Gary Antonelli

I grew up on Vancouver Island and am the third of four children. I grew up doing regular kid things, and Scouting was a big part of my youth. We moved to the Greater Vancouver area in my mid-teens, where I became involved in the Anglican Youth Movement and met Lea. We became friends and eventually got married. We have three wonderful children and five grandchildren.

I studied general arts and then attended VCC Langara, where I completed the Photography Technician program. I have worked in sales for 40 years. In my spare time, I can be found in my shop puttering or walking around the area taking scenic photos.

We became involved with St. Andrew’s because it was where Lea’s parents chose to worship when they moved to Kamloops to be closer to us. The care the church and pastor provided to my mother-in-law in her last couple of years encouraged us to explore St. Andrew’s as a church home.

Lea Jahour

I am the only child of a marriage that failed very early in my life. We were blessed with significant support from two aunts: my mother’s sister and her husband, and my father’s sister. Both of these women were dedicated Christians. At the age of 10, we became a family of three when my mother remarried. He was a wonderful and dedicated father who established the practice of our attending church regularly.

During my growing-up years, I was exposed to the worship styles of many different denominations, finally settling into the Anglican Church as a youth. This is where I met Gary. After many years of friendship, we became boyfriend and girlfriend and eventually married. We have three grown children who are all wonderful adults. Our five grandchildren are the delight of our lives. My hobbies include music. I sing in a choir and play in a bell choir. I play several instruments, all of them poorly, but it brings me joy.

The care that the people of St. Andrew’s gave to my mother, as well as their support for me as her caregiver in her final years, drew me to this church. I knew that this body of people was not only “talking the talk” of being Christians, but also “walking the walk.”

Emmanuel Hinson

I was born and raised in Ghana, West Africa and grew up with four sisters. I am happily married to my lovely wife, Mavis Hinson, and we are blessed with four children: two boys and two girls.

My Christian journey began in the Methodist Church through the guidance of my mother, who taught me to pray, love others, and trust God. Later, my career took me to Kumasi, where I met my wife. Together, we joined a charismatic church, where I became involved in church leadership and developed a deeper understanding of serving God and mankind.

Moving to Canada with my family has been another chapter of my life. Through the challenges and blessings, I have learned to trust God's plans and timing. One thing I value most about St. Andrew’s is the love, fellowship, and sense of belonging. I believe a church should be a place where everyone feels welcomed, supported, and valued. My desire is to continue growing in faith, serving others, and setting a good Christian example for my children.

I am thankful for how far God has brought me and look forward to what He has planned for my family. To God be the glory. Amen.

Curtis Howell

I grew up in Kamloops and was raised in a caring and busy Christian home with three younger siblings. My interests as a child were soccer and piano, with piano being the standout. Through a difficult childhood marked by peer rejection and bullying, I believe God saved me through music. I was playing for church before I was a teenager, as I was the only pianist available. By the age of sixteen, I was teaching piano and have done so ever since, except for a few years teaching high school. I married Gina 28 years ago, and she has been a solid rock in my life.

I came to a much stronger understanding of faith after a breakup with an atheist girlfriend in Grade 12. Even though I wasn’t really much of a Christian in my heart at the time, I wouldn’t participate in many of the things she wanted to do that I felt were wrong. Eventually, I had to ask myself why I felt that way. God was my shelter, even though I didn’t fully realize it at the time. “What is my only comfort in life and in death? That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful Saviour, Jesus Christ.” (Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 1) St. Andrew’s provides solid biblical teaching and a welcoming, friendly community of believers.

Gina Howell

I grew up in Vernon, BC, on a rural property with a committed Christian family. I am grateful for my parents’ love, guidance, and teaching about how to be a follower of Christ. My mother led me to the Lord at the age of five, and I always feel comfort and peace knowing that Jesus is present with me, no matter what happens in life.

Good things started happening when I married Curtis 28 years ago, and we now have two young adult children, Iain and Anika. My main vocation is being a mother, supporter, and encourager of our children, and growing in my Christian faith alongside my husband. I also work as a registered nurse and diabetes educator. I find it rewarding to support people in managing their diabetes in a sustainable, healthy way. My favourite hobby is kayaking on local lakes and exploring the quiet, beautiful shores of Azure Lake in Wells Gray Park.

It is important for me to learn more about God’s Word, the Bible, as a community at St. Andrew’s Church, with a common purpose of sharing God’s love with the people in our lives. I appreciate the music at church, the simplicity of the liturgy in the service, and how the sermons help me grow in my Christian walk.

Iain Howell

Iain Howell’s testimony, transcribed by mother Gina

I grew up in the church, in Kamloops. My family takes care of Iain, for getting ready for bed. I have a musical family. Mom took piano lessons, Dad teaches Iain piano, and Anika plays piano and she likes flute. I play cello. Martin is the teacher. My favorite hobby is playing Lego.

God’s purpose for me in life is: “hope and a future”. This is the lesson. Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’ ”. (Iain has a cross with this verse on the wall above his bed).

Well, faith in Jesus, with God. Jesus is in Iain’s life, and I was baptized with Pastor Cody. I believed in Jesus all the time. Well, I grew up at church services. I know people at Saint Andrews Presbyterian church. I shake hands as a greeter at church. I have a job there.

James Kariuki

James is an international student at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, Canada, originally from Thika, Kenya, where he grew up as the third-born of three children. A devoted father to his son, Master Theo Ajani, who resides in Kenya, James is passionate about giving back to his community, whether through helping those in need or lending a hand fixing things.

His faith took root through the teachings of his parents during childhood and deepened significantly in his teenage years after witnessing God's miraculous preservation of his father's life. James values being surrounded by thoughtful, wise, and faithful people at St. Andrew’s, a community that reflects the principles he holds dear.

Kyle Mardon

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Walter Phillips

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