Who Is the Moderator?

The Moderator is a member of the United Church who is elected to the role by the General Council at its in-person meeting. The Moderator’s term extends until the next Moderator is installed at the next in-person meeting. 

The Moderator’s key responsibility is to provide leadership in spiritual matters, quickening a sense of God as revealed in Christ in the hearts of the people,  and heartening and strengthening the whole United Church. In this capacity, the Moderator visits throughout the church and serves as the primary spokesperson and representative for the United Church.

The installation of the newly elected Moderator is the last act of the in-person General Council meeting. From that point, the Moderator serves as the presider for meetings of the General Council, its executive and sub-Executive.

The General Council has a history of wisely choosing the right Moderator for the right time.  Each Moderator has brought unique gifts and perspective to the role and the church has been enriched by this. We give thanks for every Moderator with special thanks for notable firsts:

• The Very Rev. Dr. George Pidgeon, first Moderator
• Dr. Robert McClure, first lay person Moderator
• The Very Rev. Wilbur Howard, first Black Moderator
• The Very Rev., The Honourable Dr. Lois Wilson, first woman Moderator
• Dr. Anne Squire, first lay woman Moderator
• The Very Rev. Dr. Sang Chul Lee, first Moderator of Asian heritage 
• The Very Rev. Stan McKay, first Indigenous Moderator
• The Rt. Rev. Dr. Carmen Lansdowne, first Indigenous woman Moderator