Horseshoe Falls Regional Council Staff
Mark Laird
Executive Minister
Phone: 226-407-0936
Email: MLaird@united-church.ca
Regional Council Staff Resource
Serves in: Antler River Watershed, Western Ontario Waterways and Horseshoe Falls Regional Councils
Location: Teleworks from home and spends time in each region.
Role: Mark provides leadership, counsel, and support for the governance and administration in the Regional Councils.
Contact Mark: Budget and Policy; Workplace Discrimination, Harassment, and Violence, Executive Resource Support or if you want to talk baseball.
Lynne Allin
Minister, Congregational Support
Phone: 226-407-4313
Email: LAllin@united-church.ca
Congregational Support Commission Staff Resource
Lynne comes with a passion for helping congregations identify and celebrate their current ministry, while also discerning where the Spirit is leading them. She offers support and resources for the life and work of communities of faith.
Serves in: Antler River Watershed and Horseshoe Falls Regional Councils
Location: Teleworks from home and spends time in the regions.
Role: Lynne provides support for the region by encouraging and connecting communities of faith as they adapt and experiment in changing times.
Contact Lynne: Community Ministries, Congregational Finance, Governance, Covenants, UCC Grants, Property, and Transitions - amalgamations, collaboration, disbandment, resource for Congregational Support Commission.
Micol Cottrell
Minister, Pastoral Relations
Phone: 226-407-4306
Email: MCottrell@united-church.ca
Human Resources Commission Staff Resource
Micol provides staff support for the work of the Human Resources Commission in the area of pastoral relations, including support for ministers and communities of faith in search, support for Ministry & Personnel committees, support for a new pastoral relationship with the United Fresh Start program, appointment of ministers for short-term needs.
Serves in: Antler River Watershed, Western Ontario Waterways and Horseshoe Falls Regional Councils
Location: Teleworks and works from home and spends time in the regions.
Role: Micol encourages and supports ministry personnel toward health, joy, and excellence in ministry practice.
Contact Micol about: Conflict Resolution; Finding A New Minister; Licensed Lay Worship Leaders; Ministry & Personnel questions and concerns, Licenses To Administer Sacraments; Pastoral Relationship Policy; Resources for Transition Times; Retirement; Sabbaticals; Sick Leave; Short Term Supply Ministers; Visiting Minister Options.
Kevin Steeper
Pastoral Support Minister
Phone: 226-407-4311
Cell: 226-222-0454
Email: KSteeper@united-church.ca
The Rev. Kevin Steeper is responsible for fostering and encouraging clergy support networks for the purpose of mutual care and support. Kevin is also available to offer pastoral care to individual clergy and their families in times of crisis.
Serves in: Antler River Watershed, Western Ontario Waterways and Horseshoe Falls Regional Councils
Location: Teleworks from home and spends time in the regional councils.
Role: Kevin encourages and supports ministry personnel toward health, joy, and excellence in ministry practice.
Contact Kevin about: Clergy Support Networks, Pastoral Care to Clergy and to their families in times of crisis.
Thérèse Samuel
Minister, Right Relations and Social Justice
Phone: 226-407-4310
Email: TSamuel@united-church.ca
Thérèse shares the Social Justice position with the Minister, Social Justice, serving the Mission and Discipleship Commissions and social justice ministries in the region. She also supports Indigenous and Non-Indigenous churches in the region in the work of building right relations.
Serves in: Antler River Watershed, Western Ontario Waterways and Horseshoe Falls Regional Councils
Location: Teleworks from home and spends time in the regional councils.
Role: Thérèse encourages and connects communities of faith in their work and supports Indigenous ministries in their relationship with the region and promotes and supports racial justice and social justice ministries.
Contact Thérèse about: Affirming Ministries, Anti-Racism; Intercultural Ministry; Right Relations; Indigenous Ministries, Social Justice Ministries and resource to the Discipleship & Justice Commission.
Kathy Douglas
Minister, Faith Formation
Phone: 226-407-4308
Cell: 519-441-0656
Email: KDouglas@united-church.ca
Kathy works with children, youth and young adults, supporting them in various programs and faith-forming events. Many youth are nurtured into leadership roles. Kathy also works with camps and United Church Women groups.
Serves in: Antler River Watershed, Western Ontario Waterways and Horseshoe Falls Regional Councils
Location: Teleworks from home and spends time in the regional council.
Role: Kathy encourages and connects communities of faith with matters of faith and justice and the regional council in youth and young adult ministry and matters of faith formation..
Contact Kathy about: Camping & Campus Chaplaincy Ministries; Faith Formation- Children, Youth, Young Adult and Adult Christian Education; Social and Eco-Justice Ministries; Mission & Support Grants, Support to Pastoral Care Teams and Music Ministry Leadership: United Church Women (UCW) and resource to the Discipleship & Justice Commission.
John Egger
Minister, Social Justice
Phone: 226-407-4309
Email: JEgger@United-Church.ca
John was raised in Calgary. He has a Ph.D. in New Testament studies from Emmanuel College at the University of Toronto. His dissertation was on Paul’s use of the Hagar/Sarah motif in his letter to the Galatians and how it has been spun in the history of interpretation. This was a kind of case study into how biblical texts have been (i.e., can be) misread in the history of the church and the dangers thereof.
Serves in: Antler River Watershed, Western Ontario Waterways and Horseshoe Falls Regional Councils
Location: Teleworks from home and spends time in the regional council.
Role: John encourages and connects communities of faith in their work and promotes social justice ministries.
Contact John about: Social Justice Ministries and resource to the Discipleship & Justice Commission.
Max Watkinson
Executive Assistant
Phone: 226-407-0937
Email: MWatkinson@United-Church.ca
Max provides administrative support to the Executive Minister and resources and provides lead administrative support to the three executives and regional councils. Max is also the person to contact with any questions regarding marriage licence registration and policy.
Serves in: Antler River Watershed, Western Ontario Waterways and Horseshoe Falls Regional Councils
Location: Teleworks from home and occasionally from the Regional Council office in Hamilton.
Role: Max is administrative support to the Executive Minister, provides lead administrative support to the regional council executives and presidents.
Contact Max about: General inquiries about Regional Councils and administration, Regional Council Meetings, and Marriage license registration and policy.
Krista Ford
Administrative Assistant, Finance and Office Site Management
Phone: 226-407-4307
Email: KFord@united-church.ca
Krista works with various members of the finance team both at a Regional and General Council level to process various bills, travel claims and documents for payment. She also keeps track of important information for Honorarium payments and related tax documents. Krista is also the on-site office manager for the building at Carlisle and resources the Discipleship and Justice Commission.
Serves in: Antler River Watershed, Western Ontario Waterways and Horseshoe Falls Regional Councils
Location: Teleworks from home.
Role: Krista is the administrative assistant for finances and Regional Council Office site management.
Contact Krista about: Billing, invoices, travel and expense claims, honorarium payments and RC Office site management.
Pretima Kukadia-Kinting
(ON LEAVE) Administrative Assistant, Communication & Records
Pretima prepares and distributes communication material. She maintains databases and records and resources the Pastoral Relations Minister.
Serves in: Antler River Watershed, Western Ontario Waterways and Horseshoe Falls Regional Councils
Location: Teleworks from home.
Role: Pretima sends the eNewsletters and is administrative support to the Pastoral Relations Minister, Human Resources Commission.
Contact Pretima about: eNewsletters, resources for Pastoral Relations, forms/Dropbox set-up.
Michele Petick
Communications and Administrative Assistant
Phone: 226-407-0997
Email: MPetick@united-church.ca
Michele provides communications, administrative, social media and website management support to the regions of Antler River Watershed, Horseshoe Falls and Western Ontario Waterways.
Serves in: Antler River Watershed, Western Ontario Waterways and Horseshoe Falls Regional Councils
Location: Teleworks from home.
Role: Michele is communications and administrative support to the Regional Council staff team, the Pastoral Relations Commission, the Congregational Support Commission and manages the website and social media.
Contact Michele about: communications, eNewsletters, websites and social media (Facebook & YouTube), PRC administration, CSC administration.
General Council Office Deployed Staff to the Region
Martha Pedoniquotte
Community Capacity Development Coordinator (CCDC), Indigenous Ministries & Justice Unit, United Church of Canada
Phone: 519-373-4205
Email: mpedoniquotte@united-church.ca
Martha serves the area of Ontario Quebec East Region and is one of three CCDC’s working for the National Indigenous Council, Indigenous Ministries & Justice Unit of the United Church of Canada. CCDC’s build capacity within the Indigenous Community’s of Faith through knowledge transfer, skill development, sharing of resources and best practices, facilitation of training and funding opportunities. CCDC’s assist with the Mission & Service working group, and the Real Property and Capital Plan working group, and ensure that the needs are met for pastoral care, ministry recruitment and other requirements of the Community of Faith. Martha currently works with 24 Community’s of Faith in Ontario Quebec.
Tim Hackborn
Indigenous Vocational Minister for Antler River Watershed, Western Ontario Waterways and Horseshoe Falls Regional Councils
Email: thackborn@united-church.ca
Theology and Ministry Leadership
Tim’s work supports the Candidacy Pathway and the oversight and discipline of ministry personnel for the Indigenous Church across Canada.
Tanya Cameron
Office of Vocation Minister for Antler River Watershed, Western Ontario Waterways and Horseshoe Falls Regional Councils
Phone: 1-800-268-3781
Extension: 6101
Email: TCameron@united-church.ca
As a member of the General Council Office of Vocation, deployed in the region,Tanya supports the processes for discernment and training of ministry personnel, their readiness for accreditation, continuing education standards, and oversight and discipline of ministry personnel.
Brenna Baker
Community of Faith Stewardship Support for Antler River Watershed, Western Ontario Waterways and Horseshoe Falls Regional Councils
Email: BBaker@united-church.ca
Phone: 437-290-0708 | 1-800-268-3781 (Toll-Free)
Book a conversation with Brenna about stewardship here.
As a member of the General Council Philanthropy Unit, deployed in the region, Brenna consults with congregations and individuals around all areas of Stewardship and generosity including: congregational giving programs, Mission & Service, Planned Legacy Giving, and the United Church Foundation.
Brenna has been in ministry in the United Church for 11 years, having joined us from the Presbyterian Church, USA. Spending some time in a rural Saskatchewan community of faith, most recently she has been serving Erindale United Church in Mississauga.
Brenna brings a passion for teaching and stewardship to this position, as well as recently having completed a Certificate in Non-profit and Voluntary Sector Management from Toronto Metropolitan University.
In her own words, “I am a huge fan of the Called to be the Church program and use it often… educating newcomers and occasional visitors about our practices of giving and what, very specifically, their offering goes toward.”
Greg Smith-Young
Growth Animator for Antler River Watershed, Western Ontario Waterways and Horseshoe Falls Regional Councils
Email: GSmith-Young@united-church.ca
As part of the General Council’s Organizational Development and Strategy Unit, deployed in our regions, Greg works working alongside existing congregations that are seeking to renew, supports people who are seeding new communities of faith, and shares in efforts to strengthen how all of us invite people into the life and way of Jesus. Greg served in congregational ministry for 27 years, first in northern Ontario and more recently with Hope Springs United Church near Guelph. Greg has led the Presence Project, helped launch a local Generous Space group to support 2SLGBTQ+ people, families and allies, and is part the Cruxifusion network of ministry leaders. Greg is energized and hopeful about how existing and new communities of faith can live Christ’s transforming presence within their neighbourhoods. He believes that Jesus continues to call us into his work: exploring and discovering, experimenting and learning, humbly open and boldly confident in the Spirit.
