MAY 1-2
2026 • 122 ND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
To the churches, pastors, leaders, and partners of the Canada Covenant.
Thank you.
For the year that is past and all that is to come, God, we give you thanks.
As we gather for our Annual Meeting in Toronto, I look forward to seeing each of you. I pray we will experience the blessing of being together in worship, prayer, conversation, learning, and wise decision-making. I’m more convinced than ever of the wisdom of Christ, which set in motion a mission movement of hope and power through disciples working together for his purposes in the world. Thank you for working together for God’s mission.
Over the past year, I have had the privilege of visiting churches, attending meetings and camps, and connecting with pastors and leaders. I’m inspired by the faithful and sacrificial ministry happening throughout our conference. Our churches are mentoring the next generation, adults and students are being baptized, we are working together to care for the poor, ALPHA courses are helping people come to faith in Christ, and our missionaries feel encouraged by our care and support. We have much to praise God for.
Since we gathered last year in Strathmore, we have been focused on Moving Upward toward God by deepening prayer and dependence on the Holy Spirit. I am encouraged by the churches that have used our monthly prayer themes to build a stronger prayer culture. We need to, and will continue to, focus on prayer in the months ahead.
This year, however, we will shift our focus to Moving Inward, where we will commit to prayerfully and intentionally exploring what it means to teach and model whole-life discipleship. Scripture calls us to this critically important ministry:
We must become like a mature person, growing until we become like Christ and have his perfection. Then we will no longer be babies. We will not be tossed about like a ship that the waves carry one way and then another. We will not be influenced by every new teaching we hear from people who are trying to fool us. They make plans and try any kind of trick to fool people into following the wrong path. No! Speaking the truth with love, we will grow up in every way into Christ, who is the head. (Ephesians 4:13-15)
I look forward to exploring what whole-life discipleship looks like across our conference, in our churches, and at our camps. I anticipate we will need to collaborate with pastors, leaders, and laypeople as we reimagine and develop clear, compelling pathways that guide people toward spiritual, relational, emotional, and intellectual maturity. We can’t assume that whole-life discipleship formation just naturally happens; we need to plan for it to happen, with the Spirit’s power, of course.
Lastly, thank you for your generous and faithful financial support. Your generosity empowers our staff and board to assist churches, pastors, board members, missionaries, and leaders in their ministries. We are stronger together as we steward our resources for gospel work in Canada and around the world.
Praying for the Spirit to continue the good work in and through us.
Rob Peterson President/Superintendent, The Evangelical Covenant Church of Canada
May 2026
Dear Canada Covenant Delegates and Friends,
Welcome to Toronto and the 122 Annual General Meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Canada. What a great time to get together with covenanters from across all areas of Canada. The AGM of the Canada Covenant remains an exciting time for us all to join together to celebrate the work God is doing across all areas of our organization. Thank you for coming!
As a leadership board, we are ever so mindful of our theme of “stronger together”. Collectively, working as a group of pastors, youth workers, camp directors, church leaders, volunteers, staff, etc. we can make significant impact on so many lives. Do not consider your role in this work insignificant. We are indeed stronger together and we appreciate all of you as you join us in looking for where God is working and stepping in right there.
As a leadership board member for the last six years, I am ever thankful for those who give of their time to be a part of the team. My time on the board has been impactful to me as I have worked with so many committed volunteers talking of their time to participate in this leadership role. Please continue to pray that God will lift up strong committed leaders to continue to offer leadership to The Evangelical Covenant Church of Canada.
What a great first year with our new President and Superintendent Rob Peterson. Rob has moved into his role with such grace and ease that it seems as if he has been in this role for many years. Thank you, Rob, for your leadership. May you continue to seek the heart of God for the Church.
Thank you again for attending the AGM. May God bless our time together.
In Christ’s love,
Chair, Leadership Board, The Evangelical Covenant Church of Canada
Greetings and grace to you all as you gather in Jesus’s name to celebrate what God has done within your conference this season.
Thank you for taking the time to be present together, to pray, to worship, to fellowship, and to collectively discern how God is moving within your conference and where you are being called to partner with God more deeply in this coming season of ministry. I love that these annual gatherings are often referred to as a “celebration” as there is so much to celebrate in the Covenant Church.
As you join in worship and the business tasks before you, I hope and pray that you will experience the gift of being united in mission and the blessing of being present to one another. I look forward to hearing more of how God has been doing immeasurably more through you.
I am excited about the upcoming gathering of our local churches for Gather 2025 in Orlando, Florida! We will be joined by many of the presidents of our sister Covenant denominations around the world as we come together to celebrate 140 years of shared mission and ministry. Our global ministry and partnerships have been transformational to both our local churches here in North America and to communities around the world. What an amazing grace we participate in when we work together in service to Jesus and follow him where he leads us. The theme of this year’s gathering is “Follow Me.” Throughout the week, we will hear Jesus’s timeless call to “Follow Me”—the invitation that has transformed countless lives across the centuries. Come connect with sisters and brothers, joining guests from around the world, as we celebrate, discern, and dream together—following Christ into the next chapter of the Covenant story. Please plan to attend in person or online as a delegate or a general conferee. This will be a time that you will not want to miss out on. Details, including how to register, are available online: covchurch.org/gather.
A few of the many areas where I continue to experience God’s faithfulness:
Prayer: Our Covenant O ces team continues to lean in to prayer. Each of our sta teams has been praying for one of our 11 conferences. The President’s O ce team has been curating a monthly prayer email being sent out to anyone who would like to subscribe, and we have been delighted to receive prayer requests as well as hear stories of how God is answering prayer throughout the Covenant. If you would like to join this list, please visit covchurch.org/now. I hope you will continue to find these monthly prayer emails an encouraging resource. Our 3StrandStrong collaboration in mission (local church, regional conference, and denominational team) is strengthened through our steadfast prayers.
Presence: My travel schedule takes me many places where I get to see God’s people engaged in God’s mission. This year I have worshiped in many di erent settings and languages and have met with numerous groups of people. I am grateful to see how the good news of Jesus is reaching people everywhere! I plan to continue to visit and celebrate with local churches, pastors, and leaders, as well as our global partners in each of the regions where God is working through the Covenant. What a joy and privilege to experience the diversity of the kingdom of heaven.
As we prepare to gather both locally and nationally, I feel a deep burden to call our churches to pray. Pray for our churches seeking to faithfully respond to the many places in need of the love of Jesus expressed through words and through acts of compassion, mercy, justice, and peace-making. This will look different in each of your communities, but as a nation, we are facing a time where the love of Christ and his call to care for the lost and the least of these has never felt more pressing. Sharing God’s love in word and deed is embedded in the DNA of the Covenant Church. May we, as God’s people who experience the love of the Father, continue to seek the good of our brothers and sisters in need. May we act boldly as we are led by the Holy Spirit, through the resurrection power of Christ Jesus, to bring the good news of God’s kingdom to a lost and hurting world.
For God’s glory and neighbor’s good,
Pivot: This word seemed to encapsulate how ministries redefined their approach to local church life at the beginning of the pandemic. As we re-engage a post-pandemic ministry model, the Covenant’s denominational sta is also in a place of pivoting through the beginning stages of our reorganization. This year we began a multi-phased “return to o ce” approach as we continue to restructure. Please pray with us and for us as we assess our structure, systems, and methods of delivering resources to better serve our local churches and conferences. We all have a wonderful opportunity to re-imagine ways to reach people with God’s love.
Thank you for endeavoring in Jesus’s name to be the good news. May all glory be to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.
Tammy Swanson-Draheim, PRESIDENT, EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH
In awe of what God has already done and what he will do!
Celebrating 140 years of shared mission and ministry.
Tammy Swanson-Draheim, PRESIDENT, EVANGELICAL COVENANT CHURCH
Rob Peterson President/ Superintendent
Hanne Pihowich Administrator Catalyst
Brandi Bobee Finance Manager
Erikka Hedberg Communications Coordinator Catalyst Coordinator
Paul Campbell | Chair Lighthouse Community Church - Sarnia, ON
Marc Vandersluys | Secretary Minnedosa Covenant - Minnedosa, MB
Rob Horsley | Member at Large College Park Covenant - Saskatoon, SK
Bethany Abramson | Member at Large New Wine Covenant Church - Newmarket, ON
Barry Schultz | Member at Large Malmo Mission Covenant Church - Malmo, AB
Clarissa Cheung | Member at Large Encounter Covenant Church - Etobicoke, ON
Jason Charles | Member at Large City Collective Church - Langley, BC
Darlene Anderson | ECC Liason Faith Covenant Church - Winnipeg, MB
Erick Abramson | Chair New Wine Covenant Church - Newmarket, ON
Alex Song | Vice Chair Church Planter - Windsor, ON
Andy Gilkinson | Treasurer Valley Evangelical Covenant Church - Durban, MB
Natasha Westerhoud | Secretary Chaplaincy - Camrose, AB
Shannon Friesen | Vice Secretary Stonehouse Covenant Church - Steinbach, MB
2025 brought a large green surprise, growth, and a wonderful twenty-year celebration where we prayed for many more years of continued blessings at the Junction.
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Romans 12:12)
The Junction Church started as a small church plant from the Nelson Evangelical Covenant Church in 2005 and over the years we have matured and now arrived at the final stages of independence. The Transition Team received Charity Status with the CRA in late April. They worked diligently to build up a financial team and open a credit union account so we would be ready to start taking donations January 1st of 2026. Some other milestones reached in 2025 for the Transition Team included obtaining insurance, technical setup, and creating policies and guidelines.
We have been without a pastor since Jesse retired in 2023 and, since then, started the Pastoral Leadership Team to oversee our Sunday services, lead prayer ministries, and provide for the spiritual needs of our church members which included support for a funeral as well as two new baptisms. The Junction welcomed both guest and in-house speakers who have gifted the church with the Lord working through them and strengthened us in the Word. We also have amazing prayer teams that continue to serve after Sunday morning services and throughout the week.
Fasting and Prayer evenings were held at the beginning of January to pray for the future of our church and the pastor the Lord is preparing to send us which culminated with a Sunday anointing and blessings for the new year specifically praying for the children, ministry, finances, and healing. More evenings of prayer and fasting in April were held for our neighbours. We welcomed three new babies in the spring.
The Junction has continued seeking God’s will as we go through the Pastoral Search process. The Pastoral Search Committee was ready to receive applications in the late Spring of 2025 and has been working through the steps with Rob Peterson as applications are received. They have kept focus on the church’s pastoral vision for a pastor that can move together with us. The vision also calls each member into having an intimate communion with Holy Spirit so that power, identity, giftings, and ministry comes out of that intimacy and we rely on Him.
On July 18th, a windstorm whipped through and tore the top of a tree off and it fell onto the roof of the church. There was a lot to assess, not only in the immediate aftermath (removing the tree and debris and covering up the damage) but for the repairs as well. Temporary tarps were placed over the damaged roof, and the repairs took less than a week to complete with so many gifted and helping hands coming together.
In addition to men’s and women’s bible studies throughout the year we have had Testimony’s corner on Sundays after the service provides focus on what the Holy Spirit has revealed through the Word to individuals during the week. Turning
Page Collective started as a new group that takes on the responsibility and duty of managing the Author’s table; this includes the display, organization, book reviews, local authors, and much more!
We have been blessed to continue to support Kelvin and Nikole Opiyo, who are missionaries in Mombasa, Kenya, with their Rehma Project. It seeks to share the love of God through mentorship, sports, health, and education. In July, Nikole gave a wonderful update on their work. She came to B.C. along with their two daughters to rest and fill up on visits with friends and family.
Our commercial kitchen and building continue to be rented by local businesses, organizations, and homeschool groups throughout the week. A project to upgrade our fence at the back of the church building was completed to make a safe and secure place for the kids to play in. The maintenance team has set the washrooms as a priority for some needed attention over the next few years. The old toilets were constantly breaking down so in November we completed the goal of replacing the toilets with new higher quality ones. We thank all the volunteers who helped as well as the Slocan Valley Community Legacy Society who provided a grant for the project.
The first Junction Sunday service was held at Mount Sentinel High School across the street from our current location on the 15th of September 2005. The building we own now was the old community dance hall that we purchased and started renovations in 2007. We held the Junction Twentieth Anniversary Party in October with friends from all around the Kootenays in attendance to celebrate with us. After a wonderful ham and turkey dinner the worship team led us through worship songs from 2005 to present. There were pictures and stories from over the years focusing on how God provided and made a way for the Junction to get started, purchase the building, and see His fruit produced in various ministries and missions. We were blessed to have Jesse, our former pastor, join us so we could pray for and thank him and Marie for their many years of service.
At the end of 2025, we were honoured to give some Christmas cheer to individuals and families again with our Christmas grocery gift cards. We were able to spend some extra finances, since we don’t have a pastor yet, on a variety of things which included: blessing charities and missionaries (which included Grace Community Birth Center in Haiti and Rehma), upgrading the facility, and purchasing new media and sound equipment.
We thank the Nelson and Balfour Covenant churches for their continued support. We are excited about 2026 even as it comes with some growing pains and learning curves, to complete the final transition steps. Please continue to pray for wisdom and discernment in our new beginnings and pastoral search. As He leads may we be a light at the Junction to continue to bring God glory and praise.
Danielle Siegrist Chair, JCC Board
This past ministry year at City Collective has been one of both deepening and broadening. Deepening in our dependence on God and broadening in the ways we are reaching people at every stage of life. We are a community learning to pay attention to what the Spirit is doing, and we are seeing how God is faithful in the ordinary and extraordinary rhythms of church life.
A significant focus this year has been the development of life stage discipleship offerings throughout the ministry year. We have worked intentionally to create pathways for people to grow in their faith regardless of where they are in life: single, newly married, raising young children, or navigating the complexities of midlife. In the fall, we ran an Alpha course that proved to be a meaningful experience for participants, opening doors for honest questions and genuine encounters with the gospel. We have also seen new families and couples join our community, many of whom have found a sense of belonging and are actively stepping into community.
From our inception we have rented a school for our Sunday gatherings, but this past year we were able to partner that with a mid-week space (we call it the HUB) that has served our community remarkably well through 2025 and into 2026. The HUB has become a grounding point for our people: a space to connect, learn, and care for one another beyond Sundays. Alongside this, we have celebrated stories of new life through salvations and baptisms that remind us why we do what we do. There is something profoundly encouraging about watching someone step into the waters of baptism, surrounded by a community that has walked with them.
Our staff team has been outstanding in facilitating areas of growth this year offering pastoral care to the congregation, developing volunteer teams to serve on Sunday mornings, and creating environments where people can take meaningful next steps. Their faithfulness in the seen and unseen work of ministry has been a gift to City Collective.
If there is a word that captures our “stronger together” story these years, it is prayer. Not prayer as a program or a scheduled item, but prayer as a posture. This shift has been one of the most significant things we have experienced as a church. The posture of looking “upward” has become a natural outflow in our community rather than simply an element of our services or schedules.
Through this growing culture of prayer, we have seen people discover personal calling, discover breakthrough in areas of healing and reconciliation, and encounter a deeper revelation of God’s love that they are compelled to share with others. We feel like we are just scratching the surface of what God has for us in this area. We carry a holy anticipation moving forward, and are positioning ourselves to live in it.
We are grateful to be part of the Canada Covenant family and for the ways this partnership strengthens us beyond what we could be on our own. We look forward to what this next year holds.
Pastor Jason Charles
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. (Psalm 16:6, NIV)
Our quiet quarter of Edmonton, nestled in the shadow of a river valley that snakes through the heart of it all, has become the locus of our attention. Over the past several years we have circled around a sacred call to love our neighbours well, and that has been a road that wanders, twists, and lingers, much like the streets of our beloved Queen-Alexandra neighbourhood.
Eugene Peterson once wrote “All theology is rooted in geography.” Moving to the city from the plains of Saskatchewan, and my parent’s acreage before that, I [Jesse] found myself on the threshing floor of urban chaos. Life has no speed limits here, and the seasons I had marked my days by are buffered out by climate control. It is easy to lose sight of the geography of the city because there is so much packed in so densely. What do you do when Babylon comes, a many-mouthed thing that devours nearness and calls it progress? What do I say to Margaret, the head of the local permaculture guild, whose garden has been laid waste to by a condo that blots out the sun?
Jeremiah’s exhortation has been especially helpful to us here: “Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” (Jer. 29:5-10, ESV)
This past year, “Stronger Together” has meant that we seek the welfare of our neighbourhood. We hosted a BBQ that was open to our neighbours. We’ve delivered Christmas gifts to our neighbours and springtime flowers too. We baptised five people in January. We pray with
the people who walk through our doors, and sometimes they stick around! On Good Friday we will break bread with the Local Evangelical Free Church and the Baptist Church during a shared Good Friday service, more fruit from striving to live in our neighbourhood richly.
Our ESL cafe has probably been the biggest point of contact with our neighbours. Sometimes up to 20 people attend, just to drink tea and practice English. Persian, Chinese, Moroccan, Ukrainian, Mexican, Venezuelan, and Cameroonian families have attended this group, and some of them have been Baptized. Our neighbourhood is a multitude from every nation and tribe and people and language, so we welcome these new friends to do Bible readings in their mother tongue; a taste of home as they sojourn.
Prayers from children at the local school have covered our bulletin boards. Every week we’re invited into a parents who pray group at the local elementary school, and we love getting to know the fellow believers whose kids are in the neighbourhood week in and week out.
“Stronger together” has also meant that we grieve together. This year alone we’ve already given four people to the grave. I’ve sat with them and gotten to know them all; their beautiful stories and the weight of their loss on their friends and family. Sometimes doing life together and embracing the finite shape of our human lives means that we can’t just whistle past the grave. Giving ourselves over to these people and this place means that we are also learning to bear this great burden together.
This year we have circled back around to our quarter of the city; Pray for us that we would become everything that we preach, and that in time, our neighbours would look at us, see Christ, and worship Him. There are many more stories than I can hope to tell in this short space, so please reach out to Henry while you’re at the AGM, and ask him- he can tell you more.
Pastor Jesse Kane
Rosebud Covenant Church has been a part of the ECCC for 28 years. We’re grateful to be a part of this Christ-centred community.
God was present for Rosebud Church in 2025. With a group of dedicated leaders, we moved forward with prayer, care, and learning.
Our church is a study in contrasts: We have septua- and octogenarians chatting after church, who take great delight in the toddlers and little ones running around their feet. We have 3rd-generation farming families who worship with theatre arts instructors and urban post-secondary students. We have new immigrants, as well as people for whom this land has been home for more than a century. Somehow, if we keep our eyes on the cross of Christ, the Holy Spirit unites us in worship!
We want to be a church that notices! There’s a group in our church who specifically keep an eye out for people in transition; perhaps they’re new to parenting or are graduating, they find themselves in distress or are celebrating. This team finds ways to offer intentional care to them. On behalf of the church, they’ve sent gifts to people who’ve grown up here and are now in colleges or cities far away, to remind them they’re loved. They prepare goodies for the students of Rosebud School of the Arts who are away from their home churches.
We have another team that coordinates a mid-day Sunday meal each month. A bowl of soup, sandwiches and squares are a regular highlight for this community. ‘Soup Sundays’ are points of connection which have been especially meaningful after Covid. We know how valuable it is for the church to share good food and conversation around a table.
Our Missions Team has taken initiatives to partner with the missions work of the ECCC. We want to be a church that is Here 4 Haiti, and support the work of Dr. Manno at Haute Limbe. They’ve also drawn our attention to Argentina and the ministry of Colleen Nahnychuk. We hope to have Colleen participate in our service in April, and learn more about the Argentinian church. Learning and praying for the work of God in different parts of the world has become a part of our weekly service and Tuesday night prayer times. Of course, we recognize that the hard work of the pharmacist in our congregation, or the farmer, the high school teacher, the staff at Rosebud School of the Arts, or parents and praying grandparents... we are all part of the mission of the Church.
This January saw a pastoral transition in Rosebud. Pastor Rob Goertz began his ministry at Rosebud Church in Fall, 2022 as interim leader, and then in 2023 as part of a permanent pastoral duo with me. Together we’ve looked for ways to share Word and Sacrament, focusing on the stories of Jesus for our Sunday mornings. Rob Goertz was excellent at guiding us towards good spiritual habits, formational practices that direct us towards a deeper awareness of God. He taught and preached with care, he listened well, laughed large, and beat everyone at ping pong. It has certainly left a big hole in our services now that he’s moved into other areas of service.
I will continue leading Rosebud Church, pointing to the risen Christ and praying that the Holy Spirit guides us all to be the hands and feet for Jesus in this corner of the world.
Pastor Renita Hamm
Welcome to New Wine in Newmarket! We sit near the top of a vertical corridor of York Region suburbs up from Toronto, a region of nine communities totalling 1.25 million people.
Newmarket feels like a small town of 100K. Growing at a rate of around 1,500 people/year since 1960, Newmarket has grown quickly while keeping much of its “first-name basis” feel. It’s filled with folks who have lived here since forever, new families who recently moved from Toronto, commuters, and new immigrants. Newmarket also serves as the social services hub of York Region, providing care and services for a rapidly growing unhoused population.
And here we are, a church on the corner at the foot of Main Street in historic downtown Newmarket, in a 150-year-old building, reaching youth, engaging in justice, and present to the needs of our greater community. Here’s a quick breakdown of what that looks like:
• We have a youth group of 23 students, most of whom do not attend New Wine on Sundays, but find community and belonging on Friday nights with us. We recently began a Youth Group Bible Study, run by a couple at our church who have been wonderfully invested in the lives of our young people.
• This year, our Justice Stories have explored: Intergenerational Trauma and Healing in First Nations Communities; Power and Privilege; Biblical case studies; Clothing Consciousness (the energy it takes
FU YIN Church is located at 12125 Yonge St in Richmond Hill, Ontario, within the Greater Toronto Area. Our church serves a community largely made up of Chinese immigrants, and our congregation reflects this background. We are a small fellowship of about 25 people, with many in their later adult years. Our ministry is centered on sharing the gospel, answering questions about the Christian faith, nurturing new believers, and cultivating a life of prayer as we seek to grow in our walk with the Lord.
In 2025, we are thankful to see the Lord quietly at work among us in steady and meaningful ways. Throughout the year, we gathered for several fellowship events, including our Spring Festival celebration, an Easter meal, a Dragon Boat Festival gathering, a Thanksgiving meal, and a Christmas celebration. These occasions strengthened our unity as a church family and opened doors to welcome others into our midst. We are especially grateful that nine people were baptized this year, a clear reminder of God’s grace and faithfulness. Through these experiences, we have seen the Lord drawing us closer together as one body, while leading us to trust Him more deeply and to continue seeking Him in prayer.
to create and dispose of clothing); the Growing Rate of Those Unhoused; Understanding Anti-Black Racism and Unconscious Bias; and a word about the Justice of Jesus from author, Joash P. Thomas. These are rich conversations together, as one of our speakers (Jerisha Grant-Hall) shared, where we are creating “Courageous Spaces.”
As pastor, I’m trying my best to help us walk faithfully as a congregation of action and contemplation, and courageous conversations.
We continue to have Worship Café every second Sunday of each month—an Alpha-like style of worship with food and conversation on Scripture together. This year, we have explored the miracles of Jesus together. We also engage in Mission Sunday each Sunday that lies on the fifth Sunday of the month (4x/year). This looks like community events like Messy Church, cleaning our neighbourhood, or partnering with community-wide events.
Finally, we’re small, but we’ve grown in our identity as a multiethnic and multi-culturual church. This has broadened how we undertand each other and Jesus, how we communicate, and what we eat together. It’s beautiful and humbling and we love how God is forming who we are.
We grateful for the ways we’ve grown, been stretched, and formed as a faith community and praying into the next faithful step The Spirit is leading us into.
Zoe Toronto started as a group of university friends whose lives have been transformed by Jesus and has now grown into a unique network of microchurches, serving in each of their communities and sharing the love and good news of Jesus in a way that feels personal, relevant, and rooted in relationships. Zoe Toronto serves unique communities, such as Family Microchurch, which serves young families in Downtown Toronto; Parkdale Microchurch, which consists of a very diverse community of Tibetan, Filipino, and many more ethnic group in Parkdale Neighbourhood; and our Global Community, which focuses on serving student groups at the University of Toronto, working alongside other ministry groups such as Bridges and P2C. We seek to raise passionate followers of Jesus and equip them to serve in every corner of Toronto and beyond.
As we reflect on 2025, we’re grateful and amazed at how ministry in Zoe Toronto continues to grow. Last year, we hosted Greenhouse 2025, a program with a four-day kickoff retreat at Fair Havens Camp, growing closer through deep conversations, times of reflection, and intentional community building through worship, interactive teachings, and discipleship groups. At Parkdale Microchurch, we had the Alpha Youth course each week where we gathered, had a meal and watched the Alpha Youth series and did bible study. The Summer Youth Soccer League and Open Gym are programs for the youth in the Parkdale community so they could access affordable sports. We had over 220 kids registered this year. They heard a gospel story each week, grew in soccer skills, and experienced the love of God through the kindness and patience of their coaches. We also had Parkdale Youth Camp, taking youth from Parkdale to a week of overnight camp and sharing stories of how God finds us when we are lost. Lastly, the Christmas Party in December at the Parkdale neighborhood served as an outreach to share the gospel and connect with the kids and parents within the neighborhood.
We at Abundant Life Covenant Church believe that every visitor is a Divine appointment. ALCC, which began in a living room with four people, is now growing as God is adding to the numbers dauly and individuals and families have been blessed through the mighty work of the Holy Spirit.
Encounter Covenant Church is currently located in Etobicoke, where we rent space from Royal York Road United Church. We’ve enjoyed this season, including having a nearby public school where some of our own families participate in a summer U7 soccer program. We have recently signed a lease to move to North York, where we hope to establish a more long-term home.
Our congregation is made up of many young families, along with students, young professionals, and some older individuals and families. While a large portion of our members are of East Asian background, our community continues to grow in diversity. People travel from across
the GTA each week to gather, reflecting our geographically broad yet close-knit community.
In 2025, one of the clearest ways we’ve experienced being “Stronger Together” has been through the growth of our second- and third-generation Filipino-Canadian (FilCan) ministry. What began as a small outreach has become a diverse and committed community that now meets weekly in Brampton. This ministry has engaged the whole church in prayer, leadership, and support, reminding us that even across distances, we are united in responding to where God is leading and in seeking Him together in prayer.
The Canada Covenant is committed to discipleship and multiplication through church planting. We believe planting the gospel through new expressions of the church endures as one of the most effective strategies to reach young people, engage a growing multiethnic population, and develop vibrant local churches that make disciples.
Making disciples - that is the call. Church planting is not about beginning new worship gatherings, though disciples of Jesus will certainly gather together to worship the Living Lord. Making disciples is not about acquiring new real estate, though physical spaces can serve as significant tools for outreach and formation, resources to neighbourhoods and communities. We make disciples (who make disciples) - and wherever disciples are engaged in life and ministry together in a local context, churches are planted..
We have so much to celebrate among the planting initiatives currently underway, as these ministries live out the call to make disciples, each in a unique shape tailored to their own setting.
New Wine is located in New Market, ON (about 50km north of Toronto). Now four years into the journey of planting, they are a growing multi-ethnic and mutli-cultural church family. We join with pastor Erick Abramson and all the saints of New Wine as they celebrate the blessing of a growing and active youth ministry that connects with many young people from the community. They continue to be committed to engaging their neighbourhood in mission together, working with one another for justice to be expressed in tangible ways in their place.
Just down the road (south) from New Wine, Fu Yin officially began ministry as a Covenant church plant last year. They gather in Richmond Hill, ON, where they are seeing signs of new life, recently celebrating the baptism of some new believers - and they have a goal to celebrate ten more baptisms this next year! The church community is predominantly made up of first and second generation Chinese-Canadians; pastor James Yu is working diligently to train and equip his core team so that they can be mobilized to share the Gospel in their own contexts.
On the south side of Lake Ontario, pastor Jaisy TamHarbridge has come through a season of discernment, of being prepared by God, and of learning to trust
God’s wise timing. God has given a vision for planting The Table in Beamsville (a community within the town of Lincoln, ON). Jaisy is currently clarifying a strategic planting plan and gathering a core team who will share in creating a community that will become home to many who are united at Jesus’ table, formed in His presence, and changed by His power.
And southwest down the 401, in Windsor, ON, the Good Hood Community Kitchen is a part of a larger ministry with a vision to renew their city through loving community (and… make some good chicken).
As a part of the Downtown Windsor Community Collaborative, this fresh ministry expression provides a place for neighbours to gather together, with a specific attention on caring for youth. Please do pray for pastor Alex Song and for wise leadership who will continue to faithfully shepherd this ministry forward.
Our movement has a long tradition of mission in western Canada, but the last decade and a half have seen God growing a network of Covenant ministries and churches in the region of southern Ontario, as you can see represented above! We give thanks for the way that trend continues, and we hopefully anticipate new work in other locations across our country. Join with us in prayer as we are currently discerning next steps with prospective planting opportunities in the lower mainland, interior BC, in the prairie provinces, and further east.
In the coming year, the church planting team of the Canada Covenant (Jason Charles and Gavin Jensen, along with Superintendent Rob Peterson) will continue to prayerfully discern prospective planting opportunities as well as walk with those God callsto step into that unique form of disciple-making work. We are actively making strides to improve clarity in the pathways and infrastructure of our planting systems, wanting them to serve us as robust tools that aid in bringing fruitfulness where God is moving anew.
In the months ahead, you can expect an invitation to share in this work through financial partnership. As that invitation comes, we ask you and your community to prayerfully consider what part you might play in our shared work of discipleship and multiplication. Be attentive to the movement of God in your midst, and, even now, begin to imagine: what might God do in and through your church as you join Him in making disciples through church planting?
CAMPS + TRELLIS FOUNDATION + INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
This past year at The Harbour has been marked by steady growth, deepening community, and a growing sense of calling into what God may be inviting us toward next. One of our major milestones was the staff housing project, with all timber milled on site using local logs and our own equipment. This reflects both practical stewardship and our long term commitment to sustaining ministry at The Harbour.
We are grateful for another strong year of the Headwaters discipleship program, and we were encouraged to also host a Headwaters for Adults retreat this past October, including a group who traveled from Minnesota to attend. Both confirmed for us the ongoing hunger for slow, relational discipleship and spiritual formation.
Looking ahead, we are especially encouraged that the upcoming year of Headwaters is shaping up to be a full cohort. This is significant for us, not only in terms of participation, but as a sign of growing momentum and hunger among young adults seeking intentional community and formation. We see this as an important step toward greater stability and long term sustainability for the program, and as a meaningful indicator that this kind of discipleship continues to resonate deeply.
This year also marked the reopening of Ro Neighbourhood Coffee, which continues to serve as an important point of connection between The Harbour and the wider east shore community, creating space for relationship, conversation, and hospitality.
We were also excited to launch the Wild Goose Collective, with ceramic artist Ayal Heinrichs creating original work on site and helping establish a growing connection between faith, creativity, and vocation at The Harbour.
In addition, it has been a strong year for hosting rental groups, providing space for retreat, training, and renewal while also supporting the sustainability of the ministry.
As we look ahead, we invite the ECCC to pray with us as we discern what may be next; particularly the possibility of a church plant emerging out of Ro. This remains a season of listening and prayer, and we are grateful for your continued partnership and support.
Thank you for your ongoing friendship, prayer, and support.
Mark & Jes Hagen Executive Directors, The Harbour at Riondel • theharbour.net
KCBC is a joint ministry of the Nelson, Balfour, Junction and Erickson Covenant Churches.
Last summer we ran a weeklong overnight camp for kids ages 8-12 and 10 Leaders in Training Youth ages 13-15. The camp was again a great time for all campers and staff! We were blessed with beautiful weather and enjoyed all the beauty and amenities at The Harbour Camp property in Riondel, B.C. Denis Meilleur was our Camp Director and Josh Evans was our speaker. We were also blessed with many other volunteer staff and financial support from all four churches and many individuals without which, camp would not happen! KCBC also put on a Family Camp at the end of August for the second summer in a row.
This summer we are trialing a paid part time Camp Ministry Director position and we are planning to offer two weeks of kid’s camp in August! Please pray for the growth of this important ministry! We are thankful for everyone’s prayers and support and for all those who volunteer in the planning and serving at camp.
Kerry Marsland Chair, KCBC Board • kcbcamp.org
In 2025, we noticed a renewed curiosity about God in young people. This translated into more campers making decisions to follow Jesus. This winter, my call to churches has been to fan this small flame of spiritual curiosity by inviting young people to “Come and See” (John 1:46). This is our theme for our summer camps in 2026 - “Come and See”. Churches have responded to this challenge. They are raising money to remove financial barriers for kids, they are chatting with neighbours and inviting them to camp, and they are helping kids connect to each other, so they have a friend at camp, and it becomes less scary. As a result, registrations are up by nearly 50%. I am praying that God will grab hold of campers’ hearts and they will begin a relationship with him. I am so grateful for the churches that are helping young people discover Jesus and grow in a relationship with him.
In 2027, we plan on breaking ground on a new dining hall and kitchen. We are currently finalizing the plans and scope of this building, and will then have a finalized cost for this new building. This new building will seat 250 guests, allow us to host large banquets, cater events elsewhere, provide food services for our overnight bookings and our own events. This new facility will allow for incredible ministry opportunities and will also help subsidize summer camp ministry.
We are thrilled to share about new local church partnerships. These church partnerships have been instrumental in allowing us to reach more young people and help connect camper families with churches in their local communities. The more we partner, the more significant the impact on young people we see.
Covenant Bay has been growing over the last couple of years, and we anticipate that we will continue to grow as we expand our facilities and services. Lynn Knelson has joined us this year as our Assistant Director. We expect to be hiring additional staff for the kitchen and other hospitality positions over the next few years. Additionally, we will be hiring a few Youth Engagement Workers this fall. They will support local youth and help them connect to local churches.
We are excited about what God is doing in young people. To be a part of God’s work in our local context is incredible and humbling. Lord, may more young people come and see you, experience you, and be transformed - Amen.
Jon Drebert Executive Director
Greetings from the beautiful shores of Clear Lake, MB! And from our Covenant churches in Winnipeg, Minnedosa, Norquay, and Durban (and a few dedicated folks from Saskatoon and Steinbach too!). Together these mission friends have been a part of camp ministry for well over 100 years. More and more kids from our communities are showing up at Covenant Heights, growing in friendships and relationship with Jesus, building confidence and skills, some serving, and generally having a really, really fun time. We are so grateful for the continued partnership of our churches in making this seasonal camping experience possible. Many hands are involved in upkeep, planning programs, and staffing all our volunteer positions. We have much to be thankful for!
We also celebrated several baptisms of youth this past year. Praise God for new life in Christ!
In 2025, we held our second installment of Young Leaders Training with 6 students (gr. 9-12) attending. They were enthusiastic and eager to develop leadership skills and grow in their faith as they served during Squirt, Junior, and Family Camp. These young leaders are an incredibly important addition to our volunteer staff teams as they bring a youthful energy and love for all things camp. Please pray as we prepare to lead another solid group of youth (12 so far!) ready to serve this coming summer.
Registration numbers for all our camps continue to grow. With several of our summer camps and youth retreats busting at the seams, we discerned the need to add an additional summer week, Intermediate Camp (gr. 6-8) into the mix again. We see campers continually inviting new friends so this will help facilitate increased desire for the camp experience we provide at CHBC. What an encouragement! Please pray for our leadership as we recruit staff and prepare for this additional week of ministry.
This season we will continue our fundraising efforts towards much needed upkeep of our facilities. Our kitchen renovation is set to be completed this year, along with some staff housing upgrades. Our dedicated maintenance crew has been such a gift! A big thank you to our maintenance committee leader, Tobin (Minnedosa) for being so resourceful, creating a beautiful new fireplace in our chapel with the wood from the old floating dock. God continues to be faithful in helping us steward this place well.
For summer camp dates and general updates, please visit covenantheightsbiblecamp.com or follow us on Facebook or Instagram @covenantheightsbiblecamp
Hali Wilson Camp Coordinator
In the Fall of 2025, Trellis was able to award six grants to a variety of discipleship initiatives across the Canada Covenant! Please join us in praying for the ministries that recently received funding:
Headwaters Discipleship (BC): Year 5, led by Wild Goose Collective on the shores of Kootenay Lake
Stonehouse Covenant Church (MB): Youth Retreat
Holy Community Covenant Church (MB): Formation Tuesdays
City Collective Church (BC): Life-Stage Discipleship Programs
Lighthouse Community Church (ON): Accessibility Bible Study
The Evangelical Covenant Church of Canada: Internship Experience and Block Grant
It has been a privilege to witness the ongoing passion, creativity, and commitment to discipleship across the ECCC, and we look forward to our next application cycle, with applications due November 1, 2026.
As part of our commitment to responsible stewardship, Trellis Foundation offered one grant cycle per year in both 2025 and 2026, rather than the two cycles offered in previous years. This decision was made since all of the allotted grant funds for these years were awarded in the November grant cycles, and spring grants are only offered when funds are not exhausted in the fall. This also reflects the board’s ongoing desire to manage the foundation’s resources with care and intentionality - so that Trellis can remain sustainable, award grants with greater impact, and continue serving the Canada Covenant Church for generations to come. The board has been meeting and discerning together around the long-term future of Trellis, and we continue to be united with the ECCC Board in our conviction that this foundation’s granting capacity should exist in perpetuity — which means reducing the frequency of grant cycles when more funds are awarded than the amount mandated by CRA for public foundations. This will also ensure that we are better positioned to give generously in the future.
Is there a discipleship initiative happening or growing in your church? Let’s get that seedling off the ground! Apply for a grant or make a donation at: trellisfoundation.ca.
Jaisy Tam-Harbridge Chair
It has been a meaningful year for the Canada Covenant Internship Program. What began as a small step of faith in the fall of 2023 continues to take shape as a formative pathway for emerging leaders across our conference, and we are grateful for the churches and individuals who have made it possible.
The Canada Covenant Internship is a 14week program hosted by local churches in partnership with the Canada Covenant. It is designed to equip participants with hands-on ministry experience, spiritual and leadership development, and personalized coaching. Each intern is placed within a local church where they actively participate in meaningful ministry work while being mentored by local leaders. Weekly training sessions with experienced teachers and communicators from across North America address three key developmental areas: Spiritual Depth, Emotional Health, and Leadership Development.
This year has marked continued growth in both participation and depth. In our fall session, we welcomed interns serving at City Collective (Langley, BC), Zoe Church (Toronto, ON), and College Park Covenant (Saskatoon, SK). Our winter session, currently ongoing, has three individuals serving at Erickson Covenant Church (Erickson, BC) and College Park Covenant. Each cohort has brought its own energy and unique set of gifts, and the host churches have been generous incubators in shaping these emerging leaders.
One of the more encouraging developments this year has been the emergence of ministry residencies at City Collective and Erickson Covenant. These residencies serve individuals who have completed multiple rounds of the internship program and are now pursuing vocational ministry alongside academic study. It is a natural next step where the internship’s formational work begins to take root in longerterm calling and commitment. We see this as a sign that God is doing something sustainable and lasting through this initiative. We have been
encouraged to see new and returning churches provide internship opportunities for their communities. As well, our financial partnership with Trellis Foundation has continued to be a key factor in the program’s sustainability, enabling churches to resource interns as they journey through the 14 weeks together.
We are actively preparing for our next fall cohort, set to begin in late September 2026, and we would love to see even more churches and individuals engage with this opportunity. Whether you are a pastor considering hosting an intern, a young leader sensing a pull toward vocational ministry, or a congregation looking to invest in the next generation; there is a place for you in this. The internship is not simply a training program; it is a community of discernment, where calling is tested, gifts are sharpened, and the Church is strengthened.
We remain deeply grateful for the continued support and prayers of our church communities. The structure and experiences of our churches and cohorts who have shaped this program into what it is today, and through ongoing feedback and refinement, we have taken steps towards a format that effectively supports both interns and host churches. God is at work in the lives of these emerging leaders, and we are honoured to play a part in it.
Interested in hosting or joining an internship? Visit covchurch.ca/internship for more details.
Jason Condon
Robert Goertz
Pete Justine
Tim Keener
Brandon Trotter
From: Evangelical Covenant Church of Canada, Church Planting Director
From: Rosebud Church, Co-Pastor (Rosebud, AB)
To: Calgary Correctional Centre, Chaplain (Calgary, AB)
To: Lake Ridge Community Church, Worship Arts Pastor (Chestermere, AB)
From: Christian Direction, Director (Montreal, QC)
To: Hope Community Covenant Church, Lead Pastor (Strathmore, AB)
Ashlyn Olson (Norquay, SK)
Youth with a Mission - Ships Kona
Ewan Gendall (Melfort, SK)
Torchbearers International Bible School (Tauernhof)
Isabella Bravinder (Thunder Bay, ON)
Prairie College
The Evangelical Covenant Church of Canada has a long history of supporting discipleship of young adults. After the closure of Covenant Bible College (CBC) in 2007, endowment funds were passed on to the ECCC via Trellis Foundation to continue granting scholarships for students pursuing discipleship education.
The CBC Legacy Scholarship program has assisted over 90 students with scholarships to participate in discipleship education programs around the world, with a total of $45,500 distributed.
Melanie Nelson (Wetaskiwin, AB) Prairie College
Piper Friesen (Steinbach, MB)
Providence University College
Tyler Pater (Melfort, SK)
Millar College of the Bible
GLOBAL PARTNERS + PERSONNEL
R e n e w e d C o m m i t m e n t
W e a r e g r a t e f u l t o c o n t i n u e o u r r e n e w e d p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h C o v e
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s p o n s o r s i n t h i s v i t a l m i n i s t r y .
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run with perseverance, taking one step at a time, and they trust Him to provide everything needed to complete this large building project, all to glorify God. By showing up and staying faithful and being obedient to what God is calling them to, they live out the truth that God is walking alongside them as He leads them into His perfect plan, one step at a time.
Our established ministry partner, The Santiago Partnership, also continues to run the race with faithfulness and obedience, recently celebrating with 12 women in the SUMAK ministry. The women have just graduated from CWOW (Creative Woman of the World), an entrepreneurial course that helped them develop business plans for their own ventures. Hearing the women of SUMAK’s stories can be very challenging and heartbreaking. Yet, we see the staff lead with perseverance and remain faithful and obedient to their calling, trusting
that God is working alongside them, offering strength and guidance as they minister to the women. The Santiago Partnership is part of the plan to help eradicate domestic violence, and the SUMAK ministry is a key part of that vision. The SUMAK Artisan Studio is a vibrant hub of creativity, healing, and renewal, offering survivors of domestic abuse a safe, supportive environment where they can access counselling, build relationships, and start reclaiming their sense of identity and purpose. Here, they can trust that God is guiding them into His good and perfect plan. Many may be aware of the SUMAK store online; the women have been creating stunning jewelry pieces for sale, and these items will soon be available for shipment in Canada.
An exciting update from the Santiago Partnership highlights their progress with Forever Flowers. They are delighted to share that they have made their very first successful international shipment of roses, arriving in Ohio just in time for Valentine’s Day. This marks a significant milestone for the Forever Flowers staff. As expected, managing such a distribution involves many details, as the goal is to become direct exporters as they work towards financial self-sustainability for the Santiago Partnership. There are plans for trial shipments in the coming months with possible future shipments to Canada. Forever Flowers started years ago with the purchase of land, followed by the construction of the flower plantation and assembling a team to nurture and care for the flowers. This journey has evolved into a vision of international shipments worldwide. Thanks to the dedication of the staff, who consistently show up and say yes, it’s clear that God has been guiding them along His good and perfect plan, one step at a time.
As we look forward to what lies ahead, we are excited to share our upcoming Ecuador 2026 trip, scheduled for November 6 to 15. If this is something you have been considering, we invite you to take the challenge to show up and say yes by registering online today through the ECCC website. We continue to run the race together; even if the path feels uncertain, we trust God with what we cannot see. Faithfulness means choosing to show up, and obedience is choosing to say yes, one step at a time. Join us, and you will see and even taste the good and perfect plan God has for our friends and us in Ecuador as we walk together in faithfulness and obedience, one step at a time.
Ecuador Team: Natasha Westerhoud, Sarah Pascoe
There is something we don’t say lightly right now: there is hope in Haiti.
While daily realities remain complex, our Haitian partners are beginning to experience a renewed sense of stability creating space for clearer vision, long-term thinking, and new possibilities. That hope reflects the heart of Haiti: resilient, resourceful, and deeply committed to community.
This year, because of you, we raised over $117,687. Your generosity continues to do something profoundly important in this season not just expand impact, but sustain it. And in a place where consistency has been difficult to come by, that stability is transformative.
• Feeding 160 children every week through the Petite Anse Feeding Project—giving kids the nourishment they need to grow and thrive.
• Providing life-saving medical care for over 1,600 patients at Sante 2000, including critical diabetes treatment.
• Supporting 100 elderly individuals at Sarepta, ensuring they receive essential food and care.
• Expanding sustainable food sources with 14 fish ponds through the Aquaculture Project, creating local economic opportunities.
These are not just moments of care. They represent ongoing, reliable support made possible by you. And our Haitian leaders—like Dr. Manno (Sante 2000), Ismanette and Pastor Dugue (Petite Anse), Madame Mark (Sarepta), and Valery (Aquaculture)—are working tirelessly to bring hope, health, and stability to their communities.
With stable funding, programs continue. With continued programs, communities begin to rebuild trust, health, and momentum. And now, out of that growing stability, something new is beginning to emerge.
Over the past several months, we have been in ongoing conversations with Dr. Manno and local leaders about a new vision one that is deeply rooted in the future of Haiti: education. This initiative, No Child Left Behind, is a Haitian-led vision born out of a very real need.
In many communities, children have gone years without consistent access to education. Some have attended school without gaining basic literacy skills. Others have not been able to attend at all. The long-term implications of this are significant not only for individual children, but for the future of entire communities.
Dr. Manno has been asking a powerful question: “What legacy do we leave behind?” This vision is part of that answer.
Rather than starting with systems, this initiative begins with people investing in teachers, restoring consistency in classrooms, and creating environments where children can learn, grow, and develop both skills and values. The long-term impact is profound: shaping a generation equipped not only with education, but with the ability to contribute meaningfully to their communities.
This is not a project created from the outside. It is a vision brought forward by Haitian leaders, shaped by their context, and built on relationships that have been formed over many years.
We are still in the early stages, and we look forward to sharing more as this story unfolds.
How You Can Make a Difference in 2026
Want to keep making an impact? Here are three ways to help:
1. Sign Up for the Newsletter – Get inspiring stories and updates straight to your inbox.
2. Host a Fundraiser – Engage your church or community to raise funds and awareness. We provide all the tools and support you need!
3. Give Monthly – Small, consistent gifts make a huge difference. $15/month feeds a child, $25/month supports two elderly individuals, and $75/month provides lifesaving medical care for three patients.
You Are the Difference
Every meal, every medical treatment, every opportunity given—it all happens because of you. Your generosity isn’t just providing aid; it’s creating hope, stability, and a future for communities in Haiti.
Haiti continues to face significant challenges but there is also growing hope. Hope in leadership. Hope in stability. Hope in what is being built, day by day, through faithful presence and partnership.
As we look ahead to 2026, our goal is $120,000 not only to grow, but to sustain and strengthen the work already happening, while prayerfully stepping into what’s next. Thank you for being part of this story. Because of you, this work continues not just once, but consistently.
Thank you for being Here 4 Haiti. We couldn’t do this without you!
Quick Links:
• Host a Here 4 Haiti Sunday: covchurch.ca/haiti4churches
• Start a fundraiser: covchurch.ca/fundraise
• Sign up for the newsletter: covchurch.ca/haiti
Haiti Team: Kirsten Waldschmidt, Janelle Peterson, Evan Dewald, Tara Linsley
and drought conditions. The difference made in their lives by small efforts on our part is astounding. God through all of us is providing dignity, pride, food for the year and surplus to market to educate their children and care for the entire family from the youth to the elders. They thankyou and I thank you. You are never taken for granted and we especially appreciate all you have been able to do for the least of these!
On a special note…There were a group of Kernels supporters ready to go to Ethiopia this past December when we learned that the deadly Marburg virus had just erupted in the area we were to travel to. We needed to postpone the trip for a year but we were able to find out from the locals exactly what medical supplies they were short of and we quickly sent Kernels funds for two pallets of desperately needed medical supplies. We know that sick people can’t work or farm in any country. After taking a toll the virus did stop spreading. They pass their sincere thanks for sending practical help so quickly… We saved lives in a different way!
Blessings!
Ray Baloun, The Grain Guy
Learn more about supporting the work of Canadian Covenant farmers and Virtual Farmers (donors) in partnership with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank and Tearfund Canada.
It has been yet another devastating year for our friends and partners in the MENA region, especially in the past couple of months. Gaza is still experiencing incredible difficulties. Israel and the US are at war with Iran, and Israel is at war with Hezbollah in Lebanon. The whole region is experiencing intense strife, on top of the seemingly constant tension that weighs heavily on all who call this region home.
In the past year we have been encouraged by the engagement in conversation, learning, and prayer that we have seen for our partners in the MENA region, the Serve Globally personnel we partner with there, and for the region as a whole.
We had over 20 people participate in a Canada Covenant cohort discussion curriculum called “Ascent to Jerusalem”, from the Network of Evangelicals for the Middle East (NEME). And since that first cohort last summer, at least 3 churches have led their own cohorts in their own communities.
A number of Canada Covenant folks participated, either online, or in-person at the Church at the Crossroads Conference in the Chicago area in September. This was a wonderful opportunity to connect with others who are learning about, passionate about, and dedicated to supporting the people of Israel & Palestine in doing difficult peacemaking work. We heard from some inspiring Palestinian Christians, who continue to be a miraculous example of what it looks like to commit to being peacemakers.
Due to the war and ongoing instability in the region, facilitating our regular study tour was not possible. In lieu of our regular trip, in May Sally led a small group of Covenant leaders to meet and connect with our partners and global personnel in Israel and Palestine. This included the Covenant’s executive minister of Serve Globally Grace Shim, MENA regional coordinator Hannah Baker, and North Park Theological Seminary professor Dr. Elizabeth Pierre, who also serves on the advisory board for Covenant World Relief and Development. It was truly a transformational trip. Both Grace and Elizabeth are therapists by vocation, so it added
a unique insight to all of our experiences and conversations. We were able to visit numerous sites in the land, attend church in Nazareth, meet with long-time partners as well as make new connections, spend time with our Covenant global personnel, and hear many stories of challenge, trauma, and resilience. We explored opportunities to come alongside and support our brothers and sisters in ministry as they seek to embody the love, peace, and justice of Jesus in a land filled with war and grief. It is our hope that we will be able to resume our study tours in the future, as well as return to Bethlehem for events such as Christ as the Checkpoint. Our physical presence in Palestine is an expression of solidarity that we hope to continue on into the future.
We want to leave you with these words from the Serve Globally personnel we support in the region…
“This war has been challenging for all of us—it feels more serious than the conflict with Iran in June, and the outcome seems less certain. We are grateful to be safe, as Bethlehem has not been directly targeted, and we continue to follow all safety precautions. In the midst of this, we’ve found comfort in being present with our neighbors and community, where there is a real sense of solidarity in the face of uncertainty. One encouragement is that our reconciliation cohorts at Musalaha have drawn closer together during this time. What could have deepened division between Israeli Jews and Palestinians has instead become a source of mutual support. For safety reasons, we are meeting online, but the sense of care and connection remains strong. We are also encouraged by our Bible study and co-workers. Please pray that God would bring justice and peace out of this chaos, for encouragement for all who are suffering, especially those who have been displaced, that we would not lose our humanity but have daily courage to love and care for our neighbors, and that we would remain faithful witnesses to Jesus in this time.”
Thank you for your continued prayers!
MENA Team: Sally Carlson, Eric Hedberg, Sarah Pascoe
*Please note that this report is from the 2025 Canada Covenant AGM. The 2026 Argentina report is coming soon.
Esperanza means hope in Spanish. It comes also from the verb Esperar which means ‘to wait for’. This has been a word in Spanish that has filled my life over the years. There has been a lot of waiting. Waiting for documents, visas, answers. There has been even more hope. Together it becomes a hopeful waiting. A bold, confident, faith filled, radical hope in the waiting. God has firmly rooted many ministries, has confirmed in so many ways my calling to serve him here, his will and guidance lived out in life. The words of faith, surrender, and obedience will always be inscribed on my heart and I am so grateful for the unexplainable faith and conviction in this missionary life; the strength to keep stepping forward even when I can’t see past the next step. Because I know that he has a huge plan, much greater than I can even imagine. And I know he is at work in ways I don’t know and don’t need to know. I only have to continue to say “Yes Lord” with open hands and a surrendered Heart.
Thank you for your support and prayers over the last year. The messages and chats were wonderful and encouraging. Your commitments financially have allowed the work of God to grow and expand in Argentina. I am honoured to be his servant.
2024 was filled with National Events for the Youth, Ladies, and Mens groups. These were the first in many years. I had the privilege to work alongside the various leaders in the planning, logistics and travel, teachings and also standing back and watching God move in and through various people and families.
2024 ministry included the continuation of CHET (Centro Hispano de Estudios Teológicos) seminary. I am part of the leadership board for the Centro de Capacitación (CdC) which oversees the courses; and I am also one of the tutors. In 2025 we will have our first graduation ceremony! Praise God! In addition to this, discipleship classes, Bible studies, English classes, hikes and healthy foods, and being present and living life with others filled the days and weeks. I am thankful to be used by God in whatever way he has planned on any given day; and to be able to walk alongside others in their processes, see healing in health/marriages/families.
In the North there is a new church plant that started out being a center for serving and supporting those coming off
the streets, out of addiction and restoring broken families. There are various projects in every church; and especially the Predio property in La Plata, Cielos Abiertos in Florencia Varela and their prison ministry, Congregation Nissi finishing construction on their building; as well as numerous outreach programs in every church.
There will be a lot of travel this year as I accompany pastors from Argentina to Gather in June; and to CIPE in Mexico in October. I plan to be in the USA and Canada for a few weeks after Gather and would love to connect with you! In 2024 and already in 2025 I have received a few visitors and one youth as part of the Merge/Serve Globally Immersion. The ministry of being present – within the church and within the barrios (neighbourhoods) continues. Hosting groups and families in my home, transportation, meals, the list goes on. Supporting and assisting pastors and groups in whatever is needed.
Thank you again for your support and prayers. I pray for what God will do at the AGM in Canada, and for each of you. I continue to be overwhelmingly loved on and encouraged by your commitments to serve and support alongside myself and Argentina in God’s Kingdom
The year 2025 marked Reah’s 20th anniversary. If the last 20 years are likened to spring for planting seeds and where crops begin to grow, the next phase of Reah’s season is the summer where we see hard work, vigilance, and maintenance before the harvest in the fall.
To prepare for a great harvest, Reah is planning the following initiatives:
1. Empower 2027 will be the last Empower. This is because 20 years after launching Empower, where we went wide to raise awareness and to mobilize churches and organizations, we now want to go deep. While equipping those who desire to be prepared for North Korea ministry in deeper discipleship, we want to consolidate the resources and the relationships to reconfigure them for maximum effectiveness. In preparation for Empower Korea 2027, we are enlisting three more South Korea churches. To that end, there will be a gathering of young adults in May of 2026 with at least six South Korean churches in unity.
2. Love Korea 2027 is a challenge to the South Korean churches to partner with the global church for North Korea engagement. In the summer of 2027, approximately 15 shortterm teams from around the world will partner with South Korean churches to mobilize young people from around the world to give them a vision for peace and reconciliation on the Korean peninsula. Joint teams of South Korean and global church young adults will travel together to China and South Korea to catch a vision for North Korea.
3. Working together with Brazilian and Canadian universities, Reah will advance educational initiatives in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea. We are planning to take a delegation of university and church leaders into Pyongyang in 2027.
4. Throughout 2026 and beyond, Reah will be working with sending organizations and local churches to initiate a North Korea prayer group all over the world. We have launched a prayer committee who will provide resources and prayer fuel to empower prayer groups all over the world with an eye toward the organizations and churches involved in Love Korea 2027. The inauguration of the prayer initiative will be at the L.A. retreat in August.
5. In the fall of 2026, Reah will be partnering with a local church in Toronto to implement a missional and holistic discipleship pathway. This will be a pilot project to launch the Formations Discipleship in a local church context utilizing a dynamic interplay of Reah’s global resources with the local assets of this Toronto church.
6. Lastly, we’ve helped to launch the North Korea association in 2025. My prayer is that this association of organizations and churches will learn to collaborate for projects inside North Korea.
2026 is a banner year for us. On Valentine’s Day we we became grandparents for the as our son Graeme and his fiancée, Emily, saw Ciaran James enter the world.
Mid-May we’re travelling to Halifax to visit all three of them. From there we fly across the continent to Spokane where I’ll officiate a wedding. After a brief visit with our older son, Calum, Rae returns to Edinburgh for her job.
I will continue however for my first ECC Ministry Assignment which will include time with friends, family, colleagues, churches, and supporters in Washington, Oregon, California, Indiana, Alberta, and British Columbia. I’ll be a Serve Globally delegate at GATHER and will attend MCE at Covenant Harbor, WI.
The summer meets its apex as I officiate Graeme and Emily’s wedding in St. John’s, Newfoundland on August 22nd. It is going to be exhausting…in all the best ways! Your prayers are appreciated as I must still find places to stay, cars to drive, flights and meetings to arrange.
The past year has been extremely fruitful as God has brought much blessing to us through our ministry partner, St. James Scottish Episcopal Church. We enjoy a mutually edifying relationship that continues to see lives transformed in the gospel, especially those on the margins and suffering with addictions of various kinds.
Music is always a big part of what I do and you can hear my latest single here. Our monthly open mic night, The Well; our weekly contemplative recovery event, Siloam; the Edinburgh Recovery Activities Café; our monthly Second Sunday Sacred Space; Sunday worship gatherings, and numerous redemptive conversations with those in recovery continue apace.
rewarding, work among alcoholics can be immensely frustrating.
Life among those of us in recovery can be a perpetually discouraging thing, fraught with disappointment. However, French philosopher/novelist Albert Camus once wrote in his 1942 essay “The Myth of Sisyphus”: “one must imagine Sisyphus happy.” In it he argues that acknowledging life’s absurdity allows for freedom and joy. In other words, although
However, others have believed in me, supported me, and continue to journey with me as a recovering alcoholic. How can I do any less with those to whom God has brought?
For your friendship in the gospel, your faithful prayers and support, we thank you.
Pax Christi, Robert Rife & Rae Kenny-Rife
To view additional documents for the 122nd Annual General Meeting, please visit the webpage below:
covchurch.ca/annual-general-meeting
