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2024 Summer Preaching Series

WORSHIP WITH US THIS SUMMER!

We are pleased to announce our line-up of guest speakers for the 2024 season.

July 7
Rev. Laura de Jong

The Rev. Laura de Jong is a pastor in the Christian Reformed Church of North America with a passion for worship and ecclesiology. She served as pastor of Second CRC in Grand Haven, Michigan, for four years before returning to Southern Ontario where she now serves as Pastor of Preaching and Pastoral Care at Community CRC in Kitchener. Laura is a regular contributor to the Reformed Journal Blog, and enjoys reading, writing, and watching the Jays. Laura is a graduate of Calvin University (History and Congregational Ministry Studies) and received her M.Div from Calvin Theological Seminary.

July 14
Rev. Dr. Andrew Stirling

The Rev. Dr. Andrew Stirling is the Ambassador for the Canadian Bible Society. Prior to that appointment in 2022, he served as the Senior Minister of the historic Timothy Eaton Memorial United Church in Toronto from 1998 to 2021. Andrew was born in the United Kingdom and is a Canadian Citizen. He received his education in England, Bermuda, Canada, and South Africa. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Comparative African Government and Law from the University of Cape Town (South Africa), a Master of Divinity from the Atlantic School of Theology (Halifax, Nova Scotia) and a Doctor of Ministry in preaching from Acadia Divinity College (Wolfville, Nova Scotia).

In 2008 Wycliffe College (Toronto), recognized his contribution to preaching with an honorary Doctor of Divinity. In 2016 Dr. Stirling was appointed a Lifetime Fellow of Acadia Divinity College. For the past 15 years he has been an IndyCar Chaplain.

July 21
TBD

July 28
Rev. Dr. Casey Barton

The Rev. Dr. Casey Barton serves as Assistant Faculty and Director of the Pastoral Ministry Program at Lancaster Bible College | Capital Seminary and Graduate School, in Lancaster, PA. He is Ordained to Word and Sacrament in the Evangelical Covenant Church and, before joining the faculty of LBC|Capital in 2022, served in various roles in pastoral ministry in Mississauga, ON, San Jose, CA, and Hilmar, CA. He is the author of Preaching Through Time: Anachronism as a Way Forward for Preaching (Cascade, 2017), and various articles focused on preaching hope and lament, preaching and eschatology, and preaching with courage. Mostly, Casey enjoys spending time with his wife Sarah and two sons, Eugene and Theo, snowboarding, riding bikes and kayaking. He also enjoys loudly rooting for the Red Sox, especially against the Yankees.

A California native, Casey attended college at Briercrest College; then Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (MDiv, ThM: Homiletics); earned an MTh in Practical Theology (Homiletics) at New College, University of Edinburgh, Scotland; and a PhD in Homiletics from Emmanuel College of Victoria University, in The University of Toronto, in 2010.

August 4
Rev. Dr. Das Sydney

The Rev. Dr. Das Sydney is the President of the Canadian Council of Churches. He was born in India, grew up in Africa, and had his university education in Ghana, Canada and the U.S. He is a past president of the Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec and has taught as an adjunct at Acadia Divinity College and McMaster. He has served in churches in Ontario and Nova Scotia and is currently the Minister Emeritus at Highland Baptist Church in Kitchener, ON and in Interim minister at Westview Baptist in London, ON. He is married to Angela; a graduate nurse and they have three adult children and four grandchildren.

August 11
Rev. Dr. Joni Sancken

The Rev. Dr. Joni Sancken is the Butler Chair of Homiletics and Biblical Interpretation at Vancouver School of Theology. Sancken (PhD, Toronto School of Theology, Emmanuel College) was previously Professor of Homiletics at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, OH and Assistant Professor of Preaching and Practical Theology at Eastern Mennonite Seminary in Harrisonburg, VA. Much of her recent work has concerned the intersections of preaching and trauma studies. Her current research is focused on how preaching can be vehicle for conflict transformation in congregations.

She is the author of several books including, Stumbling Over the Cross: Preaching the Cross and Resurrection Today (Cascade, 2016), Words that Heal: Preaching Hope to Wounded Souls (Abingdon, 2019), All Our Griefs to Bear: Responding with Resilience After Collective Trauma (Herald Press, 2022) and Getting to God: Preaching Good News in a Troubled World (co-authored, Cascade, 2023.)

Sancken is an ordained pastor in Mennonite Church USA and has enjoyed serving and preaching in a wide array of ecumenical settings. She lives in Vancouver with her Presbyterian pastor spouse, Steve Schumm, children Maggie and Theodore, and dogs Bella and Pax. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, live music, reading, and exploring the natural beauty in Vancouver.

August 18
Rev. Dale Rose

The Rev. Dale Rose was the Minister of Pastoral Care at Yorkminster Park from 2012 to 2021. Prior to that, he pastored churches in Nova Scotia, Quebec and was the Senior Pastor at Lorne Park Baptist Church in Mississauga for 16 years. Dale retired from full time ministry in the fall of 2021 but continues to assist churches in transition as an interim pastor. In the spring of 2024, he completed almost three years as the interim pastor at Kingsway Baptist Church in Etobicoke. In June of 2024 Dale will become the First Vice-President of the Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec and continues to serve on the CBOQ Board. Dale and his wife Donna now reside in Burlington, Ontario where they enjoy spending time with their grandchildren and biking various trails around our province.

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