Speakers & Bios

As you plan your calendar, please consider booking either Alan Craig, Founder of the Living Rock, or a Living Rock Staff Member, to come and speak at your church.  Living Rock would like to continue to help youth on their road to safer life and more promising future. The Staff at Living Rock are well seasoned in the areas of working with youth-at-risk. By providing an opportunity for one of our staff to speak, to specialized areas of interest that can be useful to men’s, ladies, youth, or mission groups.



Alan Craig - Living Rock Founder & Spiritual Care


Specialty Topics Include:

 

  • The Father Heart of God - God’s Family Plan: Healing the family, Father God to the Fatherless
  • Taking   Worship to the Streets
  • The Founding & History of the Living Rock: What makes a youth-at-risk, Living Rock: a mission in Canada
  • Alan’s Personal Testimony
  • Reaching out in the Cultural Language of Youth: How to surround the youth you love with the message of Christ

 

Karen Craig - (BA/RSW) Program Director

Speaking Preference: All groups that are any size. Karen welcomes opportunities to speak in educational facilities especially to students in Social Work.


Specialty Topics Include:     

 

  • Women in the Potter's Hand
  • The Call: Reaching youth-at-risk
  • My Journey: Karen Craig's story of 36-years of ministry to street-involved youth
  • Miracles of the Rock: God's heart for youth
  • And more...

 

Jennifer deVries - Executive Director

Speaking Preference: Can speak to a wide variety of groups and sizes.

 

Specialty Topics Include: 

 

  • General information about the Living Rock
  • Ministry to youth-at-risk
  • Engaging youth
  • Volunteer Opportunities
  • How to build relationships with hard to reach youth
  • Responding to gang involved youth


 

Alan was born in Glassglow, Scotland in 1957, and moved to Canada at the age of 10. The loss of his father at a young age and his family in turmoil, led Alan to substance use and street involvement until he found support. 


Knowing personally the power of change in his life, Alan became an a Program Manager in Addictions Services and ordained minister. He also become a Chaplain in 

corrections for 35 years. His vision was to develop strategies and to use music to reach 

youth who do not respond well to traditional forms of support. 


He wrote The Living Rock: Between Me & a Hard Place related to his story in the context of developing Living Rock. 


In 1985, Alan started Living Rock Ministries, as the Founder and Executive Director. In 2011 Al was the Honorary Chair of Week of Children & Youth. In 2012, Al was honoured to receive the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Award by Andrea Horwath, MPP of Hamilton Centre. Al was the recipient of the Nation Builder Award in 2017 which was presented by David Sweet, MP of Flamborough-Glanbrook. 


Alan is a dynamic speaker, musician and worship leader.

Karen received her Degree in Social Work from McMaster University. Since her early teens, Karen has been working with street involved individuals. She worked for 15 years at Alcohol, Drugs and Gambling Services for the Department of Public Health Services while Alan & Karen developed Living Rock Ministries for youth. 


Her rich experience and training in assessment and case management equipped her to become the Program Director of Living Rock in 1999. In 2005, Karen was nominated for the Women of Distinction. Karen was the recipient of the prestigious 

Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Award from Andrea Horwath, MPP of Hamilton Centre in 2012. In 2016, she was highlighted in the Suffragette City Photo Exhibit as a woman in leadership. In 2017, Karen received the Community Builder Award from David Sweet, MP of Flamborough-Glanbrook. 


Karen does loves to do speaking engagements to share her experience and knowledge as well as facilitating Meet the Streets service projects. Karen works alongside youth, while also coordinating an incredible team of staff, volunteers and Rock Alumni. 


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