March 11th, 2021

an·i·mate
verb/ˈanəˌmāt/   
 1. bring to life.

Exciting news from First Third Ministry!  We welcome Jake Highfield and Linday Veenstra, coming together with Sarah Prestwich as First Third Ministry Animator Team for the entire regional council!

We celebrate our Animator Team who will continue to build relationships, connect people together across our region and work with communities of faith to animate and bring to life ministry with children, youth and families through local and regional events. Sarah, Lindsay and Jake – you are the inspiring and inspired Animator team and we look forward to noticing where life and God’s spirit moves through our region! 
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And you, Beloved, are an important part of our wider team, of God's family. Your presence makes a difference! And we're excited to let you know about upcoming events and opportunities that you and yours may be interested in. Scroll down to read on.

Blessings,

Pamela
First Third Ministry Team Lead

What are the Animators working on? Contacting a leader in each community of faith, online events for youth and children, Family Retreats at Camp Fircom and Camp Pringle, building resources like a Youth Group Reading Club and Youth Quilt Project for local communities of faith, imagining how youth and children might participate in the regional annual meeting in June, and providing leadership and support to Camp Spirit Ministry! 
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More about Jake, Sarah and Lindsay

Sarah lives in Duncan which is located on Vancouver Island and lives on the land of the Cowichan Peoples, and is part of Duncan United Church. Sarah is a lover of stories and enjoy getting to know people. Her constant companion is her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Lilibet and Sarah enjoys reading, crafting, getting outside in nature, Earl Grey Tea, and anything to do with British History. Sarah is drawn to Ministry with Children, Youth, and Families because she is passionate about creating spaces where everyone feels welcome and they can truly be themselves with their journey of Faith and Spirituality. 

Jake lives in Langley, on the traditional and unceded lands of the Nuxwsa'7aq (Nooksack), Kwantlen, and Katzie Peoples. He is a member of Queens Avenue United Church in New Westminster. Jake has been involved with youth and children's leadership since 2008 in some form or another. He has been an enthusiastic attendee and staff member at Camp Hurlburt and Mackenzie Camp, sat on various executive committees and boards of directors at the local, presbytery, and regional level, and is excited to bring his passion for the wider church to this very important work. Jake wants to work to build connections between people in their First Third who may not have extensive or flourishing programming available to them in their local Community of Faith, and to foster a passion for the church and the beautiful things that happen in our church communities.

Lindsay lives in Vancouver, on the ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh peoples. Her community of faith is Shaughnessy Heights United Church. Linsday is  currently a fourth-year undergraduate student in the department of Classical, Near Eastern, and Religious Studies at UBC. She has worked with First Third ministries at Shaughnessy Heights United Church Children, Youth and Families program, with Camp Spirit, and in Camp Spirit's partnership with Hazelton and Gitsegukla pastoral charge's summer programs. When she's not working or studying, Lindsay likes to walk in the park with her dog, play board games, and sing in choirs with my friends. I'm so excited to be joining the PMR First Third Ministry Team!
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