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| Kitchener, Ontario, Canada |
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Benton Street Baptist Church is a fundamental, evangelical congregation of believers. We preach Jesus Christ crucified, risen, living, and coming again! We are united with about 500 other like-minded churches across the nation through the Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada. We share a set of core beliefs yet retain an independant and autonomous style of church government.
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Our vision is to be a thriving congregation in downtown Kitchener that is home to a diverse and growing family of believers united in Jesus Christ, a place where anyone can begin their Christian experience; belong to a caring family of fellow believers, and become a mature ministering disciple of Christ.
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| Bob Parks (Senior Pastor) |
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Bob has served as Benton's Senior Pastor since 1997. He initially came as Associate Pastor in October of 1994, serving with then Senior Pastor, Jim Reese. He is a graduate of Grand Rapids School of the Bible & Music and Denver Seminary and has ministered in churches in Michigan, California and Colorado. In addition to pastoral work, Bob was for nearly 30 years involved in music and worship ministries including 8 years as the Chairman of the Music Department at the Grand Rapids School of the Bible and Music in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Bob and his wife, Judy, both formerly widowed, are Americans by birth and have seven children and eight grandchildren between them.
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| Gary McNitt (Associate Pastor) |
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Gary joined the staff at Benton in June of 2005. He left the small business he has operated in the K-W area for the past 17 years. Gary ministered in Montreal and Kitchener before starting a decorating and renovation business in 1988. He ministered in New Hamburg from 1995-2004 while operating the business. He holds degrees from the University of Waterloo and Central Baptist Seminary. Gary and his wife, Marylou, have lived in the K-W area for over 20 years and have three sons.
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Jaye Rice (Pastor of Student Ministries)
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| Before coming to Benton Street Baptist Church in August 2007, Jaye worked for Montreal Youth for Christ for six and a half years as the program coordinator for their sports and arts center called terra nova. In April of 2007 Jaye received his B.A. in Religious Studies from Concordia University. He has a passion for seeing students of any age desire a real relationships with Jesus Christ and become His disciples. He seeks to do this through various means including the arts, outdoor activities, and Bible studies, to name a few. |
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| Jon Parks (Worship Leader) |
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Jon began serving as Benton's worship leader in October of 2005. He has had a passion for music since his early teens where he began learning how to play an instrument in the context of worship bands. In recent years, Jon has had a growing sense of God leading him to work long-term in church music ministry and is currently studying to that end at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo. He and his wife Christy had their first child, Jackson, born to them in April of 2007.
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Shirley Sutherland (Office Administrator)
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Shirley came on staff at Benton in February, 2004. A former teacher, Shirley has raised two grown children and is the proud grandparent of three girls. Since 1991, she has enjoyed working in Church Administration in various Ontario locations where she and her husband Jim have lived.
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| Gail Noble (Parish Nurse) |
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Gail is presently serving as Benton's first Parish Nurse. She graduated from the University of Ottawa, School of Nursing then taught nursing at St. Joseph's Hospital, Toronto and Chatham Public General Hospital, School of Nursing, before coming to teach at Conestoga College, Health Sciences. After 29 years as a professor, Gail retired from Conestoga College and attended the Parish Nursing Institute at McMaster Divinity College, Hamilton. She completed the Parish Nursing Certificate program. Gail is thankful for the amazing privilege of serving the Lord Jesus by caring for members of Benton's community of faith and others.
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| Robin Hazzard (Children's Ministry Director) |
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| Robin Hazzard has been actively involved in children's ministry in various churches for 23 years. She has been a member at Benton since 1990. In April of 2006 Robin was brought on staff as Children's Ministry Director, overseeing AWANA, Sunday School, Nursery and Children's Church. Robin also works part-time as an Educational Assistant in a Kindergarten class. She enjoys serving God in children's ministries. She and her husband Warren have two daughters. |
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Mario arrived in Canada from the Philippines in September 1993 with his wife Jocelyn and two children. The Lord called Mario, who has an engineering degree in communications, to work at Benton as a custodian in April 1994. In the Philippines Mario served as a deacon, a worship leader, a Bible study leader, sang solos and was a member of a male quartet group. The Lord continues to use Mario through singing here at Benton and in various Christian events. Mario wants to be known through this statement: "Jesus is my music. I'm just a singer of his songs."
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