Obituary of Stephen Roy Samuels

   Stephen Roy (Steve) Samuels, 50, of Lincoln, Ontario, passed away suddenly at home on October 20, 2020, in Beamsville. 

   Private viewing and visitation will be held at Tallman Funeral Home, Vineland on Tuesday October 27 from 12:30 – 1:30 pm.  Grave side service will follow at Lane Cemetery, St. Ann’s at 2:00-3:00 pm with live streaming on the YouTube channel named “Remembering Steve Samuels”.   A Celebration of Life Service to be held at a later date, to be determined, on the same channel. 

   Steve was born on March 11, 1970, in Montreal, Quebec to parents Cecil and Lenore Samuels (nee Farquarson). 

Steve grew up in a Christian home, and became a whole-hearted follower of Jesus when he was 16.  

Sitting in a church one day at age 18, Steve was struck by the importance of the gospel message he was hearing and how it contrasted with the undemonstrative way the message was being delivered. It bothered him that the young people in the congregation were not hearing this life-giving message in a way they could really “get”. He felt God say to him, “Why don’t you do it?” This was the catalyst for his life-long passion to share his love for Jesus in ways that everyone (especially young people) would understand.  

   As a boy, Steve attended, and then went on to be a counsellor, at Camp Livingstone in Quebec which is where he began ministering to youth.  After graduating high school, and attending a short stint at Dawson College for journalism, he went on to graduate from Zion Bible Institute (now Northpoint Bible College), Rhode Island, for youth ministry.  Returning home, he connected with Gary and Marg Landers and joined them to serve as Youth and music minister in Sudbury for a number of years.  In 2001 he moved to Beamsville where he attended Faith Family Church.  The church connected with Teen Mania Ministries and Steve spent many summers travelling the world while leading teenagers in sharing their faith in Jesus with the people of those countries.  It was during this time he met and became friends with Rachel Rensen who would become his wife.  They shared a love of music and Jesus – he a guitarist and she a drummer.   With others they formed a band called Chase in support of Youth Jam Nights at the church.  Steve won Rachel’s heart and they married in 2008.  He became a father in 2009 when Abigail Grace was born, and again in 2013 with the birth of Ellyn Charity.  They were among his chief joys. 

   In ministry Steve went on to become involved in Youth For Christ/Youth Unlimited and the youth drop-in centre, Convos, in Beamsville.  He started a ministerial group in Beamsville to foster unity among the churches, and built a website to connect the Christians in the Niagara area. Over the years, he served many churches with his heartfelt, joyful musical worship leading. In the last decade he became an integral part of the Meeting House Hamilton Moutain Parish, volunteering as a backing musician, providing tech support, stepping into the Coordinator of Music role, and connecting the parish on social media.  Together with Rachel he very recently became a home church elder. 

   Throughout his life Steve held many different jobs including fast food service, wood refinishing, greenhouse construction, financial services, Christian radio and tv and school bus driving, all as a means to fuel his true passion. His heart’s focus was sharing the love of Jesus with all who would listen and asking how he could help them flourish.   

   This past year his focus was on the wider body of Christ to help people to stay connected during the Covid 19 pandemic.  His website Faith News Niagara and Faith Filled Friday podcast and page were all about helping believers work together to better share the love of Jesus in their spheres of influence.   

Steve is survived by his wife Rachel (nee Rensen), daughters Abigail and Ellyn, parents Cecil and Lenore Samuels, siblings Leonie Kelly (Errol), Donavan Johnson (Sandy), Debbie Samuels, Shelley Samuels (Kurt Morgan), Christina Samuels, and extended family. 

In order to carry on Steve’s legacy, Rachel would encourage you to continue to post encouraging words on social media using the hashtag #FaithFilledFriday.  In his words, “A reminder to redeem social media every Friday and use it to promote the one thing all Christians agree on”, Romans 12:10. 

As well, you are encouraged to donate to charities that promote peace making, reconciliation, and racial justice.