Mentors and the A-Team

[Sarah]

I have experienced mentorship primarily through the boss and employee relationship I have had with people at Street Invaders, United Youth Outreach, and Calgary Full Gospel Church. I have also experienced it through pastors in my life especially my youth pastor. I have also experienced it through participating in groups such as the ACOP Next Gen team or Martyr’s Life at Eston College. Mentorship has most often been a result of doing ministry in the same space as a leader in my life.

[Caleb]

Although I’ve never had an officially labeled “mentor” relationship, I’ve had a lot of people pour into me over the years. I think of having quick chats with one of the leaders at bible camp growing up which was just us hanging out on a fallen tree trunk in the middle of the woods. I also think of grabbing coffee with my best friends dad who is a crazily ministry minded man of God. or even just asking my home church pastor questions after service and having a conversation. Although talking is cheap, its also been rare these days with such digital connection. Every mentorship relationship I’ve had has always just been simple conversation that somehow leads to talking about being a follower of Jesus. I think we just need to talk more with brothers and sisters in Christ, and we need to be not afraid to talk to those around us who don’t know Jesus. Everyone needs a good conversation.

[Karlena]

I would say that mentoring has taken place in all of the contexts mentioned (except, perhaps, working on a construction site😀). Basically, mentoring has occurred in everyday relational moments when someone cared enough to spend quality time with me and just to be real about who they were and open/honest about real life and their experiences. One of those people was Lorne Pritchard. I will never forget long talks together on the phone, or in his office, or over lunch. I will never forget his prayers, words of encouragement and affirmation, his wise counsel, his laughter and his tears–or even the sound of his booming, yet gentle voice. He had a true pastor’s heart and continues to be an inspiration to this day. Another person was a Jamaican sister in the Lord named “Veronica” who was at People’s Full Gospel Church in Surrey. She taught me how to open my heart to receive love and how to love others–just through numerous acts of kindness as well as spending a great deal of time discipling me in the word of God.