Beth Guckenberger | Keynote Speaker
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Beth and her husband, Todd, live with their family in Cincinnati, Ohio where they serve as Co-Executive Directors of Back2Back Ministries. After graduating from Indiana University, the Guckenbergers moved to Monterrey, Mexico where they lived for 15 years. Between biological, foster, and adopted children, they have raised ten children.
Beth is the author of seven books including adult and children’s titles. She travels and speaks regularly at conferences, youth gatherings and church services. Her style is based in story-telling and she draws from her vast field experience as a missionary, Bible teacher and parent for illustrations of biblical concepts. Find out more at www.bethguckenberger.com |
Speaker Bios
Brian Kauste has been involved in Children’s Ministry for over 20 years and is currently the Family Life Pastor at The Meeting Place in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Over the years, teaching methods, organizational structures and volunteer dynamics have changed and he has led his teams into new and exciting territory, with a focus on equipping families. A father of three, he’s passionate about teaching the Bible in creative, relevant and fun ways. He also loves running, most things 80’s, taco salad and fonts.
-Breakout Session 
Cathy Dyck has been involved in children and youth ministry as a staff member and as a volunteer for over 25 years. Currently she is the Canadian Facilitator for KidUnique and Finding Your way, resources which equip adults to come along kids they care about, helping them discover who it is that God has created them to be. Cathy’s skill as a leader and facilitator are well matched with her relational skills, personal insights and exceptional character. She translates her years of wisdom and leadership experience to the everyday circumstances and life changing opportunities that parents, coaches, teachers and volunteers have with children and youth.
www.cathydyck.com -Leadership Lab + Breakout Session 
Dan Doerksen is a pastor, writer, and speaker from Winkler, MB. He has led Children and Student ministries in a church setting for 13 years and is currently pursuing an MA in Organizational Leadership. He is passionate about helping leaders within the Church multiply themselves into others and creating a culture of development and growth.
-Leadership Lab Related Links: DanDoerksen.me Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanDoerksen Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dan.doerksen 
Enaka Melanson The only thing Enaka is more passionate about than building relationships, is helping others see how much they are loved by the One who made them uniquely awesome! Almost 20 years as a Small Group Leader have given her some great opportunities to grow those relationship building skills. Enaka is also currently in a leadership role, equipping and cheerleading leaders in youth ministry. Her years as an Educational Assistant give her many tools when it comes to loving kids who have a hard time seeing how valuable they are. Enaka is a wife, and mother of 3 (almost grown) children. Her hobbies right now consist of hanging out with youth on a Friday night, and going for coffee with anyone who would love to chat.
-Breakout Session 
Heather Karr is passionate about Christian education and has worked as a classroom teacher and resource teacher for many years. She is currently the Early Years Resource teacher and Resource Coordinator for Linden Christian School in Winnipeg. She has also taught Sunday School from preschool to Grade 5 at different periods throughout her life. Her desire is to equip teachers to reach all children with a heart of compassion and understanding.
-Breakout Session 
Kent Martens and his wife Pam have four kids, a daughter-in-law and a fiancé! Interests include Settlers of Catan, playing hockey, doodling and watching the Jets. Lately Kent’s mind is being blown by the fact that every person in the world is made in the image of God and is therefore exceedingly valuable and should be treated as such. Kent has been on staff at Emmanuel Evangelical Free Church for 19 years, currently working with great teams as the Family Ministry Pastor.
-Breakout Session 
Lorraine Kehler has served as a teacher and school leader principal) in numerous schools in the Hanover School Division for many years and is currently the Vice Principal of Early Years at Linden Christian School. In the course of her life time she has worked at summer camps, led DVBS programs, served as Sunday School coordinator, as a large group Sunday School teacher as well as small groups of students in a Sunday School classroom.
-Breakout Session 
Lisa Shau is in her fourth year as Sunday School Director at a small church whose population is about 40 percent children. She is passionate about ensuring that Sunday School content and activities consistently teach and celebrate ‘whole counsel of God’ as found in the Bible. She believes that Sunday School is not only about teaching children, but also about the growth into maturity of the whole church, ‘so that the Body of Christ may be built up’ (Eph 4:12).
-Breakout Session 
Reg Froese is the Director and Program Coordinator for Journey Canada - Central Office, a community-based, Christ-centred discipleship ministry that exists to help people find hope and live life through experiencing Jesus in their relationships, sexuality and identity. Before coming to Journey Canada, Reg spent over 10 years working in other Christian ministries within the social services and non-profit sectors in Canada, the United States, and Latin America. In his spare time, Reg enjoys watching hockey, pick-up basketball, road trips, and finding excuses to drink coffee.
-Leadership Lab 
Shellie Power has been the Director of Hope Centre Ministries since 2008. Hope Centre Ministries, a Winnipeg based ministry, provides spiritual care and support for individuals who live with disabilities. Shellie’s previous experience as a Special Education teacher, combined with her parenting journey has helped her to develop her repertoire of practical strategies for inclusion. She is passionate about sharing these resources with churches and faith communities.
-Leadership Lab 
Tina Kauste is an Early Childhood Educator with experience in working with school age and preschool children. Over the years, she’s lead and mentored the Preschool Teaching Team at The Meeting Place. Currently, she’s a full-time wife and mom, taking on the age range of 16, 11 and 7.
-Breakout Session 
Victoria Bissell joined Plan to Protect® at the end of 2013, as Director of Training. She graduated from Wilfred Laurier University and Nipissing University with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Education. She is passionate about children and education and has worked with kids as a Day Camp Director, Assistant Children's Pastor and Teacher. Tori loves traveling and has travelled extensively across Canada, USA, Italy, Bolivia and the UK. She is creative and loves photography and scrapbooking.
-Breakout Session |
Bob Fewings has been involved in Children’s Ministry for 12 years and is currently the Early Childhood director at The Meeting Place. He pioneered introducing worship music and chronological bible story teaching to preschool kids as young as 2 years old, and is currently working on a plan to extend that to 1 year olds. As a husband and a father of 2 adult children and an 11 year old, he has a passion for creating fun and interesting ways to teach kids about God. Bob enjoys sparkling water, salads and long walks on the beach…not, he loves Slurpees, lasagna and camping with his family.
-Breakout Session 
Chris Laing has been a key participant of the church team at Parasource Marketing & Distribution for over 3 years. As a Church Resource Consultant he has worked with many churches, helping them find a curriculum that best suits the needs of their church. As a husband, father of 2 children, he has a heart for children’s spiritual growth. and will be presenting several different curricula to help you in your children’s ministry area.
-Breakout Session 
Chantal Wiebe is a parent and school psychologist, and has been a consultant for youth and their families in the public school system and in a private practice setting for more than 10 years. She works in Canada’s first school system under First Nations jurisdiction and has recently joined The Meeting Place teaching team. With an emphasis on attachment and a whole-child perspective, she helps families develop relational health in the midst of learning, behavioural, and emotional disorders. Chantal is a published writer and a dealer in the realm of hope.
-Breakout Session Related links: Instagram: @chantal_wiebe 
Francine Wiebe Francine Wiebe lives in the inner city of Winnipeg with Chad, her husband of 28 years, and their three now-adult daughters. As an educator, Francine has dedicated the past 12 years of her professional life working with refugee youth and their families in Central and North End Winnipeg. She is co-founder of Freedom International School, a Grades 8-12 school, specialising in newcomer youth literacy. Francine loves to travel and out of he 27 countries she has visited, her time spent in Japan as well as Arabic speaking countries have given her a good taste of what it is like to be immersed in a totally foreign land without the language or a deep cultural understanding.
-Panel Discussion Relate Links: Website: freedominternationalschool.net Instagram: @freedomschoolwinnipeg 
Jennifer Schraml works as the Middle Years Resource Teacher at Linden Christian School and is currently teaching Grade 1 Sunday School at Grant Memorial Church. She has training in inclusive education and understands the importance of employing multiple strategies to engage the diverse learners in today’s classrooms. Jenn loves working to support both students and teachers to spark a desire to learn new things.
-Breakout Session 
Linda Unruh One of Linda’s passions, whether as a leader, as a parent or a friend is helping people take a step forward in their spiritual life. She’s been married 43 years, has 3 married children, 8 grandchildren and considers herself a ‘life-long-learner’. Having spent 10 years as Director of Children's Ministry at The Meeting Place, she now serves in several volunteer roles at TMP. Fifteen years ago, she had a fresh and simple experience, learning to engage in God’s Word that contributed to a life-changing spiritual journey.
-Breakout Session 
Lori Myers serves on Truth78 (previously known as Children Desiring God) staff as a partner relations specialist and has worked with Truth78 materials since 2004. She has served in churches of various sizes for many years as a preschool teacher, worship leader, program coordinator, and administrator of family discipleship ministry. Lori has been blessed with two amazing daughters, two wonderful sons-in-law, and five adorable grandchildren.
-Breakout Session Related Links Website: Truth78.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Truth78org/ Twitter: @truth78org Instagram: @truth78org 
Melodie Bissell is the President of Plan to Protect®, a social enterprise and ministry providing policy templates, screening and training to help churches achieve the HIGHEST STANDARD of abuse prevention and protection. The company services 10,000 churches. She is the co-author of the best-selling Plan to Protect® manuals: Plan to Protect®: A Protection Manual for Children and Youth, and A Protection Manual Churches. She has also authored and edited numerous articles, booklets and is the chief editor of PROTECT magazine. Melodie lives with her husband, Scott, who is a Missions and Outreach Pastor at a church in Toronto, Canada. She sits on the Board of Teen Challenge Canada and Restore Canada. She is currently working towards her D. Min. at University of Toronto on the topic of Rebuilding the Walls of Protection: Creating a welcoming and healing faith community for victims of child sexual abuse.
-Breakout Session 
Sherryl Koop loves Jesus and presently serves Him at Square One World Media in a variety of roles. Her most recent ministry is a radio show called ‘A Skoop of Life’ which is story based and invites listeners to consider a relationship with Jesus Christ. It is broadcast on three Golden West Broadcasting stations in southern Manitoba and is also available online. She previously served with the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches as National Youth Ministry Director and with Youth for Christ Winnipeg primarily in the north end of Winnipeg, youth penal institutions as a chaplain and overseas leading mission teams through Project Serve. Sherryl speaks, preaches and teaches in many different settings but her favourite places to have conversations are in her home or a great local coffeeshop!
-Breakout Session Related Links: Website: www.micahssupervlog.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Micahssupervlog/ Instagram: @micahs_super_vlog |