Our History
In 1912, an evangelist named Rev. Walter Duff Sr. moved his family from Ireland to the United States. As a young man, Walter Duff Jr. joined in his father’s evangelism efforts and went on to pastor his own large church. However, through the prompting of both his father and his sister, Helen Duff Baugh (founder of Stonecroft Ministries), Walter Duff Jr. committed to spend the rest of his life recruiting and sending out of missionaries to country churches without leadership.
Rev. Walter Duff Sr. challenged his son to “send out 100 missionary pastors to rural North America. Thus, on September, 9, 1948, Village Missions was born, a ministry dedicated to sending out missionaries to rural communities across North America with the gospel of Christ. ” During his lifetime, Rev. Duff Jr. directed the sending out of over 600 missionaries.
Ever since, Village Missions has served a variety of rural and urban communities across the United States and Canada. God continues to call us to send out dedicated, called, and gifted Village Missionaries to “Preach the Word and love the people.” Today, Village Missions has 230 Village Missionaries currently serving across the North America. Only heaven can measure the impact this ministry has had on individual lives, communities, churches and the world.
Learn more about the history of Village Missions of Canada in the timeline below.
Through the vision of Helen Baugh, Mary Clark, and Rev. Walter Duff, Jr., and dependence upon God, a ministry uniquely suited to the needs of rural and small communities was developed. Couples were sought who were committed to both an evangelistic and pastoral ministry in rural communities. Some minimal salary support was provided so that the couples could minister full-time in their community. In the early years, the ministry was almost entirely financed as the project of Stonecroft Ministries. The first year the three couples who were friends of Mary Clark were sent out to rural America.
When the news began to spread of a missionary society proposing to send out pastors to closed and weak churches, Village Missions began receiving scores of letters asking for help securing a pastor for their church. By 1953, the responsibilities were increasing as more couples were placed, so Rev. Duff left his pastorate to give his full time and effort to the ministry of Village Missions. Rev. Walter Duff, Sr., challenged his son to “send out 100 missionary pastors to rural North America.” Rev. Duff Jr. was able to send out over 600 rural missionaries in his lifetime.
In 1968, interested Canadians asked if Village Missions would consider the spiritual needs of Canada. Rev. Duff commissioned Christine Schuman, a Youth Home Missionary, to survey areas in Canada. The first Village Missions field in Canada was opened that same year in Willow River, British Columbia. This field was served by Frank & Ruth Fehr.
For thirteen years, Chris traveled thousands of kilometers around Canada as she looked for potential VM fields and potential Village Missionaries. She spoke to many strangers, presenting the ministry of Village Missions.
Today, Village Missions Canada provides missionary pastors to rural churches from Vancouver Island to Nova Scotia. Village Missions USA and Village Missions Canada work together closely under the motto “One Mission, Two Nations.”
Bob and Margaret Rayburn served as District Representatives early in our history. They were based in the United States, but served Canadian fields as well.
In the 1980s, the growth rate was not as fast as had been, but God’s hand was obvious on the Mission as it steadily moved forward. Village Missions was now serving 50 fields in the Eastern districts. Castle Thompson was appointed as the first District Representative in Canada in 1980 and the Canadian office operated in association with Stonecroft Ministries Canada in Toronto.
(Pictured: Dr. Jack and Norma Canady) Village Missions continued to move forward under the leadership of Dr. Jack Canady, who had previously served as a Village Missionary and District Representative. Dr. Jack Canady became the Assistant Director of Village Missions in 1989 and the C.E.O. of Village Missions in 1991.
Village Missions partnered with Ecola Bible School and in turn received a tuition discount for children of Village Missionaries. The Development Department was established and a “Fifty New Fields” campaign launched. In 1996, Creative Evangelism, Inc. became affiliated with Village Missions.
Rev. Walter Duff Jr. officially retired in 1991.
Roy Adrian, along with wife Lennie, became the District Representative serving western Canada.
Bill & Lorna Powell stepped into the District Representative role. They served Village Missions churches in Eastern Canada.
Roy Adrian stepped into the role of Regional Administrator for Village Missions Canada.
The 50th Jubilee Anniversary of Village Missions was celebrated in Estes Park, CO in 1998, with Dr. Howard Hendricks and Dr Richard Swenson as keynote speakers. Past and present Village Missionaries from Canada and the United States attended.
Village Missions continued to undergo a time of transition in many ways. To move Village Missions from a Founder/Director to a Chief Executive Officer is no small task and it was accomplished by the gracious, patience of Dr. Jack Canady. Dr. Canady was given a sabbatical in July of 1999 and officially retired in June of 2000. Rev. Donald Still became the Interim Acting Administrator in July 1999 and served in this position until a new Executive Director was hired in November 2000.
The National Board of United States and Canada selected Rev. Brian Wechsler as the new Executive Director of Village Missions. He began his duties in November 2000. He and Carole had been Village Missionaries since 1983, serving in Iowa and Colorado. Rev. Wechsler outlined a strategy of advance for Village Missions:
- (F) Finding New Fields
- (I) Investing in Individuals and Communities
- (R) Recruiting New Missionaries with a Passion to Preach the Word and Love the People
- (E) Equipping Missionaries and Churches to Reach Their Communities for Christ
Village Missions must advance in each area to continue its mission of revitalizing small churches and reaching communities for Christ. We must find new areas where a need exists to proclaim the Gospel and the local church is unable to secure pastoral leadership. We must invest in individuals and communities we are trying to reach with the Gospel through salary, logistical, and administrative support for Village Missionaries. We must actively recruit dedicated couples and single missionaries who God has called to our critical ministry. We must equip our Village Missionaries and the churches they serve with the tools to enable them to become effective, Biblically-based churches.
Henry and Marilyn Vandermeer were appointed to fill the position of Western Canada District Representatives.
Contenders Discipleship Initiative (CDI) is launched as a two-year program offered by Village Missions to equip Christians for ministry within their local church and to prepare those who are called for full-time ministry as missionary pastors.
Joe & Laura Letourneau become interns at Gold River, BC, and start the two-year process of taking the Contenders Discipleship Initiative (CDI) courses.
The Forward Again campaign sought to position Village Missions of Canada to not only stop churches from closing, but to revitalize churches with new missionaries. It used the following goals:
- Village Missions will train, equip and release 10 new missionaries within two years.
- Village Missions will be able to give current Village Missionaries a $500.00 per month minimum base raise.
- We will see a renewal of the vision of Village Missions to see a spiritual awakening in the rural communities of Canada.
- We will see an increase of prayer for our rural communities sweep across our nation.
As Roy & Lennie Adrian retired, Murray & Debbie Graham became the first Executive Directors of VM Canada. This transition happened on July 1, 2016.
On September 1, 2019, Gordon and Val Rowland began as District Representatives for the Prairie Provinces.
Gary and Patsy Semenyna became District Representatives for the East-West District.
Wayne & Joy Deneault stepped into the role of District Representatives after serving in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta.
At the VM staff conference, Murray Graham handed Guy Shields the leadership baton of Village Missions Canada. Guy is the son of Village Missionaries Ken and Marlene Shields, who served on three fields in Canada. Guy’s wife, Geni, is also a VM kid. Her parents, Paul and Geneva Faris, served on several fields in the U.S. Guy and Geni joined VM in 1996. They served on three fields in Arizona and Oregon. On June 5, 2024, the VM family, board members, and Guy’s mother and sister gathered for the Shields’ commissioning service.