The following is an excerpt from our Winter 2016 Magazine. To view the whole magazine, click here.
Aaron Au
Q. Where could we find you at 10:00 AM on a Saturday morning?
A. One of the incredible Farmer’s Markets that we have in Edmonton. I love the local produce and goods.
Q. What’s your favorite place to meet with students, and why?
A. I often meet students (or anyone for that matter) at our local, neighbourhood coffee shop, the Carrot Arts Coffeehouse. Our neighbourhood plays such an integral role in the lives of my wife and me and our church plant and the Carrot is one of the hubs of our neighbourhood. In a community that is struggling to overcome poverty and crime, it’s fun to bring people into a warm, safe, inviting place and show them what our neighbourhood is really about!
Q. What resource has inspired you for ministry lately?
A. I’ve been loving the many resources that Tim Keller has on the Gospel in Life website and their new YouTube channel. I’m learning how, as a church planter, the message I preach and the ministry I live has to be grounded in the truth and expressed in love and grace in a way that makes sense for the culture we’re in and connects with people’s hearts.
Q. What do you do in your free time?
A. I love my sports! I play goalie in ice hockey and also enjoy cheering for the Blue Jays.
Annika Bangma
Q. Where could we find you at 10:00 AM on a Saturday morning?
A. On my family’s farm, having coffee with my husband, parents, and grandfather – and planning out weekend projects; which could include anything from fixing fences, to mucking out a chicken coop, to refinishing antique furniture.
Q. What do you do to stay relevant to youth?
A. I have come to the conclusion that, for the most part, I don’t have to do much to “stay relevant”. I simply need to form caring relationships with students and they will KEEP me relevant (and they are also quick to let me know when I’m missing the mark)! In practice, this means taking a caring but “unknowing” stance and letting them see that I am actively looking to learn about their world – asking them things that aren’t immediately obvious to me about their choices, likes/dislikes, etc.; and showing up at the events they are involved in (concerts, games, etc.).
Q. What resource has inspired you for ministry lately?
A. The list of ThereforeGo Serve Outcomes. 2016 will be the first summer that our church is hosting Serve in many years, and we are utilizing the Outcomes to set the tone for our entire ministry year.
Q. Where would you like to travel someday?
A. My husband and I have a goal of visiting every United States National Park in our lifetime. Sixteen down, forty-three to go!
Natasha Veder
Q. What do you do to stay relevant to youth?
A. I talk to my own youth! It’s more important to me to know what my own students are into than the general teen population, so I find out what movies they’re watching, what music they listen to and attend some of their sports games and school performances.
Q. Where could we find you at 10:00 AM on a Saturday morning?
A. The first place you’d want to look would be my couch or kitchen at home. If I’m not there, check my local independent coffee shop, a nearby thrift store or I might be hiking one of BC’s beautiful mountains!
Q. What resource has inspired you for ministry lately?
A. Transforming Discipleship by Greg Ogden
Q. What is one website that you visit every day?
A. Facebook – I get world news updates, updates on my students lives, learn about youth ministry resources from my colleagues in other churches and can keep in touch one-on-one or in small groups with my students.
