Our Stories
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Grace and peace to you through our Lord Jesus Christ from the EMCC Presidential Search Committee. We trust that you continue to navigate well the challenges COVID has presented to us and we pray that you will celebrate with joy, along with all the saints, the events of the resurrection of Jesus in just a few days.
Thank you for your patience as we have diligently made our way through the search process to present a nominee for President at the General Assembly in April. We thank you for your prayers for us throughout this process; from the initial formation of the Presidential Search Committee, through the creation of specific evaluation criteria for candidates, to the receipt of applications, and through a thorough discernment process with multiple worthy candidates. We sensed both God’s presence and your consistent prayer support with us. Though the process was weighty, it was also filled with joy and affirmation of the Spirit’s clear direction.
After much of our own prayer and appropriate due diligence, and with support from the EMCC National Board of Directors, we are pleased to present Rev. Dr. John Cressman as our Presidential Nominee.
Though John may be familiar to some of you, we have much to share with you over the coming weeks. We endeavour to do this so that you too can engage in diligent and prayerful consideration of our nominee. Having served as a pastor, Director of Operations, Regional Minister and, most recently, as Board-Appointed National Team Lead / Interim President within the EMCC, John brings a wealth of experience at many different levels of leadership that will be of great benefit to the EMCC. Receiving his Doctor of Ministry, Leadership from Tyndale Seminary with a focus on church board chairperson development, John brings a practical perspective on such things into the President role. Seeing himself as a hinge leader–bridging the gap between heritage and horizon–John loves to open doors and advocate for future leaders in the same way he was given opportunity. Married to Melanie, John draws much joy and replenishment from being “Papa John” to their five grandchildren (with one more expected in May 2021). As a die-hard Toronto Maple Leaf hockey fan, John’s lifelong commitment has developed in him the qualities of loyalty, perseverance, pushing through disappointment and handling criticism. Over the weeks prior to our General Assembly on April 30, 2021, we will be sharing with you more details about John’s character, experience, and gifting, along with our specific sense that, as Esther was appointed at a crucial time in the history of the people of Israel, John too has come to us for a time such as this. It is with joy and firm confidence that we wholeheartedly recommend John to you, our brothers and sisters in Christ within the EMCC.
Again, we earnestly thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray for us, and now as well for John, as we prepare for General Assembly.
If you have questions, please contact Scott Clubine at presidentialsearch@emcc.ca.
Scott Clubine (Chair, Presidential Search Committee)
