Compiled by Gavin Wark, Denis Bell, Mike Wright, and John Quanz
Youth Ministry has a long history in the Missionary Church of Canada / Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada. Some programs such as Bible Quizzing stretch back to the 1950’s. Pitch ‘n Praise began in 1974, and JR Pitch, its Junior High counterpart, began in 1993. Our first Youth Team launched in 1975/76.
Youth Teams served from 1975 to 2016. Teams were formed every 4 years until to 2003 and then moved to every 2 years. The team members ranged in age from 18-25. Team selection was in the spring and training began in the summer with a variety of people training and supporting teams during their tour, including Denis Bell & Lynda Rees, Gavin & Peggy Wark, Charlie & Becky Mashinter, Mike & Melri Wright, Soha Aboukeer, Tom & Gillian Fenske, and Mark Anderson & Jaime Hill. Other people who helped during the team training phase were Lindsay Kubassek, Matt Cox, Rod & Amy Hess, Charity Benson, Ashley Ober, and Bethany Fahnestock.
In the early 70s, The Missionary Church, Canada East, Youth Director Denis Bell and several others started doing some planning for a different Canada East youth event. They started planning a full weekend event, Friday night through Monday, which would become Pitch ‘n Praise. A number of people were involved including Don Sutherland, Keith Elliott, Jerry Lewis, John Yates, Denis Bell, and a few others. That was the beginning of Pitch ‘n Praise in 1975.
Denis Bell
Youth Director
1975 – 1983.
To follow up on the impact of Pitch ‘n Praise, Youth Teams were formed to work with the Youth Groups in the local churches. From the fall to the following spring, the Teams toured EMCC churches throughout Ontario, spending a week at a time in each church, meeting with students and leaders. In the later years of YouthBuilders, teams travelled across Canada and internationally to England, Africa, India, and Ireland. The name Youth Teams changed to YouthBuilders in 1992.
Gavin Wark
Youth Director
1983 – 2013
Gavin was on the Youth Team in 1978 and trained teams for many years.
Mark Anderson
Youth Director
2013 – 2018
Mark was on the YouthBuilders Team in 2003-04 and trained several teams.
The Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada (name changed in 1994) and the Be in Christ Church of Canada (name changed in 2013) started sharing YouthBuilders in 1999-2000. Training of the YouthBuilders Teams continued as with the previous Teams, but the idea developed to do the training through a jointly operated “Centre for Student Leadership” at a central location. The property in Clarksburg, called the Clarksburg Retreat, became the home for YouthBuilders and their training.
Mike & Melri Wright
Co-Executive Directors – Ledge Leadership
2003 – Present
Mike & Melri were on the Youth Team in 1988-89.
Mike & Melri Wright were part of the team that led the Centre for Student Leadership since its inception in 2003. The Centre was created to take YouthBuilders Teams and other leadership training initiatives beyond the EMCC and BIC denominations. The Centre for Student Leadership was renamed Ledge Leadership in 2013, with Mike Wright and Melri Wright serving as Co-Executive Directors.
Youth Teams / YouthBuilders Teams 1975 to 2016
Note that team members are listed as they appear from left to right in their respective photos unless otherwise noted in the Order of Appearance Column.
1975-76 Missionary Church
Carol Robertson
Helen Carson
John Yates
Brian Bell
The members of the first Youth Team were Brian Bell, John Yates, Helen Carson, and Carol Robertson. They are shown here on donkeys ready to play “Donkey Baseball” with the kids during the Mass Event at Pitch ‘n Praise. Denis Bell, Youth Director, is shown second from the left in the picture.
First Youth Team 1975-76
L-R: Carol, Denis (Trainer), Brian, Helen, John.
1978-79 Missionary Church
Lois Coleman
Annie Kranenburg
Gavin Wark
Charlie Mashinter
1978-79 EMC Youth Team
L-R: Lois, Annie, Gavin, Charlie,
Linda & Denis (Trainers)
1984-85 Missionary Church
Lori Abrams
Sandra Timlock
Ted Detweiller
Bevin Witmer
1984-85 EMC Youth Team
L-R Rear: Sandra, Lori, Bevin
L-R Front: Gavin (Trainer), Ted
1988-89 Missionary Church
Carol Hollinger
Melri Otterbein
Durwin Gray
Mike Wright
1988-89 EMC Youth Team
L-R: Melri, Durwin, Becky & Charlie (Trainers), Mike, Carol
1992-93 Missionary Church
Derek Goupil
Ian Scott
Susan Rosenburger
Karyn Maxwell
1992-93 EMC YB Team
L-R: Derek, Ian, Susan, Karyn
1996-97 EMCC
Amiee Meisel
Eli Gingerich
Tana Geiger
Dylan Scott
1996-97 EMCC YB Team
L-R: Amiee, Eli, Tana, Dylan
1999-2000 EMCC & BIC
Adam Noble
Chris Carmichael
Sandra Krieger
Nicole LeQuyere
1999-2000 EMCC BIC YB Team 1
L-R: Adam, Chris, Sandra, Nicole
1999-2000 EMCC & BIC
Lindsay Kubassek
Matt Cox
Katie Moore
John Maier
1999-2000 EMCC BIC YB Team 2
L-R: Lindsay, Matt, Katie, John
2003-04 EMCC
Soha Aboukeer
Sarah Slotegraaf
Mark Anderson
Travis Habermehl
2003-04 EMCC YB Team
Rear L-R: Sarah, Soha
Front L-R: Mark, Travis
2003-04 BIC
Chris Proctor
Tom Fenske
Leslie-Ann Vandesteeg
Jaime Hill
2003-04 BIC YB Team
L-R: Chris, Tom, Leslie, Jaime
2005-06 EMCC
Bethany Fahnestock
Charity Benson
Brandon Tindale
Matthew Brnjas
2005-06 EMCC YB Team
L-R: Bethany, Charity, Brandon, Matthew
2005-06 BIC
Vernon Taylor
Darcie Mashinter
Brittany Joy Bryan
Matthew Winger
2005-06 BIC YB Team
Rear L-R: Vernon, Matthew
Front L-R: Darcie, Brittany Joy
2007-08 EMCC
Aaron Balzer
Mat Snyder
Jillian Zettler
Kesley Gass
2007-08 EMCC YB Team
L-R: Aaron, Mat, Jillian, Kelsey
2007-08 BIC
Matt Lockhart
Josh Watterworth
Caroline Doner
Jessie Golem
2007-08 BIC YB Team
L-R: Matt, Josh, Caroline, Jessie
2009-10 BIC
Nathan Lambert
Ayla Kokbas
Ashley Ober
Andrew Martin
2009-10 BIC YB Team
L-R: Nathan, Ayla, Ashley, Andrew
2009-10 EMCC
Sean Harvey
Jolyn Oulette
Kaylan Cox
Dennis Kariuki
2009-10 EMCC YB Team
L-R: Sean, Jolyn, Kaylan, Dennis
2011-12 EMCC
Melissa Fredette
Korbyn McLean
Yorge Von Hatten-Baer
Victoria Grasse
2011-12 EMCC YB Team
L-R: Melissa, Korbyn, Yorge, Victoria
2011-12 BIC
Nikki Grant
Liam Flagg
Laura Erler
Dillon Sider
2011-12 BIC YB Team
L-R: Nikki, Liam, Laura, Dillon
2013-14 EMCC
David Klaver
Stephanie McNab
Stephanie Doxtater
Jonathon Sawatzky
2013-14 BIC
Connor Brown
Stacy Blackmore
Cynthia Richards
Kyle Francey
2013-14 BIC YB Team
L-R: Connor, Stacy, Cynthia, Kyle
2015-16 EMCC
Nathan Davies
Katlyn Zantingh
Alyssa Shuart
David Otterbein
Jarrett Persad
Kirsten Aitken
Ledge Supporting Young Adults
After a long history of forming young adult teams and sending them into local churches and communities to support youth ministries, the decision was made in 2017 to take time to evaluate the long-term sustainability of this work. After significant evaluation, it was concluded that the culture of the church and surrounding communities had shifted and YouthBuilders was no longer being utilized effectively in those systems. However, Ledge’s passion for the young adult life stage continues to be our primary mission.
From 2017 to 2020, Ledge Leadership entered a process of strategic planning to determine the future of both the Clarksburg Retreat and our work with young adults. Throughout the pandemic we experimented with virtual training and expanded our current work to include workplace team training. From our years of leading teams, we concluded that people who learn to lead relationally and share power form the best teams.
In 2021, Ledge launched the Ledge Research Team comprised of 7 young adults led by a young adult staff member to explore the needs of their peers and the relevance of Clarksburg property to support them. In response to research and the needs expressed by young adults, Ledge Leadership began working toward a de-centralized model that would increase our connections through in-person and virtual programs in many communities. As a result, Ledge no longer needed one centralized location, and the decision was made to sell the Clarksburg Retreat Property in 2023. The property sold rapidly and closed on July 13, 2023.
Currently, Ledge Leadership is moving forward inspiring young adults to lead themselves and thrive in teams. We are working toward having teams of young adults trained to support their peers throughout communities across Ontario.
— YouthBuilders —