Office Staff
The office staff leads the operations for GEM Canada. The women and men of this team provide oversight and direction to fuel the ministry of sharing the love of Christ throughout Europe.
Charlie Lyons
Charlie has served in vocational ministry for over 25 years; he’s been a missionary, senior pastor, volunteer board director, and legislative chaplain. With years of experience in the Canadian Christian non-profit sector, he has learned much through his various roles. In 2024, he released his first book, Kindness for Life, and in 2025—after serving on the GEM Canada board since 2021—he has now moved into a more direct role of leadership as GEM Canada’s Executive Director.
Charlie lives in Brantford, Ontario, with his wife and their three children.
Eric Forbes
Having previously worked for the Canadian Forces Moral & Welfare Services, Eric now offers his expertise here in the Greater Europe Mission Canada office as our Finance and HR Administrator. Eric ensures that incoming funds are sorted to their rightful places, that workers on the field receive their wages, and that any questions they might have in regard to GEM’s different policies get answered.
While not working with numbers in his home office, he leads worship at his local church, is a volunteer director for a performing arts ministry called Spirit Borne and enjoys a good cup of coffee while playing board games with friends and family.
Leanne Monge Barrera
The face behind GEM Canada's social media, website content, and marketing materials is Leanne Monge Barrera.
When not homeschooling her four kids, Leanne spends her time working from her home in Manitoba connecting with GEM workers and creating content with the hope of informing and exciting others with how God is moving in Europe. Ultimately, her goal is to engage those in North America with what GEM workers are doing, and showcasing how their support is truly making an impact.
Shirley Unger
Shirley Unger worked with Greater Europe Mission for almost 30 years, teaching and serving as an administrative assistant in Austria, then leading short-term teams and processing the team applications from Germany. She continues to serve from Canada, supporting our Canadian workers through her administrative skills and continuing to assist in the process of short-term teams.
Her invaluable service creates a more seamless experience for all, taking the administrative burdens off workers’ shoulders, guiding them through unknown circumstances that sometimes arise, and ultimately allowing them to focus their time and energy on their God-given ministries.
Brittany Zerf
When not busy in her parenting role to her four young sons—which includes full involvement in their sports activities, often as their teams' manager—Brittany Zerf serves as the main point of contact for donors: managing their information, answering their questions, handling of the mail, and sending out thank you notes & receipts for their gifts.
She also helps to answer any donor-related questions our workers may have.
Maggie Green
Maggie Green has served with Greater Europe Mission since 2019, first in Germany and now from Alberta, Canada. She works with the Sending Collective to support and strengthen the local church’s engagement with global missions.
Maggie has a soft spot for youth ministry, believes all the best conversations happen in the kitchen, and fully intends to kick her coffee addiction—just not today.
Sherri Ens
Raised in a wonderful Christian family, Sherri accepted Christ at an early age and grew up attending a church with a passion for missions. In University, she was challenged to experience missions, and so she spent a year in Ireland with Global Outreach Mission. After she finished school, she went with Samaritan's Purse to Rwanda for 8 months during the war in 1994. Through these—and other—life changing experiences, as well as people God placed in Sherri’s life, God led her towards long term missions.
In 1999, she moved to Skopje, Macedonia to join their SEND team, where her greatest joy was visiting and gathering in homes, drinking a lot of coffee, and sharing about Jesus. Sherri returned to Calgary at the end of 2021 and is now thrilled to be able to continue her journey by serving as Pastor to Missionaries with GEM Canada and Personnel Director with SEND Canada.
Connect with our team!
Board of Directors
GEM Canada's Board of Directors exists to provide oversight and directional guidance to the Canadian sending entity. The Board contributes not only operational and practical stewardship but also spiritual care, which enables GEM Canada to catalyze Gospel efforts across Europe.
Mr. Ken Boyce
Rev. Jon Burns
Mr. John Gilberts
Mrs. Noemi Jenei
Mr. David Norton