MEET OUR
SPEAKERS
We are pleased to welcome Rev. Daniel Ventura as our keynote speaker for our theme HOPE. Alongside him we have our workshop leaders Sharon Bout, Pastor Greg Bylsma, Joyce DeHaan, Inge Devisser and Daniel's wife, Brooke Ventura.
REV. DANIEL VENTURA
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Pastor Daniel was born and raised in California and has been a Christian since high school. After graduating with a degree in kinesiology from San Diego State University in 2009, he felt called to pursue pastoral ministry and began his studies at Westminster Seminary California, graduating in 2015.
He has been married to his California sweetheart, Brooke, since 2012, and they have since welcomed two children, Elizabeth Inés and Jonathan Guadalupe. They moved from California to Canada in June of 2015 to begin service as an associate pastor at Living Water, and have enjoyed growing in their knowledge of all things Canadian including shovelling snow, drinking Tim Hortons, saying sorry more often, and rooting for the Maple Leafs (unless they are playing the San Jose Sharks).
Pastor Daniel also serves on the ecumenical relations committee for the URCNA.
BROOKE VENTURA
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Brooke Ventura is a pastor’s wife and digital editor of Modern Reformation
magazine. She moved to Canada four years ago when her husband was called to serve as the associate pastor of Living Water United Reformed Church, and they live in Brantford, ON with their two young children.
SHARON BOUT
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Sharon has been married to her husband Wilf for 22 years and the Lord has given them 5 beautiful children. For almost 11 years now, they have been involved with a ministry to the migrant workers in the Niagara area.
REV. GREG BYLSMA
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Pastor Greg Bylsma is married to Charity Bylsma, and together they have been blessed with 4 children. They began ordained ministry together in 2005, and have since served in Woodstock and Brantford Ontario. Pastor Greg is currently serving in a dual pastorate at the Living Water Reformed Church of Brantford, where he has been since 2010. He considers it an honour and deep blessing to serve Christ through pulpit ministry.
JOYCE DEHAAN​
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Joyce has been married to Gerry DeHaan for 35 years. Together they have been blessed with children and grand children and are members at Trinity URC.
Joyce obtained her BA social work from Dordt College and her Masters in Social Work from Wilfrid Laurier University.
Joyce is a counsellor in private practice, a speaker and also guest lecturer at the Canadian Reformed Seminary.
INGE DEVISSER
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Born in Holland, Inge grew up and became a teacher for many different ages from Kindergarten to Teachers in College.
In 1989, she married Arjan, a missionary and they moved to South Africa serving there in missions for 15 years.
When they moved to Canada in 2004 with their three children, Inge became
involved in counselling younger and elder people in the church community.
Currently, she is a member of Canadian Reformed Cornerstone Church in Hamilton