Contributing Writers

Abraham Jolly

Abe and his wife, Linda, live in Mistissini, Quebec, where he has served as the Director General of the Cree School Board. Abe is a member of the Mistissini Cree Nation. He has earned an honorary doctorate from Briercrest, loves to sing, and his music is appreciated by many.

Bill Jackson

Bill is from Whitefish Lake #128 First Nation, Alberta, where he lives with his wife, Shirley. Bill has served as a missionary, pastor, Bible teacher, radio & television speaker, and author. He is a founding member of Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (NEFC).

Crying Wind

Crying Wind is a longtime contributor to Intertribal Life newspaper, and has published several books, including bestsellers Crying Wind and My Searching Heart. She continues to engage readers with her simple honesty. April has been a widow for 25 years.

Ed Bird

Ed is a member of Ahtahkakoop Cree Band, Treaty 6 Territory, where he has Elder status. Before his struggles with health, he worked as a truck driver and retail meat cutter. Now he helps his sons with cutting up game.

Frank Ward

Frank and Lori Ward live in Lac La Biche, Alberta, where Frank pastors the nearby Kikino Bible Church. He loves teaching God’s Word and outreach to the surrounding Métis community. Frank is from Loon River Cree First Nation, Alberta. The Wards have two teenage children.

Jennifer McEwen

Jennifer lives with Ken, her husband of 26 years, in the community of Xaxli’p, near Lillooet, British Columbia. She is from the St’at’imc Nation. For fi ve years she has managed the St’at’imc Christian Homeschool, working to build Christian character in the lives of young people.

Hazel Patenaude

Hazel is Métis and resides in Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement, about two hours northeast of Edmonton, Alberta, and is employed in the community of Boyle.

Ken Mitsuing

Ken and his wife, Erna, belong to Makwa Sahgaiehcan Cree Nation (Loon Lake, Saskatchewan), where he has Elder status and works as Band Manager. Ken has been serving as a teaching elder in the local fellowship.

Kene Jackson

Kene is Plains Cree from Whitefish Lake #128 (Goodfish Lake). He serves as Executive Director of Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, with Freedom River Counselling Group, and travels extensively in music ministry with his wife, Milly.

Kiki BelMonte-Schaller

Kiki is a member of the Cherokee Confederacy Tribe. She contributes a column to Intertribal Life Newspaper, focusing on accomplished Indigenous/Native American women. She resides in South Florida with her husband, Jim.

Kirby James

Kirby is from the Shackan Band of Nlaka’pamux Nation in British Columbia. He is a former social worker, now serving as pastor of New Life Fellowship in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. He and his wife, Bernadette, have a teenage son.

Laurie Wood Ducharme

Laurie is a member of St. Theresa Point Anishininew First Nation and lives in Winnipeg with her husband, George, and their son. She is Acting Chair of First Nations Community Church, sits on the Board of Inner-City Youth Alive, and is involved with Ashawaabic Ministries.

Liz Beardy

Elizabeth (Liz) is Oji-Cree from Bearskin Lake First Nation, northwestern Ontario. She was a social worker for 13 years before training to become a counselor in 2000. She resides in Sioux Lookout, Ontario, working in counseling/mental health ministry under a tribal council.

Liz Genaille

Liz is Cree, a member of Pimicikamak First Nation in Manitoba. She served in full-time ministry with her late husband, Bert, for many years in local church and music. Now based in Nipawin, Saskatchewan, Liz finds continued opportunities to share her faith through testimony and music.

Leana Patenaude

Leana is Métis and resides in Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement, about two hours northeast of Edmonton, Alberta. Leana is Hazel Patenaude’s daughter, another writer in Council Fire, and works in administrative support.

Loretta Oppenheim

Loretta married into Coldwater Band (Interior Salish), Merritt, British Columbia. Her mom was from Chawathil Band (Stòlo Nation), and her dad was Cantonese, first generation born in Canada. Loretta works for an Indigenous child welfare agency as an administrative assistant.

Marshall Murdock

Marshall was raised on Fisher River Cree Nation (Treaty 5, Manitoba) and is semi-retired from work in corporate retail, banking, insurance, accounting, and administration. He has served on the Indian Life board and in local church leadership. He and his wife, Thelma, live in Winnipeg.

Milly Jackson

Milly and her husband, Kene, have their home in southern Alberta, but spend much time traveling in music evangelism ministry. She grew up in the Métis community of Cormorant, Manitoba, and through marriage is a member of Whitefish Band #128 (Alberta).

Myrna Kopf

Myrna is Cree from Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement, northern Alberta. She has taught at a Native Bible school, then served with a Christian publisher. Myrna is married to her husband, Joel, residing in Idaho where she works at a care center for elderly with alzheimer’s and dementia.

Pat Hall

Pat and her husband, Terry, are from the Nuxalk Nation Band on British Columbia’s west coast. After living in Vancouver, they moved back to Bella Coola in 2010. Serving as members of North American Indigenous Mission (NAIM), they are involved in church planting and radio outreach through NEFC.

Rose Buck

Rose Buck is a member of Opaskwayak Cree Nation (Treaty 5) near The Pas, Manitoba. She is a ministry worker with Native Fellowship of Canada (NEFC), assisting in a local fellowship along with NEFC publications work and conference planning.

Steven Keesic

Steven’s past work includes practicing law and directing an addictions ministry center. Steve, who is from Lac Seul First Nation in northwestern Ontario, and his wife, Noemi, are currently pastoring in Lac Seul in association with Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada.

Sue Carlisle

Sue is from the Ponca tribe of Nebraska but grew up on Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. She lives with her husband, Wes, in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and is a regular contributor to Intertribal Life newspaper. She serves with NorthWind Family Ministries Learning Centre.

Theresa (Terry) Bose

Terry and her husband, Bill, reside in west-central British Columbia. She is a member of Secwepemc First Nation, Williams Lake Indian Band, and has been employed as a schoolteacher since 2000.

Terry Hall

Terry and his wife, Pat, are members of Nuxalk Nation and reside in Bella Coola, British Columbia, serving in association with North American Indigenous Mission (NAIM). Terry has worked as an electrical engineer and has served in Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (NEFC) leadership.

Bessie McPeek

Bessie is a member of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Band (Oji-Cree, Big Trout Lake, ON). She lives in Winnipeg, involved in women’s Bible studies and translating children’s Bible stories. Bessie was very much involved with her late husband, George, from the beginning stages of Indian Life’s literature ministry.

Bill Jackson

Bill is from Whitefish Lake Reserve, Alberta, where he lives with his wife, Shirley. Bill has served as a missionary, pastor, Bible teacher, radio and television speaker, and author. He is a founding member of Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (NEFC).

Christine Quequish

Originally from Opaskwayak Cree Nati on in Manitoba, Christi ne serves with her husband, Gary, in a counseling ministry in Sioux Lookout, Ontario. The Quequishes have previously served in church ministry in Yukon and northern Ontario, and Gary as a mental health consultant.

Conrad Flett

Growing up in the Oji-Cree community of Garden Hill, and Winnipeg, Conrad and his wife, Florence, reside in Prince Albert, SK. He hosts the Tribal Trails TV program, serves as Board Chair for NEFC, and is an elder at New Life Fellowship in Prince Albert.

Corrie Hill

Corrie is originally from the Six Nations Reserve in southern Ontario, and the youngest daughter of the Gospel music family, The Singing Hills. Currently she is Creative Co-ordinator with Tribal Trails TV ministry. She lives in Trochu, Alberta with her husband, Peter.

Craig Stephen Smith

Craig is a member and tribal elder of White Earth Band (Ojibwe) in Minnesota. Married to LaDonna, Craig serves as a speaker, gospel singer, and author. His books include Whiteman’s Gospel, Indigenous Faith, Miracle at Mile Marker 313, and It’s a Beautiful Thing.

Crying Wind

Crying Wind is a longtime contributor to Intertribal Life newspaper, and has published a number of books, including bestsellers Crying Wind and My Searching Heart. April has been a widow for 25 years. Her stories continue to engage readers.

Del Chalifoux

Del is a member of Drift pile Cree Nation in Alberta (Plains Cree) with Elder status. In a leadership role he has, among other tasks, served as a liaison between Samaritan’s Purse organization and Native communities. He is an associate member of NEFC.

Ed Bird

Ed is a member of Ahtahkakoop Cree Band, Treaty 6 Territory, where he has Elder status. Before his struggles with health, he worked as a truck driver and retail meat cutter. Now he helps his sons with cutting up game. He and his wife, Pat, reside at Cochin, Saskatchewan.

Ernie McDougall

Ernie, who is Oji-Cree and has worked as an education administrator, and is currently a high school principal, lives with his wife, Mary, on Kistiganwacheeng First Nation (Garden Hill, Manitoba). He is a preaching elder at Garden Hill Evangelical Fellowship, and has served on the NEFC Board.

Frank Ward

Frank & Lori Ward live in Lac La Biche, Alberta, where Frank pastors the nearby Kikino Bible Church. He loves teaching God’s Word and outreach to the surrounding Métis community. Frank grew up in the Cree community of Loon Lake, Alberta. The Wards have two teenage children.

Gilbert Bekkatla

Gilbert grew up commercial fishing with his dad in northwestern Saskatchewan. He and his wife, Laura, live in Prince Albert (SK), home base for outreach to his own Denesuline people. He preaches on the radio, and recently completed his life story book, A New Kind of Fisherman.

Hazel Patenaude

Hazel is Métis and resides in Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement, about two hours northeast of Edmonton, Alberta, and is employed in the community of Boyle.

Huron Claus

Huron comes from the Mohawk/Kiowa tribes of New York and Oklahoma. He is president of CHIEF, an organization that networks with Native churches across the western hemisphere. He and his wife, Lois, have two adult children. They reside in Phoenix, AZ, and he travels to speak, oft en at colleges.

Jason Jackson

Jason is Plains Cree from Whitefish Lake Band #128 in northeastern Alberta. Currently he is a FedEx driver out of Castlegar, British Columbia, and has one daughter. He is thankful for opportunities to tell of his love for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jennifer McEwen

Jennifer lives with Ken, her husband of 26 years, in the community of Xaxli’p, near Lillooet, BC. She is from the St’at’imc Nation. For five years she has managed the St’at’imc Christian Homeschool, working to build Christi an character in the lives of young people.

June Cardinal-Howse

June is Plains Cree and resides at Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement in Alberta, with Elder status. She is a grandma and great grandma. Before reti ring, for 35 years she sang and played keyboard with the Buffalo Lake Gospel Singers, along with her late husband, Allan.

Karissa Cardinal

Karissa is from Kikino Metis Settlement in Alberta. She has traveled with a Bible school team, and served with On Eagles Wings. She grew up attending Native Youth Conference and, along with ongoing opportunities in her home church, now serves on the NYC planning team.

Ken Mitsuing

Ken and his wife, Erna, belong to Makwa Sahgaiehcan Cree Nation (Loon Lake, Saskatchewan), where he has Elder status and works as Band Manager. Ken has been serving as a teaching elder in the local fellowship.

Kene Jackson

Kene is Plains Cree from Whitefish Lake #128, James Seenum Band. He serves as Executive Director of Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, with Freedom River Counselling Group, and travels extensively in music ministry with his wife, Milly.

Kiki BelMonte-Schaller

“KB” (Kiki) is a member of the Cherokee Confederacy Tribe. She contributes a column to Intertribal Life newspaper, focusing on accomplished Indigenous/Native American women. She resides in South Florida with her husband, Jim.

Leana Patenaude

Leana is Meti s and resides in Buff alo Lake Métis Sett lement, about two hours northeast of Edmonton, Alberta. Leana is Hazel Patenaude’s daughter, another writer in Council Fire. She works in administrative support.

Mark Little Elk

Mark Little Elk is from the Lakota Nation. He is an evangelist at heart, and serves as senior pastor at Cass Lake Alliance Church in Cass Lake, Minnesota. Mark has traveled throughout the United States preaching the Gospel and teaching archery.

Milly Jackson

Milly and her husband, Kene, have their home in southern Alberta, but spend much time traveling in music evangelism ministry. She grew up in the Métis community of Cormorant, Manitoba, and through marriage is a member of Whitefish Band #128 (Alberta).

Myrna Kopf

Myrna is Cree from Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement, northern Alberta. She has taught at a Native Bible school, and served with a Christi an publisher. Myrna is married to her husband, Joel, residing in Idaho where she works at a care centre for elderly with alzheimer’s and dementia.

Peter Constant

Peter is from Opaskwayak Cree Nation, The Pas, Manitoba, and is married to Charlene. He has shared pastoral leadership at Riverside Bible Church, and is currently working to launch a new First Nations Discipleship Center in northeastern Alberta.

Richard Knott

Richard is Cree Metis from Chetwynd, British Columbia. He works as an operations manager in the oilfield, and serves as a Bible study teacher and itinerant preacher in the Doig River and Ft. St. John area. Richard is widowed.

Shannon Menelaws-Laier

Shannon is from Dakelth descent, from the Tl’azt’en Nation in north-central BC. Following Bible college, she has worked as a youth/elders/community coordinator, and in church youth ministry. Shannon lives in Surrey, BC, with her husband, Arndt, and daughter, Faith.

Steven Keesic

Steven’s past work includes practicing law, and directing an addictions ministry centre. He and his wife, Noemi, are Ojibwe from Lac Seul First Nation in northwestern Ontario, where he pastors in association with Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada.

Sue Carlisle

Sue is from the Ponca tribe of Nebraska, but grew up on Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. She lives with her husband, Wes, in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and is a regular contributor to Intertribal Life newspaper. She serves with NorthWind Family Ministries’ Learning Centre.

Tayola Brown (L’Hirondelle)

Originally from Gitxaala Nation (Kitkatla, BC), Tayola was adopted into a Métis family in Edmonton. She has worked in banking, travel industry, administration, and radio (creating & hosting a program called “Pause, Praise & Rock!”). She is married to Eric-James.

Bessie McPeek

Bessie is a member of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation (Big Trout Lake, Ontario). She lives in Winnipeg, and is involved in women’s Bible studies and translating children’s Bible stories. Her late husband, George, had a key role in launching Indian Life’s publishing ministry.

Bill Jackson

Bill is from Whitefish Lake First Nation #128 in Alberta, where he lives with his wife, Shirley. Bill has served as a missionary, pastor, Bible teacher, radio and television speaker, and author. He is a founding member of Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (NEFC).

Corrie Hill

Corrie is originally from Six Nations of the Grand River in southern Ontario, and the youngest daughter of the Gospel music family, The Singing Hills. Currently, she is the Creative Coordinator with Tribal Trails TV ministry. She lives in Trochu, Alberta, with her husband, Peter.

Crying Wind

Crying Wind is a longtime contributor to Intertribal Life newspaper, and has published a number of books, including bestsellers Crying Wind and My Searching Heart. She is an adopted member of the Kiowa Tribe. April has been a widow for 25 years.

Don Shugak

Don is Aleut-Sugpiaq from Kodiak Island, Alaska, from where he left home for high school. He came to faith through missionaries in his village. Don and his wife, Edna, serve with Anchorage Native New Life and Alaska Freedom Journey. They have two adult children and seven grandchildren.

Doug Iron Shirt

Doug is a member of Piikani First Nation (Blackfoot), at Brocket, Alberta. Until a series of injuries, Doug was an Iron Worker for 30 years. He is a pastor at Piikani Lighthouse Fellowship. He and his wife, Laura, have a blended family of five children and 11 grandchildren.

Edna Shugak

Edna is Dena’ina from Pedro Bay, Alaska, and attended a large boarding school. She came to faith through missionaries in her village. Edna and her husband, Don, serve with Anchorage Native New Life and Alaska Freedom Journey. They have two adult children and seven grandchildren.

Ernie McDougall

Ernie, who has worked as an education administrator, and is currently a high school principal, lives with his wife, Mary, on Kistiganwacheeng First Nation (Oji-Cree), Garden Hill, Manitoba. He is a preaching elder at Garden Hill Evangelical Fellowship and has served on the Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (NEFC) Board.

Esther H. Runquist

Esther is a member of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation in northern Ontario, and has been residing in Kitchener, working for a First Nations health organization. She is involved in local church music. Esther and her husband, Zach, have six children between them, aged 14-20.

Frank Ward

Frank and Lori Ward live in Lac La Biche, Alberta, where Frank pastors the nearby Kikino Bible Church. He loves teaching God’s Word and outreach to the surrounding Métis community. Frank grew up in the Cree community of Loon Lake, Alberta. The Wards have two teenage children.

Gilbert Bekkatla

Gilbert grew up commercial fishing with his dad in northwestern Saskatchewan. He and his wife, Laura, live in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, home base for outreach to his own Denesuline people. He preaches on the radio, and recently published his life story book, A New Kind of Fisherman.

Jack Ducharme

Jack is from Cormorant, Manitoba, and a member of Pimicikamak Cree Nation (Swampy Cree), Cross Lake Band. He works as Assistant Supervisor for Hudson Bay Railway. Jack and his wife, Melinda, have three children and nine grandchildren.

Jason Jackson

Jason is Plains Cree from Whitefish Lake Band #128 in Alberta. He drives for FedEx Canada, and lives in Castlegar, British Columbia. He has one daughter, and he is thankful for all opportunities to tell of his love for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Kene Jackson

Kene is Plains Cree from Whitefish Lake Band #128. He serves as Executive Director of Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (NEFC), with Freedom River Counselling Group, and travels extensively in music ministry with his wife, Milly.

Kiki BelMonte-Schaller

“KB” (Kiki) is a member of the Cherokee Confederacy Tribe. She contributes a column to Intertribal Life newspaper, focusing on accomplished Indigenous/Native American women. She resides in South Florida with her husband, Jim.

Kim (Hill) Elias

Kim is from Six Nations of the Grand River in southern Ontario. Growing up in music ministry with her family, The Singing Hills, she now travels and sings with her husband, Kevin, and four boys. The Elias family lives on a farm near Carstairs, Alberta.

Laura Iron Shirt

Laura is a member of Piikani First Nation, residing at Brocket, in southern Alberta. She partners with her husband, Doug, in pastoral ministry at Piikani Lighthouse Fellowship. She and Doug have a blended family of five children and 11 grandchildren.

Laurie Wood Ducharme

Laurie is a member of St. Theresa Point Anishininew First Nation (Oji- Cree), living in Winnipeg with her husband, George, and their son. She is involved with Ashawaabic Ministries, and serves on boards of First Nations Community Church, Inner-City Youth Alive, and Indian Life Ministries.

Lena Sinclair

Lena is from the heart of Navajo land in Shiprock, New Mexico, where she grew up as a sheep herder, sharing the responsibility with her siblings and parents. She is married to Bill Sinclair (Cree) and now lives and ministers in Edmonton, Alberta.

Linda Ross

Linda is from Alaska, a member of Kenaitze Indian Tribe. She met her husband, Alan, at Bible school, and they have spent all 53 years of their marriage in ministry across Canada and Alaska with Interact Ministries. The past 10 years, they have lived and served in Kenai, Alaska.

Linnette Ducharme McKay

Linnette is Swampy Cree from the Pimicikamak Cree Nation. She and her husband, Barry, live in Cormorant, Manitoba, and she works as a Physical Education teacher at the Opaskweyak Cree Nation. She has been a follower of Jesus for over 50 years.

Mark Little Elk

Mark Little Elk is from the Lakota Nation. He is an evangelist at heart and serves as senior pastor at Cass Lake Alliance Church in Cass Lake, Minnesota. Mark has traveled throughout the United States preaching the Gospel and teaching archery.

Milly Jackson

Milly and her husband, Kene, have their home in southern Alberta, but spend much time traveling in music evangelism ministry. She grew up in the Cree/Métis community of Cormorant, Manitoba, and through marriage is a member of Whitefish Lake Band #128 (Alberta).

Myrna (Patenaude) Kopf

Myrna is Cree Métis from the Buffalo Lake Métis Settlement in northern Alberta. She has taught at a Native Bible school and served with a Christian publisher. Myrna is married to her husband, Joel, residing in Idaho where she works at a care centre for elderly with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Pat Hall

Pat and her husband, Terry, are from the Nuxalk Nation on B.C.’s west coast. After living in Vancouver, they moved back to Bella Coola in 2010. Serving as members of North America Indigenous Ministries, they are involved in church planting and radio outreach through NEFC.

Peter Constant

Peter is Swampy Cree from Opaskwayak Cree Nation (The Pas, Manitoba), and is married to Charlene. He has shared pastoral leadership at Riverside Bible Church and is currently working to launch a new First Nations Discipleship Center in northeastern Alberta.

Raymond Neckoway

Raymond is Swampy Cree from Fox Lake Cree Nation (Manitoba), and resides in Thunder Bay, Ontario. He is on faculty at Lakehead University and serves as Board Chair for Northwind Family Ministries. He and his wife, Charlotte, have two married daughters and two grandchildren.

Richard Knott

Richard is Cree Metis from Chetwynd, B.C. He works as an operations manager in the oilfield and serves as a Bible study teacher and itinerant preacher in the Doig River and Ft. St. John area. Richard is widowed.

Shannon Menelaws-Laier

Shannon is from Dakelth descent, from the Tl’azt’en Nation in northcentral B.C. Following Bible college, she has worked as a youth/elders/ community coordinator, and in church youth ministry. Shannon lives in Surrey, B.C., with her husband, Arndt, and daughter, Faith.

Sue Carlisle

Sue is from the Ponca tribe of Nebraska, but grew up on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming. She lives with her husband, Wes, in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and is a regular contributor to Intertribal Life newspaper. She serves with NorthWind Family Ministries’ Learning Centre.

Tayola Brown (L’Hirondelle)

Originally from Gitxaala Nation (Kitkatla, B.C.), Tayola was adopted into a Cree Métis family in Edmonton. She has worked in banking, travel industry, administration, and radio (creating and hosting a program called Pause, Praise & Rock!). She is married to Eric-James.

Terry Hall

Terry and his wife, Pat, are members of Nuxalk Nation and reside in Bella Coola, B.C., serving in association with North America Indigenous Ministries. Terry has worked as an electrical engineer. At present, he serves on the NEFC Board of Directors.