Meet the Conference Staff
Brian Bell has served as the bishop of the Canadian Conference of the BIC Church since 2004. Prior to his appointment, he spent 10 years in pastoral ministry at The Meeting House (Toronto, Ontario) and Covenant BIC (Penetanguishene, Ontario). Brian also worked for 10 years within the family business, Reinhart Foods, in Stayner, Ontario.
With a B.A. in peace and conflict studies from Conrad Grebel College (Waterloo, Ontario) and his M.Div. from Regent College (Vancouver, British Columbia), Brian brings both his knowledge of the business sector and his pastoral experience to a number of denominational opportunities, including the Church Health Initiative.
Passionate about building authentic biblical communities, Brian loves to empower and encourage growth at the local church level. For him, being BIC all comes down to our core value of following Jesus—“wholehearted obedience to Christ Jesus through the empowering of the Holy Spirit.”
Brian and his wife, Lori, live in Burlington, Ontario, and attend The Meeting House. Their daughter Jessica lives in Toronto and is studying Broadcasting and Film at Centennial College. Outside interests are playing squash, converting others to using Mac computers and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Sheryl Roberts loves missions and it is showing in her work to date as our part time Canadian Coordinator for World Missions. Sheryl along with her husband Dave and their children Ben and Sarah attend the Meeting House and live in Oakville. Sheryl has worked for non-profits in Calgary and works from her home office in concert with BIC World Missions personnel from Grantham.
Leonard Chester is available to the Conference as our Associate for Resource Development on a volunteer basis. Leonard can help with financial budget, estate and will planning and provides us with information about how to support the various ministries of the BIC. Married to Ruth Ann, they live in Port Colborne and Leonard serves part time on the staff of our Port Colborne church as well. The Chesters have two daughters and two grandchilden and we appreciate Leonard’s breadth of pastoral experience – he is our Historiographer too!
Bob Leadley is our volunteer Associate for Financial Services who manages our BIC Fund and our other investment funds, the Ministers’ Pension Fund, Future Fund and Shaping Leaders. Bob is a CA and works in an accounting firm in St. Catharines. They have eight children and three grandchildren.
Mike Wright is our full time Associate for Student Ministries. Along with his wife, Melri, they manage the Centre for Student Leadership and make themselves available for all kinds of Student Ministries. Matthew and Michelle are their two children; they attend New Life and would love to have you drop by for a visit in beautiful Clarksburg. Along with Gavin and Peggy Wark they give direction to the YouthBuilder Teams which train out of the CSL.
Lisa Hammond joined our staff part time as Conference Accountant late in 2004. She is responsible for Cooperative Ministries, the Ministers’ Pension Fund and Group Benefits. Born in Oakville, married to Don with two children, Sarah and Laura, Lisa attends the Meeting House and she loves going to Camp Kahquah. Our books tend to be fairly complicated with so many teams but Lisa is doing a great job sorting it all out.
Carole has been in the Conference Office now since 2002 and handles all the details of congregational contacts and serves Bishop Brian as his assistant while managing the office in Oakville. Married to Graham, they attend the Meeting House; have a daughter, two sons and five grandsons. Carole is a person of prayer and is passionate about Compassionate Ministries which she gives leadership to within the Conference.
Lorraine Davies works on behalf of the BIC Fund doing all the necessary bookkeeping for this financial ministry. There are well over two hundred depositors in the Fund and many accounts to track. Lorraine and her husband Tom attend Welland BIC, have two adult children and Lorraine has worked for the BIC in Conference related roles for over 20 years.
Amy Zuleron is our World Missions Team accountant and serves us on a contract basis, working from her home in Burlington. Amy is a Certified Management Accountant and does a great job keeping track of the World Mission Team’s finances. Amy is married to Jack, and they have two children, Karin and Jacqueline.
John Cressman is the Canadian Conference Ministry & Development Coach. John is married to Melanie with three children, Leah (19) Wes (16) and Margo (14). John has spent the last 9 years church planting at Pathway Community BIC Church in York, PA. Prior to that he was in pastoral ministry in Kitchener for 8 years at Country Hills Evangelical Missionary Church. John and Melanie grew up in the K-W area and are settling back into life in Canada. John graduated from Emmanuel Bible College and has an MA in Global Leadership from Fuller Theological College.
