Elder Nominees

Henry Vanderlaan

  • I have been attending Grace Bible Church since January 2022. Member since 2023.

    Testimony:

    When I think about my journey of faith, the words of “Who You Say I Am” by Hillsong Worship echo my story quite well: “Who am I that the highest King would welcome me? I was lost, but He brought me in. Oh His love for me. Who the Son sets free oh, is free indeed. I'm a child of God, yes, I am.” God is a good Father. For many years, my Christian confession and daily practice were incongruent - I lived in the gospel gap. Like the prodigal son, I decided that my way of ‘doing’ life was what would make me happy and fulfilled but ultimately it proved empty and hollow. God saw me at my lowest point and called me to return to him. Today, through the power of the Holy Spirit, I am living in the truth that I am washed, sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor 6:11).

    Family & Work Life

    God blessed me and my first wife, Wendi, with three beautiful children, who are now married to wonderful believers in the Lord. As of last June, God’s goodness was again evident when I married PJ Hallahan, who also has three children. Our home is in Waterloo.

    For almost three decades, I worked in horticultural-related industries until I returned to school (Heritage College & Seminary) full-time in September 2022 to pursue a Masters of Theological Studies degree and a Graduate Certificate in Biblical Care and Counselling. I graduated this past April and have been seeking opportunities to serve while engaging in various part-time roles.

    Why I’m grateful to serve at GBC:

    GBC has become a home away from home…away from HOME. I can think of no better place to serve the family of God than at Grace Bible Church. God has blessed me with trials (although I confess they felt more like curses than blessings at the time) so that I may bless others. He has given me a unique set of pastoral gifts that I might be a co-shepherd, and he has placed a deep-seated recognition that it’s only by his grace that I move and have life. I believe GBC’s place and missional focus in Cambridge have been directed by God’s sovereignty and it’s by this same sovereignty that I am humbled to be called by God, and his people, to serve in the role of elder.

Randy Balzer

  • My name is Randy Balzer and I’m grateful to have been a part of the GBC family since 2020.

    Having been raised by Christian parents, I was grateful to be immersed in the gospel and be surrounded by disciples of Christ. Unfortunately, at various seasons in my youth, I became distracted by both sin and legalism; I regularly attempted to earn righteousness through my actions. One winter day on a ski trip, some friends and I became stranded by a significant snowstorm that closed all roads leading home. As we frantically searched for overnight accommodations, and shared how much we longed for a shower and clean clothes, one friend simply stated that, “To be cleansed by the blood of Jesus is the best”. That moment was the beginning of my understanding of our redemptive story being centred only in Jesus. Since the age of eighteen, and subsequently baptized at nineteen, I’ve been blessed to experience God’s forgiveness and to know and walk with my God each day.

    I’ve been married to my love, Tirzah, since 2009. In 2016, we became parents and now have four boys – Xavier (8), Louis (6), Vincent (4), and Julien (1 ½). Our three oldest attend Cambridge Christian School in grade three, grade one and JK. I spent most of my childhood and our early married years in rural Plattsville, and in 2020 we moved to our current home just outside Galt. Tirzah, a French teacher, has paused her career to be at home with our children. Along with another Christian couple, we own and work in a hazardous material removal company in Kitchener. Previous roles in my life include serving as a mission trip leader to developing countries, a charity trustee, a volunteer firefighter and a municipal councillor.

    God can use many ways to grow our faith, and I believe a big part of that is through active participation in “the church” and more specifically, our local church. To serve alongside brothers and sisters in faith has been a significant source of joy for me. With anticipation, I trust God’s will to be done in this chapter of my journey, knowing that His plan for my life and for Grace Bible Church is much grander than I can imagine!

Deacon Nominees

Peter Phillips

  • My name is Peter Phillips.  My wife, Sheri, and I had periodically attended Grace back at the Preston Heights location.  With the move to start a new church in the downtown core of Galt, we felt led to formally start attending Grace in January 2020.  I was blessed to be raised by Christian parents who practically lived out the gospel in their daily lives and within our family.   They also modeled the importance of caring for our local church family in the areas of practical support and hospitality.  Having made a profession of faith as a child, I recommitted my relationship to Jesus during the struggles of my teenage years as I realized I needed to make my faith my own. The LORD has faithfully demonstrated His steadfast love and mercies throughout the various stages of my life.  I continue to experience the power of the gospel to change my stubborn heart through forgiveness, grace, and through the body of Christ, in loving and supporting one another to walk in obedience and live out the gospel in a lost and complex world.  Professionally, I have worked over 32 years for the Community Services Department at the Region of Waterloo in the areas of social assistance, childcare subsidy, and most recently, in responding to the crisis of chronic homelessness.  I am blessed to be married over 31 years to love of my life Sheri as we raised two beautiful daughters into their adult lives and the addition of a son-in-law.  We are loving the new role of being grandparents to 3 energetic boys and anticipating the pending marriage of our second daughter. God has been so good.  I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as Deacon where I can offer my skills and life experiences in ways that will support and strengthen our collective gospel journey which aligns with one of my life verses Micah 6:8 “…And what does the LORD require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God”.

Richard Barg

  • My wife and I have been attending Grace Bible Church for the last 5+ years.  We love our church and feel very blessed to be part of GBC.  I am looking forward to working with the Deacons, Elders and the church leadership as we seek to provide the ministry of caring to those within our congregation and those in our local community.  I believe these are exciting days at GBC as we serve in City of Cambridge. I was blessed to grow up in a Christian home where I was taught about Jesus at an early age and saw parents live out their faith.  I can truly say that all my life He has been faithful!  My faith is a very real part of my life, and I desire to use the gifts and talents that God has given me to serve Him and others in the local church.  I continue to work in a Sales & Marketing role and am finishing up my 39th year with the same company. 

Shannon Pharoah

  • My name is Shannon Pharoah, and I have been attending GBC, along with my husband, Greg, for 3 years.  We have been married for 36yrs and have 4 children: 1 married and 1 to be married next summer.  

    Growing up in a Christian home, in a small community, focused primarily on the church, living the Christian life became a learned behaviour as opposed to something I desired to do.  At the age of 16 I recognized my need to make decisions for myself as it related to my relationship with God, and I started to challenge my faith.  Although I had accepted Christ at a young age, I rededicated my life at 17 and was baptized.    Throughout my life, God has been an anchor, a source of strength and a light in the darkness.  Life has brought many moments of suffering, and I am so grateful for the power of the Holy Spirit, who has guided me and given me peace as I have walked through many dark valleys.   I have always had a desire to care for others, and my nursing background allowed me to work in a variety of mental health settings.  I have journeyed with many individuals during vulnerable times in their life, assisting families working through end-of-life issues, as well as walking alongside those suffering with a mental health or addiction issue.   In 2017, I was recognized as a Chaplain through the Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches, and I am currently part of the on-call Spiritual Care Team at Brant Community Health Centre.  I currently work part-time as the Program Manager for Michael House, which is a faith-based pregnancy and parenting support service located in Guelph.   

    I am grateful for the opportunity to serve GBC in the role as deacon as I continue to utilize the skills that God has gifted me.  The church has a long history of caring for the broken and comforting the sick, and it is in this context of caring that I believe God has equipped me to dive into the needs of our congregation, as well as the community around us.  GBC has been positioned well to care for the hurting in our community, and I am excited to see how God will continue to deploy GBC for His glory. 

Tim Thompson

  • I was born into a Christ following family. I accepted Jesus into my heart at a boys church camp at the age of 9. I met my wife at youth group at Forward church and married her in 2000. We had our son Liam in 2006. I was baptized spring of 2007. We had our son Russell in 2008. We started attending Grace because we found the teaching to be solid and not compromising of the truth. 

    My family members are my wife Heather. Two sons, Liam (18), Russell (16). I currently work as a Machine Builder Integrator at Eclipse Automation for the last 4 years. I have over 20 years experience as a Tool and Die Maker.

    I am excited to serve as a Deacon at GBC. Working with the current team of Elders and Decons as well as all candidates is a huge honour. God is busy working in this church and I feel He’s working on my heart. I am not  perfect, but He is.