Taylor Castelli is the family ministries co-ordinator at Kamloops Church and Resource Centre, B.C. 

Where are you from?

I grew up in Lethbridge, a city in southern Alberta surrounded by rolling hills and something called coulees—steep-sided valleys found along the river. One of my favourite things to do was walk along the river bottom and see all the wildlife and look up at the High Level Bridge.

Although my home life sometimes felt unstable, going back and forth between two homes because my parents are divorced, I grew up with a sense of belonging and stability through my church and camp community. My grandparents, Majors Sandra and Glen Habkirk, were the corps officers at Lethbridge Corps, and planted most of the seeds of my spiritual life, introducing me to God’s love.

Tell us about your spiritual journey.

I went from being a camper at a young age to joining L.I.T. (Leaders in Training) and then to staff and senior staff positions. God met me in the exciting and mundane moments throughout my years of camp, but one moment stands out—the night when I decided to accept Jesus as my Saviour and live the rest of my life for him. I was 12 years old, and my life shifted in big and small ways. It was the first summer I left camp feeling like I had the courage to make a difference in the way I conducted my life, the way that God calls us to live for him and for others.

In 2019, I did a Salvation Army program called Service Corps, serving with a team of three other women at different corps in Chile. That summer was pivotal to my view of mission, as I learned that Christ’s love is a universal language in such real and raw ways—as I played soccer with teens who unconditionally love anyone who will take the time to learn their favourite sport; met seniors who deeply appreciated spoken prayers, even if the prayers weren’t in a language they understood; and saw officers who opened their doors to those in the community for every single meal without fail, regardless of whether they had a tiring day or not. These are values I want to bring to life through how I live.

How has your faith sustained you when life didn’t go as planned?

I love looking at biblical figures who have also gone through hardships, knowing that God can handle anything and everything. There are many examples in the Bible of people going through things that I have also gone through: loss, family struggles, not getting opportunities that I have wanted, and more. Seeing how God guided his people through all those examples brings me peace and comfort, knowing that he has and will keep me going through everything I could possibly face.

How are you involved with The Salvation Army?

In 2022, I moved to Kamloops, B.C., to work for The Salvation Army’s corps and resource centre. I work mostly with children and youth ministries. I love the family aspect of my job as well. I love getting to “do life” not just with kids and teens but also parents.

I have had the privilege of spending more than 10 summers at Pine Lake Camp in Alberta, and one at Camp Mountainview in British Columbia. Camp has had a tremendous effect on my relationship with God, and now I have the great honour of seeing the kids and teens from my corps and community experience the same safe space at Camp Sunrise in Gibsons, B.C., where I attend with them as a ministry lead. This coming summer will be my fifth in my current position, and it feels so amazing to see the generational work that God is doing around me.

Where do you see signs of the kingdom in your neighbourhood?

One of the biggest ways I see God’s kingdom in my community is through my corps’ intergenerational ministries. We currently have a program that has been evolving into a Bible study for all generations: kids, teens, parents and grandparents/seniors. I love the way that the kids bring the lightness of God’s Spirit to the program, and the way the older generations bring the wisdom of God. I can’t wait to see how God continues to move through these types of ministries!