Hey, Don’t I Recognize You?

Hey, Don’t I Recognize You?

Not all ministry takes place in a church, and not all CCS grads serve in congregations.  In 2014 a number of our United Church graduates found themselves in “Presbytery-recognized Ministries.”

Sharilyn Upsdell with Heron Grove Staff and an elastic band - "a flexible team"

Sharilyn Upsdell with Heron Grove Staff and an elastic band – “a flexible team”

Diaconal minister Sharilynn Upsdell began serving as Chaplain at the Lutheran-supported Heron Grove, Good Samaritan Society, in Vernon, BC in February, 2013.  In the spring of 2014, this became a Presbytery-Recognized Ministry of Kamloops Okanagan Presbytery.  At the Sharilynn’s covenanting service, the regional chaplain for the Good Samaritan Society, Pastor Terje Ness referred to Sharilynn’s ministry in terms of a quote attributed to Picasso: “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”

Joan Tuchlinsky doing public education on sexual assault.

Joan Tuchlinsky doing public education on sexual assault.

In November of 2014, Waterloo Presbytery recognized the diaconal ministry calls of Joan Tuchlinsky as the Public Education Manager at the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region and Ellen Baynton-Walker as pastoral chaplain at peopleCare Hilltop Manor. Joan has been with the Sexual Assault Centre since 2006. Ellen has been with peopleCare since 2010.

When invited to say a few words about their ministries, Joan and Ellen chose to share with Presbytery The Statement of Vison, Diakonia of The United Church of Canada as they felt its words embody their respective ministries.

Ellen Baynton-Walker (centre) at peopleCare

Ellen Baynton-Walker (centre) at peopleCare