Mark Soderquist

Mark graduated from Taylor in 1980 with a degree in Business Administration. Upon graduation, he worked for a year at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and then joined Operation Mobilization where he served in various capacities for the next five years. His work with OM included: evangelism, discipleship, and leadership development in India and Nepal; providing shelter and food to Afghan refugees in Pakistan; and training churches and teams for evangelism in Sri Lanka and England. He also traveled for a year as a special assistant to George Verwer, the founder and director of Operation Mobilization.

After earning a Masters Degree from Wheaton Graduate School, Mark founded a new ministry with International Teams focused on partnering with Ethnic Churches in underserved urban communities. As the Director of International Teams Urban & Ethnic Ministries, Mark overseas missionaries working with Cambodian, Vietnamese, Iranian, Afghan, Pakistani, Indian, African-American, and Mexican-American churches in Chicago, Elgin, Philadelphia, Boston, Long Beach, Fresno, Los Angeles, and SW Michigan. International Teams Urban & Ethnic Ministries is committed to working in partnership with ethnic churches to see lives transformed by the power of Jesus Christ through evangelism, discipleship, leadership development and youth ministry while cooperating in the economic, social and educational development of the community.

Mark, his wife, Jennifer, and their sons Dane (14) and Anders (10), have lived in an inner city neighborhood in Chicago for the past 17 years. Jennifer is a singer, composer and worship leader as well as a College Volleyball coach. Their ministry involvement also includes leading short-term sports ministry trips to Guatemala, Eastern Europe, Russia, China, and Hong Kong.

Beth Terpstra

Beth Terpstra is currently the Worship Coordinator at First Christian Reformed Church in Hamilton. She has been working at the church for several years, and she plans and leads worship there regularly. Beth has a BA in Theology and Theatre Arts from Dordt College. She lives in Hamilton with her husband Paul.

Lynda Tracy

Lynda Tracy, a former Registered Nurse and retired music therapist, is a graduate of Tyndale Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree in counselling. She also holds Associate diplomas from the Royal Conservatory of Music in teaching of piano and singing.  She has worked in the past in Medical Nursing, as piano teacher and accompanist for singers and dancers, as Administrative Coordinator of the national office of the Canadian Association for Music Therapy, as Coordinator of Supervision for the Music Therapy Program at Wilfrid Laurier University, and most recently in private practice as a music therapist.  She is currently the Community Mental Health Coordinator at First Hamilton Christian Reformed Church, where she enjoys cultivating friendships with people with mental illness and other disabilities. Lynda lives in Kitchener and her interests include her grandson, her garden, her cat, reading, writing, knitting and crocheting, and keeping up with her geographically scattered friends via  email and Messenger!

Carolyn Vanderlip

Carolyn is the Refugee Sponsorship Coordinator for the Anglican Diocese of Niagara, and an elected representative on the NGO/Government Committee on the Private Sponsorship of Refugees Program. She has visited refugee and internally displaced persons camps in India and Sri Lanka, and has represented the Canadian Council for Refugees at the Annual Tripartite Consultations of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva, Switzerland. Carolyn currently works at Settlement and Integration Services Organization (SISO), where she is the Community Engagement and External Partnerships Coordinator.

Christine Vaughan

Christine currently works as Director of Urban Ministries at Philpott Church and is pursuing further studies at Fuller School of Intercultural Studies. She has been actively engaged with refugees and new immigrants through her work at the church, Micah House and the Ride for Refugees in Hamilton.

Mark Vincent

 

 

Mark and Ian are the co-pastors of Lightway Church in Hamilton’s far-east community of Riverdale. Lightway is a church plant out of Hughson Street Baptist Church, and held their first public service in September. Along with their wives, Jodi and Amy, and their team, they are working to develop good relationships at every level: from the school board to the high-rise superintendents to their next-door neighbours.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Cynthia Westfall

Cindy directs Providence Network Canada, an organization that supports and expands faith-based transformational housing in Hamilton.  Cindy Westfall is Assistant Professor of New Testament at McMaster Divinity College. Cindy and her family have been committed to ministry in the inner city for the last 20 years.  During that time, they witnessed and supported the unique development of Providence Network: an effective approach to transformational housing for the hurting people of the inner city in Denver, Colorado.  Glenn and Cindy Westfall’s daughter, Ashley, is currently on staff with the original Providence House.  There are currently two Providence homes for men in Hamilton, and we are planning to open a Providence home for women in 2008.

Lance Wright

Lance Wright has been the lay, Pastoral Associate at St. John United Church in Hamilton for the past 9 years and has been a Staff Associate in the United Church of Canada for 15 years. Lance has been an active youth leader in church, camp, and worship settings for over 20 years. Lance is the leader of Youth Eventz – a ministry that offers large-scale, all-out youth worship every Christmas and Good Friday at Ryerson United Church in Hamilton. Lance’s passion for social action has included three mission trips to Mexico, a mission week in Haiti, mobilizing youth for fair trade, connections with urban youth, a March break camp for kids in the Stinson area, and the production of a play about the story of City Kidz.

Isaac Yoryor

Isaac Alex Yoryor is married with children, he originates from Liberia (West Africa) and is presently a student at Mohawk College, studying as an Automotive Technician.  Isaac came to Canada after spending 14 years in a refugee camp in Ghana (West Africa).  While in the refugee camp Isaac served many positions in United Methodist Church; as a Pastor, Parish Relations Chairperson, and a Lay-leader/reader. Isaac is presently an associate member and also an usher/greeter at Philpott Memorial Church, he also serves as Advisor to the Liberian Community in Hamilton.

Andrew Zantingh

Born and raised in rural Dunville, Ontario, Andrew Zantingh felt called through his youth to become a city dweller and a city pastor. After graduating from Calvin Theological Seminary in Michigan with his Masters, Andrew was ordained in 2000 at First CRC in Hamilton with the intention of participating in the renewal of an 75 year old immigrant church. Andrew currently lives in downtown Hamilton with his wife Kelly, and their three children, Jessie, Matthew and Meghan.