Friday, May 1 – Saturday, May 2
This year's theme is focused on how to live well within limits. The list of demands on our time seems to be never-ending. Our culture calls it 'hurry sickness.' It can leave us feeling a little guilty—as if we should always be doing more. This conference will support your discipleship by helping you see human limitations not as shortcomings, but as gifts and part of God’s design for our flourishing. We are thrilled to have Dr. Kelly Kapic (author of You're Only Human) and Dr. Rick Reed (President Emeritus of Heritage College & Seminary) join us this year as main session speakers.
KEYNOTE SESSIONS
-
Have I Done Enough? Learning the Goodness of Our Limits
-
Is Church Just One More Thing to Do? Learning to Love the Whole Church
-
Learning to Live Within Our Limits – Valuing Rhythm, Vulnerability, Gratitude, and Rest
-
An Urgent Mission, or Harried Life
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Soul-Shaping Guidance for Difficult Questions (Speaker Q&A)
Dr. Kelly Kapic
In this session, our main session speaker will address some of the significant cultural issues of our day and field questions from the conference attendees.
Top 5 Tips for Optimal Health & Balance
Christine Gingerich
In North America, being busy has become a cultural expectation, if not a badge of honour. "Hurry sickness" and "chronic stress" are impacting our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing...but is a busy lifestyle God's intended design for us? God has intentionally created us with limitations that demand refuelling. Join Christine Gingerich, author and Lifestyle Coach, and discover some practical ways to help you refuel and restore optimal health and wellbeing.
Does God Want AI to Do My Work?
Andrew Noble
Unlike the ancient gods of paganism, our God works. He made the world not out of conflict or out of lack but out of love. God worked when He formed us in His image, and we reflect Him when we work well today. But what does it look like to "work with our hands" (1 Thess. 4:11) when Artificial Intelligence can do so much of our work for us? How do we navigate an age of increasing efficiency without losing what it means to be human? In this session, we will explore God's gift of work in an age of AI, so that we can better reflect His character in our tasks.
Slowing Down: Raising Children in a Hurried World
Melodie O'Connell
Parents face enormous pressure to keep children busy with activities, achievements and opportunities. But constant hurry can lead to stress, exhaustion and less meaningful time together. This session will help parents understand the cultural forces behind overscheduling and offer practical, faith-based strategies to build a more balanced, peaceful family rhythm.
How to Wait on God
Ibilola Olowookere
In this session, Ibilola shares biblical insights and personal experiences from seasons of waiting in her life. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she sensed God calling His people to rediscover the discipline of waiting, a call that later inspired her book, How to Wait on God. Participants will explore Kingdom principles that help believers navigate waiting seasons with faith, clarity, and trust. Come and discover how God works in the waiting and how these seasons can prepare you for what He has ahead.
GUEST SPEAKERS
Dr. Kelly Kapic
Professor & Teacher
Covenant College
Georgia, USA
Kelly M. Kapic holds the Honorary Chair of Theology and Culture at Covenant College where he has taught since 2001. With a PhD in Systematic and Historical Theology from King’s College University of London, Kapic has written or edited over twenty books. His newest book, Christian Life (Zondervan Academic, 2025) was just recently released, and before that his volume You Were Never Meant to Do it All: A 40-Day Devotional on the Goodness of Being Human (Brazos 2025) was built on his earlier work You’re Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God’s Design and Why that’s Good News, which was published in 2022 and won a number of awards, including Christianity Today’s Book of the Year award in the category of Theology (Popular) and The Southwestern Journal of Theology’s award in Applied Theology/Ethics. His earlier work includes Embodied Hope: A Theological Meditation on Pain and Suffering, which also won the Christianity Today book of the year award in the area of Theology and Ethics and World Magazine’s Short List award for Accessible Theology Book of the year. A few years ago he completed two volumes with the economist Brian Fikkert called Becoming Whole: Why the Opposite of Poverty isn’t the American Dream and A Field Guide to Becoming Whole: Principles for Poverty Alleviation Ministries. In 2014 Kapic received a Templeton Grant to be part of The Center for Christian Thought studying the topic of Psychology and Spiritual Formation. He has also served as part of the Core Research Teams for the Templeton-funded studies, including “Project Amazing Grace” and “Christian Meaning-Making, Suffering, and the Flourishing Life.”
Dr. Rick Reed
President Emeritus
Heritage College & Seminary
Rick Reed is President Emeritus of Heritage College and Seminary in Cambridge, Ontario. Prior to serving at Heritage, he was the senior pastor at the Metropolitan Bible Church in Ottawa, Ontario. Rick teaches preaching at Heritage and also preaches at churches, conferences, and Christian camps. Rick is married to Linda and they have three children and five grandchildren.
BREAKOUT SESSION FACILITATORS
Christine Gingrich
Lifestyle Coach & Author
Optimal YOU
Christine Gingerich is a Lifestyle Coach, motivational speaker and author. After her own battle with obesity and a serious health crisis, she made simple but powerful lifestyle changes and achieved complete healing. These profound changes inspired her to establish an innovative wellness company, Optimal YOU Coaching, in 2003. Christine is passionate about consulting and coaching to help others achieve optimal wellness. Christine received a degree in Physical Education from Wilfrid Laurier University focusing on Anatomy, Physiology, Sports Medicine and Nutrition, and was certified by Can-Fit-Pro as a Personal Trainer Specialist. She was a fitness trainer and aerobics instructor for several years. She also worked as an elementary teacher in the Waterloo Region for 25 years. With a 40 year passion in the natural and preventative health fields, Christine combines her unique training, practical skills, and love for teaching to motivate, Coach and assist young and old to be all that they can be! Her healthy living cookbook, Optimal YOU, is now a Canadian Best-seller and was born out of a deep desire to help others find practical help and physical healing. www.optimalYOU.ca
Andrew Noble
Adjunct Professor
Heritage College & Seminary
Andrew Noble is a PhD student at the University of Nottingham, where his research focuses on theology and technology. He is an Adjunct Professor at Heritage College and Seminary and a Fellow at The Gospel Coalition Canada. He lives in Kitchener with his wife and two kids. Andrew's work engaging Scripture and the age of AI can be found on the What Would Jesus Tech? podcast and at andrewnoble.net.
Melodie O’Connell
Social Worker
New Vision Family Health
Melodie has been working in the area of Mental Health for the past 20 years. She currently is a Social Worker with the New Vision Family Health Team. Melodie is married to Dan, and they have four children; Daniel, Marley, Mikayla and Dylan. She is currently serving as an Elder at Wilmot Centre Church and has been heavily involved in the Alpha and Alpha Marriage course over the past several years. Melodie enjoys being active and spending time outdoors.
Ibilola Olowookere
Author & Speaker
KingdomHub Global Outreach
Ibilola Olowookere is a speaker, author, and life coach who helps people find clarity, grow in faith, and walk in God’s purpose for their lives. She holds a degree in Biochemistry and a Master’s in Managerial Psychology, and has over ten years of experience across human resources, coaching, and capacity development. She is the Founder of KingdomHub Global Outreach, where she supports immigrants in discovering their identity and living lives of impact. She is also the author of How Do I Know? and How to Wait on God, and the convener of BORDERLESS, an annual Word and Prayer conference. Ibilola has ministered across church and professional spaces in Canada and Nigeria. She is married to Seye, has two children and lives in Kitchener, Ontario.