"Chaplains of Compassion"
Join us for three meaningful days of encouragement, spiritual care, fellowship, and learning as chaplains and first responders gather in Mission, British Columbia for the 2026 BCAFC Annual Conference and AGM.
Below is a styled overview of the agenda from the official conference chart, reformatted to match the look of the rest of this page for easier reading on desktop and mobile.
Prefer the original chart layout? You can also download the official PDF version of the conference agenda for printing, sharing, or offline reference.
DOWNLOAD PDF AGENDAConference check-in and arrival.
Chaplain John Hanna, with greetings from Fire Chief Mark Goddard.
FF Graeme MacRury shares his testimony.
Morning refreshment break.
Presented by Chaplain Andy & Janet Kwak.
Midday meal and fellowship.
Departure for Stave Lake.
Guided tour of the BC Hydro powerhouse.
Travel back following the tour.
Departure for the evening meal.
Evening dinner in Mission.
Led by Chaplain Colin Nystrom.
Jim Caruso, keynote speaker.
Morning refreshment break.
Second keynote teaching session.
Midday meal and fellowship.
Practical keynote session for ministry and resilience.
Interactive response and ministry support time.
Afternoon break before dinner.
Departure for the evening meal.
Mission Harbour dinner and service pins awards.
Chaplain discussion and prayer.
Presented by Chaplain Art Sanderson.
Annual General Meeting with brunch.
Closing comments and departure for home.
The conference begins with a welcome, devotions, and greetings from Fire Chief Mark Goddard.
A moving testimony reflecting on crisis, response, and the role compassion and support can play during critical moments.
A reflection on how emergency services and fire personnel came together to provide support during a devastating flood event.
Attendees will travel to Stave Lake for a group tour of the hydro powerhouse before returning to Mission Fire Department.
Jim Caruso is a Certified Trauma Stress Specialist with extensive experience in trauma support, compassion fatigue, PTSD, conflict resolution, spiritual care, and CISM debriefing.
Over the last 50 years, Jim has served as a volunteer chaplain for the RCMP, a volunteer firefighter, and a volunteer paramedic in many of the communities where he lived and pastored.
Jim and his wife Elaine live in Langley, BC and enjoy serving on mission trips whenever possible. He teaches at Simon Fraser University Online on First Responder Trauma & Recovery and also teaches with Trinity Western University’s Global Leadership Program.
Jim has written two books: Spiritual Sinkholes, dealing with compassion fatigue, and Random Stories With Your Coffee, finding humour in everyday situations.
The day also includes devotions with Chaplain Colin Nystrom, free time in the afternoon, and an evening dinner with service pins awards at the Fraser River Interpretive Centre in Mission Harbour.
Chaplain discussion and prayer designed to build one another up through shared wisdom, encouragement, and mutual support.
A session focused on connection, introductions, and strengthening regional chaplain relationships.
The conference concludes with the BCAFC Annual General Meeting, brunch, final remarks, and departure for home.
Thank you for praying for this conference, the planning details, and one another as we gather to strengthen the ministry of compassion among first responders.
Conference wraps up at approximately noon on Wednesday.
