Staff

Staff

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  Gary McNitt

  Senior Pastor [email protected]

  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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  Bob Parks

  Associate Pastor of Senior Adults [email protected]

  Bob has been a member of Benton's pastoral team since October, 1994. He served as Associate Pastor from 1994-1997 and as Senior Pastor from 1997-2009.  He is once again serving on a half-time basis as an Associate Pastor with a ministry emphasis on the senior adult community. Bob is a graduate of Grand Rapids School of the Bible & Music in Michigan and Denver Seminary in Colorado.  In his nearly fifty years of ministry, he has served as a Bible College professor and as a worship leader and pastor in churches in New Brunswick and Ontario, as well as in Michigan, California and Colorado. Bob and his wife, Judy, both formerly widowed, are Americans by birth and have seven children and sixteen grandchildren between them.

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  David Barker

  Associate Pastor of Young Adult Ministries [email protected]

  David joined Benton’s pastoral team in August 2010 as a part time Associate Pastor of Young Adults. At present he is serving as a senior administrator at Heritage College and Seminary in Cambridge, but continues to serve in a part time capacity at Benton. His responsibilities lie in the areas of young adults, leadership development, and adult education. He also helps out in the preaching rotation. David has pastored two churches in London, and has served in an interim capacity in a number of churches. Deeply committed to the church and the mission of the church in God’s kingdom, David is passionate about the good news of redemption, hope, and justice found in Jesus Christ. He graduated from the University of Guelph (B.Sc.) in 1974, and holds M.DIv., Th.M., and Th.D. degrees from Grace Theological Seminary, Winona Lake, IN. He has also published a number of articles and expositions. David is married to Lorraine and has five married children and four grandchildren.

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  Jaye Rice

  Pastor of Student and Early Career Ministries [email protected]

  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 at their sports and arts youth center - Terra Nova. In April of 2007, Jaye received his B.A. in Religious Studies from Concordia University. He is currently working towards a Masters of Theological Study at McMaster Divinity College in Hamilton, Ontario.

  Jaye 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.

  Jaye is married to Madeleine and has two daughters.

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  Doug Thomson

  Director of Music and Worship [email protected]

  Doug holds a B.A. in music from The University of Western Ontario, a Masters Degree in Theology from Tyndale University College and a Masters Degree in Music (choral conducting) from the University of Hartford, eventually studying briefly with the world renowned Maestro Robert Shaw at Furman University in South Carolina. Doug taught at Alma College in St. Thomas and at the Western Ontario Conservatory of Music in London.  He presently heads the Music Department at Heritage College and serves as the interim director Music and Worship at Benton Street Baptist Church, Kitchener, having formerly served for nearly fifteen years in the same capacity at Forward Baptist Church, Cambridge.  In addition to teaching and performing, he remains active as an adjudicator, clinician, and conference speaker.

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  Shirley Sutherland

  Office Administrator [email protected]

  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 [email protected]

  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 [email protected]

  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 Masbad

  Custodian [email protected]

  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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  Sandy Green

  Office Assistant [email protected]

  Sandy joined the staff in the fall of 2011 to assist Shirley with administration. She brings a background in administration and church life as a pastor's wife. Sandy and her husband, Godfrey, moved to Waterloo after 25 years of ministry in Toronto. They have two college-and-career aged boys.