March Newsletter

We are excited to welcome the newest members of our team, Rob Parkman and Angie Miller.

Rob joins us as our new Director of Church Vitality, offering the PAOC SK District years of experience in ministry, church coaching and even pastoring himself.

Angie joins us as our Administrative Assistant and brings her unique skillset. She has worked in various roles in ministry, including communication, children and youth ministry.

Rob Parkman

Although my family of origin was living in darkness when I was growing up, my life was saved because a local church reached out to me. I learned about God’s purposes for my life as I was invited to children’s outreaches, church, and youth group. I had always really wanted my life to count, but after coming to Christ this was stirred further and directed...as I went to youth retreats and saw God moving powerfully in the services as anointed preachers and storytellers captivated our imaginations with dreams of kingdom impact.Against the wishes of my family, I launched out to get trained for ministry.

The journey of following a vision of having as much kingdom impact as possible in my lifetime has taken me across Canada and to 15 other countries around the world helping individuals and churches to reach their God-given potential. I have had opportunities to serve as a travelling teacher/speaker, a Bible college professor, an outreach and young adults pastor, a leadership coach, and a lead pastor. A few years ago, as a result of God putting a burden for young adults on our hearts, Camille and I had the opportunity to launch the Young Adult Mentoring Program, which is an 8-month hybrid program through which we disciple and develop college-aged students in their calling. We can notice a strong ’next generation’ theme in our ministries because of this, as well as through other initiatives such as inspiring students as a school speaker, ministering at youth camps, and running leaders-in-training programs at camp, etc.

I have been blessed to be a lifelong learner by taking many formal and informal programs… the most recent of which has been doctoral studies on the health and well-being of pastors. This aligns well with the district’s value of “healthy leadership” and I look forward to spearheading cohorts, events, and resources that help us all to move the needle on staying encouraged, inherently motivated, and sustainable in ministry [I hope you will check out the announcement about a new ministry wellness cohort in this newsletter!].

I am married to Camille, whom I met in Bible college and got to know as we travelled in ministry on outreach teams in Canada and New Zealand. Camille is an anointed and GMA-nominated worship leader/songwriter/worship trainer who has recently joined the Prairie Worship Collective... and she has been an amazing mom to our three sons: Josh, Joey, and Micah. Josh lives in Strasbourg, SK and is engaged in ministry via Deeper Life Ministries (a prayer and worship ministry) and his studio (Exalt Recordings), and he is dating an amazing emerging worship leader (so mom and dad are patiently… or not so patiently… waiting to see a ring!). Joey was married a year ago and is serving as a missionary in the Muslim world with his new bride, and working on his graduate studies in his spare time. Our youngest,Micah, was married last month and serves as worship pastor at Celebration Church in Regina. All three boys have, in a sense, followed in Mom and Dad’s steps as both speakers/teachers and musician/worship leaders. We are very grateful for that and we love to see how God can restore families to His original intention for them.

The other night I had a dream where I was at a backyard BBQ in my hometown and people who had been influential in my coming to Christ were talking about what God had accomplished through my life… and they said “It all began back in ____”... Here they mentioned a date a few years before I gave my life to Christ… a year when they would have been praying for their community… dreaming about what God could do…. and planning on reaching the next generation! Indeed, my life was saved… and my God-given potential is being released… because that local church reached out to me.I am honoured to be serving in my new role and I see it as a gift from Jesus for this season of life and ministry! I am looking forward to getting to know everyone in the district and having the opportunity to accumulate, along with you, more testimonies of the goodness and activity of God!

Angie Miller

My story began in rural Saskatchewan where I, as a young girl, pondered the miraculous wonders of God and how I could possibly fit into His plan. My childhood years were not often easy, but God consistently wove himself into my life through VBS, bible camp, youth group and eventually a Christian high school. He was the peace and security I sought after when my life felt unsteady.

Camp made a big impact on me as a child, and not because of the entertainment or fun. It was the music and teachings by the pastors and speakers that stirred my heart. I wouldn’t have known it then, but in a few years, I would find myself serving at that very same camp,teaching God’s love through scripture to children, just as had been done to me. This began a desire and passion for ministry. I continued serving at camp until I felt my time there was done at age 22. Those years, were in a way, the foundation for my life.

From a young age, I knew that my life’s purpose would be to serve God in ministry however that might look. Throughout my life, I have worked in various roles in ministry, including media, children and youth ministry. Most recently, I’ve enjoyed equipping churches through my creative abilities as a graphic designer and social media strategist for my andmy husband’s design business. I am passionate about helping churches navigate their way online, whether that be logo and brand design or helping navigate the proper use of social media. It may sound like a strange “ministry” but in this digital age, it is a needed task to help churches step into the digital future.

I am also privileged to co-run my church’s youth group with my husband, which fulfils both of our long-time passions for youth ministry. I have always felt a special calling towardsyouth and women’s ministry and believe that my future will revolve around those two areas.

Most importantly though, my main ministry is the bringing up of my 3 young, wonderful children. Although I love being a working and ministry mom, I know that my most precious and important time is spent with my kids. My highest priority is to exemplify to them a life lived loving Christ and loving others like Christ in all that I do.

While I knew that my life would revolve around ministry, I never could have imagined whereI am today. I am beyond blessed to have had such wonderful ministry experiences and I amexcited for my new beginning at the PAOC SK District. I believe that the skills I bring willhelp me fit in well as the new Assistant Administrator and I look forward to my time on thisextraordinary team.

District Family Updates

There have been many changes in our District over the past few months.

Welcome

Welcome to these new Saskatchewan District ministers:

• Lukas and Trina Bonnett, Lead Pastors, Elim Church, Saskatoon
• Syd and Elizabeth Collado, Rock Solid Refuge, Shaunovan
• John and Lorna Klassen, Lead Pastors, Rocanville
• Jaclyn and Scott Widenmeier, Connections Pastor, Elim Church, Saskatoon

Transitions

The following credential holders have either made a transition or will be transitioning soon:

• Tim and Lucy Acey – back to the Alberta District from Lloydminster Gospel Fellowship
• David and Marlene Bodvarson will be stepping down as Lead Pastors of Shellbrook Pentecostal Assembly, Shellbrook at the end of June
• Matt and Taigan Bombay moved from Saskatoon (South Point Church) to Crossroads Pentecostal Assembly, Prince Albert where Matt serves as Lead Pastor.
• South Point Church is now a campus of Crossroads Pentecostal Assembly
• Yasmin Chick and Dustin Hudson has stepped down as Senior Ministry Associate at The Neighbourhood Church, Saskatoon
• Tarrant and Celeste Cross Child – Tarrant has resigned his PAOC credentials.
• Calvary and Lacey DeJong are in transition as Calvary’s ministry appointment with Mission Canada is concluded.
• John and Donna Drisner are completing their time as Lead Pastors of The Neighbourhood Church, Saskatoon at the end of March.
• Doug and Gwen Hacking have resigned in Naicam to pastor a Mennonite Brethern church in Borden.
• Louis and Jenny Halbgewachs - Louis has moved from the District Office to his new role as Lead Pastor of The Neighbourhood Church, Saskatoon. He will officially be Lead Pastor as of April 1.
• Marvin and Sharlaine Wojda have stepped down as Lead Pastor of Elim Church, Saskatoon

Global Worker Updates

• Tonia and Alexey Pankov have accepted a ministry position at Soul Sanctuary in Winnipeg where they will be working with Ukrainian immigrants and refugees.

Summer Visits

We are looking forward to the visits from three of our Global Worker families this summer:

• John Kpewoan, Toni and Erin Santos and Christa and Stanley Gitonga. They are open to visiting and ministering in your church. As well the Santos and Gitongas families will be at Living Waters Family Camp. Please make them feel welcome.

Churches in Transition

• Birch Hills, Glad Tidings Tabernacle
• Cumberland House, Christian Fellowship Centre
• Davidson, New Life Pentecostal Assembly
• Edam, Edam Full Gospel Assembly
• Imperial, Bethel Pentecostal Assembly
• Kelvingon, Bethel Church
• Lloydminster, Lloydminster Gospel Fellowship
• Naicam, New Life Community Church
• Sonningdale, Sonningdale Pentecostal Assembly
• Swift Current, Family Community Church

Other Church News

Sadly, in January the Way of Life Church, Pilot Butte, voted to disaffiliate from the PAOC.

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A Word from Pastor Paul

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