Annual Report 2025-2026

Jesus said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”
Matthew 9:37-38

We are incredibly blessed at our church to be able to praise God for another amazing year filled with stories of lives being changed, the gospel being proclaimed and disciples walking closely with Jesus. I am consistently amazed at how the Spirit of God is moving in this church and how God continues to open doors of opportunities for us, as a church, to bring the good news of Jesus to people from all walks of life. What a privilege it has been to look back on this year and see God’s hand at work in everything we do.

A particularly exciting time for us as a church was seeing 60 people be baptized in 2025. What an amazing celebration we’ve had as a church. This is not just a number but a realization that 60 people made commitments to follow Jesus with their whole heart and to fully surrender their lives to Him and we got to play a part in their discipleship journey.  

Along with baptisms, we celebrate a very fruitful ALPHA program that was run in fall 2025. We had excellent discussions and opportunities to share faith with those who are seeking and we saw God at work in a variety of ways throughout the ALPHA course.

We’ve had an opportunity this year to be workers in the fields seeing people coming to faith and exploring what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. What has been amazing is how God has used multiple ministry areas of our church as vehicles to present the good news. I think of a program like Griefshare, which is a wonderful support for the people of Cochrane who are dealing with the loss of a loved one but which has the added benefit of allowing Christians to share how faith in Jesus helps them in their grief. 

We also have programs like our Right Hand Support mentoring and counselling which helps people in our community who are lonely, isolated or in need of mental health support feel like they have a safe place to turn to in a time of need and crisis. We’ve seen people begin to view this church as a safe place to be. Some have even come to attend here as they explore who Jesus is and what it might mean for their life to follow Him. I take this time to mention that counselling needs are still very great in our community and we are thankful to have Right Hand Support working with us in the community.

Truly, I believe we have been blessed this year to be involved in so many people's lives in our community and to see some of those people come to faith. 

In addition to this, we have had some continued pressure points in terms of space and capacity, as you probably noticed. Parking has been an ongoing issue for a few years and classroom space for JAM Kids, especially at the 9AM service. This is not surprising considering our average attendance for 2025 was 677 which is an increase of nearly 100 people from our average of 2024. 

While we are not a church that chases growth or numbers we also realize that we need to accommodate people who want to come here and we need to make our church as accessible as possible for those who are trying to explore faith and Christian practice. While 2025 attendance was 677 on average, the first few months of 2026 put us at an average attendance of 729. 

We knew we were having some capacity issues this year and so we experimented with an afternoon service that was a radically different format from the morning service. While it was a valuable service, and necessary for some people in their journey of faith, it ultimately was not meeting the need of alleviating pressure on the morning service. For those who made that service their church home, it was impactful, but we ultimately had to make the difficult decision to turn our attention to a more familiar feeling third service that would be more accessible to everyone. As you all know our survey results indicated our best option was to have services at 8:30AM, 10:15AM and noon.

A huge highlight for me this year was some of our special services on major Christian celebration days. We added a fourth Christmas Eve service and had over 1300 people attend our church that day and drink many, many cups of Hot Chocolate. Better than hot chocolate consumed was how many Bibles were taken from our free Bible carts. Our fresh supply of Bibles was almost completely exhausted by the end of Christmas Eve. This means many of those people who came were exploring faith or returning to faith. Praise God for that! My prayer is that these numbers mean we are reaching people in our community and that we are seen as a church where anyone can come to find out who Jesus is. 

After an amazing youth trip to Guatemala last year to help with construction on the church in Chivoc we were also able to send a family team in October of this year. While this was a smaller team they were still able to help out with many of the construction projects as well as be involved with food hamper distribution and with being an encouragement to the church community of both Chivoc and San Raymundo.

A particularly difficult decision this year was the cancellation of the Youth Guatemala trip. We knew how difficult it might be to reschedule this trip with those same individuals but safety for the youth team had to take precedence over trip disruption. Fortunately, the situation in Guatemala has stabilized and we were able to reschedule and many of those teens were able to make it to Guatemala in August 2026. 

After four years of pastoring this church, I can honestly say that it seems God is continuing to move in big ways here in Cochrane and I anticipate another year of good things and great opportunities to share the gospel both locally and globally. 

I want to thank the staff team for being people of excellent, Godly character and all our amazing volunteers who serve and sacrifice in so many ways to make sure this church is served well. I ask that you pray for this church, that we would have the opportunity to proclaim the gospel in words and in actions, that we would be led by and empowered by the Holy Spirit to make Jesus known across our community.  

Brent Rushinka
Lead Pastor

What a wonderful year in our church family! It has been amazing to see how God has worked in and through our worship ministry this year!

I am so thankful for our incredible team of volunteers in our worship and tech ministries! It is amazing to see how much they pour into blessing our church and serving Jesus. What a blessing to serve with such wonderful people!

Christmas Eve was incredible this year as we explored the theme of waiting for the Messiah. We had four services for the very first time and had 1362 people join us for Christmas Eve! We really wanted this Christmas Eve to be hospitable for people from all backgrounds. We had a family photobooth, hot chocolate and candy canes, and also a “Remembering Room” where people could spend time in a reflective atmosphere and light a candle for those who they were missing this year at Christmas. We are thankful for all of our volunteers who helped to make it all happen!

Easter is always a highlight and this year was no different. For the first time, we had an Ash Wednesday service to start the season of Lent. Our Good Friday Service included music, a message, communion, an opportunity to come to the cross, and a beautiful dramatic reading from people of all generations in our church community. Many kids were present and tracking along with the service with their JAM Kids packs. One highlight for me was seeing our kids make a sachet of spices and laying them in Jesus’ tomb as they left the Good Friday service. 
Easter Sunday was a beautiful celebration of new life and resurrection as we had 14 people baptized! 

I can’t wait to see what Jesus will do in our church family this next year!

Phil Morrow
Pastor of Worship & Discipleship

I have greatly enjoyed seeing how our church family has been growing to be like Jesus this year!

ALPHA ran again in the fall and we had 23 people journey together over the course of 8 weeks. The vast majority of these people were not affiliated with Cochrane Alliance when they first attended and they came from a variety of backgrounds. A huge thank you to Merlin & Linda McNaughton, Mel & LaDonna Fehr, and Howard & Claudette Reimer for their leadership and care for everyone attending ALPHA this year!

Our church family has also grown in what it means to practically be the hands and feet of Jesus in our community. This Christmas season we continued our “Tree of Hope” service project to provide for the practical needs of our friends at Helping Hands Cochrane and St. Barnabas Church on the Tsuut’ina Nation. Thank you to all who donated and participated in blessing our community!

We also sensed the desire to make Bibles accessible for all who wanted them this year. Since the fall we have given out 191 Bibles! We know that God will speak through His Word to every person who took a Bible this year!

In October we launched our Afternoon Service, which provided an interactive environment for people to worship, hear the Word of God, share a meal, and to discuss and pray for one another around tables. We had a diverse group of people attending, from brand new Christians, to people searching for Jesus, to others who have known Jesus for many years! I was so encouraged to see the spiritual growth and connection between many people who had never met before! What a beautiful picture of the family of God!

I am looking forward to how our church will continue to grow closer to Jesus in this coming year!

Phil Morrow
Pastor of Worship & Discipleship

This past ministry year has continued to reinforce a deep conviction within our church: leadership development is ultimately about discipleship, relationship, and multiplication. More than simply filling ministry roles, our focus has been on helping people grow into healthy, spiritually grounded leaders who are equipped to invest in others.

One of the clearest expressions of this has been through Student Lead, our leadership development initiative for Grade 5 and 6 students. Throughout the year, students gathered monthly for leadership training while also serving regularly within the life of the church alongside adult mentors. What has been especially encouraging is seeing leadership development become deeply relational. Students are learning what it looks like to serve faithfully, lead humbly, and be discipled through meaningful mentoring relationships. We are already seeing increased confidence and ownership from many of these young leaders as they step more intentionally into ministry life.

Another highlight this year has been the continued growth of Wingmen, our men’s ministry. A major encouragement has been the continued development of a strong and unified leadership team that helps guide and shape the ministry. Through intentional relationships and spiritual encouragement, Wingmen has continued to foster meaningful connection and discipleship among men within our church community.

This year also marked another season of Ministry Huddles, where ministry leaders and their families gathered around shared meals, encouragement, and intentional conversations. These evenings have helped strengthen relationships across ministry teams and reinforce a culture where leaders are known, supported, and spiritually encouraged within community.

Throughout the year, I also continued meeting with and coaching leaders across various ministries within the church. One of the greatest joys of this role continues to be walking alongside people as they discover how God has uniquely gifted and called them to participate in the mission of the church.

As I reflect on this past year, I am grateful for the growing culture of mentorship, apprenticeship, and shared leadership that is continuing to take shape across our church family. While there is still room for growth, I believe important foundations are being laid for future generations of leaders within Cochrane Alliance Church.

Jason Dimnik
Pastor of Leadership Development

Another year has flown by, and we have so much to thank God for. Throughout every season, we have seen His faithfulness and the transforming work of Jesus in the lives of children, families, and volunteers.

The year began with Pastor Donna’s sabbatical. During that time, Josh Walker and Rachel Brownlee served as Summer Coordinators, leading Backyard Kids Camp, Soccer Camp, and Sunday morning JAM alongside Laura Nixon. Backyard Kids Camp concluded with a community wrap-up party that fostered meaningful connections between leaders, children, and their families. We are grateful to Dan Clark for helping us successfully transition to Planning Centre Check-In throughout the summer, a big job! 

The fall brought exciting growth as we added an additional elementary class and welcomed many new children and volunteers. Volunteers participated in orientation and ongoing training, while parents were encouraged through the Sacred Pathways Conference.  A big thanks to Gwyn Butler, Amanda Chrabaszcz and Dan Clark, our JAM Lead team, who have faithfully led in key areas in JAM, throughout the year. One highlight was the new Student Lead Program, in which Grade 5 students were mentored and equipped to use their gifts in our church. We love serving with them in JAM and ushering. 

Winter featured memorable outreach events: the Bethlehem Journey living nativity and the Christmas production, Nativity News. These events clearly shared the hope of Christ with our church and community. Easter celebrations included a Palm Sunday parade, an interactive Good Friday service, and Easter egg hunts hosted by families who shared the Good News of Jesus through resurrection eggs.

Most importantly, we have witnessed God changing lives. Children have grown in their faith, families have been strengthened, and several young people have publicly declared their commitment to Jesus through baptism. 

As we look ahead to next year, Pastor Donna will move into the Community/Connection role and Laura Nixon into the leadership position of JAM Kid’s Ministry Director. We are thrilled that Laura has sensed God’s call to step forward into this new responsibility. 

Praise God for His work among us and we look forward with expectation to all He will continue to do.

Laura Nixon & Donna Hernandez
JAM Children's Ministry

Cochrane is a flourishing town; one of the fastest growing communities in Alberta. Nestled between the fast-paced energy of Calgary and the outdoor adventure of the mountains, Cochrane draws people to experience it all…and people are coming. We, at Cochrane Alliance, want to be an active part of our flourishing community. Our vision for Cochrane Alliance is to connect people to Jesus so they can thrive spiritually. We seek to be a church that welcomes people well and helps them find a place of belonging as they meet Jesus. As the Community & Connection pastor, along with an amazing team of hospitable people, we desire to warmly invite people into the life of our church. Our Hospitality Team includes greeters, ushers, coffee bar attendants and information hosts, all who faithfully serve as “front of house” beacons of light. And our team has expanded this year, welcoming new leaders into all of these areas of ministry.

As our church has grown, the need for Small Groups has become more apparent. In the large church gatherings, we are inspired by the worship and challenged by the Word preached to the entire church body. In Small Groups, a few people gather to study the word and share in meaningful conversation and relationship as they disciple and care for one another. This year approximately 250 people were a part one of 31 small group communities, four of which were new groups. Notably, two new groups were birthed out of Alpha which was very exciting. Another group started when a few young women, hungry to learn and grow, invited other likeminded young women to grow with them. They have experienced amazing community together. We also launched an online small group this year. There is a steady stream of interest in small groups year-round. Over 40 people have reached out to be a part of groups through newcomer, connect cards or online. We expect that to increase as our church continues to grow. 

As part of our ministry development this year, a Small Group Handbook was prepared for leaders to help outline our purpose and practices. More intentional equipping and connection were a part of both our Small Group and Hospitality Leadership Teams. Laura Nixon oversaw the administration of our Ushers and Greeters, and Claire Moisan led our Information Team. The communication and systems have improved under their leadership…and they both have represented and led their areas of ministry so well.

Praise God for the dedicated group of leaders in our Hospitality and Small Group teams. They are truly people with hearts to serve the Lord and serve others. As we move into a new ministry year, we are excited to see what God has in store!

Donna Hernandez
Pastor of Community & Connection

It has been such a joy this year to watch so many students engage in leadership throughout the church. It has been especially amazing to see many students exercise their skills and talents as they participate on the worship team, both for our Youth Encounter Nights, and on Sunday Mornings. 

This year has been one of perseverance and growth for our students at Cochrane Alliance Youth. After months of planning, preparation, and fundraising, we made the difficult decision to postpone our Guatemala Youth Missions trip in February due to unforeseen risks in Guatemala three weeks before our departure. However, after months of watching and waiting, we were able to reschedule the trip for August 2026. Despite our team of 31 becoming a team of 21, we are excited to be able to bless our brothers and sisters in Guatemala! We are so grateful for the support and prayers of our families and friends, and the generosity of so many people who have helped to make this trip possible.

I am looking forward to walking alongside and encouraging more students next year to explore and grow in their gifts and calling.

Stacey Morris
Pastor of Youth Ministries

It has been a privilege for me to serve in part time ministry in our People Care Ministries this past ministry year. I was challenged but encouraged as I sought to give direction to the following Ministries.
 
Our Heritage Seniors Group met four times as we enjoyed fellowship and good food together. We saw 50 participants gather for our Fall Barbecue. Our Christmas Tea gave us the opportunity to welcome 20 residents from Bethany Care and Grande Avenue Village along with seven of our Heritage Seniors group to celebrate the Christmas season together. The Heritage Seniors Christmas Banquet was attended by 87 people as we enjoyed a full turkey meal with all the trimmings. Our Easter Brunch brought us together as 57 participants who celebrated the message of Easter along with great food. 

Our Grief Share ministry served people who have experienced recent loss in their lives. The Fall session saw 17 registrations, and the Winter session saw 22 registrations. These sessions were a source of support and comfort to those who are working through issues related to grief from the loss of a loved one. Some of our participants registered to take the course for the third or fourth time. It also opened support opportunities for face-to-face counselling on a one-to-one basis (16 sessions). 

I have also had the privilege of offering counselling to those working through spiritual, relational, emotional, marriage and family issues.  I served 54 individuals/groups in this counselling environment.

It was a joy to serve in three long-term care facilities in our community as a part-time chaplain.  I planned and held chapel services once a month at Bethany Care Centre and Grande Avenue Village here in Cochrane.  I also served 3 times at Trinity Lodge in Calgary and 2 times at the Hawthorn Care Home here in Cochrane. In total, we facilitated 26 chapel services throughout the year.  I also enjoyed visiting other seniors and those confined to their homes.  We experienced the loss of Elmer Jesperson this past year. He faithfully served as my pianist for my chapel ministries for the past 17 years. He will be greatly missed!

My ministry also included hospital visitation as a registered Alberta Health Services volunteer chaplain in the four Calgary hospitals as well as several hospices. I made 22 visits this past year. 

I was privileged to officiate four funerals and one wedding and one baptism this past ministry year.

I am grateful to my church for giving me the privilege of serving here at Cochrane Alliance Church.  I am encouraged to see discipleship and spiritual growth through our People Care Ministry.  As I always say, “our best years are still ahead”!  May God be praised for what is happening in our church. 

Larry Charter
People Care

We exist to connect people with Jesus so the world thrives.

BELONG. GROW. SERVE.

Sunday September 27, 2026 | 1:30pm

1. Call to Order - Blaine Ellerby

2. Adoption of Agenda

3. Devotion and Opening Prayer - Brent Rushinka

4. Welcome to New Church Members - Brent Rushinka

5. Adoption of the Minutes:

   • Annual General Meeting of September 28, 2025

6. Reports

   • Lead Pastor - Brent Rushinka

   • Board of Elders - Blaine Ellerby

7. Report of the Nominating Committee - Brent Rushinka

8. Election of Elders

9. Report of the Treasurer - Daniel Souza

   • 2025-2026 Financial Statements

   • 2026-2027 Budget

10. Results of Vote of the Election of Elders

    • Destroy Ballots

11. Closing Prayer - Brett Hiebert

12. Adjournment - Blaine Ellerby

We will have a time of concentrated prayer immediately following the official adjournment of the meeting.

The 2025–2026 ministry year has been another remarkable season in the life of Cochrane Alliance Church. We continue to welcome new people and families who now call Cochrane Alliance home. It’s exciting to see our morning services filled and JAM ministry overflowing with children eager to learn about Jesus. This growth is a gift, and with it comes new challenges—such as limited parking and the need for additional support in JAM as we welcome more families than ever before.

Pastor Brent, pastors and admin staff, along with the Board of Elders are working closely together to address these immediate pressures, while also planning intentionally for the future. As both the town of Cochrane and our church family continue to grow, we are committed to stewarding this season wisely and faithfully.

We are deeply grateful for your ongoing generosity. Because of your faithful giving, we have experienced another strong fiscal year. Your support not only keeps our ministries running but has also allowed us to complete several small renovations and replace aging equipment—improvements that help us serve our congregation with excellence. Thank you for your kindness, your sacrifice, and your commitment to the mission (and missions!) of Cochrane Alliance Church.

Pastor Brent recently spoke on missions and reflected on the ways the Christian & Missionary Alliance continues to support global workers around the world. It’s exciting to see how our local church participates in God’s work far beyond our own walls, and the four corners of the world!

I am profoundly thankful for the incredible men and women who serve alongside me on the Board of Elders: Cam, Don, Gwyn, Jamine, Sam, Brett, and Ken. Their wisdom, discernment, and genuine love for God’s people—and for this church—are a constant encouragement. I also want to express special appreciation for Cam Hiebert, who is stepping down this year after faithfully serving as vice chair. Cam, it has been a privilege to serve with you. Thank you for your leadership, and steady presence.

As we look ahead, I ask that you continue to pray for our pastoral and administrative staff. The coming months include several significant decisions and hurdles, and your prayers mean more than you know. Please also continue to lift up the Board of Elders as we seek God’s guidance in every step.

We are grateful for what He, and He alone, has done, expectant for what He will do next.

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed,
do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:17 NIV

Sincerely,

Blaine Ellerby
Chair of the Board of Elders

Nominations for Board of Elders

3-year Term:    

Blaine Ellerby (Second term)
Phil Hannah (First term)

Current Members:     

Don Neufeld
Gwyn Butler
Jamine Souza
Ken Morris
Brett Hiebert
Sam Kuperis

Nominations for Congregational Reps

Chance Vetsch
Rebekah Dyck

From Constitution: 
Article XV – Elections 

…The Nominating Committee shall present and post, at least two Sundays prior to the annual meeting, one name for each office to be filled. Other nominations, if any, shall be made in writing, signed by two members in good standing, and filed with the chairman of the nominating committee for posting before the public services on the Sunday prior to the annual meeting.

From Bylaws of Cochrane Alliance Church: Article IV - Board of Elders 

Elders shall be elected to a term not exceeding three years. A three year term is defined as beginning at the AGM when the elder is elected and ending at the AGM three years hence.  An elder can serve on the board for a maximum of two consecutive terms after which they must step off the board for a minimum of one year.

Nominating Committee:

Brent Rushinka, Chairperson
Lauren Hiebert, Congregational Rep
Cory Lappala, Congregational Rep
Blaine Ellerby, Board of Elders Rep
Jamine Souza, Board of Elders Rep

* Click links above to find out more about our current Elders and Nominees.

STRONG GENERAL FUND GIVING THROUGHOUT THE 2025/26 FISCAL YEAR

The 2025/26 fiscal year has been marked by God’s continued provision and the faithful generosity of our congregation. General Fund giving exceeded budget expectations, enabling the church to meet ministry needs, invest in facility improvements, establish a capital reserve fund, and maintain a healthy cash position. We are grateful for God’s faithfulness and your partnership in ministry.

The General Fund surplus has also helped offset our monthly loan obligations. Cochrane Alliance Church’s mortgage, held by the Western Canadian District of The Alliance Canada, currently stands at approximately $1.46 million and is scheduled to be fully repaid by 2033. Last year, our debt stood at $1.621 million. Our monthly debt obligation paid toward principal and interest is $20,000. Members who wish to assist further may designate gifts directly to the Capital Fund to help reduce this ongoing obligation.

ADDITIONAL MINISTRY FUNDING APPROVED – $18,000

In February, the Board approved additional funding totalling $18,000 to address increased ministry demands and rising costs in three ministry areas: Worship Ministries, Social Ministries, and Children’s Ministries.

A significant portion of the Worship Ministries request supported the distribution of free Bibles at our Christmas Eve services and throughout the ministry year. Social Ministries experienced increased costs associated with Sunday morning coffee service due to both growing demand and higher supply costs.

Children’s Ministries funding supported the hiring of a part-time Children’s Ministry Assistant to work alongside Pastor Donna from March through June 2026.

These ministry requests were fully funded through the General Fund surplus and did not require reallocating funds from other budget areas.

ESTABLISHMENT OF A CAPITAL AND MAINTENANCE RESERVE FUND – $100,000

As the church moves toward establishing a Maintenance and Repair Committee, the Finance Committee identified the need to create a Capital and Maintenance Reserve Fund. Accordingly, $100,000 has been set aside for this purpose.

This amount represents approximately 1% of the building replacement value as determined by the church’s most recent insurance appraisal. The fund is intended to address future building maintenance, equipment replacement, and unforeseen capital expenditures.

In addition, approximately $35,000 was invested during the year in new capital assets, including:

• A new kitchen refrigerator
• Refurbishment of the exterior church sign
• New chairs for the Creekside Room
• Computer replacements
• Ceiling fans
• A new hot water tank

The Board has also recently approved approximately $30,000 for technology and facility upgrades, including a new ProPresenter iMac, a new sound board and stage boxes, and new audio-visual equipment for the Creekside Room and Atrium. None of these expenditures were included in last year’s operating budget.

HEALTHY CASH POSITION FOLLOWING CAPITAL INVESTMENTS

Even after these ministry and capital investments, the church maintains approximately $230,000 in available cash reserves (including $100,000 in the Capital and Maintenance Reserve Fund). This provides an operating cushion equivalent to approximately 1.5 to 2 months of expenses and positions the church well for future ministry opportunities and unforeseen needs.

We are thankful that, through your generosity, the church has been able to strengthen both its ministries and its facilities while maintaining a sound financial position.

I would like to thank the members of the Finance Committee for their faithful support, wise counsel, and diligent oversight throughout the year. The committee consists of Daniel Souza (Financial Coordinator), Pastor Brent Rushinka, Brenda Heavenor, Lance Clark, and myself.

It is a privilege to serve Cochrane Alliance Church in this role. We have much to praise God for and every reason to move forward into the coming year with faith, gratitude, and vision. May we continue to steward well the resources God has entrusted to us as we pursue our mission together.

Respectfully submitted, 

Don Neufeld
Treasurer of the Board of Elders

Includes complete 2025/26 financial statements, 2026/2027 proposed budget and more.