Page 4 - Presbyterian_Connection_Spring_2017

4 SPRING 2017
PRESBYTERIAN
Connection
presbyterian.ca
Meet the 2017 Moderator Nominees
The Rev. Peter G. Bush
BA (Hon), MA, MTS, MDiv
Peter Bush, the son of missionary par- ents, is the teaching elder (minister) at Westwood Church, Winnipeg; having served Knox Church, Mitchell, Ontario (1996–2007) and St. Andrew’s Church, Flin Flon, Manitoba (1989–1996).
For over 20 years, Peter has writ- ten about Presbyterian involvement in residential schools and was a contract researcher with the Truth and Recon- ciliation Commission. In the last seven years, Peter has been involved with the Presbytery of Winnipeg’s efforts to plant new congregations among the growing non-Euro-Canadian commu- nities in Winnipeg.
Peter’s wider church involvement includes the role of clerk of the Synod of Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario (2008–present), and he is a contribut- ing member of the Pension and Ben- efits Board (2012–present). Previously, he sat on the Committee on Church Doctrine (2005–2011) and the Com- mittee on History (1996–2002, con- vener 1999–2002).
Peter coordinates the Reformation- @500 Project, a Committee on History initiative inviting exploration of the “five watchwords” of the Reformation in our present context. He is The Presbyterian Church in Canada’s representative on Evangelism Connections, a coalition of mainline North American denomina- tions working to highlight evangelism as a mainline Christian practice and to share evangelism resources.
Peter is married to Debbie (Suther- land), whose parents are Presbyterian missionaries to Taiwan, and they have one son.
What verses of scripture do you find especially informative?
“I was five years old and living in Beirut, Lebanon, when the Six-Day War happened. We had to dye the light bulbs in our house and put dark construction paper in the windows so that the bombers would not be able see any light from our apart- ment. We were eventually evacu- ated by the Canadian government. It was a scary time and this verse was very important—1 Peter 5:7.”
Mr. Brent B. Ellis
BA (Hon), OTC, MTS
Brent Ellis, a native Hamiltonian and a lifelong member of Chalmers Church in Hamilton, Ontario, was the presi- dent of Chalmers Presbyterian Young People’s Society (PYPS). Since then, he has served as chair of the Board of Managers and recently as elder, clerk of session and representative elder.
A retired high school teacher, Brent taught in North York, Ontario, and in Scotland, with most of his teaching career as Head of Geography for the Hamilton Board of Education (On- tario). Extracurricular duties included being an advisor to student councils and coaching various sports.
Brent was moderator of the Pres- bytery of Hamilton and has served on various commissions, task forces, assessor sessions and committees. Currently, Brent is the convener of the ministry committee and sits on the business committee. He enjoys preaching and is in regular demand for pulpit supply.
Brent has a Master of Theological Studies degree from Knox College. He served as convener of the Com- mittee on Theological Education, the Committee to Advise with the Mod- erator and on the Assembly Council. Presently, he is on the Committee on Education and Reception, the Benev- olence Committee and serves as the convener of the Ewar t Endowment for Theological Education Fund.
Brent is a widower with two adult children and four granddaughters.
What does it mean to be a Presby- terian in Canada in 2016?
“For me, it is to see the church on a national level, more than as a congregation but as congregations working together for common caus- es and for the glory of God.”
The Rev. James T. Hurd
BA, MDiv
James Hurd has served for 30 years as a pastor and presbyter in The Presbyte- rian Church in Canada. Born in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, he was nurtured in the local congregation and camp, and the Presbyterian Young People’s Society (PYPS). He graduated from Knox Col- lege, Toronto, and was appointed an ordained missionary to the Wanham and Munro Church, Blueberry Moun- tain, northern Alberta, where he served five and a half years. Afterwards, he was called to St. Paul’s Church, Woodstock, New Brunswick, where he ministered for ten years, before being called to Parkwood Church, Ottawa, which he has served since 2001.
James has served as clerk of the Presbyteries of Peace River and Ot- tawa, as moderator of the Presbyteries of Peace River and St. John, as deputy clerk and acting clerk of the Synod of the Atlantic Provinces, and as modera- tor of the Synod of Quebec and Eastern Ontario. He also served on the Assem- bly Council and is a member of the Committee on Church Doctrine.
James is married to Karen, and to- gether they have two daughters, Jen- nifer and Janet, who are both attending university.
What would you say is the core calling of the church?
“The core calling of the church is to obey two great commandments: to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and to love our neighbour as ourselves; and to fulfill the great commission: to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything Jesus has commanded. To do so is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever!”
Dr. Alexandra F. Johnston
MA, PhD, LLD, DD, DHL, FRSC
Alexandra (Sandy) Johnston received her PhD from the University of Toronto in 1964. She served as a profes- sor of English at Victoria College in University of Toronto until 2004, and was principal of Victoria College from 1981 to 1991.
An elder at Rosedale Presbyterian Church, Toronto, Ontario, Sandy has served the congregation in many ca- pacities, including clerk of session (2001–2007). Sandy has also served on many church boards and commit- tees, including the Life and Mission Project, the Special Committee on Freedom of Conscience and the Ordi- nation of Women, the Governing Board of Knox College and is currently on the Committee on Church Doctrine.
She was granted an honorary Doc- tor of Laws degree by Queen’s Uni- versity, an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree by The Presbyterian College and an honorary of Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Victoria Universi- ty. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.
Sandy is the daughter of the Rev. Dr. G. Deane Johnston, of Central Church, Brantford, Moderator of the 1966 General Assembly, and sister of the Rev. Dr. Geoff Johnston (retired from Presbyterian College) and Dr. Marjorie Ross (retired Associate Secretary, In- ternational Ministries).
What does it mean to be a Presby- terian in Canada today?
“We are a Reformed church with sub- ordinate standards that connect us with the Reformation, which was itself a movement that sought to reform the excesses of the late medieval church and not abandon the basic tenets of the faith. Theology is important to us, but so too is social justice. We are a ‘thinking’ church.”
The Rev. Dr. Andrew J.R. Johnston
BA, BTh, MDiv, DD
Andrew Johnston was raised in the Christian faith and life primarily within St. Timothy’s Church, Ottawa; Lagos Presbyterian Church, Nigeria; and MacNab Street Church, Hamilton, On- tario. After studies in history at Univer- sity of Toronto and Edinburgh Universi- ty, he studied theology at Presbyterian College and was ordained in 1987. Andrew served Briarwood Church, Montreal (1987–1998), St. Andrew’s Church, Ottawa (1999–2013) and, since October 2013, St. Andrew’s Church in Kingston.
Andrew’s activity within the de- nomination has included service as Moderator of the Presbyteries of Montreal and Ottawa and as the convener of the national PWS&D Committee and the Norman M. Pa- terson Fund for Ministerial Assist- ance, as well as a member of the Board of Governors of Presbyterian College.
In the wider community, Andrew has been denominational representa- tive on the Quebec Superior Council of Education, Protestant Committee, and has served with community as- sociations for the intellectually handi- capped (Montreal), the provision of suppor tive housing (Ottawa) and care of creation (Kingston). He has a par ticular interest in the relationship between Christian faith and contem- porary culture.
Andrew is married to Béatrice and they have three children, Gabrielle, Emmanuelle and Michel, as well as a Cairn Terrier by the name of Mungo.
What makes for excellence in faith- ful discipleship?
“Striving to live the gospel we know in Jesus Christ. This is a generation that does not ask ‘Tell me about the resurrection’ but rather ‘Show me the resurrection.’ The ‘excellence’ of Christ’s disciples will not be found in success or the praise of others, but rather in a profound commitment to allow the life of Christ to flow through us to others.”
Continued on page 5
Read full bios and the Q&As online at presbyterian.ca/2017-nominees