User:CelesteZugec
Celeste's Ministry Bio (from her own website www.celestezugec.com)
Celeste and her busband Chuck Zugec live in Palgrave, Ontario, where they have a rich and full family life with their two grown married children, five grandsons and one little grandaughter, born in 2006.
Music has always played a significant role in Celeste's life and she has sung every music genre from traditional choir, folk, to blues, rock and country. Celeste has been a guest at conferences; youth retreats; penitentiaries; drop-in-centers; in clubs, "Any place or time that God allows me to share music and the gospel of Jesus Christ.". She is a gospel-recording artist; produced and hosted a bi-weekly Christian program for cable television; and for three years sat on the Gospel Music Advisory Committee for the Canadian JUNO Awards.
During the mid 1990’s she traveled with Lonesome Dove, her own country band that was known to also play gospel music. “Unlike other lead singers that usually go backstage during intermission, I spent time getting to know the people around their tables. There are a lot of hurting people out there, and what they are really looking for is love…the kind that only God can give. I heard a lot of heartbreaking stories from moms that had lost their families because of their own addictions, men whose wives had left them for other men, and still others who were so disappointed with ‘The church’, ( the place where everybody should have known their name), that they were sitting in a club hoping for relationships like the ones idealized in the popular TV sit-com Cheers and the song, ‘Where everybody knows your name.’
Through a 1980 appearance of Dan Peek (ex-America) on the 700 Club, and subsequent series on "prophesy" that Pat Robertson and Ben Kinchlow did, Celeste committed her life to a personal relationship with God. She had just left her job as Press and Publicity Manager for Capitol Records-EMI Canada, had lived through - an abusive marriage, the suicide death of her brother; alcohol and "drug abuse" and for nine years had been involved in the "white light" occult movement and was living with her now husband Chuck;. As an aspiring "medium and astrologer" Celeste says, "I never would have tuned in to one of those dreaded religious programs had I not seen Dan that day as he sang 'All Things Are Possible'.
Since then, she has used her talents for the Lord. Her secular training in public relations with a Toronto fashion magazine and Capitol Records prepared her to work with SCA International as Project Coordinator in the mid 1980's. In that capacity she helped create support material for the field staff, and Development department. At the same time she began a speaking/singing ministry in Ontario prisons, and with Stonecroft Ministries' Christian Women's After 5, and Christian Business & Professional Women's clubs, traveling to cities in Canada and parts of the United States.
Her work in a single prison became a full-time ministry in the provincial and federal prisons in southern Ontario. She uses music as a tool during chapel services to gain the interest and attention of the inmates and for several years followed up with Bible studies for group and one-on-one ministry. "Having worked with men and women in prison since 1985, it has pained me to see how many are released, only to return time and again,” says Celeste. “I agree with past Canadian Justice Minister, Mark McGuiggan who observed, “Without personal reformation, there can be no rehabilitation.”
That kind of personal reform within people in prison tends to fall apart, as he or she is overwhelmed with the process of reintegration into society. As an Alpha In Prisons Advisor with Alpha Canada, Celeste's specific function was to help with its "Equipping the Church to Care for Ex-Offenders" program.
In early 2003, S.C.A. International loaned Celeste to the work at Freedom Village U.S.A/Canada, a residential Christian campus for troubled teens located in New York state. Celeste utilized her public relations skills, and continued to travel with her music and speaking on the CWC circuit.
After a two-year secondment, Celeste & Chuck made the decision for her to return to Canada. Once she arrived home S.C.A. engaged her in a public relations role for a time to help with the creation of its new image and work through it’s brand equity issues. She helped with the design and implementation of SCA’s new general brochure, website and other much needed literature for its Development Department.
“After fourteen years I finally released a second CD in October 2005,” says Celeste. “I really enjoyed putting Driving Nails together. I wrote a couple of tunes for it and was more involved in the production process than I was with Not My Will. I was also able to include parts of my story and scriptures that are meaningful and encouraging to me in the liner notes. I am so grateful that there are radio stations and syndicated country gospel programs in Canada and the U.S. that have shown interest in playing the CD."
In early 2006 she aligned herself with the Canadian Centre for Abuse Awareness (C.C.A.A.) for the prevention of child abuse and adult victimization. The C.C.A.A. was established in 1993 to assist Canadians affected by the life-long trauma of abuse—and to educate the public about the detrimental role abuse plays in our society.
“Given her background and the abuse issues that surrounded her in her early years, our foundation is a natural transition for Celeste at this time,” says C.C.A.A. Executive Director, Ellen Campbell. “And, we are looking forward to having her on the team and know she will contribute considerably to our mission.”
“When I was younger, abuse issues were a family’s best kept secrets,” explains Celeste . She says that everywhere she travels she encounters women who tell her that her story of abuse could be their own. “We’ve come a long way, but it still takes a lot of courage and sometimes encouragement for women (and men) to open that can of worms. I have admired and respected Ellen for her significant contribution through the C.C.A.A. for many years and I look forward to having a small part in the good work that is being done there.”
She operates her own marketing company Harmony Group Partners, utilizing her learned skills for the Body of Christ and continues to travel, sharing her story in message and song, and is accepting speaking & singing dates wherever God says to “Go.” As she looks forward to working on a third CD for a 2008 release Celeste is, as always, optimistic about what the future has in store!
