John W. Friesen is an ordained clergyman of the United Church of Canada. He is Minister of Morley United Church on the Stoney Indian Reserve just west of Calgary, Alberta, a position he has held since 1986. He also holds a joint appointment as Professor in the Faculty of Education and the Faculty of Communication and Culture at the University of Calgary where he teaches courses in First Nations history and education. His educational career includes graduation from the Saskatchewan Government Correspondence School, an E.T.T.A. Diploma from Bethany Bible Institute, a B.R.E. from Concord College, a B.A. from Tabor College, and an M.Sc. from Emporia State University. He also earned a Ph.D. at the University of Kansas, a D.Min. at Christian Bible College, and a D.R.S. at Trinity Theological Seminary. He is the author of more than thirty books including: Religion for People (Bell Books, 1972); The Helping Book (G.R. Welch, 1982); Rose of the North (Borealis, 1987); The Riel/Real Story (Borealis, 1996); and The Community Doukhobors (Borealis co-author, 1989). His most recent book is Aboriginal Spirituality and Biblical Theology: Closer Than You Think (Detselig, 2000).

Michael M. Verigin has been active with Doukhobor societies all of his life. Born in a Doukhobor village near Cowley, Alberta, he has served as Secretary-treasurer of the United Doukhobors of Alberta since 1974. For six years he was a board member with the Christian Community of Universal Brotherhood Trust Fund, representing Alberta, and has served as a member of the Albert Cultural Heritage Council. He was a member of the 1995 Doukhobor Centennial Coordinating Committee, representing Alberta, and sits on the Board of Directors of the Pincher Creek and District Historical Society.