Commons Kids Lead

What an incredible year it has been for Commons Kids!

This year has felt busier than ever as our community continues to grow and more families have made Commons their home.  As we have grown, so has our kids team. And I am so very thankful to the many kids team volunteers and staff that make Commons an amazing community to be a part of. Our team added several junior leaders this year who were former Commons Kids and now as youth are able to serve in this new role which has been awesome to see.

The staff team added Rachel Tita this year which has been wonderful! Rachel led our inaugural Camp Commons, a week long summer day camp that was a massive highlight for the kids, the volunteers and the staff. We are very excited to see what Camp Commons has in store for 2026!

Another highlight of the year was completing our 3 year curriculum cycle. The curriculum was a big undertaking and it’s wonderful being able to have the resource as we continue to share the stories of the bible and refine the ways in which we share them with kids in our community.

Our heart for this ministry is simple: we want every child to feel the same radical welcome that defines Commons. We want them to feel fully known, accepted, and loved. As we look to the future, we are dreaming of new ways to help our kids feel loved by God and fascinated by the story of the Bible. We are eager to participate in whatever renewal God has in store for us next.

Youth Pastor

This past year was a great year for Commons Youth. The Jr High continues to grow as core Commons families begin to age into youth group. We tend to have around 25-30 Jr high students at a typical Jr High event, and a group of about 8-12 in Sr High. In 2025 we had two high school graduates, and this upcoming June we will have six high schoolers graduating.

During the teacher’s strike in October, we offered drop-in times for all youth 1-2 afternoons a week. This was quite well attended, and I believe offered an important and meaningful connection point for teens in the upheaval. 

Commons Youth also continues to have quite a few students with disabilities/neurodivergence. The feedback I’ve heard from families is that this is a youth group that offers a lot of support and inclusion for their children. 

We’ve continued our monthly Jr High events, which students have really enjoyed and engaged with. This year we’ve done sushi making, pasta making, and an “escape the church” event. My goal for the coming year is to get more volunteers and others in the Commons community to help with leading these, offering a more diverse array of activities and leadership. 

February 20-22 we are hosting our first weekend retreat for all youth. There is a total of 34 students and eight adult volunteers participating in the weekend. I had hoped to get a minimum range of 20-30 students, so I’m thrilled with the reception and think it will be a weekend that will allow students to connect deeper in their friendships and with God’s love for them.

Director of Generations

I joined the Commons team in August 2025, and what an exciting time to be supporting the growth of Commons!  

Although my focus is on pastoring the Young Adults at commons, it has been exciting to witness the growth of Commons Kids and Youth since I started attending Commons eight years ago. I’m looking forward to supporting Ashley and the continued development of our in-house Kids curriculum, and Alexandra as she anchors our Youth in the way of Jesus as they navigate a world that often feels uncertain.

As for Young Adults, while they don’t call any particular service time their own, their presence and engagement throughout all our services have helped Commons feel familiar and welcoming for all who come through our doors. I’m excited to help them connect more deeply and meaningfully together, engage with the Scriptures, and create opportunities for them to offer their thoughtfulness and creativity as a blessing to Commons and beyond.

When I think about the generations at Commons, I’m really thinking about Commons as a family–not just on any given Sunday, but as Commons grows up and our roots grow deeper in God’s story in Kensington, Marda Loop, and beyond.

Pastor: Ministry and Formation

This is always a great time to reflect on and celebrate what I appreciate about this community. There’s something profound about coming together each spring and sensing that this really is something that we do together. From the biggest of our projects to the smallest of ways we extend care, I’m honoured to be part of what God continues to do at Commons. I’m also so grateful to serve with such an exemplary board and dedicated staff that make this work so fun and joy-filled.

2025 offered plenty of opportunity to grow in my work. I was honoured to lead the small team that visited our partnership with Hands at Work last spring. These trips are an important part of our partnership practice and I was honoured to return to Zambia, strengthening a connection between Commons and local advocates that is now more than ten years old. Kalende has seen incredible development through the faithful efforts of our friends and siblings there and — having seen these changes first hand — I encourage you to consider ways you can participate in and be shaped by this partnership in the coming year. Here in Kensington, my facilitation and teaching of Courses was also deeply rewarding (Marriage & Relationship in the winter, Prayer in the spring, Bible Roadmap in the fall). These environments are always stretching because of the way participants make each cohort/session a unique, unrepeatable experience. I love being part of such an incredible learning community.

With 2026 underway, I’m super excited for what’s ahead. This spring I’ll be running our Theology of Work Course (and working to get those engaging conversations available in our online lineup), and will finalize plans for fall Courses in the next few months. Plans for our 2027 Hands at Work team will begin this spring and unfold throughout the year, so keep your ears open for updates. In addition to these ongoing parts of my pastoral work, I’m excited to give more energy to empowering and encouraging our staff team as we prepare to launch our Marda Loop parish. This is an amazing moment for all of us — to trust God’s goodness, to try new things, and to tell the story of Jesus more creatively. So thank you for the ways you contribute to and support Commons so faithfully!

Director of Worship Arts

As I reflect on Worship Arts at Commons in 2025, the first feeling I encounter is gratitude. I have the privilege of working with an incredible group of volunteers within our church. Our musicians, production techs, set designers, photographers, and many other creatives pour their hearts into making Commons an incredible experience each Sunday. In total, we have about 65 people who contribute to worship arts in various forms. Again, I am so thankful to be surrounded by such talented and dedicated individuals. This incredible team of creatives will contribute to our church’s next adventure: a new parish in Marda Loop.

In 2025, the Marda Loop parish became a primary focus for my department. Preliminary plans were established, equipment was researched and ordered, and the implementation of new systems and procedures has begun. 2025 was about laying the groundwork to shift Worship Arts into a multi-parish structure.

With this came a subtle shift in my role as well. Because of Marda Loop and the potential for future parishes, my responsibilities moved toward directing Worship Arts across a multi-parish structure. A major part of my focus is now the systems, procedures, and culture of Worship Arts as we expand beyond Kensington—a focus that will continue steadily into 2026.

After twelve years at Commons, I’m so excited for this next chapter. Getting to shape Worship Arts for multiple parishes is a dream, but what really energizes me is the people I get to do this with: an amazing staff and a creative team that I simply couldn’t imagine working without!

Marda Loop Lead

What a wild ride 2025 has been for me at Commons. 

The earlier part of the year was a season of discernment regarding my place in the Marda Loop Commons story. While sitting at a board meeting discussing timelines and the budget for this second parish, I began to realize that we were talking about a project I could give myself to: leading the Marda Loop parish for Commons. 

At launch in September, we announced to the congregation that I would take on this leadership, and the work of building a core team took shape from there. This was a powerfully affirming Sunday. 

Throughout the fall and winter, I hosted four Core Team Dinners in Kensington. The goal was to put 80-100 people through those dinners, and we succeeded with 105. At each dinner, we discussed Commons' vision to be a network of connected parishes around downtown, the timeline for Marda Loop, and the invitation to be involved. 

While not all of these dinner attendees will make the move, over half will, which gives us a solid core team to build on in Marda Loop. We will announce staff support for the parish in the spring.

I’m very grateful to Commons for the new sabbatical policy, which provides me a way to recharge and wrap up a writing project before returning in the spring (Feb-April, returning May 1) to focus on South Calgary and the core team. People can look forward to Farmer’s Market meet-ups, announcing ourselves at Marda Gras (Calgary’s oldest street festival, August 9), and preparation for launch in September.

I count it one of the greatest joys in my life to be a part of Commons. I’m honoured to be a part of this new chapter for Commons in Marda Loop. Thank you for the ways you’ve supported me personally and professionally. I'm grateful for the board, staff team, volunteers, and anyone who calls Commons their own for being a part of this new chapter with me.

Community

I stepped into this role eleven and a half months ago and have been grateful for the opportunity to steward the work that Yelena Pakhomova has so consistently provided to this community for years. I’ve done my best to continue that work faithfully. 

Like in years past, this previous season at Commons consisted of fostering connection through raising new group leaders, events and dinner hosts, local partnerships volunteers, special events team, among other initiatives.

This year, 44 group leaders have provided regular opportunities for people to connect and grow in long-term groups. Although three leaders had to step down due to health, school, and pregnancy reasons, four brand new leaders stepped up.

Our folks continued to enjoy community events each month. These included many of the same cross-country skiing, outdoor rock climbing, hiking, fire-side nights, BBQs, game nights, and biking trips as last year. 

As a result of the groundwork laid in 2024 by Yelena and Kari Barter, our Local Partners Volunteer Lead, our local partner projects in 2025 were very successful. ONe highlight was our Christmas Meal Deliveries where three local seniors' residences received 200 meals this Christmas! With the help of Mailin Deane who reached out to each residence, we saw 28 faithful volunteers deliver meals to strangers and Commons members alike.  

Overall, 2025 was a year of learning, stretching and growth. I trust and hope that the work I did this past year helped our community find connection, build friendships, serve the neighbourhood, and think differently about God.

Director of Operations

I returned to work in March following maternity leave and was grateful to step back into a role I value alongside a team I greatly appreciate. I am especially thankful to Brittany Bryant for her excellent leadership and care in the position prior to my return.

Operations remains a dynamic and fast-paced area of ministry. A key highlight this year was planning and executing the annual Stampede Breakfast in partnership with approximately 100 dedicated volunteers. This event continues to be a meaningful opportunity to serve our community, and it is a privilege to lead this initiative each year.

In overseeing the Commons Cupboard, we established new partnerships with Leftovers Calgary and Second Harvest. Both organizations focus on reducing food waste while increasing access to food for those in need. These collaborations have strengthened our ability to provide consistent support to the community. Special thanks to Darcia Hansen for leading the development of these partnerships.

We also welcomed several new rental groups to the facility, including a Ukrainian Art Collective. On average, more than 100 individuals from outside our immediate congregation use the building each week. It has been encouraging to continue building positive relationships with these groups and to see our facility serve the broader community.

Finally, I would like to recognize Laurel, our custodian, whose faithful work ensures the building remains clean, welcoming, and ready for ministry throughout the week.