Who We Are

Spotlight Church was planted in 2012 as a new congregation of the Central Canada District of The Wesleyan Church Founding Pastor, Rev Aaron Birtch served until February 2017. In May 2017, Rev Mark Parker moved to Stratford to become the Lead Pastor.

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At Spotlight Church We're All About Connecting Purpose to Everyday Life

Our Staff

Pastor Mark Parker

Mark felt God call him to a life of ministry when he was 18 years old. He went to Kingswood University in Sussex, New Brunswick where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Religion. Mark has served as lead pastor of various churches for over 26 years, including one he planted in Kemptville, Ontario. Since 2010, Mark has served as the Director of Church Planting for the Central Canada District of The Wesleyan Church. He continues to serve in this role as well as being the pastor of Spotlight Church since 2017. Mark is Chairman of the Board of Directors for World Hope International (Canada) and serves on occasion as an adjunct professor for Kingswood University. He is a certified coach and has a life long commitment to learning and to leading others to serve with excellence.

Mark has been married to his wife, Helen, for 30 years and together they have had the joy of raising three great children – two sons and a daughter. The family grew with the addition of a daughter-in-law, and now Mark and Helen are enjoying the thrill of being Grammy and Grampy!

Pastor Andrew Pearson

Pastor Andrew has been serving at Spotlight Church since April of 2020. As his junior hockey career ended in his early 20's, God began directing Andrew's path towards full-time vocational ministry. In 2016, he began studying to become a pastor at Kingswood University and graduated with a Bachelor of Theology in 2020. At Spotlight, Andrew's primary role is to give leadership to Spotlight Church's young adult community, as well as to preach occasionally.

Andrew married his wife Lyndsay in 2015, and together they have two children Isaiah (2018) and Eloise (2019). In addition to his position at Spotlight, Andrew also works as a construction worker. In his spare time he enjoys reading and listening to a good podcast.

Our Vision & Mission

Spotlight Church exists to live by faith, to be known by love, and to be guided by God’s purposes.

The following is a “snapshot” of the preferred future of Spotlight Church under the leadership of the Holy Spirit…

1. WE DREAM to be a church where the hurting, the depressed, the frustrated, and the lonely can find love, acceptance, forgiveness, encouragement, and practical help.

2. WE DREAM to intentionally be a multi-generational, multi-cultural, and multi-ethnic church. We desire to be a place where both the quiet and the lively worshipper can come together in unity.

3. WE DREAM of reaching one tenth of the city of Stratford and to provide a 15 acre church campus where we can gather to grow and then scatter to serve.

4. WE DREAM of launching at least 5 new churches with one in Goderich, St. Mary’s, Northern London, New Hamburg, and Kitchener–Waterloo.

5. WE DREAM of 500 fully committed members who are loving, learning, laughing and serving together in harmony, regardless of our differences.

6. WE DREAM of starting a Leadership Ministry Centre that will be a prime location for those in ministry to refresh their pastoral training; for ministerial students to participate in Spotlight’s Residency programs; and for lay people to be empowered with basic ministry training.

7. WE DREAM of sending out short-term mission teams bi-annually and 5 long-term (career) missionaries by 2025.

8. WE DREAM of a Creative Arts Program that emphasizes the multitude of ways in which we can communicate the gospel using the arts. A CAP can also train a new generation of artists who are willing to compete without compromising their biblical values.

Our Beliefs

“Wesleyans believe in one God, who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and the Saviour of all who put their faith in Him alone for eternal life. We believe that those who are made new in Christ are called to be holy in character and conduct, and can only live this way by being filled with the Lord’s Spirit. We believe in the Bible and its sufficiency to establish our faith and conduct. We believe God wills for people everywhere to know Him and be made new in Christ. We believe that the purpose of the Church is to worship God in spirit and in truth, and to reach a lost and fallen world with the gospel of Jesus Christ through its worship, witness, and loving deeds.”

The following are terms descriptive of who Wesleyans are and why they do what they do. They describe the “soul of the Church”:

Biblical Authority

The Bible is God’s holy Word. It uniquely and infallibly reveals God’s plan for His people and how to live out that plan, individually and corporately. Beliefs, practices, priorities, and our mission are to be anchored in clear biblical teachings.

Local Church Centered

The denomination exists to help local congregations grow and multiply, be more healthy, and more authentically reflect God’s plan. Local churches are the most fundamental and strategic points of evangelism and discipleship. The challenge of the denomination is to keep finding the best ways to serve, strengthen, and multiply congregations.

Christ Likeness

Jesus Christ is the defining feature of God’s will and relationship with all humankind. In Christ is found both newness of life and the highest and clearest example for godliness. People made new in Christ find Him to be the source of faith, hope, and love in both the inner life and in our outward actions engaging a world desperate for hope and life.

Servant Leadership

Wesleyans respect leadership that is placed over them, while realizing that the authority and effectiveness of spiritual leadership is not primarily bestowed, but earned, and is characterized by a loving and willing heart of obedience that serves God and mankind gladly. Wesleyans desire to be leaders in serving.

Disciple Making

Making disciples is a clear mandate from Christ. This requires a strong missional focus on evangelism and training in spiritual growth and holy living. Done effectively, this will produce and promote growth and health in and among the churches.

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Connecting Purpose to EveryDay Life