MEET OUR TEAM
Dan is accustomed to life in Colorado as he grew up across the mountains in Estes Park at another Torchbearers Bible School and conference center: Ravencrest Chalet. Dan's family has a rich history with Torchbearers. His grandfather founded the ministry back in 1948 and Dan’s father directed Ravencrest for decades and served as the General Director of Torchbearers International. For Dan, as the Director of Timberline Lodge, his jobs are to take care of the needs of his staff, provide direction organizationally, and most of all make sure communicating Christ's life is at the forefront of everything Timberline does.
Contact: director@timberlinelodge.org
Dan Thomas
Director
Peter hails from Cape Cod, MA. After college, he moved to Vail, CO and lived there for twelve years. He and his wife Beth attended the first year of Bible School at Timberline. They and their daughter Elizabeth joined the staff in September 2004. They have since been blessed with three more children added to their family. Outside of learning God's word Peter enjoys backcountry skiing, mountain biking, and camping. As Program Director it is Peter's job to lead our summer camp groups and head up all of our outdoor adventures doing the Bible School year.
Contact: program@timberlinelodge.org
Pete Hammond
Program Director
Joseph Weissman
Operations Director
Joseph Weissman was born and raised in Estes Park, Colorado at Timberline’s sister center Ravencrest Chalet. After finishing high school (a year early as a homeschooler) he headed to Caprenwray New Zealand for his gap-year experience. One year after Bible school he returned to New Zealand to work on staff. It was there that he sensed the Lord’s leading in his life to become involved full time with Torchbearers. After finishing up College at Colorado State University, Joseph was hired as the Dean of Students at Timberline. He married Rachel in 2013, and they have since enjoyed welcoming five children into their family: William 8, Ezra 7, Jane 5, Huxley 3, Roaslie 2. Joseph Transitioned from being the Principal in 2019 to His current role as the Operations Director. Joseph leads the Kitchen, Hospitality, and Property teams to serve the Bible School and Guest programs through behind the scenes support.
Sam, a 2012 Timberline Alumni, is originally from North Carolina but has spent most of his adult life in Colorado. and his wife Laura returned to join the staff in 2015 as one-year volunteers and have been at Timberline ever since. They now have two children, Floyd and Willa, and a third on the way! Sam likes snowboarding, fly fishing, cooking, and most of all speanding a quiet day at home with his family. As a Principle Sam is responsible for planning and facilitating everything relating to Bible School. He would say the best part about his job is the community dynamic between staff and students.
Sam Hatfield
Principal
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A native of the Colorado Mountains, Megan spent the first three years of her life at Timberline while her parents were on staff. She attended Tauernhof, a Torchbearer Center in Austria, where she grew in her love of Jesus. After college she worked in college ministry before coming on staff at Timberline. As the program assistant, she helps to provide an environment for guests to experience God through the many outdoor adventures the area has to offer. In her free time Megan enjoys skiing, mountain biking, running and reading a good book.
Megan Osteen
Program Assistant
Michael grew up in Winkler, Manitoba, Canada. He came to Timberline as a student in 2012, then served in Capernwray New Zealand as a ministries coordinator for two years before coming back to Timberline as staff. He has a heart for outreach and sharing the gospel with people for the first time, as well as real New Zealand licorice, surfing, and Justin Bieber.
Michael Dyck
Ministries Coordinator
Dan is accustomed to life in Colorado or life at Timberline Lodge as he grew up across the mountains in Estes Park at a similar Bible School and conference center, Ravencrest Chalet, also a part of Torchbearers International. Dan's family has a rich history with Torchbearers. His grandfather founded the ministry back in 1948 and his dad is now the General Director of the worldwide organization. As the Director, Dan's main job is to take care of the needs of his staff and make sure the vision of communicating Christ's life in the believer is at the forefront of everything Timberline does.
contact: director@timberlinelodge.org
Andrew Dusing
Property Manager
While Janelle has fondness for her hometown, Kansas city, Missouri, she considers it a dream to now live in the Colorado Rockies. She grew up with an appreciation for the outdoors that has only grown since moving to Timberline as the Hospitality Manager, a role that is simultaneously a natural and challenging fit for her. Janelle loves to see the spiritual formation of Bible School students and the opportunity to develop discipleship relationships with them. Some activities that bring her joy to share with others are: snowboarding, good music, trips to a local coffee shop, and meaningful conversation.
Janelle Bergthold
Hospitality Manager
Kaci grew up in Saskatchewan, Canada. After finishing high school she decided to attend Timberline as a student in 2016 which the Lord used to teach her more about the abundant Life of Christ in her! Later she came back to Timberline to volunteer as the Women's RA. Kaci enjoys pretty much any outdoor activity as well as a good cup of coffee! Kaci now works as the Registrar and Dean of Women. Her role includes helping potential students with the application and enrollment process.
Kaci Block
Bible School Assistant
Claire grew up in England but now enjoys watching the sun rise over the Rockies while cooking breakfast in the Timberline kitchen. She is known for once serving the students locusts at a graduation brunch and for spending too many painful hours hand rolling dough for kouign amann pastries. In her spare time she enjoys reading; she is currently ploughing her way through 'The Magic Mountain' by Thomas Mann and 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' by Jeff Kinney.
Claire Eastlund
Kitchen Manager
Sarah has served at Timberline for 15 years in many capacities but has more recently taken up the role of helping to communicate what God is doing in and through the staff and programming here. It is her passion to spread the good news about the incredible Life Christ offers us, and how beautifully He works in all our lives – staff, student, and guest alike. She feels privileged and humbled to work in such an environment with faith-filled staff surrounding her and looks forward to what God will continue to do through Timberline Lodge.
contact: communications@timberlinelodge.org
Sarah Thomas
Communications Manager
Lydia grew up in Kansas city, Missouri, in a large family that has many connections to Torchbearers and Timberline Lodge. Lydia's infamous cinnamon roles have earned her much respect in the Timberline Kitchen. She loves a good game of spikeball and ice hockey, and if you ask her about her hike across the Continental Divide, she would say, "it was long." Lydia has spent three years in Fraser Valley and loves the welcoming nature of the Timberline family.
Lydia Rogers
Kitchen Assistant
Originally from northwest Montana, Paige has lived in the Fraser Valley since 1986. She came to Colorado to pursue a career in the ski industry, working at various resorts and departments. Seeking to slow down a bit when kids entered the picture, Paige began working in non-profit bookkeeping for a local church. She joined Timberline in 2018 and enjoys helping students and families navigate the business end of attending Bible School as well as keeping Timberline's finances organized and current. She feels blessed to work alongside the faithful staff making a difference in so many people's lives by sharing the abundant life of Christ.
Paige enjoys Nordic and Tele skiing, mountain biking, hiking, and spending time with family and friends.
Paige Walker
Accountant
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Shammah grew up in Eugene, Oregon, but spent many years adventuring around the midwest until she came to Timberline as a student. God has done a lot of work in her life since first coming to Timberline. She is super thankful to now be involved in a deeper level as full time staff, walking alongside the students and staff as she works hard to maintain the property with Andrew. Shammah loves riding horses, driving big trucks, and wearing cowboy boots. She is also popularly voted as one of the hardest workers and loudest laughers, though she would probably never acknowledge it.
Shammah Gershom
Property Assistant
THE HISTORY OF
It was a God-given vision born out of the devastation of World War II when Major W. Ian Thomas, returning from the war, determined with his wife Joan to open their hearts and doors to European young people. Providing them with lodging and food in a holiday setting, Thomas also gave insightful teaching from the Bible and soon these guests began to discover the adventure of knowing Jesus Christ personally.
It was the German youth who came in those early years to Capernwray who began calling themselves the “Fackeltraeger” or “carriers of the torch,” and so the name “Torchbearers” was born. The dynamic reality of the Christian life as a relationship with the indwelling Christ began to rekindle the lives of hundreds from all over Europe as Bible Schools sprang up first in Germany and
then Austria. Since its founding in 1947, the ministry has spread to every continent in 26 different centers, and thousands of people each year have been changed by the reality that first touched the life of Thomas at the age of 19.
One of those centers is Timberline Lodge, nestled in the beautiful Fraser Valley.
Timberline Lodge was purchased back in 1995 when Brad and Jane Keirnes, who had been involved at Tauernhof, a Torchbearer Bible School in Austria, felt led to bring the same life-transforming blend of Bible teaching, discipleship, and outdoor adventure back to Colorado. The non-profit, Timberline Ministries, was founded. Shortly after, guests started coming to “The Lodge” to retreat from the busyness of life, ski at Winter Park Resort, and above all else be introduced or reintroduced to the person of Christ through the teaching of His Word. From day one, the heart of the ministry has been to share with guests the incredible outdoor
hundreds of youth throughout the summer to enjoy Colorado in full bloom as well as serves youth groups and adult groups throughout the winter months, often taking advantage of the world renown ski resort just 10 minutes away. For the last 20 years, Timberline has also run a Bible School, where our staff adventure through life with around 35 students for 8 months. This Bible School program takes Timberline’s history full circle to when its founders originally had the vision to reproduce the life transformational experience that they had so many years ago in Austria, showing again that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore!
environment of the Rocky Mountains in partnership with personal discipleship and Bible teaching. This remains our heart to this day. Now, almost 25 years later, Timberline hosts
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Learn more about Torchbearers International and the world-wide ministry Timberline is proud to be a part of!