Cheering a fresh start

By Kelly Rempel  |  Managing Editor

Photo by mikecogh

I'm no good at sports. I hate to run, can barely skate and might hit a ball once in awhile, but only if my five-year-old is pitching. When the kids lined up on the schoolyard to pick sides, I was always one of the last to be chosen.

I found other things to be good at like writing and telling stories. But still, something inside me always wanted to be part of a winning team, a member of that special group bonded by hard work and a love for the game. Not many people cheer the proper use of a semi-colon or the perfectly chosen adjective.

And yet…these past few weeks I have definitely felt that sense of excitement that comes from being part of something big, surrounded by others with passion and drive. ChristianWeek doesn't have a cool jersey (we should get one), but we are nonetheless a team finding a new stride. And that feels good. A bit heady, even, as we explore fresh ways to highlight faith and life in Canada, to inform, encourage and inspire.

A team is only as good as its members, and these days I'm feeling good about them.

In Ontario, our senior editor, Mags Storey, is handling writing and editorial duties with aplomb and skill. She's the one most of our contributors talk to when pitching stories and researching ideas.

Just a few weeks ago, we hired the newest member to join our Winnipeg office. Rob Horsley holds a bachelor of arts, communications and media, from Providence University College. We're excited to have him on board, and he's been learning the editorial ropes quickly.

As well as copyediting and writing, Rob is also collaborating on social media initiatives with our production manager Chris Janzen. Chris is hard at work creating a new ChristianWeek web site as well as compositing each issue of our print edition.

My role remains managing editor. I look after the day-to-day process of getting words to page and screen, working with our editorial and advertising teams, and our writers. Our publisher, Brian Koldyk, and administrative assistant, Kris Harder, are doing a stellar job looking after the business side of things.

Our advertising team, William Leighton and Darrell Friesen, is working hard to develop relationships with clients and build solid partnerships across the nation. We also have to commend our drivers who deliver the regional editions in Manitoba and Ontario as well as our writers and columnists and countless other supporters.

We're moving forward with vision and purpose. We're endeavouring to demonstrate how the people of God are actively engaging the challenges of this world, together.

And that's what makes the challenges manageable. It's when we do it together. It's teamwork, and you, our readers, are an invaluable part of our team. Thank you for your prayers and invaluable support through this exciting season. We couldn't do it without you!

To make a donation to ChristianWeek, you can do so online, by calling 1-800-263-6695 or by sending a letter to: Box 725, Winnipeg, MB, R3C 2K3.

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