The Life and Mission Agency Committee works to fulfill the mandate given to it by the church:
- striving, under the power of the Holy Spirit to enable the whole church to serve the whole world, and thus be a sign of the reign of God;
- being faithful to the Mission statement of the church, and to affirm the vision and desire of The Presbyterian Church in Canada to be a church integrating discipleship, evangelism, social action and justice ministry;
- responding flexibly, creatively and effectively to the needs of congregations and courts of the church as they seek assistance in responding to the call of Jesus Christ in mission;
- giving priority to doing what must be done at the national level and facilitating tasks that can be done more appropriately at another level of the church, or ecumenically.
The Life and Mission Agency fulfills this mandate in various ways:
- providing resources to congregations, presbyteries and synods, and envisioning new and innovative models for ministries and congregational life;
- responding to disasters, the complex needs of refugees, and supporting life-giving long-term development projects;
- communicating both the good and the tragic stories of our church,
- working with Indigenous people
- gathering youth from around the world at Canada Youth into a community and encouraging them to follow the way of Christ in whatever path they are called;
- studying tough issues of faith and justice, such as human sexuality and climate change;
- offering guidance for discerning vocations for ordained ministry and welcoming pastors from abroad;
- connecting with people in distant corners of God’s realm in order to encounter the diversity and the challenges of the followers of Christ’s way.
LMA Committee Members
The denomination is blessed to have highly committed and gifted people appointed by the General Assembly from across Canada who serve the church as members of the Life and Mission Agency Committee. We are grateful to those who serve on the committee with diligence, faithfulness and dedication.
The members of the Life and Mission Agency committee are: the Rev. Sampson Afoakwah (Montreal, Quebec), the Rev. Dr. Charles Cook (Riverview, New Brunswick), Mr. Aubrey Hawton (Oro-Medonte, Ontario), Ms. Vivian Ketchum (Winnipeg, Manitoba), the Rev. Jeffrey Lackie (Medicine Hat, Alberta), Ms. Marion Lade (Comox, British Columbia), the Rev. Cheryl MacFadyen (St. Stephen, New Brunswick), the Rev. Allyson MacLeod (Sutton West, Ontario), Ms. Donna McIlveen (Johnstown, Ontario), Ms. Cindy Stephenson (convener) (Calgary, Alberta), Dr. Jo Szostak (Regina, Saskatchewan), the Rev. Jinsook Khang (Assembly Council representative), Ms. Carol Stymiest (Assembly Council representative).
Assembly Council Appointments: the Rev. Jinsook Khang, Ms. Carol Stymiest
Atlantic Mission Society Representative: Mr. Robert Griffiths (Prince Edward Island)
Women’s Missionary Society Representative: Ms. Cathy Reid (Ontario), Ms. Janet Brewer (Ontario) for the Executive Director of the Women’s Missionary Society
PWS&D Representative: the Rev. Andrea Perrett (British Columbia)
Ex-Officio: Moderator of the General Assembly, Principal Clerk of the General Assembly, Executive Director of the Women’s Missionary Society, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer, General Secretary of the Life and Mission Agency