When a good writer moves on from ChristianWeek to pursue other opportunities, I always experience a moment or two of panic, wondering how we will ever find someone to take his or her place. I felt it again just a few months ago when Marg Buchanan, our Quebec correspondent at the time, shared the news that she would be leaving the ChristianWeek roster.

Marg is a talented writer, and while we were sorry to see her go, she is well-deserving of her new position working with the communications department at Health Partners International Canada, a Montreal-based aid agency. Most recently Marg was involved in organizing HPIC’s AIDS in Africa conference (see the front page of this issue for a report).

And so, with Marg’s departure, the search began for a replacement. We had several candidates apply, but in the end it was a writer Marg herself recommended that we chose for the job. We are pleased to welcome Joel Coppieters as our new regional correspondent for Quebec. You’ll see his byline on a regular basis, starting with this issue.

Over the years, Joel’s day jobs in sales and marketing and running small businesses have regularly helped to pay the bills, and his ministry involvement has included managing a Christian summer camp, directing the French Canadian operations of Scripture Union, launching a Christian bookstore as well as local church involvement. He also speaks and lectures widely in both secular and Christian settings.

However, he says, “Writing has always been a constant and the mainstay to which I return.” He has written news and feature articles for a number of publications.

“The key issue for me is that the Christian community in Quebec suffers from isolation,” he says. “French Canadian Christians are just now slowly learning to talk to each other and work together more actively.”

Joel says he would like to see ChristianWeek “make a growing contribution to linking Quebec Christians to what’s going on in the rest of Canada. I think we can be both challenged and encouraged. Quebec can learn from the rest of Canada, and the rest of Canada can learn from Quebec. But for all that to happen, we have to be talking and listening. I want to help make that possible.”