Ordained Minister
Nominated by Chinook Winds Regional Council
I have always been a curious student of life.
I completed a BA at Queen’s University in 1982. Following graduation, I took a year to travel around the world.
I earned a Master of Divinity degree from Emmanuel College in 1987. Strong feminist, liberation and creation theologies emerging then caught my interest. An internship with the Quaker Committee on Jails and Justice brought me to serve overseas in Bluefields, Nicaragua.
I completed a Master of Theology in Pastoral Theology in 1988 from Princeton Theological Seminary, and audited courses at Union Theological Seminary in New York. Exposure to a different context affirmed my connection to the United Church.
In 1988 I was settled at Rainbow Pastoral Charge, a three-point charge in rural Alberta. I realized the valuable, unique role rural churches play in communities. This four-year experience remains foundational to my ministry.
In 1992, I accepted a call to Deer Park United Church in Calgary. Deer Park had built a building, but still needed to build a church. During this time, I experienced deep spiritual exploration and connection to a thriving congregation. I then left the United Church to work at The United Way of Calgary, as Project Manager of the Civil Society portfolio.
I love learning and preaching. I completed a Doctor of Ministry in 2004 at Chicago Theological Seminary with a thesis entitled Speaking Faith in Public Space. This exposed me to the United States’ dynamic ecumenism, and the rich influence of the African-American church.
In 2004, I answered a call to serve Hillhurst United Church. It was ripe for further transformation. I wrote Fishing Tips: How Curiosity Transformed a Community of Faith, exploring how curiosity can and did ignite change and growth.
Hillhurst has been an Affirming church for over 16 years. We seek to live out our four core values of Radical Hospitality, Spirituality, Social Justice, and Risk seven days a week. We are a diverse and progressive community that embraces engaging faith in person and online.
