CANADA
ÉGLISE DU NAZARÉEN
OUR LEADERSHIP
REV. DR. IAN FITZPATRICK (PAT)
NATIONAL DIRECTOR
Reverend Dr. Ian Fitzpatrick was born in Lurgan, Northern Ireland. In 1978 he served as a missionary for Bible Land Mission in Beirut, Lebanon for three years.
In 1981 he attended Nazarene Bible College in Colorado Springs and after graduating immigrated to Toronto, Canada to pastor the Mississauga Bethel Church from 1984 until 1989.
He helped provide leadership for the Target Toronto Thrust to the Cities for the following three years and then was called as pastor of the Toronto Emmanuel Church of the Nazarene in 1992. During this time he earned a Masters Degree in Theological Studies from Ontario Theological Seminary.
He was elected as District Superintendent in June 2004. He serves on the General Board of the Church of the Nazarene and the National Board of Canada.
He received an Honorary Doctorate from Nazarene Bible College in May 2017 and was elected National Director of the Church of the Nazarene Canada, effective November 1, 2017.
REV. ALAN CRISTALES
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,
NAZARENE COMPASSIONATE MINISTRIES CANADA
Alan Cristales was born and raised in Toronto’s west-end in Ontario, Canada. His family immigrated to Canada in the 1980’s during the civil wars of El Salvador, in Central America.
After 13 years in the non-profit sector working in a variety of settings with an emphasis on serving marginalized and vulnerable communities, he joined Nazarene Compassionate Ministries Canada (NCM Canada) in 2017 as a volunteer committee member.
In 2019, he was invited to join NCM Canada as an International Project Manager, overseeing compassionate ministry work in Africa and in the Middle East. As of January 2024, he is serving in the role of Executive Director of NCM Canada. In this role, he oversees the global ministry of NCM Canada.
Alan is finalizing his Theological studies with Nazarene Bible College, while also pastoring a local, bilingual church plant in Toronto with his wife, Yara.
DR. RILEY COULTER
DIRECTOR, STEWARDSHIP MINISTRIES
Dr. Riley Coulter serves as Director of Planned Giving for the Church of the Nazarene Canada. As an ordained minister in the Church of the Nazarene, Dr. Coulter pastored for fifteen years in Chilliwack, BC; Regina, SK; and Victoria, BC, prior to assuming the presidency of Canadian Nazarene College in Winnipeg in 1990 and as Chancellor at Ambrose University.
Dr. Coulter earned a Bachelor of Sacred Literature Degree (B.S.L.) from Canadian Nazarene College in 1970; Master of Religious Education (M.R.E.) and Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degrees from Nazarene Theological Seminary in 1975; and a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in 1987, with emphasis on Organizational Management and Church Renewal.
REV. SHERI LYNNE MARTIN
Canada's Educational Field Coordinator for the Global NDI
Rev. Sheri Lynne Martin serves as Canada's Educational Field Coordinator for the Global NDI Office. Previous to this she served as Children's Ministry Director for the Canada West District for 6 years and a Family Life Pastor for 8 years. Sheri Lynne brings a wealth of insight and experience in bringing the Good News to children and families in local church and District contexts. She also has facilitated children's ministry leader and Nazarene Safe trainings in 4 World Regions and played an integral part in the General Assembly Kids Leadership Team. Sheri Lynne served on the Global Strategy Committee that created the changes to what we now know as NDI. She has held positions on the NDI, NMI and BOM District Boards.
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PENNY URE
Canadian Representitive
for the Global NMI Council
Penny is Canada’s representative for the Global NMI Council. She loves the church and is the NMI president at Red Deer First Church of the Nazarene, Vice President on the District NMI Council and also serves on the District Advisory Board.
Penny and her husband Scott are passionate about missions; they became foster parents and have cared for Canada’s First Nations children since 1999.
HELEN THIESSEN
Canada Field Youth Coordinator for the USA/Canada NYI Regional Council
Helen is the Executive Director, Enrolment Management & Registrar at Ambrose University and the Field Youth Coordinator for the USA/Canada region of the Church of the Nazarene. Helen holds a BA in Behavioural Science and an MA in Professional Communications and with her husband, Joel, are actively involved in their local church (Skyview) and District.
As a graduate of Ambrose (NUC) and a former youth pastor from Canada Central district, Helen is passionate about seeing young people grow into their potential for Christ’s call in their lives; as well as supporting our youth workers across Canada. Basically passionate about Ambrose, our youth and our youth workers.