Our Ministry Team

Doug Schulz
Associate Pastor

Doug is a retired high school teacher working part-time at Grace Mennonite Church in developing connections into the local community to focus mission engagement energy of the congregation, and to encourage others to participate in the worship, fellowship and mission of Grace.
 
Doug says: "Since starting to attend Grace in 2008, I've felt completely at home. I'm an active reader/writer/contemplative type, so it is pretty important to me to have a church that welcomes people in an open-minded way. I have that approach when I work in facilitating community connections. Other parts of my life include relating alongside my wife Annie to our five grandchildren (and to their parents, of course), traveling to ocean-side or lakeside locations whenever possible, and walking/cycling for exercise."

Beth Voelk
​Associate Pastor

Beth’s work in pastoral care and spiritual formation flows out of the wellspring of God’s abundant love for all. She is passionate about listening deeply and offering loving presence in all seasons of life. Beth delights in creating opportunities for spiritual reflection, discovery and growth. She loves helping people find ways to integrate their faith into their everyday lives and follow the way of Christ through contemplative practices, loving action and life in community. 

Beth shares life with her husband Eric and their two daughters Selah and Karis. Together they live along the 15 mile creek, canoeing it in the summer and skating on it in the winter. Beth enjoys hiking local trails, exploring new landscapes when travelling, tending her vegetable garden, and gathering friends and family around her table for meals.

Annie Schulz
Music Coordinator

My role as music coordinator is to provide music leadership in the church which draws the congregation together in expressing and strengthening their faith.

We have a women's chorus which practices several times a month and sings in our worship services. My participation in the music ministry at Grace is a very rewarding and enriching experience.

I also enjoy my piano teaching in my home studio. Connecting with family and friends is important to me, as is relaxation which includes reading, walking and travelling.

Ester Funk
​Office Administrator

​Ester has always been an active participant in church life: teaching Sunday school, children's singing, youth leadership, worship planning, song leading and organizing various church functions and events. In the past, Ester facilitated a bi-weekly mental health support group.
 
Ester thoroughly enjoys her role as an office administrator in support of pastors through daily office tasks and also through cultivating meaningful relationships with congregational members. She has 15 years experience in different office administration roles, 10 of which were church specific.
 
Ester lives with her husband Doug on their grape farm in Jordan where they raised their four children. She enjoys music, reading, baking, gardening and spending time with her 11 grandchildren.

Jan Carrie Steven
​Community Chaplain

Jan Steven loves to visit people who don't have a lot of visitors and welcome a loving presence. She especially likes to visit people in care facilities.
 
Jan is Commissioned Community Chaplain and a Registered Social Worker. She has worked for many years as a counsellor and pastoral care visitor (voluntary.) Jan has also completed trained as a Stephen-Minister and Hospice volunteer. 

Jan and her husband Laurence enjoy cycling and hiking and hanging out with their two grandchildren and her two grandnephews and one grandniece.
 
To reach Jan, call Grace Mennonite Church at 905-935-6112.  

Lyn Beckett
Pastoral Care Visitor

Lyn was the office administrator at Grace for ten years and enjoys working with the pastor and members of the congregation. She is a Deacon and takes part in various church activities. 

Lyn was born in Toronto and moved to St. Catharines when she was sixteen. She attended Grantham High School, St. Catharines Teachers' College, and worked as a teacher of junior grade students for DSBN for eight years before becoming a mother of 3 sons. For seventeen years, Lyn was family-related director and later part-time administrator for Help A Child Smile. She co-facilitates a bereavement support group for parents.

Who are the ministers of the church? Some people have a tendency to use the word minister to mean the clergy, the pastors. Biblically, however, this understanding does not even begin to exhaust the true nature of ministry. The scriptures make it clear that all of God’s children are called into ministry and given special gifts and abilities for ministry. The clergy have a very important role in the ministry of the church, but they are not the only ministers. The church is a body of people in ministry together.
- Michael Roberts, D. Min