Sidewalk Skyline Podcast

God At Work In Canadian Cities

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Workplace Pastor (David Dwarka interview)

September 01, 2026 by Kevin Rogers in David Dwarka, Business, Canada, Chaplaincy, Mental Health, Mission Canada, PAOC, Religion & Spirituality, Urban Ministry, Burlington Ontario
Workplace Pastor (David Dwarka interview)
Kevin Rogers

The focus of David Dwarka's work is to provide spiritual and mental health support to employees in a workplace environment. As Mission Canada was praying about who could take over this opportunity to serve as a workplace chaplain, a role that was begun by a previous Mission Canada worker, David is the perfect person to step in to fill the gap... and this corporate setting is right in David's hometown of Burlington, Ontario.

As a licensed mental health professional and an ordained minister with the PAOC, workplace chaplaincy provides David with the opportunity to engage with people in two area of life that he values - their mental health and their spiritual wellbeing.

David knows the importance of reaching people right where they are, leaning into everyday conversations and interactions with a listening and supportive ear. With over ten years of ministry experience, he knows that it is often in moments of crisis that people realize the need to confidentially welcome someone into their challenging situations and troubling thoughts. Wellness and wholeness can result when wise counsel is intentionally sought out and occurs in a safe place and space. And when it does, home and family life improve, social relationships strengthen, and workplace challenges often lessen.

David values being able to journey with people, providing encouragement, empathetic listening, and being a sounding board for life's many challenges. David's heart is to help people discover what he has come to understand throughout his life: That God not only loves people, but He is interested in the details of their everyday life. David desires to see people living to the full, as God intended (John 10:10).

Mission Canada is thankful for workers who are welcomed into corporate workplace settings to engage employees in their time of need. Because, in that environment, everyone wins!

Links:

Mission Canada profile:

https://paoc.org/canada/workers/daviddwarka

September 01, 2026 /Kevin Rogers
Mission Canada, David Dwarka, Chaplaincy, Mental Health
David Dwarka, Business, Canada, Chaplaincy, Mental Health, Mission Canada, PAOC, Religion & Spirituality, Urban Ministry, Burlington Ontario
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Student of Process (Mark Collins interview)

January 15, 2026 by Kevin Rogers in Mark Collins, Religion & Spirituality, Kevin Rogers, Canada, Business, Brantford Ontario
Student of Process (Mark Collins interview)
Kevin Rogers

Mark Collins is a consultant on church growth and revitalization and has been a pastor, District leader with PAOC Western Ontario and process guru to many. He and his wife Wendy live at Victoria Shores on Lake Ontario. Mark is a surfer, a sailor and a cyclist and a friend to me in ministry over decades.

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/mark.collins.92560

January 15, 2026 /Kevin Rogers
Mark Collins, PAOC, Church Planting, Brantford Ontario, St Catherines Ontario
Mark Collins, Religion & Spirituality, Kevin Rogers, Canada, Business, Brantford Ontario
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Above The Skyline (Dallas Derksen interview)

December 01, 2025 by Kevin Rogers in Dallas Derksen, MAF, Business, Canada, Chaplaincy, Christianity, Technology
Above The Skyline (Dallas Derksen interview)
Kevin Rogers

On today’s episode, we are getting off the sidewalk and more into the skyline. Dallas Derksen serves with Mission Aviation Fellowship at Prairie Aviation Training Centre in Three Hills, Alberta.

A critical shortfall of new pilots, highlighted by Statistics Canada and global aviation authorities, threatens to ground as many as half of all available flights in Canada within the next decade.[1]


Links:

Dallas Derksen

dallas.derksen@prairie.edu

 

Mission Aviation Fellowship

https://maf.ca/

 

Prairie College

https://www.prairie.edu/Aviation/

 

News Article:

https://canadianchristiannewsservice.com/maf-responds-to-aviation-crisis/

[1] https://canadianchristiannewsservice.com/maf-responds-to-aviation-crisis/

 

December 01, 2025 /Kevin Rogers
Dallas Derksen, Mission Aviation Fellowship, Alberta
Dallas Derksen, MAF, Business, Canada, Chaplaincy, Christianity, Technology
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The Gate Church Interview (Mark Royall and David Gagne)

November 01, 2025 by Kevin Rogers in Mark Royall, David Gagne, Urban Ministry, Kevin Rogers, Intentional Community, Housing, Business, Niagara Falls Ontario
The Gate Church Interview (Mark Royall and David Gagne)
Kevin Rogers

The Gate Church is an Alliance Church in Niagara Falls, Ontario. I’m here with two of their staff. Lead pastor Mark Royall and executive pastor David Gagne. The Gate Church has the unique distinction of owning a former school building with 120,000 s.f., and has become a hub for several different organizations, businesses, residences and ministries to operate.

I’ve known Dave Gagne for 35 years or so and am not surprised that he and his wife Isabel would end up in a ministry like this. When I was a youth pastor in Exeter, Dave & Isabel had a storefront church called Belongers Church. They were ahead of their time with some of the ways that they pastored and conducted ministry. They came with a background in graphic arts. Isabel was a hometown girl in Exeter, just like my wife Marsha. Dave, you and I captured our brides away and took them off to engage in urban and community-based ministry.

This is my first time meeting Mark Royall, so welcome guys.

Links:

The Gate Alliance Church

https://www.thegatechurch.ca/

November 01, 2025 /Kevin Rogers
Mark Royall, David Gagne, The Gate Alliance Church, Niagara Falls Ontario, Community Service, Urban Church
Mark Royall, David Gagne, Urban Ministry, Kevin Rogers, Intentional Community, Housing, Business, Niagara Falls Ontario
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Going Big (Richard Magnussen interview)

May 15, 2025 by Kevin Rogers in Richard Magnussen, Canada, Christianity, Kevin Rogers, Religion & Spirituality, Business, Kitchener Ontario
Going Big (Richard Magnussen interview)
Kevin Rogers

Today I am having a conversation with Richard Magnussen who last year released his memoir ‘Going Big: Lessons On Success In Business, Life And Faith.’

From the early years growing up in an immigrant family and building a productive life in Kitchener to becoming one of Canada’s big business success stories, Richard was able to remain focused on what was most important. His stories are worth hearing.

Former Member of Parliament Harold Albrecht from Kitchener-Conestoga wrote on the flyleaf, “Richard’s story is one of hard work, incredible perseverance, and deep faith in Jesus. Powerful evidence of the difference that Jesus makes in the life of a family. Great leadership principles based on the wisdom of God’s Word!’

 

Links:

Book - Going Big: Lessons On Success in Business, Life and Faith

https://www.siretona.com/goingbig

Magnussen Home Furnishings

https://www.magnussen.com/

Creekside Church

https://www.creeksidechurch.ca/

May 15, 2025 /Kevin Rogers
Richard Magnussen, Kitchener-Waterloo, Business, Creekside Church
Richard Magnussen, Canada, Christianity, Kevin Rogers, Religion & Spirituality, Business, Kitchener Ontario
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