In a university class on the integration of Psychology and Christianity, a professor looked me in the eye and said one thing that changed my life and how I see the world: “William, you are a beloved child of God.” My vision for ministry is to see people find and follow Jesus and to realize and live into that beautiful truth that you are God's beloved child.

As an English major in University, I’ve got the chance to read a LOT of good books! I’ve managed to narrow it down to two favourites! I cried when I read When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi, a brain surgeon who wrote about his own journey with terminal brain cancer. My other all-time favourite would have to be Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis, a mythological tale in which the character comes to realize her true identity in life after years of not knowing herself.

I look up to Fred Rogers (aka: Mr. Rogers). He was musical, he loved people deeply, he was full of joy, patience and compassion and he had a vision for a world in which all of his neighbours - like and unalike - were friends. For me, Mr. Rogers has always been a model of what following Jesus looks like!

Easy. The Incredibles. My favourite animated film of all time. It has action. It has conflict. It has romance. It has the beauty and brokenness of family dynamics. It has super-heroes. It has a happy ending and yet is a cliff-hanger. What’s not to love!?

To empower, equip & encourage our faith community to create a place of belonging where they can invite others to find & follow Jesus.

I think at this point I've basically watched every European/Nordic crime noir show there is! I think my favourites would have to be Broadchurch or The Bridge.

Nelson Mandela. I read his book Long Walk to Freedom a few years ago and I admire his perseverence and tenacity in the face of adversity. Not to mention his ability to work for justice, forgive and unite a country.

Easy - I would have loved to see Martin Luther King Jr. give his iconic I Have A Dream speech at the Washington Mall. I can only imagine the hope in the air and feeling like you're part of something bigger than yourself.

To lead worship that is authentic, participatory, vibrant, and reflective of the community in all its beautiful diversity and messiness! We are certainly not perfect people, and I believe that moments of imperfection in worship are the perfect place for God's grace and love to break in. When I'm leading a worship team, being open to the creativity and gifts of the people I'm working with is very important to me. Every unique combination of musicians is going to create a different sound, and to me, it's a beautiful analogy for how the church will take different forms throughout different seasons. 

Can I pick two people to admire? As an artist, I deeply admire cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Yes, he's a world-renowned, brilliant cellist. But where he really shines is in his open-hearted and joyful collaboration with artists of all genres and mediums. Solo cello plus interpretive dance? Yes, please! To me, Yo-Yo Ma embodies a curiosity and openness to the world that I try to embrace when meeting and collaborating with other people and artists.

As a theologian and pastor, I also admire J. S. Park, a Korean-American hospital chaplain who serves in Florida. He has sat with people through some horrific life moments, and he writes, "If your theology doesn't work for the suffering, it doesn't work at all. If it doesn't matter at the end, it doesn't matter now." J. S. Park has helped me to rethink how I approach planning worship that is honest, raw, and truly meaningful in our daily lives.

Either being outside or taking a nap! Honestly, it's a hard choice between spending time in the yard or at the pool with my kids, or curling up under a cozy blanket with a cup of tea. I also love doing anything crafty with my hands: knitting, watercolour, gardening, embroidery, or baking sourdough bread!

Hawaii, with zero hesitation. I spent three years in Hawaii as a child, and I still love the tropical heat and island pace of life. I would rent a tiny bungalow on Maui, far away from the resorts, within walking distance of the beach and a farmer's market. I would start every day with a float in the ocean, and I could have fresh picked coconuts and mangoes whenever I wanted. And the best part? I would never have to put on winter boots! 

At WonderKids, we want kids to experience God, know His story, and ultimately find and follow Jesus. We want every child to know they are already known, loved and welcomed by God. We do this in a place where kids can learn like kids and show up with their whole selves — with all of their stories, all their energy and curiosity — everything about them is welcome. My role is to help equip and encourage teachers, helpers, and parents in this work. Children’s ministry is a team sport — it takes a whole church!

A few amazing people helped me learn as a kid that I could actually read and study the Bible myself! But equally important was learning that studying the Bible in community helped me to see things I couldn’t see on my own and helped me know God and His word better. The Bible is beautiful, and the more I learn about it and about God, the more I want to learn! I’m definitely a wanna-be Bible nerd. But honestly, that all starts when you know that hey — this really big book is something that just takes some tools to dig into, and then when you do, it’s super rewarding. Nothing has been more life-changing than that to me!

Ooo — I have lots of hobbies I enjoy, like cooking new foods or walking in the woods, but my favourite thing to do might be playing boardgames. I don’t even need to win, I just love the possibilities and the adventure of it. Strategy games with really big rule books and too many pieces are my favourite thing ever! But since those games aren’t for everyone, most of the time I play whatever will get people together around the table. Settlers of Catan Cities and Knights is a classic at our house, but I’m also really enjoying Wingspan and Cascadia at the moment. My kids destroy me when we play Dutch Blitz, and they are ruthless with Unstable Unicorns.

If I travelled more my answer might be more exciting but honestly if I could find a way to live and work at a summer camp for an entire year, that’d be what I pick! I spent a lot of time at a summer camp as a kid and even as an adult. I’ve done a lot of jobs there – even camp cook! Give me all of the forests and firelight, the songs and stories under the stars, the canoe trips and pudding fights, the grubby clothes and long talks with friends on the dock. Seeing kids try new things and succeed at them, that’s the best ever. I’ll take the mosquitoes if I don’t have to look at a laptop or cell phone anymore! 

To create a space where people feel loved, valued, heard, and safe to dive deeper into their faith so that they may be equipped with the skills to share God’s love and message with others.

This is a tough one! Over my life, God has blessed me with great supports that have taught me many valuable lessons. Firstly, I’d say to remind yourself often of God’s grace and practice good self-care. You can’t pour from an empty cup. Secondly, surround yourself with a supportive community that holds each other accountable, empowers others to make progress towards goals, and loves each other unconditionally. We are meant to be a community, which can sometimes be messy, but living intentionally together fosters such beauty, meaning, and glory to God. Lastly, allow yourself to let loose, have fun, and find joy (even in the smallest moments)!

I’m a big fan of British historical dramas like The Crown (FYI, the theme song is beautiful!), Downton Abbey, and Call the Midwife. I also really enjoyed This Is Us. I appreciated the raw emotions as well as the intentionality of acting justly all while maintaining loving relationships with those important to you.

Hands down, my happy place is spending time with family and friends. Especially, if it’s outdoors or while listening to loud music and singing even louder! I love to make meaningful connections with my family, friends, and even people I’ve only met. I also enjoy connecting with God through nature. Whether that be hiking, camping, swimming, gardening, playing in the snow with our kids, relaxing under the sun, or even mowing the lawn! If I could spend all of my day outside, I would. Oh! And, I’m happiest when I nurture my love for taking calculated risks like riding roller coasters, climbing trees, or doing flips on our trampoline. That’s the best! By chance, is anyone interested in going skydiving?!

To prepare, maintain & develop our space to create an inviting place for all who enter our doors.

I would say Modern Family - I know, not the most spiritual, but the script is hilarious and the spin on real life parenting is very relatable! (Note: this will change once Seinfeld is added!)

I love spending time outdoors in the summer. The best?  A good cup of coffee, first thing in the morning - on a quiet campsite or on a deck at a cottage - and no phone notifications going off!

Israel *mic drop* I was fortunate enough to spend 12 days there many years ago on a work assignment. It gave me a small taste of what an amazingly beautiful country it is. I'd love to have the time to “walk in Jesus’ steps”, go to all the historical sites (Biblical and non-Biblical), visit the beaches in Eilat, go to cafes in the Old City, and of course, floating in the Dead Sea!