down this week to talk with one of our Worship Pastors, Justin Brix. He is joining us on the podcast to talk about what worship IS, why we believe it is so important, and why it is so much more than singing a couple songs on Sunday morning (even though we love that part too).
If you are interested in being a part of the Inspiration team, take a listen to hear about the many different opportunities that are available, and then reach out to Justin at jbrix@southridgechurch.ca.
If you joined us in June for our 'Crowded Table' series, you know that we are passionate about investing in the next generation of our church family. Today on the podcast we are thrilled to sit down with our Kids Pastor, Jade Bowie. Jade is here to chat about the excitement of regathering with kids in an in-person setting, and how YOU can be a part of the fun.
As we wrap up our month of It Takes A Village podcasts, listening to and learning from voices from outside of the Southridge community, we are thrilled to bring you this conversation with Robb Warren. Robb is a longtime friend of Southridge, and is the Executive Director of the Global Leadership Network. He is here with a fantastic conversation about leadership, and especially in relationship to the Global Leadership Summit. We hope you'll take the time to check out this episode, and to then register for the GLS (visit the Events section of our website or app to sign up).
In continuing with our series of It Takes A Village podcasts, learning from impactful voices outside of Southridge, we are thrilled to share with you this conversation with Greg Paul, an author and pastor at Sanctuary in Toronto.
Greg sits down to talk about loving those who society would push to the margins; this includes those experiencing poverty and homelessness, but also the LGBTQ+ community. He shares about his faith journey and the rethinking of his beliefs; a journey that culminated in a book called Queer Prophets. Greg has a powerful and gracious story, and you won't want to miss it.
Around here, we are passionate about female empowerment, and we are thrilled to sit down and chat with Ellen Duffield in this week's podcast. Ellen has been instrumental in coming alongside of our community to help move those conversations forward and in helping to launch programs like Next Level Leadership and BRAVE Girls. Tune in to this episode to hear more about this, and some of the other amazing things that she's dreaming about for the future.
We spend a lot of time in our podcast talking about our Southridge community, but on this week's episode, we are excited to talk about the state of our greater community and Niagara region in a conversation with St. Catharines mayor, Walter Sendzik.
Join in as we kick off a month of It Takes A Village podcasts, learning from those outside of our immediate church family.
We are SO excited about this coming Sunday, with reopening and hosting an In-Person Service at all three locations. If you're wondering what to expect, what restrictions and safety measures will be in place (and why), check out this week's episode of Finding Our Way. Jeff sits down with our Connection Pastor, Jeff Martens, to talk about the re-opening process and what the future holds.
Looking to sign up for the July 4th In-Person Service? Visit southridgechurch.ca/inpersonservice to register.
Research shows that the top two spiritual influencers in a child's life are their parents (or primary caregivers), followed by other close family members, then friends, with the church showing up at #7 on that list. This is why we are passionate about coming alongside parents to help equip them in being the spiritual champions in the lives of their child(ren).
We hope you've been engaging in our Crowded Table series on Sundays this month, and today on Finding Our Way, our Teaching Pastor Michael Krause sits down to dive deeper into this conversation, with an episode called, Raising Parents. If you're a parent or caregiver in our community, you're not going to want to miss this one.
The junior high years are generally known to be tough ones - kids are straddling the strange transition between childhood and adulthood. For those walking alongside them during that season of confusion, it can be a wild ride, and so it is not lost on us that small group leaders of this age group are a special breed.
This week we sit down with Larry Dyck from our Vineland location to talk about his heart for the R!OT students in our community. With close to 30 years (!) of pouring into preteens, he talks about the challenges they're facing, the joy they bring, and how one small group leader can change a life (even if it might not feel like it in the moment!).
Our Family Ministry team is passionate about not just partnering with parents to raise the next generation, but also in expanding the circle of influence in a child's life.
This week on Finding Our Way, we are so thrilled to have Gina McClain joining us. Gina has decades of experience in family ministry, and has been sharing her passion for families & the next generation with our team. She shares with us the vital importance of a small group leader in the lives of our children - so if you're a parent, an existing small group leader in one of our kids' programs, or are considering getting involved in the future, you won't want to miss this conversation.
If you're interested in learning more about changing lives by joining the team in Family Ministry, contact Carrie at cjones@southridgechurch.ca.
"So, when is the church planning to re-open?" It's been a common question over the past year (and especially over the past few months) as we look ahead with hope to widespread vaccines and a province-wide re-opening strategy.
In this week's episode of Finding Our Way, Jeff sits down with our Inspiration Pastor, Tom Loewen, to discuss the results of our recent Re-Gathering Survey, and what our tentative plans are going forward. If you've been curious about what our plans are at this point, you won't want to miss this episode.
Our conversations with some of Southridge's emerging leaders have been eye-opening, and this week is no exception. We're excited to have Brock student Jenn Surtees with us on the latest episode of Finding Our Way. Jenn shares her story of arriving at Southridge, what made her stay, and what young adults are really looking for in the future of the church (hint: it's something we can ALL be a part of).
Conversations about mental health, especially in the past months, are more important than ever.
Today we're thrilled to have Nate Venema joining us on the podcast. Nate, who attends our Welland location, is a clinical counsellor with a passion for supporting kids and families in their mental health journeys. He shares parts of his own journey, as well as some of the reasons why it can be hard to reach out for help and a couple steps to take if you need it.
If you find yourself in a season of needing support in this area, please reach out to our pastoral staff who would love to get you connected to the help that you need. You can reach them at southridgechurch.ca/contact.
As a part of our desire to listen and learn from the emerging generation in our community, we invite you to this week's podcast, featuring one of our university students, Charmaine Chikombero. Charmaine has such a hopeful and beautiful outlook on the future of the church, and the part that each of us play in it - from being intentional about being uncomfortable, to not underestimating the impact that each of us could have in someone's life. Tune in to this week's episode to hear more, as she shares her heart.
How do you respond when life just isn't fair? Like, the unfair that comes with a terrifying medical diagnosis, a painful recovery, and an uncertain future. How do we process it? What do we learn?
Join us this week on Finding Our Way where we chat with Dee Neuman, from our Welland location. Dee has an incredible story of pressing on through so many of life's painful & unfair moments, and if you're feeling alone in your pain, you won't want to miss this.
In a lockdown season where we find ourselves struggling in so many areas, anchoring our faith and drawing closer to Jesus is more important than ever. Join us as we enter into a conversation with our Spiritual Practices Pastor, Mandy Kasper, as she shares about some of her own challenges over this past year, and how spiritual practices have helped steady the waves of life's chaos. If you've been wrestling through a difficult season as well, take us listen!
Mental health is something that so many are struggling with (especially over the past year) and yet there is still a lot of stigma around these conversations.
In today's podcast episode, Carrie sits down with Shelley Wall from our Vineland location. Shelley opens up about her own journey with depression, therapy, treatment, working through some really tough times, and what God has taught her. If you're struggling with needing to get help, if you could use some encouragement in knowing that you're not alone, or if you're supporting someone who is struggling through mental illness, you won't want to miss this powerful conversation.
As we trudge through a third provincial lockdown, we're all struggling in some way. There are lots of questions about what this lockdown season means as far as our Southridge position on keeping our services online, and what our plans are for future reopening. In this week's episode of our Finding Our Way podcast, Carrie sits down with our lead pastor, Jeff Lockyer, to discuss what life in lockdown looks like for our Southridge community. If you're looking for answers to these questions, or maybe just need a dose of encouragement in this challenging season, you won't want to miss this episode.
We often talk about the Elders of our church and how important their role is. As we head into a season of appointing a couple new elders, we sit down this week on the podcast to talk to Joan Hyatt about why this important process matters and how you can be involved.
Hey parents! This is a special podcast that you won't want to miss, as Carrie sits down with Dan Scott. Dan's been crafting kids and preteen ministries for more than a decade. He is a sought after elementary, preteen, and middle school camp and retreat speaker both in the U.S. and internationally. He enjoys consulting with children’s and family ministry teams in the U.S. and abroad sharing strategies for creating engaging ministry environments to reach the next generation. Trained in elementary and middle school education, he taught sixth grade English and Bible, where he developed his own curriculum on the life of Jesus. This led him to seminary where he studied theology and Christian education in hopes that he could continue to hone the craft of developing relevant church curriculum for children and youth. That dream became a reality at Orange where he serves as the curriculum director for 252Kids and 252Preteen weekend strategies. Dan recently published the Amazon best seller, Caught In Between: Engage Your Preteens Before They Check Out to help church leaders understand the world of preteens and create an environment to meet their unique needs. Dan and his wife, Jenna, live outside of Atlanta, Georgia with their four kids, Liam, Elli, Addi, and Taye.
This is an amazing conversation about how our Family Ministry Department wants to partner with parents in our community. You won't want to miss it!
As the news becomes increasingly dominated by updates about the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, it has (unsurprisingly) become a polarizing and sometimes heated conversation. While we aren't medical professionals, there are several questions and concerns that are often raised in this conversation that are centred in theology. This week we sit down with our teaching pastor, Michael Krause, to talk through some of these concerns and what the Bible says about them.
This week we are excited to sit down with our Family Ministry Admin Director, Jade Bowie. Jade is just returning to her role after an 18-month maternity leave and has a ton of insight on parenting in a pandemic, some of the ways that parents can champion the spiritual development of their kids, and the role that Family Ministry is seeking to play in your lives both during this pandemic season, and also as we look to reopening in the future. If you're a parent in our community, or if you just care about the kids and families in our church, you won't want to miss this episode of our podcast.
One of the unexpected blessings of this Online Service season has been the expansion of our Southridge community beyond Niagara.
This week we're thrilled to chat with Tim Schroeder, who is joining us on the podcast from Kelowna, BC. Tim is a long-time friend of our community, and has been joining us online through this past year. This is a fascinating conversation about the ways that he (and those watching with him) have grown in this season, what they're being challenged by, and what encouragements he has as an "outsider" (even though we now consider them as our own!).
As we approach the one year mark in pandemic life, we sit down with Connection Pastor, Jeff Martens, to discuss lockdown updates, pandemic protocols, and the pulse of the community here at Southridge.
This is an ever-evolving conversation and you won't want to miss the latest.
We are so excited for this week's podcast, where we sit down with one of our Southridge high school students, Amy Baggs. Amy has an incredible story of coming to faith and becoming an integral part of our community. You won't regret taking the time to hear her thoughts about Jesus, church, justice and navigating life during the pandemic. As a part of this emerging generation of leaders, you won't want to miss hearing Amy sharing her heart.
One of the goals of our Family Ministry department is to help encourage strong marriages - far beyond the celebration of the wedding day. This starts with our Before Forever Pre-Marriage course, and involves a supportive marriage mentoring program. For many years, Dean & Sheri Dick have been instrumental in these initiatives, and this week on the podcast they sit down with Carrie to talk about why they feel so passionate about supporting the marriages in our community.
Our next Before Forever course is happening at the end of this month. If you're recently engaged and want to be a part of it, head on over to the events page on our website or app to register. If you're inspired by Dean & Sheri's story and feel called to be a part of our mentoring team, drop Carrie an email at cjones@southridgechurch.ca
We are two weeks away from our Annual General Meeting; maybe you're wondering what that entails, why it matters, and why we think it's so important for YOU to be a part of it.
Join us on this week's podcast, as Jeff sits down with the chair of our Board of Elders, Joan Hyatt, as they discuss the upcoming AGM, and why it matters.
Well, here we are. One month into 2021. Eleven months into a global pandemic. Eleven months of changes and pivots, of online services, of crisis management and new ideas. It's been something that we've all experienced differently, depending on our own situation and circumstances... but what about the church community as a whole? How are things going? What have we learned? Where do we go from here?
Check out this week's episode of Finding Our Way, where Carrie sits down with our Lead Pastor, Jeff Lockyer, to discuss the 'state of Southridge'.
Our conversations about the emerging generation of young people in our church community are ongoing and are increasingly more and more exciting! Join us for this week's podcast with our Youth Pastor, Keith Kyer. You'll hear about upcoming plans, new revelations, and the trajectory that this conversation has taken. Whether you're in the 18-29(ish) age range or not, this is an amazing episode about the future of our church.
Do you remember what first prompted you to follow Jesus? Or maybe you're skeptical about why anyone ever would? Join us for this week's amazing podcast, where Rob Hubbert shares his story about the recent events that caused him to re-examine his life and take a deep dive into a journey of faith. You're not going to want to miss this one!
In yesterday's message we talked about what it could look like for Jesus to impact the people closest to you. To take that conversation a bit deeper, we are so thrilled to have Neil and Sharol Josephson on the podcast today. Neil and Sharon, of Family Life Canada, are passionate about healthy marriages and healthy families, with Jesus at the centre. They are a dynamic pair who have a ton of insight into relationships and how Jesus can make a difference in them. You're not going to want to miss this one!
Happy New Year! It's our first podcast of 2021 and also happens to be our 100th episode of Finding Our Way. We are so excited to kick off this year with a conversation with Tim Day, a longtime friend of the Southridge family. Tim has great insight into church trends in Canada today, and if you're interested in hearing how things like digital advancements in the world, politics, and even COVID-19 are impacting the church, you're going to find this episode fascinating.
As we wrap up this year, a year in which we took a hard look at what advocacy means, we are excited to sit down for a conversation with Sophia Krause. Sophia is a high-school student in our community who shares her heart for advocacy, and her journey through that process. It's a fantastic episode featuring a young leader in our church, and is a great insight into the hearts and minds of the next generation.
Our Hope Lives series has focused on one of our favourite sayings around here: friendship makes the difference. We never get tired of hearing the stories of lives that have been changed through these growing relationships, which is why we are excited to have Karen Buller on our podcast. Karen has been involved in our Vineland Anchor Cause, the Caribbean Workers Program, for years; her love for her Caribbean friends is apparent in her voice, and you won't want to miss her stories and her practical suggestions for how you can get involved and make a difference.
It hasn't been a secret that we as a church are on a journey of seeking to become better relatives of our Indigenous friends, working deliberately towards truth & reconciliation. Tune in to this week's podcast where we sit down with Derek Parenteau, a friend of our community who is a few steps further down this journey, and has been a gracious voice in helping us navigate these conversations.
We're halfway through our annual Hope Lives message series, A Companion Guide to Justice. Join us this week on the podcast for a conversation with our Action Pastor, Nate Dirks, as he talks more in depth about what it means to live a life of advocacy, seeking justice in the world around us.
We have been so thankful for all who have been a part of our ongoing dialogue regarding aspects of our church life in terms of re-opening, processing the pandemic, etc - whether through our recent community survey or one of our town hall meetings. If you're interested in how that conversation is progressing, tune into this week's podcast, where our Connection Pastor, Jeff Martens, reviews some of the survey results and what we can learn from them.
Whether you think back to your own youth or you're a parent of a child in this age group, you know that junior high is no joke. These kids are navigating a ton of changes and learning to ask tough questions about life, faith, and themselves... all while having a ton of chaotic fun. This week on our podcast we sit down and chat with Ashley Enns, one of our R!OT leaders, who has a heart bursting with love for these middle school students, and you're sure to be encouraged by her insights. Whether you're a parent of a R!OT student, someone curious about what it could look like to get involved in youth ministry, or if you're simply wondering what it looks like to live out a life of inspiration, action, and connection as a preteen, this week's episode is well worth the listen!
On this week's podcast, we invite you to meet Tamara Moes, one of our Family Ministry Admin Directors. Tamara brings so much to our church family, including a passion for accessibility and inclusivity. She has been instrumental in bringing those values to our special needs ministry, as we strive for Southridge to be a community where EVERYONE can experience God's love. Tune in to this episode to hear more about Tamara's heart for moving this conversation forward, as well as how you can be a part of it.
Each summer we see our attendance numbers drop as people drift into vacations, seasonal plans, relaxation and rest - it's something we embrace, expect, and even encourage! And typically September rolls around and we experience some 'drift recovery' as we all come back together, with a shared energized vision of moving forward together as a community. But what does this pattern look like in a year where nothing is 'typical'? How do we recover drift, stay motivated, and move all our faith journeys forward when we're not meeting together on a Sunday morning? Join us this week as our Inspiration Pastor, Tom Loewen provides some insight into church in this unique year.
The pandemic season has raised many questions about how things at Southridge are running behind the scenes - including our church economy. If you're curious about the current state of our church finances and how your generous giving can make a difference, tune into this week's podcast as we chat with our Finance Director, Kathy Van Driel.
If you've been around Southridge for a while, you've likely heard the story about how our church as we know it was largely launched from a process of generational leadership transfer - the handing over of the reins of the 'family business' to the next generation. Twenty years later that conversation is moving to the forefront again, with an emerging generation poised to lead. Tune in to this week's podcast as we chat with Justin Brix, our Vineland Worship Pastor, about what this next generational transfer might look like.
As our community commits this year to investing in the leadership development of the emerging generation, we are so thrilled to sit down for a conversation this week with Lynda Beard. Lynda is a long-time member of the Southridge community and among many of the ways she's involved, she is one of the original leaders of our BRAVE Girls Leadership Program. In this podcast, Lynda shares her heart for the younger generation, her dreams for seeing them rise up as leaders among us, and ways that we can all be a part of encouraging our young people.
This week's podcast is a beautiful merging of our community's ongoing conversations about leadership, Indigenous reconciliation, and female empowerment. Karen Ward of Burning Stone Ministries joins us to share her heart for the Mishkeegogamang Ojibway First Nation in Northern Ontario, and the connections that are developing between 'Mish' and Southridge.
Tune into this week's podcast where we hear from Carrie Jones about Southridge's vision for leadership development in the future. There has been a growing desire to increase leadership in various pathways, and we are excited about some opportunities to see that happen in this coming year.
You may recognize Jenessa Galenkamp from the powerful Land Acknowledgement spiritual practice that she led our community through during the summer. She's joining us on the podcast today to talk about the Southridge Good Relatives team and what it looks like for Southridge to be listeners and learners from the Indigenous community, in a spirit of truth and reconciliation. It's a powerful conversation - you won't regret taking the time to hit play on this one!
It's no secret that the conversations surrounding "Back to School" have been complicated and nuanced this year. We're excited for you to listen to this podcast with Kristy Duncan; Kristy is a leader in our Movers & Shakers Kids Ministry Program and is an elementary school teacher in Niagara. Join us for for this insightful look into the Covid pandemic from the teacher point of view.
We're excited for this week's podcast and the opportunity to introduce our new Facility Director, Jesse Klassen. If you've been part of our St. Catharines location you may recognize him as a youth leader and a drummer, and we're thrilled for everyone to listen to this conversation and get to know him a bit better as he steps into this new role. .
September is typically a season where we share the vision for Southridge that we sense God has placed on the hearts of our leadership for the upcoming year. But how do you cast a vision for a season with so much uncertainty? You're not going to want to miss this conversation with our Lead Pastor, Jeff Lockyer, as he explains where we feel God leading our church in the coming year, despite the lack of visibility in the road ahead.
This pandemic season has brought plenty of hardships, questions, and fear... but there have also been moments of compassion, generosity, and opportunity to share God's love in unique ways. Tune in to this week's podcast for an amazing conversation with Shane Ritzema from our St Catharines location. Shane is a local business owner who shares his story of God's love during COVID-19.
In recent weeks we asked for feedback from the Southridge community regarding their feelings about the current COVID-19 situation and the potential for re-opening our large group Sunday morning gatherings. Join us on this week's podcast as we talk to our Connection Pastor, Jeff Martens, about the survey results and the learnings we have gleaned from this valuable feedback.
Last week we chatted with a long-time member of our Shelter staff, and this week we are excited to talk with a newer one. You're not going to want to miss this conversation with Kelsey Knechtel; she opens up about why she loves the Shelter community and how her own past shapes her present job; she gives a "Next Gen" voice to opinions about aspects of Southridge's journey, and points to compassion as a key thread through it all.
In the last few months you might have heard us talk about the expansion of Shelter staffing, which has enabled us to provide a wider variety of support options for the homeless community in Niagara. Join us for today's podcast as we chat with Dave Nelder, who has taken on the Peer Support role in this expansion. Dave has an amazing story, and you won't want to miss him talking about his journey from being a resident himself, to taking on this new role that has become so vital (especially in this season).
As Niagara enters Phase Three of the Covid-19 journey, many are wondering about when we will resume 'church as usual'. Tune in to this week's podcast with our Board Chair, Joan Hyatt, as we discuss why we haven't opened yet, and the values that we are holding to as we move forward.
Join us this week for a conversation with Lois Warren, Executive Director of the Global Leadership Network Canada, as she shares some of her heart behind the annual Global Leadership Summit.
Continuing in our season of leaning into 'outside voices', we are happy to share with you this episode from the FamilyLife Canada podcast; a conversation between longtime Southridge friends Neil & Sharol Josephson and the CEO & President of Compassion Canada, Allison Alley (who is also not a stranger to our community!). This is an insightful conversation about fostering a heart of compassion and justice in our children and families; you won't want to miss it!
Check out this week's podcast with our special guest, Tim Day. Tim is a dear friend of our community and heads up an organization called City Movement. In a season of hearing from some voices outside of our own family, we are excited to have him here to share his heart for growing the church in Canada.
In a season where we have been hearing from voices outside of Southridge on Sunday mornings, we wanted to tap into that same 'It Takes A Village' mindset in our podcast too! Join us this week for a chat with Jeff Manion, pastor of Ada Bible Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan - you may remember him as the author of one of our community's favourite books, 'Dream Big, Think Small'. He's here to lend some insight into what faithfulness looks like in this COVID-19 season.
Tune into this week's podcast where we chat with our Teaching Pastor, Mike Krause, about some of Southridge's learnings during this COVID-19 pandemic season.
In a season where so many are desiring to adopt a posture of listening and learning in conversations about racism, there are so many voices and important stories to immerse ourselves in. Many of those voices are speaking from a global stage and they are so vital to listen to. But on this week's podcast, we're chatting with our Ministry Services Director, Alicia Ha, about her story and experiences, about racism in Niagara, and even what white privilege looks like within Southridge. You're not going to want to miss this conversation.
Tune in to this week's podcast as we talk to Erica Singer, our Shelter Volunteer Coordinator, about what changes Covid-19 has brought to the Shelter - and how you can be a part of the Shelter community, even in these physically distance times.
In a season where so many parts of our lives have moved online, communicating with our community has faced a number of new challenges. Join us for this week's podcast where we chat with Communications Director, Kelly Smalldon, about this transition
Join us for this week's podcast as we chat with our Vineland Location Pastor, Rick Zwiers; we hope you're encouraged by Rick's heart for connecting our community together - especially in a season of crisis.