MINISTRY STAFF
LEAD PASTOR:
PASTOR KEVIN FURTNEY
Kevin is married to the love of his life Elizabeth and between them they have 6 very active and energetic children. Here is a bit about Kevin in his own words:
Yes before you ask, I did say 6 and yes we are a bit crazy!
I love to teach and preach God’s Word in truth and with passion and conviction and I firmly believe God’s Word needs to be the instruction manual for life. The church is the hope of the world and needs to be the place where spirituality gains traction and momentum with a safe and loving environment for all shapes, colours, backgrounds and ages. We trust First Baptist Church is a place you might call your church home as you seek learn who God is; to worship God in truth; connect with other believers Sunday mornings and during the week at community groups and have a safe and welcoming environment for your family.
My favourite Sports teams are: The Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Blue Jays and Toronto Raptors.
My Favourite thing to do: I love to enjoy life. Life is made to be lived to its fullest. So campouts and fishing and hunting and playing hockey and baseball and going on walks and hikes and runs and canoeing and snowmobiling and whatever else keeps me active with my family and friends is a life well lived in my book.
My Favourite movies: Super hero or action packed movies including but not limited to Marvel Super Heroes and of course anything Star Wars!
My Favourite food: I love see food…what I see I eat, but outside of that surf and turf, sushi and pretty much any pie are my top three favourite foods.
YOUTH & CONNECTIONS PASTOR: PASTOR JON MANN
Originally from northern British Columbia, Jon misses the Rocky Mountains but otherwise is enjoying living in Timmins. He has been happily married to his lovely wife Alex since October 2017 and together they have two boys, Gabriel and Micah. Most of his free time is spent with his family playing games, going for walks, or relaxing together and watching movies. Other hobbies include carpentry projects, biking and hunting.
People are one of Jon’s biggest passions, particularly teenagers. God led him into Youth Ministry in 2012, and that passion has become clearer and stronger ever since then. One of his favorite things about Youth Ministry is that it takes place in many different settings – it could be a Youth Group activity at church, a day spent at the ski hill, or making nachos in his kitchen at home and then playing board games. Jon enjoys each different opportunity to connect with people and encourage them on their faith journeys. He also loves belonging to the community of people that make up God’s family (the church) and believes that there is a place there for everyone – helping people connect and become involved with this community is another one of his passions.
If you are ever passing by the church and see Jon’s car parked out front, feel free to stop in and say hi!
KIDS MINISTRY DIRECTOR: SARA BOUCHARD
Originally from Brampton, ON, met her husband Aaron at college, and shortly after moved to Timmins. They were married in 2013 and they have 4 beautiful children together. Sara has been a member of First Baptist Church for nearly 10 years now and loves the community of believers she has found there.
Sara is involved in community group ministry, praise team, and children’s ministry as our Kids Ministry Director. She loves the Lord and loves to serve alongside others. She strives to be a little more like Jesus and love him a little more every day.
OFFICE & FACILITIES STAFF
ADMINISTRATOR: KELLY TRAHAN
Kelly Trahan has been the office administrator at FBC for nearly 6 years and is devoted to serving her church and Jesus in this way.
She is married to her college sweetheart Rob Trahan and together, over the last 25 years, they have fostered 62 children, adopted a son, and have 2 adult children of their own. Many of their foster children still call the Trahan house “Home” far into adulthood. Now retired from fostering, they are enjoying their empty nest and their rural life and home at Kamiskotia Lake.
Kelly’s heart is with the needy and less fortunate, especially children. That is why she loves FBC so much! Its heart for those in need in downtown Timmins is so big, so wide, and she loves being part of this movement to reach those people who may not otherwise have HOPE, reaching beyond the church walls in downtown Timmins.
She looks forward to meeting new people each Sunday. Please don’t hesitate to call the office if you have any questions!
FACILITIES MANAGER: JOBIN THOMAS
My name is Jobin Manoj Thomas; I am a student at Northern College, moved to Timmins to pursue my master’s. I was born and raised in a Christian family, and by God’s grace, I have gotten the chance to help out in churches and communities wherever I have been, whenever possible. I am passionate about pursuing Christ and helping others by living a faithful life. Throughout my life, I have learned to trust God even when times get tough, but I also thank God for putting me through such situations as those phases of life that moulded me into the person I am today.
LAY PASTORS/ELDERS
PASTOR DOUG ARNOLD
Doug is passionately married to his true love Danielle. They have 4 adult children and currently one daughter-in-law. Doug and Danielle have lived in Timmins since 1991, having come from Calgary, AB to Timmins for 2 years. Yup, they are one of those Timmins stories.
Doug was born and raised in Toronto and was raised by Christ-following parents. He made a decision to follow Christ when he was young. Doug became involved in church and served at a Christian camp, starting in his teens. He completed his training as a medical doctor in 1989 and moved to Calgary for his family practice residency. During his time in Calgary, he met, fell in love with and married Danielle. Shortly after their wedding they moved to Timmins as Doug had already established a connection with some Christian family doctors here.
Doug and Danielle have been involved in churches in Timmins since arriving here and have been attending First Baptist Church for some time. Doug has been in leadership at FBC since 2005.
Doug is passionate about Community Groups and mentoring younger men. He has been a Community Group leader and host since they were launched at FBC. In the summer he enjoys, golfing, biking, reading and his family cottage in Southern Ontario. Wintertime will find him cross country skiing as much as possible. Doug’s favourite sports teams are the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Blue Jays, Toronto Raptors and the Duke Mens’ BBall team. He does not like writing about himself in the third person.
PASTOR ISAAC SHELLEY
After initially moving to northern Ontario for a work contract in 2016, Timmins quickly became a permanent home for Isaac and Erica as their family quickly grew from 2 to 4. While they find the winters long, they love what northern Ontario has to offer and can often be found exploring nearby parks and trails or swimming at Hersey Lake. Since joining First Baptist Church, Isaac and Erica have been active participants in community groups and can often be found on Sunday mornings helping out in the nursery and with the kids church programs.
PASTOR AARON BOUCHARD
PASTOR JOSH GRABER
OVERSIGHT TEAM
MARILYN HEATH
Get to know Marilyn in this bio, writen by her daughter:
Those of you who know Marilyn, know she has a heart for Christ. Her dedication to her family, friends, community and fellow believers is evidence of the love she has accepted from her Lord and Saviour over 30 years ago.
Throughout her relationship with Christ, Marilyn has grown in sanctification and grace. She grew up in Porcupine, completed her nursing education in Toronto, and moved back to Timmins to marry her high school sweetheart, Doug. Doug and Marilyn lovingly and sacrificially raised their two children, Darren and Alana. During this time, Marilyn went back to school to become a nurse practitioner. Throughout this program her dependence on the Lord deepened and through His strength, and the support of Doug, she managed to balance family and work.
Marilyn has been a member of First Baptist Church for about 25 years and has a strong background in the Anglican Church. Now that she is retired, Marilyn has found her calling in teaching ladies bible studies, being everyone’s listening ear, encouraging others and learning as much as she humanly can about God.
Her greatest joy is in her Lord, her loving and humble husband, her children, grandson and newly acquired son-in-law. Marilyn spends her days caring for her family, praying, reading and studying God’s word. She can be found daily listening to the concerns of her friends and family and lifting them to the Lord together.
Marilyn’s gentle and humble heart is growing constantly more like Jesus. Her participation in the lives of others is such a blessing. Her ministry has now extended to the Oversight Team which she will no doubt do her ultimate best for His glory.
ELIJAH ODIGIE
DAVE HOUSTON
KRISTEN MCNULTY
Kristen was born and raised in Timmins. She grew up attending church every Sunday, but didn’t understand what it meant to have a relationship with God through Jesus until a friend invited her to the youth group at FBC. At age 16 she made the decision to follow Christ and has called FBC her home church ever since.
She served on the Oversight Team from 2013 until her term ended 2021 and rejoined the team again in the Fall of 2023.
Kristen spends her days running her IT and digital marketing business and is also actively involved in Christian radio ministry. In her free time she loves to spend time fishing, exploring the great outdoors, reading, and entertaining her nephews and niece.
DEACONS
PAUL COTE
Deacon of Maintenance
JOHN POLLAK
Administrator of Business
Born and raised in Montreal I moved to Ontario when I was 18 years old to go to the Haileybury School of Mines. My work experience after graduation was varied and exciting having worked in almost every role within the Mining and Construction sectors from Labourer to Director. After moving to Timmins for work over 35 years ago I first met my spouse (Denise) when friends in a bible study decided to introduce us in a blind date. In typical Timmins fashion this involved our first meeting at Tim Hortons for coffee, which still seems like a popular choice for members of FBC where I’ve attended for the past 15 years or so. I’ve also been blessed with three fantastic kids, two of which are still based in Timmins and the third one that is currently in Toronto.
Because of my life experience I learned long ago not to question what path God has put me on but rather to enjoy the ride and know that he has a reason for everything. In this role as deacon, I believe he is working on my patience and humility (at least that’s how Denise sees this). I look forward to his molding of my spirit and the new experiences this will add to my development both as a person and as a part of the body of Christ at FBC.