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ECM Board and Staff

Jerry Biersteker

Board Chair

I love camp!  I love the sense of fellowship and community that exists there. No matter what the storms are in my life when I am walking among the trees, I can find God’s peace and calm.  I first experienced camp as a teenage counsellor at OPC. It was such an awesome spiritual and personal growing experience, that I begged to return the following summer.  Camp is like that…you go once and have a fabulous experience, the next thing you know – you’re a “camper”.  If you’ve been to Stayner or Mishewah, I hope you know what I mean.  Our family has been involved at Stayner Camp for over 10 years. We first came just for a weekend – it was the beginning of many more visits. We graduated up to having a seasonal site, and in Sept 2017 we were fortunate to upgrade to owning one of the private cottages on the grounds.  We greatly appreciate the growth and learning our kids have experienced through volunteering with Stayner day camps, family camp kids programs, and serving as summer staff.  I graduated from the University of Waterloo over 25 years ago with a degree in Civil Engineering. I have experience in the environmental field, waste management, contract administration, and facilities management.  I enjoy problem-solving, looking at options, and finding solutions.  New ideas and technology excite me and need to be brought forward to continue to engage today’s youth, adults, and families.  I attend Creekside Church – Kitchener campus, where I am a small group leader, and our family regularly serves at the Ray of Hope Community Centre.

Brian Cotie

Board Vice-Chair

My name is Brian Cotie, and I live in Kitchener with my partner Nicole and our two daughters, Claire and Leah. I came to camp via my wife, who has gone to Mishewah every year of her life! I quickly fell in love with it too and going to Family Camp has become one of our core family traditions.  Even though I didn’t attend an ECM camp as a child, I did grow up with camps as a key part of my faith journey. I have always loved how camps can provide a safe space to ask questions and discover God’s love – so important, especially during phases of life where kids and teens are discovering who they are.  I am excited to do my part in ensuring Stayner and Mishewah continue to be these kinds of safe spaces for many generations to come!!

Steve Fulton

Board Secretary

I was born in Hamilton but raised throughout the Niagara Region, living with my wife Dianna and my two adult children: Steven Jr & Brandy. I have a passion for working with others to empower them through Technology and process. I am also a Genealogist and have a passion for documenting Family History throughout Niagara and Ontario.  Along with tech, I have volunteered with other organizations over the last 12 years finishing off as President of The Ontario Genealogical Society but continue to work with CanadianHeadstones.com and the Niagara Peninsula Branch OGS.  I desire to bring the skills I have learned in these positions to this new opportunity on the ECM Board. We have amazing staff who take up the day-to-day operations with great skills and passion, but we also can’t do it without our dedicated volunteers. I, like so many others, are so thankful for their passion, commitment and dedication to serving in our Lord’s work with the camps.  I, like others, had children who attended the camps which allowed them to become dedicated servants of God. Without question all I can give is a portion back to continue this amazing work. I thank you for the opportunity to learn and serve in this new position and look forward to the challenges ahead.

Aaron Balzer

Board Member

I love camp, and believe God uses it as powerful, positive, and life-changing force in the lives of kids and families. Camp has always been a part of my life, and many of my earliest and fondest childhood memories are of time spent at Grandma & Grandpa Schlabach’s trailer at Stayner Camp. I enjoyed many weeks of Family Camp at Stayner, and attended Trail of the Pines and Mishewah as a camper. I’ve filled a variety of roles at our camps over the years, including Counsellor, Program Staff, Worship Leader, Videographer, Camp Speaker, Social Media Manager, and now Board Member and Website Administrator. While attending Rocky Mountain College in Calgary, I was connected with Manitou Lake Bible Camp in Saskatchewan, where I spent seven summers on staff, mainly in a leadership role as Worship Director and Care Leader (which involved overseeing and mentoring the staff). I was also part of the ’07-’08 YouthBuilder Team and volunteered for many years at Pitch & Praise and JR Pitch. When I’m not at camp, I can often be found singing, acting, or directing with various music and theatre groups in Waterloo Region, and leading music on Sunday mornings at Pathway Community Church.

Andrew Epp

Board Member

While Andrew loves to innovate and work hard, the most important thing in his life, besides Jesus, is his family. He has been married to Genevieve for 19 years. They live in St. Catharines, ON with their three children, Olivia (16), Alexander (15), and Hudson (12).

Andrew is a Pastor/Entrepreneur and has initiated a number of his own businesses. Notably, he founded Church Bookkeeping, which is the largest outsourcing firm servicing churches and not-for-profit organizations in Canada. He also started a construction business, landscaping business, software company, day camp, and most recently and proudly, a jewellery business with his daughter. Andrew is currently the CFO at Kraun Electric. Previous to this, Andrew joined the staff of Bethany Community Church (St, Catharines, ON) in the role of Executive Pastor. Since 1999, Andrew has been pastoring in some capacity, ranging from a Youth Pastor, Family Pastor, and Community Pastor. His pastoral passion is to see neighbourhoods transformed by Jesus. Andrew also served as Director of Operations for the Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada (EMCC) from 2008-2012.

If he isn’t working, then he is either eating ice cream, donuts or candy, fishing for sharks, or pranking someone!

Bob Fife

Board Member

I was raised in a Christian home by a godly mother and an absentee father. At the age of 14, I trusted Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour. The local Fellowship Baptist church became a very special place of meaning for me. Youth group and different involvement became a big part of my life. Eventually I met the apple of my life at a Bible study. We got married and had a son. Within a couple of years, a very good job was offered to me. Assistant to the Vice President of operations of a large food chain. My boss was Cameron Loblaw.  The job was extremely demanding, I got so involved that God and my family took second and third place. When one does that, they are open to temptation and worldliness. I decided I wanted to try the big wild world out there. Selfish me was willing to leave my wife and son and go to the broken cisterns.  When my son was 18 years old, he decided to visit me. He told me he loved me and that God’s love for me was real and unconditional. I wanted it, I wanted to be restored to my God.  The Holy Spirit spoke to me that day and from that day (30++ ago) until this day God has become my ALL. I got established in a local Bible Chapel and the elders and church at large took me in and helped me to know God!  Entrepreneurship was always on my mind, I started working in the sign business and God has truly blessed me. My son runs my business at the present.  Camp work has been a big part of my life for the past number of years. I have been an adult host, counsellor and fundraiser to send 100’s of kids to camp. Over the past 10 years, I have served on numerous boards both international, national and local. I have grown in a very short time to love EMC Camps and the many different people I have met, staff and campers alike. Already I have been called one of the ‘trailer boys’. I am excited to serve!

Cal Knights

EMCC Appointed Board Member

Cal is a native of Stouffville, ON. He grew up as a Missionary Kid with his parents in Nigeria for 8 years with the United Missionary Church (Now EMCC). He and his wife Wanda have two married children and three awesome grandchildren who all live in Stouffville. Together they enjoy serving in their church (EastRidge EMC), traveling, getting together with friends, and spending time at Camp Mishewah enjoying all that God has created.  Cal worked for 30+ years in the computer software industry and the final 16 years as a software project manager.  Cal currently serves on the EMCC National Team as the EMCC Properties Manager helping provide guidance to EMCC churches and camps related to property management and real estate requests. Cal has served multiple terms on the ECM board in the past and looks forward to representing the EMCC on the board.

Christine Kostesky

Board Member
My name is Christine Kostesky and I am a mom of 3 girls, a wife and a lover of camp!  I grew up with Stayner as my childhood “home” camp for family camp and youth retreats, and went to Mishewah for the first time when I was 12 and instantly fell in love.  My first summer as a camper at Mishewah ignited a love for camp that was undeniable.  I worked as a counsellor and on program staff at Mishewah, and have been a seasonal camper for a number of years! As a family, we have felt very blessed to have our children grow up in a safe, spiritually-centred, beautiful place in their summer months!  We love that our kids have such a love for camp at such young age, and know that it will always be their home away from home in the summer months for the rest of their lives!  I love that I am able to serve in a community that is so important to myself and my family, not only on the board but also on our promotions and Mishewah property committees.

Cheri Langlois

Board Member

Hello! My name is Cheri! I attend Wilmot Centre Church with my husband and 2 awesome kids. Camp Mishewah has been one of my absolute favourite places since I was a kid. Every year starting at 5 years old, I would attend family camp and as I grew older I enjoyed kids and youth camps. I never missed a year! I am so grateful my parents valued the importance of experiencing camp! In my teenage years, I absolutely loved working at camp as a counsellor for both kids and youth camps. What makes my heart so happy is that as a family, we now prioritize attending camp every year. We have recruited all our friends to also make it an annual tradition. Our kids can confidently say it is a top favourite place for them as well. Camp is about the people, relationships, nature, beauty, and experiencing God’s presence daily. My kids are looking forward to working at camp when they are older, but until then, will continue to enjoy family and youth camps every summer. 

I work as an Educational Assistant with the Waterloo Region District School Board which keeps me very busy all day. I enjoy volunteering at my church in a variety of areas and of course being a mom/chauffeur keeps me hopping!

Andrew Mills

Board Member

Andrew has been a pastor in the EMCC for over 20 years, and has been coming to both Stayner and Mishewah for much longer than that. Growing up he worked at Stayner on maintenance, and came up to Mishewah with his church, Wilmot Centre. Over the years he has counselled, taught, and participated in many different events and weeks at both Stayner and Mishewah whether that is Sr. Teen, or EMCC events at Stayner. As a pastor at Bethany Community Church, he is a part of running Bethany Week at Mishewah every year.

Andrew has 3 kids – Hudson, Asher, and Eden, and his wife Krista is a midwife who also was a counsellor and a cook at Mishewah growing up. He has a background in governance and enjoys cooking and soccer.

Stacey Musselman

Board Member
Mishewah and Stayner camps are important to me because my children are now the fourth generation of our family attending these camps. Some of my earliest memories include running around Mishewah while my parents helped with the kids’ programs, and playing on the old wood swings at Stayner as we visited my Grandparents at their seasonal trailer. Camp was always the highlight of the year, and I love seeing my kids make memories of their own.  Camp is a place for personal and spiritual growth. I experienced this as a child attending kids camps, as a teenager through counselling, and as a young adult lifeguarding on seasonal staff. I am passionate about supporting our amazing ECM campgrounds, programs, and staff, so we can share these wonderful places and continue ministering to many generations to come.  I am married to an amazing husband of 11 years, Rob Musselman, and I am a proud mom of three wonderful kiddos. Our family currently attends Wilmot Centre Missionary Church, where Rob and I both grew up.  I graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Masters in Arts. I currently work as the Director of Human Resources at Bethany Church, as well as the Communications Director at Wilmot Centre Church. My husband and I are also the owners and operators of Pinehill Farms. I look forward to supporting the board and camp staff with my strengths in HR, research, organizational structure, and streamlining processes.

Heidi Sawatzky

Board Member

Camp has been one of my favourite places ever since I was little! As a kid, Mishewah became my home away from home when I would spend most of July there with my family. As I got older I volunteered as a camp counsellor, worked as a lifeguard, was a member of the program staff team, and the past two summers I directed Sr. Teen with my husband Jonathon. Jonathon and I actually met as campers when we were young, and got engaged at Mishewah! So camp is pretty special to both of us. Together we can look back at our camp experience and see how our lives have been shaped by the close friendships we developed and experiences/opportunities we had there. To me, Mishewah has always been a space where people could come as they are, learn more about Jesus, and form close relationships with others. I would love to see it continue to be that special place in the many years to come and am excited to help out in any capacity I am able.  Jonathon and I live in Kitchener with our daughter, Finley, who is already a big fan of camp!  I work for the WRDSB as an Early Childhood Educator in a Kindergarten classroom that I love! We attend Elevation in Waterloo where we have enjoyed volunteering and getting to know the Sr. Youth group. I also love hiking with my dog, golfing, camping, reading, and spending time at my parent’s farm and with my siblings.

Jessica Trudell

Board Member

I live in St. Catharines and work as a Registered Nurse at the Hamilton General Hospital in the Emergency Department. I enjoy the work and find it challenging and humbling. It also happens to be where I met my husband Paul who is also a nurse.  We both come from close families and have strong relationships with our parents and siblings. We attend Bethany Community Church in St. Catharines.  I have attended Camp Mishewah my whole life, spending at least a week of every summer at family camp. I participated in several kid’s camp weeks as a camper, and then graduated to a camp counsellor. As a late teen I spent three summers as a lifeguard on seasonal staff. Once I completed my post secondary education, I also served as a camp nurse for some of the kid’s camp weeks. I have participated in all but one of the Mishewah Mission’s trips since they’ve been running.  Camp Mishewah has helped shape who I am and has played a huge role in both challenging and establishing my faith. I feel as though Mishewah has invested in me, so being involved in the camp’s future is a way that I can give back. I am passionate about seeing the ECM camps thrive and continue to impact children, families and individuals. Both Stayner and Mishewah are special places, and I hope and pray future generations can enjoy these camps because we took the effort, time, innovation, finances and wisdom to invest in them now.

Verlie Koch

ECM Finance Manager
Verlie joined our team as the bookkeeper for ECM in 2005.  Since then, she has also taken on other roles, including Camp Registrar for Youth and Family Camps.  A gifted musician, she has also had the pleasure of leading worship at both Stayner and Mishewah. Originally from Newfoundland, Verlie moved to Hanover where she met and married Doug.  They have 3 married children, and 6 grandchildren.  Because Verlie works from home, she looks forward each year to visiting our camps to rekindle friendships and experience the spiritual refreshment that camp provides.

Steve & Jeanette Balzer

Camp Mishewah Managing Directors

The Balzers know first-hand the impact of Christian camp and believe strongly that camp changes lives.  Jeanette attended Stayner and Mishewah growing up, and later worked at Mish in various roles throughout her teen years.  Steve attended Camp Kakeka as a child and was also a counsellor at Mishewah for a summer.  Steve & Jeanette met while attending Emmanuel Bible College and have worked together in children’s ministry for over 40 years.  They directed Trail of the Pines at Stayner Camp for 12 years and began directing kids camps at Mishewah in 2006.  In 2018, they stepped into their current role as Managing Directors.  Camp has played a significant part in the lives of the entire Balzer family: Steve & Jeanette have four adult sons and two daughters-in-law who love camp, and they are Gran and Pops to two granddaughters, who are learning to love camp too!  Steve & Jeanette love to share about camp: if you are interested in having them come and visit/speak at your church, youth group, or other event, please visit our contact page and get in touch.

Kyle Moore

Stayner Camp Managing Director

Originally from California, Kyle moved to Cambridge, Ontario in 1995 to work on staff with Youth With A Mission. There, he met a godly and beautiful woman, and he and Ang were married in 1997. Over the years, Kyle has been involved with leading home groups, Alpha, short-term mission trips, and of course, camp ministry. The Moores came to Stayner and Mishewah in 2001 to run the children’s ministry for family camp. In 2008 they realized that their hearts were drawn to Stayner Camp where they programmed activities specifically for the family camp ministry. Kyle and Ang worked with Louise Leonard for several years to develop and introduce Stayner’s LIT program, directing this incredible and fun new ministry up to the beginning of 2016. In 2016 Ang lost her battle with cancer, and Kyle took a step back from ministry. Kyle and his kids continued to spend time at their trailer during the summer, and Stayner became a very special place of ministry and healing for the family. Kyle is excited about journeying together to continue making Stayner Camp a place where people can find refuge, peace, healing, friendship, spiritual growth, a place to serve, and a whole lot of fun that comes from the moving of the Holy Spirit.

Evergreen Christian Ministries

1-833-ECM-CAMP
(1-833-326-2267)

240 Scott Street, P.O. Box 400
Stayner, ON L0M 1S0

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