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Personal Mission Statement:
Empowering the “whole people of God”
both corporately and individually.
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The Preface to my First Sermon
Sunday, September 12, 2004
You see before you a solitary figure. My face and voice are unfamiliar. I am a newcomer to this church and this community. It is said that I am the new minister.
But look closely; look with the eyes of faith. I am a solitary figure, but I am a representative figure. I stand before you with a cloud of witnesses. In my person, many kind and wise and loving people have shared their lives with me, and a bit of them lives in me. In my profession I share an honourable tradition: I share the ministry of Christ with the whole church; I share my ordination with colleagues known and to be made known to me; I share the historic faith with the saints and the apostles. I dare not stand here alone to speak the Word of God to you, but in the company of so many I am made bold to speak the Word as the Spirit gives us utterance.
The strangeness of my face and voice is a temporary condition. Even now, as you see and hear me, I am moving from anonymity to personhood. In the tomorrows to come we shall share ceremonies, festivities, and occasions to discover who we are in this pastoral relationship. You do not need me; you need the spirit of Christ to animate your bones and swell your spirit. I cannot do that for you. But it is the testimony of scripture that where we meet in need, the spirit of Christ dwells there.
I am your new minister, duly called to be so by the traditions of our church. I have come here leaving a grieving people, and grieving for the losses Heather and I have borne in our departure. I have come to a people grieving in their own way for the loss of their former pastor. Each of us shall honour and preserve what in our past has been good. As we instill these memories in that portion of the self that abides, we also relinquish their claim upon us. We are free to be you and me. We have freely chosen to walk together. We are free to grow in the covenant and communion Christ has established in his church.
In the name of Christ we begin. The hurts and hopelessness of the world are our mission. Understanding and being understood are our fellowship. Hope in the amazing grace of God is our faith. Strangers and fixtures have in common a fellowship with Christ. Building upon that, let us begin.
Highlights of Qualifications
⋆ Strong belief that all are called to ministry.
⋆ Open to new ideas, concepts and styles of, worship (multi-tracking) Christian development (Rotation Model/Use of Computers) and congregational ministry, yet sensitive to needs, feelings and traditions.
⋆ Excellent preaching skills with a clear, professional manner. Now experimenting with visual worship.
⋆ Leads stimulating services with enthusiasm, providing a balance between biblical, inspirational, experiential, inter-generational, and topical preaching. Recognizes the variety of religious experiences, scriptural understandings and styles of worship and believes that we need to value difference and not seek safety in conformity.
⋆ Ability to develop worship and educational events that bring together personal experience, theological reflection and the practice of ministry.
⋆ Excellent skills in emergent pastoral care with specialized understanding and skills related to loss, bereavement and funerals.
⋆ Supportive team worker; committed and responsible.
⋆ Over 25 years experience in pastoral charge ministry with a commitment to seeing ministry as a continuing faith and growth journey.
Education
Microcomputing 2000 Certificate Program (2003) Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology, Ottawa, Ontario (Courses taken at Pembroke Campus)
D.Min. (1993) Awarded Conjointly by the University of Toronto, Victoria University and the Toronto School of Theology, Toronto, Ontario
The Doctor of Ministry program was designed to secure a high level of competence in the practice of ministry through a creative coordination of theological reflection, professional development, social analysis and personal integration. The program combined course work, independent research, peer group collaboration, a church based ministry group, involvement by a local funeral home, as well as a project that lead to my thesis, Christian Funeral Ministry: Consciousness-Raising and Beyond.
M.Div. (1978) Queen's Theological College, Kingston, Ontario
B.A. (1973) University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario
Pastoral Charges Served
Since Ordination by Manitou Conference on June 5, 1976
09/05 - present: Westbank Pastoral Charge, Kamloops-Okanaga Presbyter, British Columbia Conference
08/95 - 08/04: Wesley Pastoral Charge, Renfrew Presbytery, Bay of Quinte Conference
01/82 - 07/95: Eastbrook Pastoral Charge, Ottawa Presbytery, M&O Conference
08/79 - 01/82: Eastbrook-Queenswood Pastoral Charge, Ottawa Presbytery, M&O Conference
Eastbrook United Church (¾ time)
Queenswood Church (¼ time - A joint Anglican/United Community church team ministry served shared with a part-time Anglican priest)
07/76 - 07/79: Phelps Pastoral Charge (½ time)
(Carmichael, Phelps & Feronia Churches)
Temiscaming Pastoral Charge (½ time) (St. Paul's United Church)
North Bay Presbytery, Manitou Conference
Special Training and Involvements
Ministry of Supervision Toronto School of Theology (05/93-11/93)
Course included theory, practice and reflection upon skills and methods of supervision as they related to developing learning covenants, providing feedback and evaluation, theological reflection, sexuality, intimacy and boundaries, individual learning styles, issues of conflict and power, social/contextual analysis, educational/theological assumptions and spirituality. Experience gained supervising a high school co-op student 15 hours/week for 5 months.
Pastoral Ministry:
Board Member of the Bereaved Families of Ontario
- Pembroke Affiliate (2002-2005)
Board Member of the Bereaved Families of Ontario
- Provincial (2003-2005)
Course taken on the Meaning of Aging and Ministry with the Aging.
Board member of North East Ottawa Senior Support Services (NEOSSS), an organization that worked with Good Companions to provide services to seniors.
Introduction to CAPE (Pastoral Care)
- Queen's Theological College, Kingston, 1975
Plus numerous courses including Crisis - Experiential Theology and Skills for Caring, Ministry to the Hospitalized, Pastoral Care Team Training, Training for Marriage Enrichment and Health Professional Course on Chemical Dependency (Sponsored by Rideauwood Institute and accredited by the College of Family Physicians of Canada).
Congregational Development: Numerous courses in ministry areas such as Church Membership, Congregational Renewal, Management Skills for Ministry and the Church's Ministry with Children and courses on church renewal led by key persons in the church growth field. Attended the United Church's two renewal programs, "Renovations 2000" and "Breakthrough 2001".
Computers - Usage and Training:
Director of ValleyNet, the Renfrew County freenet. (1997-2005)(Treasurer 2003-2005)
Taught course to introduce senior adults to computers and their usage (Ottawa Board of Education). Shared computer knowledge through leading two courses at Stewart House. Have used computers in worship, in Vacation Bible School and for "Life Studies" at Camp Lau Ren.
Youth and Community Involvement:
2005- Member of the Westbank Lions Club, Westbank, British Columbia
Pembroke Kiwanis Club (7 years) - Kiwanis Music Festival:
(1997-2005) (2 years as chair)
Church Camps: Designed and facilitated the Christian Development program at Woodland Boys Camp (Ottawa) - 2 years and at Camp Lau Ren (Renfrew Presbytery) - 4 years Junior Boys, the last three years with the use of computers.
Youth Services Canada: Committee member for a one-year Government/Community project that provided training and practical experience for youth who had left school.
Scouts Canada: Over 20 years service as a leader, trainer
and service team member.
Youth Intervention Work: Board member (chair for 3 years) of a short term project designed to work with juvenile delinquents. (Funding - Ottawa Police, City of Ottawa, and Ottawa Board of Education.)
1977-1979 Charter Member of the Temiscaming and District Lion's Club
- Temiscaming, Quebec
Some Involvements within the United Church of Canada
Renfrew Presbytery Representative to Bay of Quinte Conference
Communication Division. (2000-2005)
Communications, Renfrew Presbytery (1996-2005)
Chair, Ottawa Presbytery Nominating Committee (1993-1995)
Montreal & Ottawa Conference Nominating Committee (1993-1995)
Leave of absence from Presbytery/Conference Work - Doctoral Studies (1989-1993)
National Finance committee (1986-1989)
Finance Committee, M&O Conference (1984-1989, 3 years as chair)
Ottawa Presbytery Finance Division (1983-1989, 5 years as chair)
Ottawa Presbytery Camping Committee (1981-1983)
Congregational Life & Planning, M&O Conference (1979-1981)
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