Antler River Watershed 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.
Karlene Kimber
Minister, Congregational Support
Email: ARWCSM@united-church.ca
Alternate Email: KKimber@united-church.ca
Phone: 226-564-1954
Congregational Support Commission Part-Time Staff Resource
Serves in: Antler River Watershed Regional Council on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
Location: Teleworks from home and spends time in the regions.
Role: This role provides support for the region by encouraging and connecting communities of faith as they adapt and experiment in changing times.
Contact Congregational Support Minister for: 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
Pastoral Relations Commission Staff Resource
Micol provides staff support for the work of the Pastoral Relations 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.
Laurie Stevenson
Minister, Pastoral Support
Email: LStevenson@united-church.ca
Phone: 226-564-1956
Pastoral Support Minister
Laurie recognizes that the work of Pastoral Support for Ministry Personnel is vital for the health of the church. Those who serve in ministry often balance the spiritual care of others with the demands of leadership, administration, and personal life. Laurie brings to this work more than 25 years of experience in a variety of ministry contexts and a deep understanding of the pressures and challenges clergy face. She recognizes the importance of prioritizing clergy wellness, uplifting and encouraging those who serve, and ensuring that their ministry is met with care, connection, and appreciation for the sacred work they do.
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: Laurie provides pastoral care and support for Ministry Personnel, fostering their spiritual, emotional, and vocational well-being. She works to connect clergy with one another, support the formation of healthy pastoral relationships, and develop programming that nurtures the health, resilience, and joy of those serving in ministry.
Contact Laurie about: Pastoral Care and Support for Ministry Personnel; Support for Clergy Gatherings; Clergy Workshops/ Retreats; Search Process Questions; Pastoral Relations Liaisons Training
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 Discipleship and Justice 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.
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.
Laura Black
First Third Ministry Faith Formation Minister
Phone: 226-407-4308
Email: LBlack@united-church.ca
Laura’s work supports communities of faith, camps and individuals working in First Third Ministry (work with folks in the first third of their life), in 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: Laura is Minister First Third, Faith Formation for the Regional Council’s.
Contact Laura about: First Third Ministry and faith formation, Duty of Care.
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
Administrative Assistant, Communication & Records
On leave
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 and manages the website and social media.
Contact Michele about: communications, eNewsletters, websites and social media (Facebook & YouTube), PRC administration.
General Council Office Deployed Staff to the Region
Greg Smith-Young
Growth and Stewardship Animator
Email: GSmith-Young@united-church.ca
The Rev. Greg Smith-Young (he/him) serves as Growth and Stewardship Animator for Western Ontario Waterways and Antler River Watershed regional councils. As General Council staff deployed to the region, he accompanies communities of faith as they strengthen their invitation to neighbours and friends, cultivate their culture and practices of generous stewardship, and step into their future with courageous trust. Greg is energized and hopeful about how we can live Christ’s transforming presence within our neighbourhoods, faithfully stewarding God’s gifts for the sake of God’s world. 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.
Greg served with Hope Springs UC (an amalgamation of Alma, Bethany, and Elora UCs) near Guelph, Ontario. He also served with Grace UC in Hornepayne, north of Lake Superior. He lives in Elora with his spouse and their high-maintenance dog. He has adult children who live in Peterborough and Banff.
Kyle Pugh
Ontario Regional Councils Archivist for Antler River Watershed, Western Ontario Waterways and Horseshoe Falls Regional Councils
Phone: 289-276-0207
Email: kpugh@united-church.ca
Kyle provides records management and archives support to the Regional Councils, and is the go-to for Regional Council, Conference, and Presbytery records. Contact Kyle if you have questions about maintaining your records, would like to transfer records to the archives, or need archival support.
Serves in: Antler River Watershed, Western Ontario Waterways, and Horseshoe Falls Regional Councils
Location: Works out of the United Church of Canada Archives in Toronto
Role: Kyle encourages and supports the Regional Councils and communities of faith to secure and build upon their legacy via the archives.
Contact Kyle about: Records Management, Archives, Digital Records
YunJung Kim
Vocation Minister for Ministry Pathways
Email: TBA
Phone: TBA
Serves in: Office of Vocation, deployed to Shining Waters, Canadian Shield, Antler River Watershed, Horsehoe Falls and Western Ontario Waterways Regional Councils.
Location: Teleworks from home
Role: Responsible for the support the candidacy pathway work for Shining Waters, Canadian Shield, Antler River Watershed, Horseshoe Falls and Western Ontario Waterways Regional Councils.
Erin McIntyre
Vocation Minister for Accountability and Standards
Email: TBA
Phone: TBA
Serves in: Office of Vocation, deployed to Shining Waters, Canadian Shield, Antler River Watershed, Horsehoe Falls and Western Ontario Waterways Regional Councils.
Location: Teleworks from home
Role: Responsible for the support of remedial and standards for ministry personnel work for five Regional Councils.
