Ministry Leaders Renewal Retreat

Sam and Pauline have been married for 29 years.Through those years God has blessed them with four children that they are very proud of. With 3 sons and 1 daughter, their home has seen a lot of coming and going between school, sporting events and youth programs. Over the last couple years, there family has grown to add two wonderful daughters in law, and most recently a beautiful granddaughter who has totally captured their hearts.

Sam accepted the position of Pastor and was ordained in his home church in the fall of 1991. A few years later, he stepped into the role as Lead Pastor. He has been passionate about teaching the church to love God in community and to serve as a team.

Pauline has been very involved in the music ministry and has enjoyed serving together with Sam in the various aspect of church life.

Over the 26 plus years of serving in the same church, Sam and Pauline have seen an increasing need for taking care of those who are in ministry (themselves included) so that they can continue on in a healthy manner. This would enable longevity in service and growth as individuals.

With this in mind, they have joined the Focus on the Family team and will be serving couples in ministry through their role as Ministry Retreat Directors.They look forward to sharing their own journey and to provide a safe place for others to come and be encouraged in their journey as a beloved child of God.

Brian & Sharon Heaney have been involved in ministry since 1980. They have a passion for assisting people to develop a biblically-based lifestyle. They are very aware of how valuable and how difficult it is to implement healthy rhythms of work, rest and play in everyday life.

Brian works as a counselor and teacher. He is presently the Executive Director for the Moose Jaw Christian Counselling Centre, where he has worked since 1987. Brian has also served as an event faculty member for Promise Keepers Canada. Sharon's ministry included acting as Community & Family Services Director for the Salvation Army in Moose Jaw for 14 years, until 2006. Together, Brian and Sharon have facilitated marriage seminars in both Canada and the US. They have been married for over 40 years and have four adult married children.

Steve and Becky are warm, authentic individuals who are very easy to get to know. A lifetime of ministry experience has given them a compassionate concern for the emotional and spiritual health of pastors and their families. They have a genuine love for ministry leaders and are known as "Papa" and "Nana" to many.

Steve and Becky Witmer have served together for more than 35 years in a variety of ministry roles. After 5 years with YWAM, they served in roles such as Senior Pastor, Missionary Director, and Pastoral Care Coordinator for their associated network of churches. Sensing that they were entering a new season of life after 14 years as Senior Pastors in their church, Steve and Becky transitioned to the role of Associate Pastors for the same congregation. This new role enables them to invest time and energy into both missions and the care of pastors and emerging leaders.

In 2015 they celebrated 40 wonderful years of marriage. They are blessed with two married daughters and five delightful grandchildren who supply them with consistent joy and an unending supply of great stories.

Steve and Beth have been married for 47 years and been in ministry together for 40 years. They planted a local church in southern Ontario in 1984 and led it for 35 years before transitioning in the fall of 2019. They are passionate about building the local church and raising up the generations to fulfil their God given purpose. Steve and Beth love being hospitable and enjoy getting to know people and building relationships. Relationships have been a theme of their ministry, believing that our relationship with God, empowers us to have meaningful relationships with one another, and then to impact the world around us. They are currently mentoring and pastoring pastors, helping them to navigate the challenges that come with leadership, and encouraging them to stay the course. They are excited to join the Focus family as co-directors of Kerith Waters in Ontario, and welcome the opportunity to come alongside, and support other leaders in their life and ministry journey towards health and wholeness.

Steve and Beth have three amazing adult children who are married to great spouses and are blessed to have 6 wonderful grandchildren.

Doug and Roxy, married in 1992, have two adult children whom they raised with a sense of adventure—a quality that now permeates their current pursuits. With over 35 years of ministry experience, Doug and Roxy have served in various capacities, including pastoral ministry at three different churches in Alberta: Lethbridge, Edmonton, and Calgary. They’ve also been involved in Christian not-for-profit work and have led short-term missions in their pastoral ministry settings. Their passion lies in intergenerational ministry, bridging the gap between different age groups. Having witnessed both the highs and lows of local church life, they recognize the importance of creating safe spaces for rest and renewal. As Co-Directors of the Ministry Leader Retreats at Kerith Creek, they eagerly embrace the opportunity to provide pastoral care and support to those in ministry positions—whether within the local church, on the mission field, or in the not-for-profit sector. They consider it a privilege to set the table and hold space for fellow ministry leaders and their stories. When not working, you can most often find Doug at the gym or riding his motorcycle, while Roxy enjoys gardening and creating with fabric. Pickleball is a recent addition to their extracurricular activities. They look forward to welcoming you to Kerith Creek!