"It freed me up to do the things that were the best and highest use of my own time. It released me of [the] anxiety and guilt [that] I was dropping the ball or people were slipping through the cracks simply because you just can't respond to everybody. She released me from that because I knew that she was going to take care of it."
— Jason Matta, Senior Pastor
The Challenge
Hope Church Toronto West was navigating a significant administrative transition when Senior Pastor Jason Matta began searching for a better way to manage the operational demands pulling his team away from ministry. Tasks were piling up, and the church's staff found themselves spending time on work that — while necessary — was not the highest and best use of their gifts.
"We were looking for a solution whereby a lot of tasks could get offloaded from our plates and things that didn't need to be consuming our time could be handled professionally and done well."
From calendar and inbox management to communicating with insurance companies and coordinating vendors, the administrative workload required consistent attention and follow-through. Jason needed someone capable of handling both routine and complex tasks so his team could refocus on the people and mission at the heart of Hope Church.
The Solution
After reaching out to BELAY, Jason was matched with Virtual Assistant Bonnie Michaels — a pairing that quickly felt like more than coincidence.
"BELAY stepped in and listened to us. They got a sense of what our needs were, who we were, and they really matched us well."
Bonnie took ownership of a wide range of behind-the-scenes responsibilities: communicating with insurance companies, managing Jason's calendar and inbox, coordinating with vendors, ordering supplies, and setting up meetings. The church even ran their outgoing administrator's full job description by Bonnie, and she embraced it entirely.
Jason credited the strength of their working relationship to over-communication and mutual kindness. "Anything you can imagine that would free us up to do the work of our ministry, our BELAY Assistant did, whether [they were] simple tasks or complex tasks," he says. Bonnie's willingness to take on anything — and her warmth in doing so — made her a natural fit for the culture of Hope Church Toronto West.
"Kindness and putting others before yourself goes a long way in building trust and a good working relationship. [Bonnie] was always doing that for me, and I was always trying to do that for her."
— Jason Matta, Senior PastorThe Impact
The results of this engagement went far beyond operational efficiency. During an especially difficult season — a significant internal crisis — Bonnie's presence became a source of genuine emotional strength for the entire staff.
"Our situation is pretty unique. [Bonnie] came at just the right time. Our church went through a significant crisis and she was really a godsend. I feel like the Lord sent her to us. There were times she'd get on [our] call, and she had tears in her eyes because she knew the challenges we were facing. She just supported [us] and was empathetic. It was really personal, and [she showed us] a lot of love."
Bonnie's empathy and discretion built deep trust during a vulnerable time. "She showed herself to be trustworthy, and she really supported us in a time when [we were] vulnerable. She was a safe space for our staff," Jason recalls.
For Jason personally, having Bonnie handle the details lifted a lasting burden of anxiety — the fear that people were slipping through the cracks. With Bonnie managing his calendar and communications, he could trust that the church was being cared for. "And, lo and behold, I would find meetings in my calendar. That made me really glad to know that our church was getting cared for in that way and that people were not slipping through the cracks."