Erinn Oxford
Erinn Oxford

Erinn joined the The Dale team in 2007. In 2012 she was invited to become the full-time Executive Director and Pastor. Erinn is passionate about fostering a sense of community for all people, while placing at the core those who have known marginalization. She studied at both Tyndale University College & Seminary, and Humber College and is now ordained through the CBOQ. Erinn has extensive experience working with people who are street involved, underhoused and trying to cope with substance addiction and mental health issues. Erinn is a Toronto native who loves her city. She is married to Dion and they have a daughter, Cate. Learn more by visiting Erinn’s Blog.

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Learning CentreGuest PostErinn Oxford
Christa Hesselink
Christa Hesselink

Christa Hesselink has been guiding individuals and groups as they dig deeper into their spiritual life for her entire twenty-five-year career, working in higher education, non-profit development, and church ministry. She is the founder of SoulPlay, and is a well-respected keynote speaker, workshop facilitator and retreat leader. Her focus content includes: transformation & vulnerability, the inner-life of an effective leader, contemplative spirituality, grief & loss, and soul care. Christa is known for her strategic and collaborative approach to working with individuals and teams and her greatest satisfaction comes when designing compelling experiences for people to slow down so they can wake up to their own soul. She holds a Master’s of Leadership and a Master’s of Theology degree and has been named a “Hero of Children” from World Vision Canada. She is the Canadian best-selling author of Life’s Great Dare and the founder of the Love2Love Project which supports vulnerable children in multiple countries around the world. Christa is a certified coach and certified spiritual director with the Haden Institute. She has also completed the intensive Enneagram coach training program with the Narrative Tradition. Rooted in the Christian tradition, Christa has found deep meaning and hope, and enjoys companioning others who endeavour to deepen their connection to God – to Spirit, Source and Soul.

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Learning Centre, Writing Collective AuthorGuest PostChrista Hesselink
Bill McAlpine
Bill McAlpine

Born to TEAM missionary parents in Chad Africa, Bill grew up in a pastor's home after his parents' return to Toronto. He has pastored for just under 16 years in Alliance Churches in Ontario and Saskatchewan and served for 26 years as Professor of Pastoral Theology at Ambrose University in Calgary, Alberta. He retired as Professor Emeritus of Practical Theology in June of 2019. Bill has authored two books, Sacred Space for the Missional Church, published in February of 2011 and Four Essential Loves: Heart Readiness for Leadership and Ministry, published, May 2013.

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Learning CentreGuest PostBill McAlpine
Deb Judas
Deb Judas

Deb Judas is a pastor, leadership and wellness coach, retreat facilitator, lover of nachos, nature, cycling, tennis and spontaneous anything. Her great passion is helping others discover what it means to live wholeheartedly and experience the fullness of life. She longs for the day when her dining room table is filled again with people, good food and drink, and wonderful conversation. She loves Jesus, her husband, her 3 grown children and their spouses, and is enamoured with her 2 grandchildren. She lives in a suburb of Vancouver BC.

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Writing Collective AuthorGuest PostDeb Judas
Jan Steckley
Jan Steckley

Jan Steckley, MTS
Jan is a pastor, spiritual director and transformational coach. She lives on the creative edge and is passionate about creating a supportive space for relationships that are real, honest, authentic and mutual. Jan has a lifetime of experience companioning others through some of life’s most significant threshold moments and in engaging others in the learning and reflection that makes growth possible.

Together with her husband, Jeff Steckley, they have recently launched Threshold Commons, offering coaching and companioning spaces where individuals and groups can discover the transformative power of the “in between” spaces of life. Jeff and Jan are the lead developers and facilitators of New Leaf’s Discernment Pathway.

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Learning Centre, DiscernmentGuest PostJan Steckley
Jeff Steckley
Jeff Steckley

Jeff Steckley, OCT
Jeff is an educator, transformational coach and well-known community initiatives facilitator who has embraced his calling to design and facilitate change-inspiring conversations, develop and equip leaders, and curate transformational space which deeply honours diverse journeys and life experiences. Jeff has an insatiable curiosity and desire to help others learn and grow in ways that lead to whole-hearted engagement.

Together with his wife, Jan Steckley, they have recently launched Threshold Commons, offering coaching and companioning spaces where individuals and groups can discover the transformative power of the “in between” spaces of life. Jeff and Jan are the lead developers and facilitators of New Leaf’s Discernment Pathway.

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Writing Collective Author, Learning Centre, DiscernmentGuest PostJeff Steckley
Cheryl Bear
Cheryl Bear

Cheryl Bear is Nadleh Whut’en from the Dakelh Nation and Dumdenyoo Clan (Bear clan) in central British Columbia. A communi­ty leader, band councillor, and theologian, Cheryl is also an award-win­ning singer-songwriter who seeks to share Indigenous life — the joy, sorrow, faith, and journey — through story and song.

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Learning CentreGuest PostCheryl Bear
Steve Heinrichs
Steve Heinrichs

Steve Heinrichs is a Settler Christian from Winnipeg, Manitoba —Treaty 1 territory and the homeland of the Métis Nation. The director of Indigenous-Settler Relations for Mennonite Church Canada, Steve is a student of activism who loves to march with his partner, Ann, and their children, Izzy, Aiden, and Abby.

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Learning CentreGuest PostSteve Heinrichs
Tim Bratton
Tim Bratton

Tim Bratton lives in Saskatoon, SK, along with his wife Amy and their two young sons. With a long habit of getting involved in church plants & startups, Tim currently helps with the teaching and worship at a Free Methodist church plant, Riversdale Neighbours church. Tim is an actor and playwright and serves as the Artistic Associate with Burnt Thicket Theatre. He’s also a care-worker, musician, vinyl record collector and dilettante with a special interest in deconstructing and redeeming the stories of recent church history and Evangelical pop culture.

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Writing Collective AuthorGuest PostTim Bratton
Greg Langman
Greg Langman

Greg moved from Burlington, Ontario to Cochrane, Alberta with his wife Linda this past summer. They have 3 adult children and 2 sons-in-law that bring them great joy. He works for RockPointe Church in Calgary as the Pastor of Missional Discipling. He also equips church leaders and professionals through Transformational Coaching and Grip Birkman.

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Advent AuthorGuest PostGreg Langman
Traci-Lynn Burt
Traci-Lynn Burt

Helping others discover who God has called them to be while pursuing the purposes they were created for is my passion. My name is Traci-Lynn Burt and I am excited to journey into the world of transformational coaching with you.
Who am I? I am Christ’s Beloved, wife to Russ and mother to Nick, Matthew, Leah, and Katie. I am the Associate Director of Leader Development with the Central Canadian District of the C&MA, the founder of Cornerstone Consulting Canada, a Sr. Certified Coach with Leadership Coaching Canada, a Birkman Certified Professional and a Grip-Birkman Trainer. I have served in the local church in both volunteer and professional roles for over 30 years.

What do I do? I love coming alongside individuals and non-profit organizations and empowering them with a deeper sense of their identity in Christ so that they can live out of that identity on mission with the Spirit. I love coaching others to live from their significance in Christ and to help them discover how that looks in their lives. I desire to equip His children to live from a Kingdom perspective, embracing and delighting in the journey together as one body with Christ as our head.I serve as the Associate District Superintendent with the C&MA and also provide coaching, leader development, discernment and assessment as part of Grip-Birkman International, The Jesus Collective, and New Leaf Network. I’m a Sr. Certified Coach with Leadership Coaching Canada, a Birkman Certified Professional and a Grip-Birkman Trainer with over 25 years of church and denominational experience. Transformational Coaching keeps impacting me, my family and the ministries I have the privilege of serving with. I look forward to connecting with you online soon!

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Transformational CoachingGuest PostTraci-Lynn Burt TC
Jon Hand
Jon Hand

Hey friends, my name is Jon Hand. I’m from the States and have been living in Canada since 2015. I’ve been married to Aimee for the last 20 years and we have three crazy and great children; Karis, Addy, and Cohen. I’m a third-generation pastor and life-long student of the church world. I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly of local church life and leadership. In the past ten years, I’ve been a church planter, denominational leader, consultant to business leaders, pastor to pastors, and transformational coach to Christian leaders. Currently, I love working at a church called The Meeting House. I serve on our Leadership Team stewarding our vision and championing leadership development. I also am giving leadership to the Leadership Formation experiences for a burgeoning network across North America called Jesus Collective.

I love coaching because it takes my hands off the controls and gives me the tools to help leaders discover what God is doing to grow and stretch them into the best version of themselves. I discovered what became transformational coaching after having a nervous breakdown and burnout while church planting in my mid-thirties. The pain of that season birthed my life’s vocational statement: I wake up every day to challenge, equip, and inspire Christian leaders to lead from their own transformation. I am excited to share my journey and the tools I’ve learned with you. We lead from our own transformation!

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Transformational CoachingGuest PostJon Hand
Cyd Holsclaw
Cyd Holsclaw

I believe God has given us everything we need to trust that we belong to his family and to joyfully participate in his ‘family business’ of flourishing life in this world. The trouble is that we’re often hindered by broken stories that keep us from living into that gospel reality. My participation in God’s family business looks like encouraging my brothers and sisters in the family to stay connected to Christ and to your unique purpose in God’s kingdom. Through coaching and spiritual direction, I depend on the Holy Spirit to reveal desires, expose roadblocks, and inspire deeper and fuller life in whatever context you’re rooted in.

My love for transformational coaching comes directly from my own experience as I would have never discerned my own calling into ministry without a combination of spiritual direction and coaching. I have served in various vocations throughout my life ranging from working the line in a factory to guiding outdoor adventures to administering a foundation to event planning. But I eventually said ‘yes’ to a life of vocational ministry in my early 30s and have been involved with church leadership teams ever since.

I’m currently pastoring at Vineyard North Church in Grand Rapids, MI where I spend most of my energy facilitating opportunities for spiritual formation and leadership development. I’ve been married to Geoff for 20 years and am coming to the end of my homeschooling journey as Soren begins college this fall and Tennyson becomes increasingly independent in his highschool years.

As a coach, I am grateful to partner with Jesus Collective, Gravity Leadership, Kairos Partnerships, and the Ecclesia Network. Geoff & I co-authored Does God Really Like Me? Discovering the God who wants to be with us and began the “God With Us Podcast” together earlier this year. I look forward to meeting all of you and bearing witness to the ways we are all transformed as we journey together in the coming weeks!

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Transformational CoachingGuest PostCyd Holsclaw
Brian Walsh
Brian Walsh

Brian Walsh is a retired campus pastor and the founder of the Wine Before Breakfast community in Toronto. His most recent book, with Sylvia Keesmaat, is Romans Disarmed: Resisting Empire, Demanding Justice (Brazos). Brian and Sylvia live at Russet House Farm, an off-grid permaculture farm in the Kawartha Lakes area of Ontario.

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Learning CentreGuest PostBrian Walsh
Sylvia Keesmaat
Sylvia Keesmaat

Dr. Sylvia Keesmaat is a scholar, activist and farmer. She teaches courses at the intersection of biblical faith and radical discipleship through Bible Remixed (www.bibleremixed.ca). Sylvia is the co-chair of the Bishop's Committee on Creation Care for the Anglican Diocese of Toronto. She speaks frequently on topics related to the Bible and economic justice, climate catastrophe, gender justice, and Indigenous justice. Sylvia is the co-author, with Brian Walsh, of Romans Disarmed: Resisting Empire, Demanding Justice (Brazos Press, 2019) and Colossians Remixed: Subverting the Empire (IVP, 2004), and the author-editor of The Advent of Justice. Sylvia lives at Russet House Farm (www.russethousefarm.ca) an off-grid permaculture farm in the Kawartha Lakes on the traditional territory of the Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg, with her husband, Brian Walsh, and a fluctuating number of people and animals.

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Learning Centre, Advent AuthorGuest PostSylvia Keesmaat
Jamie Howison
Jamie Howison

Jamie Howison is a priest of the Anglican Church of Canada and the founding pastoral leader of Saint Benedict’s Table in Winnipeg. He is the co-author with musician Steve Bell of I Will Not Be Shaken: A Songwriter's Journey through the Psalms (2015), God's Mind in the Music (2012), and his forthcoming—and brutally honest—spiritual memoir, A Kind of Solitude (2021). You can find out more about Jamie at www.jamiehowison.ca

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Learning CentreGuest PostJamie Howison