About

The Toronto Children’s Ministry was first held in 2011 by the Center for Excellence in Christian Education (CECE) at St. John’s York Mills Anglican Church. It was then called the Children’s Ministry Leadership Conference. The CECE was group of lay people and clergy in the Diocese of Toronto who were committed to promoting Christian Education and formation for children and youth. The CECE provided resources and networking among those who worked in the Christian education community. In 2015, CECE approached Wycliffe College to take over the conference. Wycliffe helped continue this work of resourcing and equipping ministry workers and parents through the Toronto Children’s Ministry Conference until the completion of the 2021 Conference, including maintaining a strong online conference for 2 years through the global pandemic.

TCMC held at St. John’s York Mills Anglican Church, our presenting sponsor, along with the Diocese of Toronto, Blessing for Children’s Ministry and Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec (CBOQ), Tyndale and Wycliffe are pleased to jointly present the 13th annual Toronto Children’s Ministry Conference on Saturday, November 4, 2023. This Conference brings people together to meet others in the field, to share ideas and experiences, and to hear thoughts and wisdom from experts.

To learn more about us, please visit our websites:

Workshop tracks include: 

  • Ministry to Families with Exceptionalities
  • Children’s Spirituality
  • Coaching Corner/Learner Exchange
  • Culture, Impact and Development Theory
  • Curriculum
  • Intergenerational
  • Family Ministry
  • Missions and Social Justice
  • Classroom Management
  • Building Children’s Ministry
  • Working with Volunteers
  • Discipleship
  • Vision and Mission
  • Theological and Biblical Foundations

Meet our Planning Team

In answer to God’s call, the Rev Dr. Catherine Keating, founding member of the TCMC, was ordained as a Deacon in the Anglican Church on October 22, 2006. This call was a culmination of God preparing her for a ministry supporting those who minister to children. Catherine worked in the publicly funded school system for over forty years at all levels from, teacher to administrator through to college and university. Catherine was seconded to the Ministry of Education where she was the elementary Liaison for the Toronto District Office and then a Student Achievement Officer for the Literacy Numeracy Secretariat (LNS) where she learned more about teaching reading.   
  
Catherine is a child of immigrants and her career included teaching core subjects, Special Education, English as a Second Language, Reception Centres for refugees and immigrants. Catherine is passionate about literacy in education, and has developed and shared the Read Aloud Think Aloud strategy in Jamaica, Belize, and Uganda.  She developed this strategy as a result of her work in the LNS. This strategy has been adapted to now include Making the Christ Connection, to help students apply theological understandings to their lives. 
Yau-Man Siew has been at Tyndale Seminary of Tyndale University since 2001 and leads the Christian Education & Discipleship major in the Master of Theological Studies and Master of Divinity programs. He specializes in curriculum, developmental and educational theory, and ethnographic-qualitative research applied to discipleship ministry and theological education. Students in this major are equipped to be Pastors of Children’s & Family Ministry and Pastors of Discipleship (Small Groups, Community Life, Outreach), and some serve as lead pastors in smaller congregations. Yau-Man was Visiting Scholar at the OISE/University of Toronto (2000-01) and Teachers College, Columbia University (2008-09). He has contributed to book chapters and his articles have appeared in Christian Education Journal, Theological Education, Asia Journal of Theology and Evangelical Dictionary of Christian Education.
Dr. Teresa Tong, the Founder and Consulting Children’s Pastor of BLESSING4CM Consulting Ministry, graduated from Fuller Theological Seminary (USA) with a Doctor of Ministry degree in Family and Youth Ministry and a MDiv degree from Tyndale Seminary, majoring in Pastoral and Children’s Ministry.  She served as a Children’s Pastor in Richmond Hill Christian Community Church for years. With over 40 years of ministry experience, she is now focusing on mentoring children’s pastors and training ministry leaders both locally and oversea, as well as delivering parenting seminars and leading joint family worship for all age groups in many churches. She delivers seminary courses at Tyndale, ABSCC (the Alliance Bible Seminary Centre of Canada 建道), 恩福, 加拿大環球廣播, and serves in the Committee of TCEMF (Toronto Chinese Evangelical Ministerial Fellowship) and on the Board of TCCPA (Toronto Chinese Christian Parenting Association). She is a popular speaker for conferences, systematic teachers training series, leadership retreats, radio interviews as well as publishing journals and hosting city-wide special programs for children. She has led many short-term mission teams to different parts of the world (Cambodia, Myanmar, Africa, Macedonia, Romania, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, China).              
Rev. Tanya Yuen has been in her role as Children and Family Ministries Associate at the Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec since 2012. She oversees various training and resourcing initiatives for CBOQ churches seeking to draw out the giftedness of children and families in their midst.
She brings with her a blend of hands-on experience in children, youth and family ministry in the local church as a pastor, having served for 16 years in 3 different churches in downtown Toronto, along with leadership development and administrative experience. Moreover, she is motivated by the opportunity and privilege to journey alongside others, helping them to discover their God-given gifts and abilities, and equipping them to serve in the area of Children and Family Ministry.
She holds a Bachelor of Religious Education and a Master of Theological Studies from Tyndale University College & Seminary.  She is also a graduate of the Arrow Leadership Program. Tanya serves as Global Mentor for the Baptist World Alliance Horizons Children’s Ministry Course, a global, online training program.
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