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Rev. Catherine MacDonald
Welcome to United Memorial! I hope you experience God’s love and welcome
through the people you meet on these pages and in our congregation. I look forward
to many years of ministry together.
My theological understanding of ministry is one of accompaniment. Jesus spent
most of his ministry walking with people, sharing their lives, teaching
and preaching, encouraging, nudging and challenging them. I have a vision
of ministry that calls us all, young, old and in between, personally and
communally, into transformed and transforming lives together. This vision,
which had been cultivated as a lay person, was nurtured as a lay preacher,
my studies at the Atlantic School of Theology and has come to fuller fruition
in my years of ordained ministry.
In ministry, I feel most effective, energized and enriched when I am a leader
among people who feel empowered to exercise their own leadership, so
that we work effectively as a team, mutually supportive, responsible and creative. I encourage participation in decision making, innovation and leadership. I believe that I have a responsibility to bring what I
have learned through my theological education and experience to the members of a pastoral charge and also be open to others’
education, experience and gifts. I love preaching, worship leadership, pastoral care and presence and faith formation.
I have been influenced by Tom Bandy’s concept of Transformed Adults as the heart of a Christian community.
Faith formation of children and youth is certainly important as well, but I believe that unless adults are participating
in faith formation in some way, our children will continue to believe that once they are confirmed, they have
‘graduated’ from church and disappear.
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Minister’s Report to Session & Official Board– January 2009
Someone asked me recently what my mission at United Memorial is and after some reflection and prayer, this is what emerged:
To encourage the people of United Memorial, by means of creative worship
and pastoral presence to be a vibrant community of faith, who,
through communal prayer, reflection and discernment, are equipped and empowered
to take Jesus’ message into their daily lives and the world.
This encompasses everything from preaching and pastoral care to questioning practices and traditions. It also includes being a PITA at times.
Since my last report, within the congregation we have experienced Advent & Christmas, I have had 3 funerals, we have had a hymn sing, a couple of special services, I have made countless pastoral visits, and am conducting training with the Pastoral Care Team. There is an adult Study Group starting on Monday evenings and five people have signed up for that.
I continue to attend as many meetings that take place within the congregation as I can, although I cannot possibly attend all the meetings and social events that take place. Out of some of those meetings came involvement with the Search Committee for a new Organist & Music Director, as well as the group that has been looking at changes to the sanctuary, and there is another group that is going to take a look at the Sunday School space and how we can make it more inviting.
The Atlantic School of Theology approached me to supervise a student and two weeks ago we welcomed Michelle Armstrong. She will likely be with us until April 2010 and she and I are working on learning goals for her in her time here. There are two people who have agreed to be part of her Lay Resource Group: Muriel Hale and Graeme Lavers, and I am looking for one other person.
In the community I participated in the municipal Explosion Day Service, and once again, we provided the venue for the reception afterwards. I attended the Christmas Dinner sponsored by Ward 5 Neighbourhood Centre. The Northend Ministerial is discussing the idea of having a joint fundraiser in support of the L’Arche community that is opening in the spring.
I am taking a week of Study Leave from February 9-15th in order to prepare for Lent/Easter; followed by a week of vacation.
I have just started to read a fascinating book entitled: Behold, I Do a New Thing – Transforming Communities of Faith by C. Kirk Hadaway. If others would like to join me in reading it, I will order a few copies to go around.
I am beginning to put names and faces together, along with the family connections which are many. Ministry at United Memorial is rewarding, challenging, sometimes frustrating, but never boring. I look forward to our shared future.
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