Thanks, Adrianna and Welcome, Tori!

Thanks, Adrianna and Welcome, Tori!

Thank You, Adrianna

This past Sunday, we said farewell to someone who has become a much-loved part of the Elevation staff team: Adrianna, our Children’s Ministry Coordinator.

Thank you, Adrianna!

Adrianna joined our staff team in May of 2025 in the role of Children’s Ministry Coordinator. Right from the beginning, we were all so confident that Adrianna was an incredible fit for what our team needed at that time. She brought insight, youthful energy, a depth of wisdom and experience working with kids, and a passion for helping our team of volunteers to create an accessible and welcoming environment for our kids to develop relationships with one another, and explore the love of God together.

Adrianna held this role over the last school year while she also finished her final year in the music program at Laurier. This past summer, Adrianna increased her hours to full-time, thanks to the Canada Summer Jobs grant we obtained, and has blown our team away with all of the other work that she jumped into this summer – from pushing some policy writing across the finish line, to helping to organize areas in the office, to pulling together our Summer Sundays for KidsQuest and other family events, to many hours spent organizing and setting up plans for the KidsQuest classrooms, curriculum and volunteer teams well into the fall and beyond.

Adrianna brought much joy, a quiet confidence and an inspiring open-handed curiosity to our team, and we are going to miss her presence greatly. 

Adrianna is heading to Alberta to continue her studies, as she completes a Masters Degree in Conducting. And although we’ve known about Adrianna’s plans for a while now, it still feels like it has come much too quickly! 

Adrianna, on behalf of our staff team, Board, KidsQuest teams, and the whole Elevation community: thank you.

Thank you for all that you have shared with our community. You are a gift to those who know you, and we are so grateful to have had this time to walk together. We are absolutely thrilled for you as you take off on this adventure, and your Elevation family will always be cheering you on!  

Go well, Adrianna. We’re so grateful for you. ❤️


Welcoming Tori to the KidsQuest Team

As we say goodbye to Adrianna, we’re also excited to welcome Victoria “Tori” Snider as our new Children’s Ministry Coordinator!

Filling this position has been a significant process. Elevation’s hiring team began its search back in May, and we’re grateful for the patience of our community as we worked carefully toward finding the right person for this role. We’re delighted to share that the hiring team came to a unanimous decision: Tori has accepted the position of Children’s Ministry Coordinator and began her role on this past Sunday, August 23.

From the very beginning of the hiring process, Tori impressed the team with her attention to detail and ability to prepare thoughtfully. Throughout the process, she demonstrated creativity, strong organizational skills, and a willingness to put in the effort and initiative needed to see a task through.

Just as importantly, Tori understands Elevation’s values and vision and has already shared some great ideas about how those values can be woven into all aspects of our work with children.

We’re excited to see the gifts and ideas Tori will bring to KidsQuest and to the wider Elevation community. We hope you’ll join us in giving her a warm welcome as she begins her new role!

Welcome to the team, Tori! We’re glad you’re here. 🎉

A Summary Of Our Sunday Services (2026)

A Summary Of Our Sunday Services (2026)

Service and Learning Sunday: Recap & Reflections.

Join us this coming Sunday for our Service and Learning Recap and Reflection gathering. Rather than dividing up around the region like we normally do on Service and Learning weekends, we’ll all be together at 22 Willow. We’ll gather in the Sanctuary for some singing together, updates from the Peace in Action Team, and some videos to both look back at our serving and learning together, and to look forward to this coming year! The children will remain in the Sanctuary, and the service will be crafted with them in mind.  
After the service, we’ll head right to the gym for our youth pancake breakfast fundraiser. We’re looking forward to a meaningful and inspiring morning together!

The Names of God, Part 1: The Personal Name of God.

Does God have a name? Sometimes it is translated in English as Yahweh, sometimes as Jehovah but most translations of the Bible instead render it LORD. Why is this so confusing and what can we learn about God from this name recorded in the story of Exodus.

June 2026 Service and Learning.

June 2026 Service and Learning.

We warmly invite you to join us for our June Service and Learning:

Thursday, June 11th, 2026:

  • Community Ministry Meal (5PM to 6:30PM)
    • Community Ministry, a group of people from some local churches, come together weekly to prepare and serve a meal at 22 Willow for those seeking a hot meal and a place to find community.  We have the opportunity to join them the 2nd Thursday of the month to eat with them,  build relationships and support the work of creating community.  
    • 15 people max

Sunday, June 14th, 2026:

  • The Worm Wrangler and Planting Activity (9AM)
    • Join us this month as we combine the Connection to NatureLearning and Kit Assembling opportunities into one large group activity at 22 Willow.  We have a guest speaker, Amanda Hunter, the Worm Wrangler, who will teach us about composting with the help of earthworms—called vermicomposting. This simple, powerful approach turns everyday kitchen scraps into living soil and is ideal for beginners and the compost-curious alike. Together, we’ll explore how worm bins work, what worms eat, and how to set up, maintain, and troubleshoot a healthy vermicomposting system. We’ll talk about some things you can do to improve the health of your soil in your gardens and houseplants weather composting is for you or you’re just interested in improving your ability to grow.  Participants of all ages will meet the worms up close and learn about worm life-cycles.
  • Cooking for ABTC (9AM)
    • We will prepare meals in the kitchen at 22 Willow to be shared with our friends at A Better Tent City.
    • 12 people max (Gr 1 and up require registration, younger kids are welcome to join with no sign-up required)
  • Making and Sharing Brunch at SHOW (10AM-12PM)
    • Our team will be making and sharing Brunch at SHOW as per usual! If you wold like to join this team, please send us a message!

Saturday, June 20th, 2026:

  • Karis Disability Services Volunteer Groups (10AM – 12PM)
    • We have the opportunity to serve at two Karis Disability Services group home locations. Tasks may include lawn and garden clean up (weather permitting), as well as other tasks that the Program Managers typically look after. 
    • 10-12 people per location. 
    • Location Details:
      • Bridge Street (492 Bridge St., W.  Waterloo, ON   N2K 1L4)
      • Misty Street (62 Misty St. Kitchener, ON   N2B 3V6)
    • Please sign up here for the Karis Events.

If you have any questions, please contact our missions team or pastoral team at: mission@elevationwaterloo.org.

2026 Summer Series: Noticing God.

2026 Summer Series: Noticing God.

As time goes on we can sometimes feel as if we have been missing God in our day to day. You may have learned practices you were told would guarantee a happy and flourishing spiritual life, but these practices now feel distant or simply never served you well. In our upcoming summer series “Noticing God” we will explore practices which have benefitted members of our community as they search for, live alongside, and experience the divine. Together we seek to offer hope, and invitation to each other as we explore ways of noticing God in our midst.

Elevation Is Hiring!

Elevation Is Hiring!

Elevation is looking to fill the following job position:

Children’s Ministry Coordinator

We are seeking to build our staff team by hiring a Children’s Ministry Coordinator. This permanent, part-time (15 hrs/week) position reports to the Co-Lead Pastors and works alongside staff, leadership teams, and volunteers, within our shared leadership model.

The Children’s Ministry Coordinator role includes:

  • Developing and supporting the leadership team for Children’s Ministry
  • Recruiting and onboarding new volunteers (Vulnerable Individuals’ Protection Plan training, classroom-specific training, etc.)
  • Resourcing, guiding, and supporting the Children’s Ministry volunteer team through ongoing training, encouragement, and visioning
  • In consultation with the Pastoral Team, sourcing and preparing curriculum plans and sharing resources to support families in the spiritual formation of their children
  • Managing the supplies and resources required for Children’s Ministry
  • Organizing and implementing children’s ministry events and activities outside of Sunday morning gatherings
  • Contributing to the integration of children into the wider life of the church (service and learning opportunities, music, etc.)

The type of candidate who would thrive in this role:

  • Is flexible and adaptable, working collaboratively within a community that values diverse voices and reimagined church structures
  • Enjoys the challenge of thinking outside the box to facilitate a ministry supported by many volunteers
  • Is skilled in organization and planning while also able to connect with kids and caregivers in meaningful ways
  • Has a passion for finding creative and engaging ways to nurture faith development in children of all ages

Further Details:

  • Start Date: August 23rd, 2026
  • Hours of Work: Part-time, 15 hours/week
    Regular availability on Sunday mornings is required. Outside of Sunday programming, team meetings, and occasional in-person responsibilities during the week, hours are flexible, with the option to work a combination of remote and in-office hours. This role is intended for someone local to the Waterloo region, who can maintain an active on-site presence.
  • Wage: $23.50–$27.50/hour (based on experience and skill set)
  • Vulnerable Sector Check: Applicants will need to provide a cleared VSC before being hired for the position.

Applications:

    Any questions can be directed to hiring@elevationwaterloo.org, or filling in the form below.

    Thinking Beyond the Market.

    Thinking Beyond the Market.

    On April 30th, Elevation Waterloo & Trillium Luteran are hosting the screening and discussion panel for “Thinking Beyond the Market”, with creator, Dr Brian Doucet. Brian is an author, filmmaker, and Associate Professor in Planning at the University of Waterloo. His work focuses on housing, gentrification, displacement, transportation, and neighbourhood change.

    This documentary takes viewers across Canada, highlighting real policies, programs, and projects already making a meaningful impact on the housing crisis. From non-market housing initiatives on public land in Kitchener and Whistler, to Indigenous-led projects in Vancouver, to strengthened tenant protections and rent control in British Columbia and Prince Edward Island, the film showcases practical solutions at work in communities of all sizes. Featuring interviews with over 30 planners, policymakers, developers, residents, and housing advocates, it both inspires and challenges us to consider the root causes of the housing crisis—and the transformative possibilities ahead.

    Following the screening, we will have a time of discussion with Brian.

    Entrance is free, with donations welcomed (all donations will be directed to one of our PiAT initiatives).

    View the film’s trailer here.

    Sign up here: