General Superintendent Eugénio R. Duarte announced the appointment of Stephen Ottley as superintendent of the Canada Central District. 

Ottley is currently church development director for the district and previously served as assistant district superintendent, a position he has held since 2013. He will take over as superintendent for Ian Fitzpatrick, who was elected national director of the Church of the Nazarene Canada.

“The Canada Central District encompasses the province of Ontario with a population of almost 14 million, over 90 percent of whom are not connected to the Church," Ottley said. "Being a diverse society, especially in urban centers like Toronto — where 55 percent of its residents were born outside of Canada — we have a great mission field. I am excited to work alongside the gifted and committed pastors and lay leaders of our district to build on the foundation already established.  We are trusting the Lord to give us fresh vision for the next season of ministry as we seek to share Christ and His love with peoples from the nations of the earth. God has given us a tremendous opportunity to reap a great harvest that has the potential of having effects in the birth countries of many who now call Canada home. God is up to something good, and it’s wonderful to be part of it.”

In 2000, Ottley helped plant Gateway Community Church of the Nazarene in Whitby, Ontario, Canada, where he continues to serve as interim pastor. Previously he served as associate pastor at Rosewood Church of the Nazarene in Toronto.

Ottley emigrated from Belize to the U.S. in 1980 to attend Bethany Nazarene College (now Southern Nazarene University), where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Mangement. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from Canadian Nazarene University College (now Ambrose University) and a Master of Arts in Theology from Nazarene Theological College–Manchester in the U.K.

He will begin his new assignment 1 January. Stephen and his wife, Patricia, reside in Whitby, Ontario.