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Departure

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Departure – A Word with New Meaning to me

I used to travel a lot and the word departure only meant something to me at the airport terminal. Which way to the gate for my flight? Recently, I discovered a new meaning for this word, and how it describes my recent spiritual journey.

Departure #1

After 21 years of ministry at South Edmonton Alliance Church, I resigned to follow God’s calling to BC and take on a new role with the CPD. I love the church, the people, and team that I worked with very much and it was hard to say goodbye to the church, especially during a pandemic.

Departure #2

My sister, my only sibling, passed away on Thanksgiving Sunday last year in Hong Kong after a seven-year battle with cancer. Her last few weeks in the hospital left her feeling extremely lonely and helpless as no visitors were allowed due to COVID, not even her husband and daughter. My Mom (in Calgary) and I wanted to go back to at least say goodbye, but the circumstances did not allow for that. Sadly, we couldn’t even go back for her funeral.

Departure #3

Shortly after my sister passed, I called my mom to let her know about my new role and the upcoming move to BC. Her immediate response was, “Your sister just left and now you’re going to leave me too?” My mother is 86 years old, single, and has been living by herself in Calgary for almost 28 years. I used to live in Calgary when I pastored at the Calgary Chinese Alliance Church. Mom was unhappy when I moved to Edmonton in 1999 but declined to move with me. She was much younger and healthier back then. I invited her to move out to Vancouver with me, but once again she declined. She feels she could not handle the stress of moving and I completely understand.

Departure #4

Natalie and I have three adult children. Geoffrey is 25 and working, Gabriel and Nichole 22 and 20 are attending university. All three will be staying behind. It feels like an empty nest experience in reverse, or the honeymoon phase again. Deep down in our hearts we know we are going to miss our children very much and worry about them. What are they going to eat? Who will clean up after them? What about the dog? Is he going to survive with being fed some days and other days not? Will they close the garage door? I recently installed a wi-fi garage door module, but what if the internet went down? What if…

Departure is not an easy feeling. There are many emotions associated with it. Being emotionally prepared when facing major changes involving departures is extremely difficult, at least it feels that way to me.

The Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people, and your father’s household to the land I will show you. So Abram departed as the LORD had instructed…”

I hear God calling me to serve Him and His churches in the CPD and already see His hand moving in my life. I am waiting for things to improve with the pandemic and for restrictions to lift before completing the final phase of my departure-transition experience. I have not moved in 21 years. I have forgotten how to pack, both physically and emotionally. Packing up the dreams God planted in the fertile soil of my journey means a chapter in my life is through, and a new chapter for my family and my ministry begins.

I’ve come to realize that departures are a part of everyone’s life. It is a sacred pathway to develop our faith. Sometimes God invites us to break free of our present daily routines and rhythms to begin something new. He invites us to firmly hold on to His and follow Him. Vulnerability is the key to experience God and build spirituality.

Genghis Chan

Carmen Kinniburgh

District Children’s Ministry Partner

Children’s ministry involves developing leaders, discipling children and families, exercising creativity, with an emphasis on fun and building relationships that help others to experience God’s love as they are loved by people who know God’s love. Carmen has served in children’s ministries as a volunteer, coordinator, curriculum writer, camp speaker, and pastor. Her desire in ministry and life is to help others (whether they be children, youth, or adults) to hear God’s voice and to experience the freedom and fullness of love found in knowing Jesus and living kingdom lives. Whether your children’s ministry is led by volunteers or a pastoral leader, Carmen would love to connect, build networks, support, resource, pray with, and provide care in whatever areas are needed.

Carmen lives in Vernon with her husband, Jeremy, and their two teenage kids. She loves playing soccer, hiking, camping, and theatre. She and Jeremy have founded two new ministries called Threshold Initiatives and Contributing Pastor.

Terry Ann Opperman

Official Worker

David has served at Lakewood Alliance Church since the fall of 2002, first as an associate, then as Lead Pastor starting in November 2005. David has been on various committees including DEXCOM, District Nominating Committee, a few General Assembly Committees, and the Rules Committee for District Conference. David has an interest in church governance and seeing healthy leaders serving on healthy boards in order to better equip and serve the church.

David and Tara are in the process of launching their three young adult sons and enjoy seeing the trajectories their lives are taking. David enjoys woodwork and getting out cross-country skiing in the winter.

Steve Schneider

Lay Person

Steve is a layperson and a member of Peace Portal Alliance Church in Surrey. He has been married to his wife Brenda since 1984. They have two adult daughters. He is an engineer by background and holds an MBA from Heriot-Watt University. He works in the paper industry and is also the President of SGS Consulting Ltd. He has recently become a licensed worker in the CPD.

Steve has served in varied ways over the years but has more recently been focussed on church board work. He served on his first church board 36 years ago. Since that time, he has served on four different church boards and the District Executive Committee of the CPD. Over the last 12 years Steve has actively been teaching and consulting with church and not-for-profit boards within and outside of The Alliance Canada to help them develop healthy governance practices.

Keith Cheung

English Lead Pastor at Burnaby Alliance Church

Keith was also an active member at Westside Calgary Chinese Alliance Church before moving to Vancouver to begin full-time pastoral ministry. After a brief stint pastoring in a church from another denomination, Keith began serving as the English Lead Pastor at Burnaby Alliance Church in 2017 where he continues to serve today.

Keith is married to Cecelia (20 years this year!) and they are raising 2 beautiful daughters (11 and 6) who they adopted from Taiwan and Korea respectively. He loves, in no particular order, cooking and eating and conversations, the Saskatchewan Roughriders, road cycling, family reunions, and good movies and music.

Carol Goh

District Chaplains Committee Chair

carol@mycac.ca

Carol Goh has chaired the District Chaplains Committee and served on the Association for Alliance Chaplains (AAC) National Committee since 2018. She completed her Masters degree in Chaplaincy in Spiritual Care from Trinity Western Seminary and is the Neighborhood Chaplain and Pastor for Seniors at Chilliwack Alliance. As a chaplain, Carol invests in the neighborhood (parish) around the church through connecting with those who live, work, and go to school there. She intentionally supports the local public elementary school and other local organizations so that together they can weave together the fabric of care for the inhabitants. The Goh household includes her husband Andrew, their three teenage sons, Andrew’s mother, and their golden doodle.

David Driedger

Board Leadership Training Partner

dave@lakewoodalliance.com

David has served at Lakewood Alliance Church since the fall of 2002, first as an associate, then as Lead Pastor starting in November 2005. David has been on various committees including DEXCOM, District Nominating Committee, a few General Assembly Committees, and the Rules Committee for District Conference. David has an interest in church governance and seeing healthy leaders serving on healthy boards in order to better equip and serve the church.

David and Tara are in the process of launching their three young adult sons and enjoy seeing the trajectories their lives are taking. David enjoys woodwork and getting out cross-country skiing in the winter.

Daren Wride

Transitional Pastors Network Coordinator

dwride@shaw.ca

Daren Wride has been serving in transitional roles since 2011. He has been on the ground as Transitional Pastor in multiple churches around the province and has engaged as a Transitional Coach with several other churches. Prior to his transitional work, Daren pastored three churches in Alberta and BC for a total of nearly 20 years. Daren has also spent time in the professional speaking and internet marketing worlds and usually has a related project on the go.

Geoff Stewart

District Youth Ministry Partner

geoffs@peaceportalalliance.com

Youth ministry is among the most demanding ministries in the church from a relational standpoint, serving young people who are defining the ever changing culture we live in. Leading in youth ministry is best not done alone, and Geoff desires to help our youth pastors serve and encourage one another through the sharing of resources, wisdom, experience, and perspective. In the ever-changing world of today’s high school student, it is vital for us as youth pastors to be changing with them to understand the world they are navigating and share with them the life changing truth of the Gospel.

Geoff has been a youth pastor for 6 years at Peace Portal Alliance Church and volunteered for 10 years before that in the same church. He is passionate about seeing young people transformed by Jesus and becoming leaders in their school and community. He and his wife Lavonne live in South Surrey with their cats Norman and Puff Daddy.

Andy Lambkin

Team Lead - Property Development & Nest Housing Society

andy.lambkin@gmail.com

Andy wears two hats in the Canadian Pacific District. He serves as our New Venture implementer, helping new communities of faith emerge across our province, and he also leads the Nest housing Society, a non-profit affordable housing society working with local churches to utilize their land for social good while fulfilling critical ministry priorities. If you have questions about either of these areas, please reach out.

Personally, Andy is married to Jolie and they have four kids. Residing in North Vancouver, they call simplechurches, a network of house churches, their church home.

Carmen Kinniburgh

District Children’s Ministry Partner

jckinnib@telus.net

Children’s ministry involves developing leaders, discipling children and families, exercising creativity, with an emphasis on fun and building relationships that help others to experience God’s love as they are loved by people who know God’s love. Carmen has served in children’s ministries as a volunteer, coordinator, curriculum writer, camp speaker, and pastor. Her desire in ministry and life is to help others (whether they be children, youth, or adults) to hear God’s voice and to experience the freedom and fullness of love found in knowing Jesus and living kingdom lives. Whether your children’s ministry is led by volunteers or a pastoral leader, Carmen would love to connect, build networks, support, resource, pray with, and provide care in whatever areas are needed.

Carmen lives in Vernon with her husband, Jeremy, and their two teenage kids. She loves playing soccer, hiking, camping, and theatre. She and Jeremy have founded two new ministries called Threshold Initiatives and Contributing Pastor.