She/her
Ordained Minister, Nominated by Eastern Ontario Outaouais Regional Council
I live by the shores of the St. Lawrence River. This narrow part of the river is difficult to navigate, as the seaway passes through the Thousand Islands, some of which contain hidden underwater shoals. This is why the huge, lumbering freighters passing by are required to hand over their wheels to a local pilot.
It seems the waters through which our United Church is passing are just as challenging to navigate, from shrinking resources to attacks from alt-right groups (both of which I’ve experienced). I feel called to be a pilot: to lead with Deep Faith, Bold Discipleship, and Daring Justice, and to follow Jesus, the Great Pilot of my onward way.
I was born in Lusaka, Zambia and grew up in small Canadian towns and cities. I studied history at McGill University and earned my Master of Divinity at Emmanuel College before my ordination in 1999. My 25 years of active ministry began with the people of Claresholm-Stavely Pastoral Charge in rural southern Alberta. Since 2007, I have been serving the people of Wall Street United Church in eastern Ontario.
Preaching was the focus of my three-year Doctorate in Ministry studies. My thesis Aware, Repair, Renew: Preaching Into Transformation in a Mainline Church deepened my understanding of the power to effect transformation, both in ourselves and in the world, through small steps and minor shifts.
My work for the wider church includes chairing Pastoral Relations in Foothills Presbytery, serving as President of Bay of Quinte Conference, and working on the Eastern Ontario Outaouais Regional Council Transition Commission. In addition, I periodically help inspire and nurture church leaders’ faith through clergy retreats, workshops and preaching conferences.
My family (once known locally as “Chaos-in-a-Van”) includes my husband, my niece, a fluffy white dog, and four children ranging in age from 15 to 26 years. I am bilingual and enjoy reading, sailing, and especially open-water swimming; it gets pretty choppy when those freighters pass by, but I don’t mind.
