Our Staff & Leadership

Executive Director, Canada

Guy & Geni Shields

Guy Shields is the incoming Executive Director for Village Missions Canada. He is responsible for directing the mission’s affairs under the guidance of the Canadian Board. In addition, Guy and Geni will raise awareness of the mission and the needs and speak to potential donors. Guy and Geni joined Village Missions in 1996. They served on three fields in the US: Young, Arizona, Grants Pass, Oregon, and Sunnyside, Oregon. In 2024, they followed the Lord’s leading to serve as Executive Director of VM Canada. Their role in Village Missions began much earlier, however. Guy’s parents were Village Missionaries in Canada. Geni’s parents were Village Missionaries in the United States. We invite you to partner with them and Village Missions Canada to develop spiritually thriving churches through your prayers, encouragement and financial gifts.

Director

Dan Budd

When Dan Budd heard about Village Missions’ need for more board members, he thought, “Maybe that is a way I could serve.” That same evening, former Executive Director Murray Graham asked him to consider coming onto the board.

Dan Budd grew up on a farm outside a small town in Saskatchewan. He was raised in a Christian home and trusted Jesus as a child.

Dan is a driver instructor for commercial truck drivers. His priority is to impact his students’ lives for Christ.

Dan and his wife, Lori, have four adult children and several grandchildren.

As a member of the Board, Dan hopes to raise awareness of Village Missions. His overarching desire is to encourage people to trust the Lord and walk with Him.

Executive Director: United States

John & Candy Adams

John put his faith in Jesus early in life, encouraged by his parents who modeled following Christ wholeheartedly. As a high school senior he sensed God’s direction to be a pastor or missionary, though it was two years later while pursuing a Biology degree at Oregon State University that John finally agreed to do God’s will.

It was during his time at Oregon State that John met Candy (Wiggers), who was training to be an elementary teacher. Candy too put her faith in Christ as a child, learning of Jesus from her Village Missionary parents, Mel & Jeannie Wiggers. After four years of friendship John and Candy married in 1990. After earning a degree in Biology, John attended Western Seminary and completed a Master of Divinity degree in 1993.

John and Candy then travelled to China for a year as English professors with English Language Institute. This was a year filled with steps of faith for both of them. After returning from China, John and Candy applied to serve with Village Missions and arrived at their first field, Butte Falls, Oregon just two weeks after their first child, Callie, was born. They served there from October 1995 through 2003, and then moved to the Coos Bay, Oregon area to serve as Village Missionaries at Hauser Community Church. During their years at Hauser, John completed his Doctor of Ministry degree through Western Seminary, graduating in 2011.

Candy is a gifted quilter and loves creating beautiful artwork from fabric. John enjoys woodworking and outdoor activities. They have two grown children, Callie and David.

District Rep, East & West District

Wayne & Joy Deneault

Wayne and Joy joined VM in 2005 and served three fields in Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta.  They started their work as District Representatives in 2024.

Director, Chairman

Lee Gregory

Lee and Kath Gregory have farmed in the Interlake area of Manitoba for 45 years. They have three married children and eight grandchildren. They started attending a Village Missions church in Arborg, Manitoba, in the late 80’s. At the recommendation of Pastor Tom Gerbrandt, Lee was invited to join the Canadian Board in 1997. He has a passion for rural ministry and firsthand knowledge of what a rural lifestyle entails.

In 2010, Lee was elected to the position of Board Chairman. As a former member of the Canadian Institute of Corporate Directors and with over 25 years on the boards of financial institutions, Lee brings governance and financial expertise to the board of Village Missions of Canada.

Director of Stewardship

Tim & Gwen Griffiths

Tim Griffiths grew up attending a country church in the heart of America. At eight years old, he became saved at Camp Rock, a small summer camp located just a few miles from his home. He attended and served at Camp Rock every summer for over twenty years and he eventually met his wife, Gwen, there.

Tim and Gwen were married in 1997, and by 2001 Tim had been accepted as Assistant Director at Camp Rock. Over the course of the next few years, their three children were born, and the Griffiths family began to really discover their heart for rural ministry. Tim served as camp cook and maintenance director. They also began to lead retreats and other “off-season” activities.

In 2008, the Griffiths family moved to Laramie, Wyoming, to work for Table in the Wilderness Ministries, an outdoor adventure ministry. While there, Tim and Gwen learned much about service — how to serve generously in order to show Christ.

Then, in 2010, God moved the family on again, this time to Kansas. Tim was hired as Director of Ministry Development for Shepherd’s Staff Christian Conference & Retreat Center. During their time there, God continued to impress upon them the importance of rural ministry, and to lead Tim into relationships with people and organizations all over the United States! One of those relationships was with Village Missions.

In the summer of 2012, Tim was approached by Village Missions and after a series of interviews, visits to the International Service Center in Oregon, and much prayer, he was accepted as Director of Stewardship. The family moved to Oregon and began their Village Missions adventure. They are soaking up all the northwest coast has to offer, traveling with Tim as often as possible, and seeking to serve and honor God in all that they do.

Assistant Director: United States

Jon & Deb Hansen

Jon Hansen and his wife, Debbie, have served with Village Missions since 1996. The first 14 years were spent serving on Village Missions fields in Nebraska and Kansas. Then, for 10 years (2010-2019), Jonathan and Debbie served as the District Representatives for the Mountain Central District, which included North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming and eastern Montana. Jonathan began serving as the Assistant Director on January 1, 2020.

Jon was raised in a Christian home. He learned about the Lord at a young age as his father was a rural pastor in Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska. Living in rural communities formed Jon’s passion for rural America. He accepted the Lord as his Savior at age 4, when he realized his need for a Savior and his mother explained the gospel to him. At 14 he committed his life to full-time service during a worship service at summer camp. In high school, his father gave him ministry experience by having him lead worship for the evening services at his church. Jon also attended Christian Youth in Action, a ministry of Child Evangelism Fellowship. This experience helped ignite his passion for teaching and mentoring.

He earned a bachelor’s degree from Grace College of the Bible in Omaha, Nebraska. Jon felt the Lord calling him to be a music teacher in a rural community and work within the local church in lay ministry. He then attended the University of Nebraska and was certified to teach K-12 band and music in Nebraska. He taught full time and earned a master’s degree. He married Debbie, and they have one daughter. While teaching at a school in Kansas City, Missouri, Jon sensed the Lord nudging him towards full-time ministry.

Jon first heard of Village Missions as a teen when his family lived near a VM church in Nebraska. While teaching in Kansas City, Jon heard of Village Missions again from women who worked at Stonecroft Ministries. Later he was in a small group with a man whose relative was a Village Missionary. Jon called that missionary and later visited him.

That visit confirmed to Jon and Debbie that they should pursue full-time ministry with Village Missions. In 1996 they attended the Village Missions Candidate School held at Stonecroft Ministries and were accepted into Village Missions. In October they were placed on their first field in the Sandhills of Nebraska.

Over the course of 15 years, they served at Wood Lake, Nebraska; Pierceville, Kansas; Mingo, Kansas; and their last field at Red Cloud, Nebraska. During his time at Red Cloud, Jon’s passion for mentoring and passing the torch came alive as he mentored a Moody student over two summers.

In 2010 Jon and Debbie became District Representatives. This role entailed visiting his district missionaries twice a year to encourage and support them in their ministries. Another part of his duties was to recruit at Bible colleges in his area. At an Association of North America Missions conference, he was challenged to teach and train the next generation of leaders. In 2012 Jonathan invited two students from Frontier School of the Bible (in Lagrange, Wyoming) to his home in Chadron, Nebraska for a weekend. He and a local retired Village Missionary shared their experiences in rural ministry. That weekend birthed the Elijah/Elisha Mentorship Weekends, held each January at Frontier School of the Bible to teach and train future rural ministry leaders. Using Village Missions candidate school material and courses on rural ministry, he trained future leaders over a three-year course of study that culminated with a one-year internship on a Village Missions Field. From this endeavor, five missionary pastors were placed into full-time church leadership with Village Missions.

In 2018 Calvary University in Kansas City, MO, requested Village Missions to consider joining them in a new program they were developing called Synergy. This program would partner with the student, the university and the agency (such as Village Missions) to help develop pastors for rural churches. In 2019 the agreement was signed to partner with Village Missions. One of Jon’s responsibilities as Assistant Director is overseeing Village Missions’ part in the On-Ramp to Rural Church Revitalization at Calvary and developing the same type of program with other Bible Schools and Bible Institutes that are favorable to rural church revitalization.

In his free time, Jon enjoys fishing, hiking and following Husker football.

Chief Financial Officer: Canada

Danielle McLean

Danielle has been a part of the Village Missions family since childhood, growing up as the daughter of Village Missionaries, Arnold and Eleanor Tracey. She came to know Christ as her Saviour at the age of 4 and served within the church throughout her childhood and teenage years.

Danielle completed her Bachelor of Business Administration degree at Trinity Western University and subsequently worked for several years within the government sector in various financial and leadership roles. Feeling called to use her gifts and experience to serve in a ministry setting, Danielle rejoined the Village Missions family as the Chief Financial Officer in 2020.

Danielle lives in Prince Edward Island with her husband Shawn and their three children, Emily, Jack and Luke.

Director

Ernie Munchinsky

Ernie spent most of his life in Saskatoon. Since childhood, he attended a church that teaches the Bible and emphasizes the gospel and evangelism.

Ernie’s first contact with Village Missions came through Chris Schuman, who gave him a ride to Briercrest Bible College shortly before he enrolled there. At Briercrest Ernie became friends with two students who later married and became Village Missionaries. He has been part of their ministry partner team ever since.

Through their ministry, Ernie became sensitive to the fact that rural North America is a mission field that is neglected or overlooked by many people in the urban churches. Why should other nationalities come to Canada to serve as missionaries? We should be taking care of our own backyard!

Ernie’s wife, Francie, is also a graduate of Briercrest. They live in Saskatoon and have four adult children.

Upon retirement, at the prodding of his VM friends, Ernie joined the Board of Village Missions of Canada. It has been his pleasure to serve as a board member since 2013.

District Rep, Prairie Provinces

Gordon & Val Rowland

Gordon & Val became District Representatives in 2019. Their district includes Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and northwestern Ontario. They have been involved with Village Missions since 1979, having served five different churches as missionary-pastor in Alberta and Saskatchewan, prior to being asked to move into their current role.

Their ministry involves traveling to their fields regularly to come alongside the missionaries to encourage and strengthen them and their churches. Their goal is to see them be effective in their efforts to impact the communities they serve in the rural areas of Canada.
Their greatest joy in this role as District Representatives is seeing the different ways the missionaries use their unique gifts to reach into their community with the gospel of Christ.

Director

Michael Rowland

Michael Rowland grew up as the son of a Village Missions pastor, so he has been connected to Village Missions his whole life. After graduating from high school, Michael went to Nipawin Bible Institute (now Nipawin Bible College) and received his Christian Ministry Diploma. Following his time there he married his wife, Katrina, and they moved to central Alberta.

Over the next several years, Michael proceeded to attend Red Deer College and the University of Lethbridge to earn a Bachelor Degree in Computer Science. After almost a decade of managing the IT Department of a company operating out of the Red Deer Airport, Michael and Katrina, along with their 5 daughters, left Alberta for Michael to join the staff of Nipawin Bible College as the IT Manager and Events Coordinator.

Michael joined the board of Village Missions Canada with a desire to use the knowledge and technical skills God has gifted to him in order to serve Village Missions in their goal of “Helping Country Churches Thrive”. Spending most of his life in rural, or small town, communities, Michael recognizes the need for Village Missions here in Canada, and is thrilled to be a part of it.

Director of CDI

Ron & Marilyn Sallee

Ron and Marilyn Sallee were married in 1969. Marilyn was 20 and the daughter of a dairy farmer; Ron was 21 and had grown up nearby in Everett, Washington. Within nine months they had their own dairy farm and a few months after that their first son David arrived. Marilyn helped milk cows right up until the day she went into labor and never stepped foot into the barn again! Their daughter Robin joined the family 15 months later.

Ron was a new born Christian at the time and grew in faith as he prayed his way through the responsibilities of a newly acquired family and dairy farm. He looks back at this as his training to be a shepherd of God’s people. A pastor loves, feeds, protects, heals and prays for his flock; his flock included family and a whole herd of cows that all depended on him.

In time they sold the dairy and Ron was able to go to Bible School, not because he wanted to be a pastor but because he wanted to know what the Bible was all about. He wanted to know what he believed, why he believed it, and to be able to share it with others. Ron remembers thinking on the long commute back and forth to Seattle Bible School that this should be taught in the local churches. In fact that is exactly what the Bible says in Ephesians 4:11-16 and this was the seed that would grow to become Contenders Discipleship Initiative (CDI).

After Bible school Ron and Marilyn started attending a Village Missions church: Camano Chapel on Camano Island, Washington. They had purchased ten acres there and intended to build a home. A short time later Ron asked Pastor Bill Wayland if he could teach an elective course on Sundays on How to Study the Bible. After several times Ron added another course in Christian Doctrine. These early courses became the foundation for what would be Contenders Bible School and eventually the Contenders Discipleship Initiative.

Early in 1979 Ron and Marilyn said yes to Walter Duff when he asked them to become the pastor at Arago Community Church in Oregon. Ron quit his job in real estate, Marilyn quit her volunteer position at the school, their two children left their friends, and the entire family left the comfort of their home church and property on Camano Island to become Village Missionaries.

The Sallee family ministered at Arago for 6 ½ years and during that time they did what dairy farmers do–they raised replacements: Ronda and Paul were born and now they had two sets of kids 11 years apart!

In 1985 God moved the family back to their home area: Machias Community Church where Ron had preached Sunday evenings just before they left to go into Village Missions! Ron and Marilyn already knew people in the church and community since they had grown up in the area.

Still, it took 10 years before Ron was able to start Contenders Bible School in 1995.

Contenders Bible School was designed to prepare God’s people for ministry in the church. It was a six course accelerated curriculum taught over two years. At the end of the first two year period a couple wanted to go into Village Missions and that has continued to be the case for the last twenty-one years.

People were trained and equipped to serve the ministry of the church and some of them heard the call to give up their homes, place and position (just like the Sallees did) to go. Machias Contenders has been used by God to send out many into Village Missions as well as other ministries.

Ron’s goal was not to start a ‘school’ that others would need to travel to attend. It was to put Ephesians 4:11-16 into action. But they found that people were coming from other churches, even driving as much as three hours one way. This was unacceptable. It was worse than Ron’s commute to Seattle so many years ago!

Ron was able to see the Contenders model start in two other places. Russ Richardson and Rob Dore started Servants Bible School in Vancouver Washington. At the same time Ron and Marilyn commuted 2 ½ hours to McKenna Washington to start the Contenders Bible School at McKenna Community Church.

Now in partnership with Village Missions, Contenders Bible School has become the Contenders Discipleship Initiative and is being used by churches as well as individuals, primarily in the United States and Canada but also around the world in other countries.

Ron and Village Missions Executive Director Brian Wechsler knew that the CDI would need leadership dedicated to seeing all of the courses to full development and that ongoing administration would be necessary. This was simply more than Ron could do and still function as the full time pastor of Machias Community Church.

Brian Wechsler and the Board of Village Missions asked Ron to be the director of the CDI in 2016. That necessitated stepping down as the pastor of Machias Community Church. Ron accepted the appointment as the CDI director and started the process of transition.

As the CDI director Ron and Marilyn desire to be of assistance to those who are using the program both within and outside of Village Missions. They are available to conduct special training seminars in mentoring as well as generally promoting both the CDI and Village Missions. They plan to attend the VM summer conferences in both the U.S. and Canada to maintain contact with as many Village Missionaries as possible.

Ron and Marilyn live with their older daughter Robin and husband Shane while in Washington and with their younger daughter Ronda and husband Sam while in Missouri. Their youngest son Paul and his wife Amy live in Missouri as well. Their oldest son David is a detective with Tulalip Tribal police and lives in Washington State.

They feel blessed to serve with Village Missions!

Director

Richard Semenyna

Richard Semenyna came to faith in Christ at any early age through a Vacation Bible School held in his hometown. When he was a student at the Peace River Bible Institute, he heard about Village Missions from a VM representative. His younger brother, Gary, became a Village Missionary and served as a District Representative before suddenly passing away in March 2023.

Richard’s wife went home to be with the Lord in 2010 after losing her battle with cancer. They have a son.

Richard has served on the Board of VM Canada since the fall of 2015. He is retired and actively involved in VM ministries and others.

Director

Karen Totten

Karen Totten was introduced to Village Missions in the 1970’s when she served with her local Christian Women’s Club.

She taught high school math for 17 years in Regina. Then she married and farmed for 42 years.

Experience in rural churches fueled her passion for Village Missions. She is honoured to have served on the Village Missions of Canada Board since 2020.

Admin & Office Support

Eleanor Tracey

Eleanor Tracey is the Office Administrator and Connections Coordinator based in Mission, British Columbia. She had been doing the bookkeeping for Village Missions prior to taking on this role. Eleanor and her husband, Arnold, have also served as Village Missionaries since 1984. Eleanor and Arnold are now overseeing the Connections program in Canada. Eleanor enjoys the administrative, financial and bookkeeping tasks, but the office-related interactions with missionaries and ministry partners is the part that she especially enjoys.

Director

Hal York

Hal is a pastor at Hastings Park Bible Church in Belleville, Ontario. He joined the VM National Board in 2001.

Hal grew up in Northern Maine. He was raised in a Christian home and trusted Christ as Savior as a young child.

He attended New Brunswick Bible Institute, where he met his wife, Karen. After two years in Germany, they returned to North America, and he attended Washington Bible College in Maryland, U.S.

In 1983, Hal and Karen joined Village Missions and were sent to Weston, Nova Scotia. They served for 18 years at Weston Christian Fellowship Church.

After resigning from VM, they were led to Hastings Park Bible Church. Hal and Karen have three grown children and six grandchildren.