Who We Are

Mark Wessner - Lead Pastor

I believe that God changes lives – this is what motivates me, both personally and professionally.   I also believe that a church community is one of the best contexts within which we can experience life change, especially when the Spirit of God and the strategies of leadership work together!  Jennifer, Emily, Ashley and I have been a part of Westwood since 2006 and we have experienced many changes.  Through the good and bad, our core leadership belief has remained unchanged – Westwood is to be united under divine ownership, not just human leadership (1 Corinthians 1).  I hope that you check out our church family, and I look forward to meeting you!

Holly Wolitski - Children’s Ministries Pastor

God transforms lives – I know this because he rescued me! This is why I’ve chosen to follow and serve God in my personal life and ministry. I am passionate about coming alongside others and living life together – joys, struggles, laughter, tears – it’s all meant to be shared in the context of community with a loving, redeeming, almighty God.

Jason and I have been married since 1998 and we have two energetic boys, Graydon and Ben, who keep us very busy and bring us much joy and many opportunities to seek and follow God’s guidance. We started attending Westwood in 1999 and I joined the staff family in 2005. I am privileged to be able live out my passion with a team of awesome staff, volunteers, families and kids in a warm, inviting, fun environment we call PowerSource! See you Sunday!

Joel Cross- Music Arts and World Impact Pastor

Joel, his wife Joanna and their three children Chloe, Caleb and Chase have been a part of the Westwood Team since January 2013.  He has served in the church for as long as he can remember and says “I’ve seen God move people from an ordinary existence to life with meaning and purpose and I want to continue to follow that model.”  The past four years Joel served as the Worship Pastor for Lakeshore St. Andrew’s in Tecumseh, ON.  He studied at Canada Christian College in Toronto for three years toward his Bach. of Sacred Music and continues to develop his leadership through trial and error.  Joel says “I enjoy being a part of something supernatural when given the opportunity to lead people into worship.”  This is something that was developed in him growing up in well lead church Worship Arts ministries over the years he has served.

Craig Reimer - Adult Ministries Pastor

I love this church!  My wife Lisa and I have been part of Westwood since 1995 and it has been incredible to see how God has worked in and changed peoples lives.  I started out in the youth ministry at Westwood and since then have moved around in various positions until I moved to this one a few years ago.  I have been married to Lisa since 1992 and we have three kids, Sydney, Quin and Connor.

I believe that God is about changing lives and my own life change speaks to that.  I love people getting together in community, having fun, learning about God, and helping each other follow him.  What is great, is we have a church that does that and wants to see God work and makes room for him to work.

Kerry Deschamps - Admin Team Leader

Although not raised in a Christian home, I attended Sunday school, youth club, and church when I was young. As an early teenager, I gave my life to the Lord and went on to train as a forester after secondary school. Over the twenty years career, I worked as a forester in the Ontario and Alberta governments, the federal government, and the local forestry industry. I resigned in May 2007 to join the Westwood staff when I sensed the calling of the Lord.

I am married to Cindy and we have two children, Melissa and Brandon, and one grandchild, Lance. Cindy and I have been attending Westwood since 1995 and are actively involved as volunteers in the Children’s PowerSource ministry. I enjoy croquet, camping, family activities, Sci-Fi movies, reading, chess, board and card games, most sports, and Toastmasters.

Carmen Ricard - Youth Ministries Assistant

I started attending Westwood with my family as a youth in 2002. In 2011 I married Ben, a Westwood boy, and we’ve loved growing in life and faith with our church family here.

In my time here, I’ve been involved in children’s ministry, missions, worship and youth. I love walking together with other believers and working out our salvation together. I believe that the life God calls us
to is different from a life of worldliness, for He has called us out of darkness and into His glorious light! (1Peter 2.9) Challenging Westwood youth to pursue the life that God has for them is a fun job!

Ken and Myrna Penner - Seniors Ministries Contact

Both Myrna and I are from Christian homes and grew up, went to school, and began our professions (Myrna: beautician & Ken: teacher) just north of Calgary Alberta. After our marriage and the arrival of our three children, Kevin, Myron and Susanne, we responded to God’s call to serve as missionaries in Okinawa, Japan where I was the principal of a large Christian school. We accepted a call to serve as the principal of the High School at Prairie Bible Institute in Three Hill, AB when I developed sever allergies to mound (living 200 feet from the ocean in Okinawa precipitated the development of the allergies!)Through the years wherever we lived, we joined and served in Bible-believing churches. We both taught Sunday School, we worked with young people and we worked young couples. Myrna began teaching young women and we lead Bible studies and seminars.

Our passion was and is to help people to know, love and follow Jesus as His disciples. In all our church-related ministries we have sought to encourage people in their walk with God.

Now, in our retirement years, we count it a privilege to focus our relationships and efforts on the segment of the church who are our generation.

Barb Leisinger - Secretary

My husband, Michael, and I have attended Westwood since 1999 when we moved to Prince George from Terrace. We were drawn to Westwood because of the programs for children and youth that our boys could participate in.  I really appreciate the Bible based teaching at Westwood and heart of the leadership to share Christ with others. I have been on staff since September 2010 and love interacting with people each day and working with the rest of the staff to ensure things run smoothly behind the scenes at Westwood.  Before joining the Westwood staff I taught in the elementary classroom and then homeschooled our two boys who are now 23 and 20 and going to school elsewhere.   My other interests include running with our English Springer Spaniel, Maggie; keeping in shape with Pilates and other exercise classes; cooking; learning to play piano; puttering in the garden; biking; and reading.

Cary McComb – Facility

I moved to Prince George in 1992 to settle down after having lived in 4 different provinces, although now my son and daughter, (19 and 21) have moved away and live in Red Deer, Alberta. I started attending Westwood in the fall of 2006, and came on staff in 2010. I receive great enjoyment from volunteering in and around the Prince George area. When I can, I head to the bush with my camera and fishing rod for rest, relaxation, and reflection. I am looking forward to what God has planed for me in the future.

Melanie Pierce - Office Administration Assistant

It was my pregnancy with our first child in 1999 that moved my husband and I from “drifting” to choosing Westwood as our church home. With lots of young families and a great children’s program it was and continues to be a great choice for growing our family and our faith. To get connected we joined a small group (now called LIFE groups) right away and the friendships I made still encourage me and enrich my life. Through volunteering in Children’s Ministry, I discovered my creative side which eventually lead to me coming on Staff in my current role in 2007. I am so blessed to work in an environment that feeds my soul and allows me so many opportunities to connect with my church family.

Bev Shauer - Bookkeeper

My husband, Dave, and I have been attending Westwood since we moved here in 1996. We have been involved in music, teaching and my husband as an elder. It seemed a natural fit when I came on as treasurer in March 2006. I have loved working with the staff for the past 5 years. Our family, we have 3 children, feel Westwood is home for us. We are looking forward to what God is going to do in Prince George in the years to come.

Twyla Morgan- Youth & Children Support

My husband, Doug, and I have attended Westwood Church since 2008 when we moved to Prince George from Fort St. John, B.C. I started to volunteer with Children’s Ministries in 2009, working with the greeting team in K-5 and with Cindy Deschamps in Sunday School Lesson preparation. Eventually I started volunteering with Holly on a weekly basis. When the position for Administrative Assistant to both the Children’s Ministry and Youth Ministry  came open, Doug encouraged me to apply. I started on staff August 2012 and am filled with gratitude every day for this opportunity I have been given. Working with this group of wonderful disciples who delight in searching out God’s plan for us as a staff and a church has been a blessing beyond measure. I can’t wait to see what he has in store for me next.