He/him
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.
I have been reflecting on the questions of “Why me? Why now?” as I allow myself to be nominated as the next moderator of the United Church of Canada. I am humbled to do so.
I believe “Who am I?” is the key question each of us must ask ourselves on our spiritual journeys. And so my answer reflects on this question, as it relates to this calling.
I am curious.
I love to explore, wonder, and seek connections. This curious core has sustained me through the ups and downs of life. I have faced many challenges and curiosity has sustained me and helped me trust in the Divine.
Curiosity helps me reconnect to my soul when I feel disconnected. When I pay attention, I am surprised to know God’s presence. I trust in the words of Psalm 139: “Oh God, you have searched me and know me.” God is present in the highs and the lows.
I believe curiosity is essential for an alive, open, and engaged faith. I believe curiosity awakens us to different ways of thinking and being. It welcomes new possibility. I am curious about scripture, and I love to play as I discover new ways of understanding.
Jesus was curious. He asked many questions; 307, we are told. People asked him 86 questions and he only answered three! Questions invite reflection, wisdom, and courage as we journey. I would hope to bring a spirit of curiosity to this role.
One of the Moderator’s roles is to “quicken the heart of the church.” I love this call. Often curiosity quickens our heart and mind. We become more energized and engaged. This is essential for a relevant faith and a vibrant church.
I am a connector.
I love connecting with people and ideas. I choose to hold the Bible in one hand and the iPhone in the other and find connections. Connecting with others, and seeking solutions when it seems we are divided, brings me to life.
Jesus helped people connect with their true identity as beloved children of God. He saw the dignity, creativity, kindness, and compassion in those rejected and excluded by systems of injustice. He reminded people we are beloved.
We are living in a time of deep disconnection and loneliness. Helping people reconnect with their true self and purpose can be our primary task in practicing Deep Spirituality as a community of faith.
Connecting with our call to seek truth and reconciliation with our Indigenous brothers and sisters, and indeed with creation itself, also creates a deeper sense of belonging. I believe the church has a role in helping people reconnect to our sacred story and purpose.
As Moderator, I would seek to encourage and welcome positive connections with those in and beyond our church. As our country considers our identity in these chaotic times, I believe we have a unique role in connecting with our inter-religious, inter-cultural and non-religious neighbours.
I believe that the United Church too has a unique national role convening healthy conversations in these chaotic and stressful times. As author Brian McLaren has said, “The church can be islands of sanity in a world of chaos.” I agree. We have an opportunity to reach out and remind people of our common humanity.
I am a communicator.
Religion etymologically means “to bind” or “to connect.” I believe we are all called to engage in good public theology to deepen connection. I love writing and speaking publicly on topics of relevance, whether those are recent movies, books, articles, or news stories. Speaking faith in public space is a challenge I enjoy—it’s my form of evangelism.
Jesus was a great communicator. He courageously spoke to the issues of his day. He included the least, lost, and lonely, raising questions and sharing wisdom to invite all to a meaningful life.
We know there is often a wide gap between our national church and local communities of faith. We need to bridge that divide, and to be curious about those who have abandoned religion. We need to let some things die, and be open to new ways of being a church in the world. I will always ask how decisions made at General Council connect and are relevant to the wider church.
Among Jesus’ most commonly spoken phrases was “Be not afraid.” We need to be more courageous in our faith and dare to take risks for what matters most.
The founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation, Richard Rohr, has strongly influenced me. He too embodies curiosity, connection, and communication. He states, “If there is a goal to good religion, it is to help people reconnect to their truest self.”
I wholeheartedly agree. Our souls are our true self. Rohr suggests that society often distracts, distorts, and clouds our trust in our true self or our soul.
At our core, all of us are compassionate, loving, and curious. We were born this way. We have forgotten this. Individually and collectively, good religion can help us reconnect to our souls. There is plenty of ‘bad’ religion evident in our world, and many are disconnected. We have an opportunity and responsibility to counter this narrative.
I choose not to abandon religion, but rather to be bound together with good spirituality and good religion. Each week in worship I remind our community, “We are loved, forgiven and set free. Dare to believe it.” This is both balm and boost.
I believe the Moderator has a responsibility to reflect good theology and to address the call for compassionate, thoughtful, and engaged leadership in the denomination and in the world.
I believe it begins in our worship, where I say weekly, “The value of social justice calls us to take what we say and sing out into the world to seek transformation grounded in love.” I believe that at my core.
In conclusion, the opportunity to serve the church as Moderator, for such a time as this, would be a challenging and exciting call I am prepared to answer. I bring myself to this role and welcome the opportunity to serve, working with others who bring who they are to this adventure. Foundationally, I trust God is with us. These are exciting and challenging days to be the church.
