Primarily leading Sunday morning worship, the Timeless Worship events and serving with the orchestra, Jason Erhardt has been involved in worship ministry at Centre Street Church since 2014. Jason and his wife, Jocelyn, have served in vocational church ministry for over 30 years.
As a worship pastor Jason has a passion to lead worshipers in the drama of worship for the audience of One. He says worship teams should have a mindset of being behind the scenes prompters for the actors, the congregation, who perform the act of worship for God as the audience. Great scripts make for great plays, and what greater script is there than the Word of God to bring corporate worship responses of songs, hymns and spiritual songs from the heart along with prayers and the act of surrender to God.
“Music can open people’s emotions like little else,” he says. “God inhabits the praises of His people, and I believe He created music and art as a way for people to connect emotionally with the truths of who God is and praise Him for what He does for us; His character and the story of salvation. It’s important to use songs and musical expression that help that connection happen easily. Since music is such a complicated, subjective art form, this connection is something I will always be learning about.”
Jason grew up the middle child of three boys in a loving Christian home where his parents – both teachers – were involved in music in the church. He says that because of this influence, the expression of faith and worship through music became very natural and real to him. “For me, music allows the ‘head’ to connect to the ‘heart’: truth to the Spirit.”
An early emotional connection to music and a growing love for it eventually led Jason to earn an undergraduate degree in Cello Performance with a minor in Bible at Biola University and then, a Master’s Degree in Cello Performance at the University of Southern California. He auditioned for the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra in 1988 and was teaching at Mount Royal Conservatory when the Lord seemed to nudge him in another direction. A Baptist church called in need of assistance with their choir – a position which turned out to be the start of Jason’s long and fulfilling career in music ministry. Jason was pastor of worship at First Alliance church for 22 years, and now along with his ministry at CSC, is involved in the music community of Calgary as a director with the Youth Singers of Calgary, the Ambrose University Orchestra, and the Core Celebration (a series of monthly sacred concerts).
Born in Regina, Jocelyn was the youngest of three girls – all of whom ended up marrying pastors! When she was two years old, her father’s employment transfer within the oil and gas industry led the family to move to Calgary. Like Jason, she was raised within the Christian and Missionary Alliance and was blessed to have a close, loving and serving family. “My parents have always modelled ministry, and so serving was a part of our family DNA.”
After graduation, Jocelyn pursued training in Recreational Therapy and went on to work in a variety of health care and rehabilitation settings – a vocation she loved until she became a mother and was able to stay home for 13 years to raise children full time. Having reentered the workforce in a new industry in 2007, Jocelyn enjoys her current role as an Advertising Account Executive at RedPoint Media and Marketing Solutions, most well known for Avenue Magazine.
Jason and Jocelyn say they were blessed to have a Godly heritage. “Jason and I joke that we have an arranged marriage!” says Jocelyn. “Our parents were on an inter-church curling team together despite our families living in opposite quadrants of the city. Our parents had a friendship through those early curling years when I was just a toddler. Fast-forward to 1988 and Jason’s parents attended a concert where he was performing. My parents and I attended the same concert. After the concert, our parents connected and then introduced us. My dad said that night he made a ‘pact’ with God and said, ‘If this guy is ok with You, he’s good with me.’” Jason and Jocelyn began dating soon afterwards, and 5 months later they were engaged. They were married in 1989.
Jocelyn, like her husband, has a passion for music ministry and enjoys serving alongside him on worship teams. Both love exploring new restaurants, participating in or attending concerts – jazz, classical and Broadway. Jason is a big Flames and Stampeders fan, and both he and Jocelyn love to travel. Tropical destinations and Europe have been highlights, but among the most impactful were trips to Haiti, El Salvador, Nicaragua and rural Mexico with Compassion Canada.
The blessings that God has provided the Erhardt’s are bountiful.
Jason and Jocelyn are blessed with two children: Victoria (married to Ryan Luttrell and welcomed their daughter, Clara, in Sept 2022) and Spencer. “All our physical needs have been met and more! We have a wonderful marriage, great kids who love God and with whom we enjoy deep friendship. We also have a group of friends with whom we have journeyed and prayed for decades.
No life is immune to the hurts and struggles of this world, however, and Jason and Jocelyn have needed the Lord to see them through some very difficult circumstances over the years. When Jason was in his mid 20’s, he lost his father to cancer. Cancer also claimed the life of Jocelyn’s sister and her father within the span of 18 months. Even though they knew their loved ones were no longer in pain and were with their heavenly Father, these significant losses hurt deeply but they trust in the sovereign hand of God and the unconditional love of our Saviour.
As the Erhardt’s continue in their current calling, and as the future unfolds, they are mindful of the prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21 that Jason particularly loves.
“For me, this is both a personal and corporate prayer and affirmation of our life in Christ.”
“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:14-21