GC45 NOM02 Members Recommended for the Elected and Appointed Bodies of the General Council for Summer 2025

Origin: Nominations Committee 

1. What is the issue? Why is it important? 

The work of the General Council is dependent on various appointed and elected bodies serving on its behalf. The church is enriched by the participation of its members, sharing together their many and diverse gifts. The General Council needs to appoint and elect members to serve on those bodies who are directly accountable to the General Council.

We believe that the Holy Spirit calls us to use our God‐given gifts. Our gifts differ, but all are needed. The practices of Christian spiritual formation call on us to practice individual and group discernment in selecting and affirming leaders for the church.

2. What is happening now?

The structure of the United Church includes a number of bodies that report directly to the General Council and whose membership is appointed or elected by the General Council. The terms of service of most of these members conclude with each triennial General Council. With some exceptions, including for chairs, the standard maximum number of terms a person may serve is two. The Audit Committee holds a maximum of three terms for all members, while the Judicial Committee appointments are for a single term of nine-years.

The Nominations Committee is responsible for reviewing nominations and using collaborative Spiritual discernment processes to submit to the General Council recommendations for the membership of the committees of the General Council.  

3. What is the recommendation?

The Nominations Committee of the General Council recommends 
That the General Council

1. appoint or reappoint the following members to serve from the rise of the 45th General Council with terms as stated:

Audit Committee (46th General Council, 2028)

• Steven Lowden – Lay Person, Horseshoe Falls, third term, chairperson
• Andy Spears – Lay Person, Shining Waters, third term,
• Randall Hobbs – Lay Person, First Dawn Eastern Edge, third term
• Catherine Rushton – Lay Person, East Central Ontario, first GC-appointed term
• Hannah Lei – Lay Person, first term
• Trevor Rodgers – Lay Person, first term

Theology and Inter-Church Inter-Faith Committee (46th General Council, 2028)

• Michelle Owens – Diaconal Minister, Antler River Watershed, third term, chairperson
• Hyuk Cho – Ordained Minister, Pacific Mountain, second term
• Frances Kitson – Ordained Minister, Pacific Mountain, second term
• Ariel Siagan – Ordained Minister, Shining Waters, second term
• Miriam Spies – Ordained Minister, Horseshoe Falls, second term
• Michelle Voss Roberts – Ordained Minister, Shining Waters, second term
• Demanya Kofi Akoussah – Ordained Minister Eastern Ontario Outaouais, first term
• Hannah Athanasiadis – Lay Person, Shining Waters, first term
• Andrea de Vries – Lay Person, Pacific Mountain, first term
• William Gardner – Ordained Minister, Shining Waters, first term
• Solange Hortense Ghoyim – Lay Person, Eastern Ontario Outaouais, first term
• Dorcas Muketha – Ordained Minister, Northern Spirit, first term
• Christine Smaller – Ordained Minister, Western Ontario Waterways, first term
• Jonathan Zeyl – Lay Person, Shining Waters, first term

Judicial Committee 

Appointments until the 48th General Council, 2034

• Ross Denny-Jiles– Lay Person, Pacific Mountain
• Lorraine Stewart– Lay Person, Northern Spirit
• Norma General-Lickers– Lay Person, Horseshoe Falls / Indigenous Church  

Appointments until the 47th General Council, 2031

(previously appointed, for information)

• Lynn Maki – Ordained Minister, Northern Spirit
• George Thurlow – Lay Person, Living Skies
• Chikwa Zahinda – Lay Person, Eastern Ontario Outaouais  

Appointments until the 46th General Council, 2028 

(previously appointed, for information)

• Diana Ginn – Lay Person, Bermuda – Nova Scotia, chairperson
• Leslyn Gombakomba – Lay Person, Horseshoe Falls
• Stuart Whitley – Lay Person, Pacific Mountain  

Nominations Committee (46th General Council, 2028)

Recommended by a special Nominations Committee consisting of Nomination Committee members not under consideration for reappointment supplemented by three immediate-past Nominations Committee members appointed to serve as alternates.

• Lynella Reid-James – Lay Person, Shining Waters, third term, chairperson
• Jessica Taylor – Lay Person, Shining Waters, second term
• Allan Buckingham – Lay Person, Chinook Winds, first term
• Florence Bukam – Ordained Minister, Conseil Régional Nakonha:ka, first term
• Jun-Hyok Chon – Ordained Minister, Bermuda Nova-Scotia, first term
• Norman Seli – Ordained Minister, Shining Waters, first term
• To be determined – as appointed by the General Council Executive
• To be determined – as appointed by the General Council Executive
• To be determined – as appointed by the National Indigenous Church
   

2. Elect the following members to serve from the rise of the 45th General Council with terms as stated:

Board of Vocation (46th General Council, 2028)

• Etienne LeSage Ordained Minister Horseshoe Falls, second term, chairperson
• Kwang Beom Cho – Ordained Minister, Prairie to Pine, second term
• Murray Speer – Ordained Minister, Chinook Winds, second term
• Lee Spice – Ordained Minister Chinook Winds, first full term
• Pegi Ridout – Ordained Minister Horseshoe Falls, first term
• Jane McDonald – Lay Person Bermuda-Nova Scotia, first term
• Deborah Elliott – Lay Person East Central Ontario, first term
• Deborah Deavu – Diaconal Minister Western Ontario Waterways, first term
• Jeanette May – Lay Person Shining Waters, first term
• Brigid Maya Douglas – Ordained Minister Shining Waters, first term
• Isaac Kamta – Ordained Minister Shining Waters, first term
• To be determined – as recommended by the National Indigenous Elders Council
• Delores Kenney – Lay Person, Living Skies and Indigenous Church, first term– as elected by the National Indigenous Elders Council (for information)

Additional members will be sought for the Board of Vocation based on determined priorities

4. Background information:

The Nominations Committee of the General Council used collaborative spiritual discernment practices to prayerfully assess the many nominations and expressions of interest that were submitted to serve on these committees and board.

In their discernment process, the Nominations Committee considers not just the needs of each group and each individual’s particular gifts and sense of call, but also seeks a variety of voices, perspectives and experiences for each area of work. Where possible, the committee also balances expertise with opportunities to foster new leaders. Throughout, the Nominations Committee keeps itself open to the promptings of the Spirit.

No group could ever completely reflect the full diversity of the United Church. It will be the responsibility of each of these groups to recognize who is not at the table and actively seek them out in understanding issues and the impact of decisions.

With gratitude to each of them – and to all who were willing to take on these roles – the Nominations Committee enthusiastically recommends these members for appointment or election by the General Council.

5. How does this proposal help us to live into our church’s commitments on equity?

In its discernment, the Nominations Committee considers diversity with regards to geography, gender identity and ministry stream, as well as the myriad ways that our lives, cultures and lived experiences make each of us unique. In addition, the committee upholds the church’s commitments to the full participation of people with disabilities; youth and young adults; those who identify as Two Spirit or LGBTQIA+; Indigenous; racialized; Francophone or active in French ministries; those who speak a primary language other than English or French; and people from marginalized communities not named here. 

The majority of those recommended personally hold one or more of these identities. Collectively within this group of 41 recommended members, each of the seven equity-commitment identities are present through more than one person. All members are expected to uphold the United Church’s commitments to equity in their practices and in their decisions.