People who know Andy and Beckie usually notice this: they gravitate toward the vulnerable, they are active and outdoorsy, they try to live courageously, they're warmly optimistic and they have been "through the ringer" the past few years. They'll say Beckie is outgoing and endearingly self-disclosing and that Andy is reflective and creative.
Beckie is the clinical midwife specialist in Winnipeg. Serving and empowering women, especially at-risk populations, is a priority for her work. Together, they have served in pastoral leadership in Winnipeg Centre Vineyard since 2006. Andy is currently the Lead Pastor there.
Andy and Beckie have been part of the WCV community since 1998 when they moved to Winnipeg from the Philippines. They started the Vineyard School of Justice back then, relishing opportunities to journey with young people into a life of worship and justice. In 2007 they, along with a few others, started Flatlanders Inn - a community where those who wanted to get back on their feet could find the support to do so, and those already standing could discover they needed support too. Flatlanders Inn closed last year.
Extensive experiences in Texas, Mexico, Philippines, the Himalayas and in Winnipeg's north-end over the past three decades have shaped them profoundly. They have a deep appreciation for diversity, finding holy invitation in the midst of pain and suffering, the gift of diversity and the everyday struggle to survive that so many people live under.
They have three adult children: Grace, who is an Elementary school teacher in Thailand, Elijah, whose life revolves around Special Olympics basketball (his team is current national champions! Elijah lives with Fragile X syndrome), and Asher who is studying business at university. They also have an 11 year old daughter who joined their family through a kinship foster placement when she was 3 months old. Due to some hard circumstances, Natalie doesn't live at home right now but Beckie and Andy are still "mom and dad".
Both Andy and Beckie are trained spiritual directors through Sustainable Faith. Andy has a Master's degree in ministry from St. Stephen's University. Beckie has a Master's of Science degree from the University of Manitoba.
Andy is Metis & Norwegian. His roots reach way back in the Red River Valley and beyond where his ancestors were involved in the creation of Treaties 2 & 4. Beckie is Mennonite.
Together they love cycling, hiking, cross country skiing and canoeing. In her spare time Beckie does kettlebells, bakes sourdough bread, gardens and makes lists. Andy chops wood, rides his motorcycle, saunas (it can be a verb), reads poetry and fixes things.