Rev. John G. Smith

Rev John Gregory Smith:
Hello everyone!
I am excited to begin a new chapter in my life and in the life of Grace United Church starting in mid October.   Thank you for placing your trust and confidence in me!    Here are some things you might like to know:

I grew up in St. Thomas On, home of Jumbo the Elephant, on the edge of town.  Our backyard emptied into a cornfield, and I spent many hours immersed in nature, climbing trees, collecting bugs and rocks and fall leaves.  Science became a passion of mine at a very young age and this has translated into a passion for the care of creation, especially as Earth Community now faces climate catastrophes on a regular basis.  God is creator, and still creates in every moment,  but the responsibility for the care of creation rests with us.

I trained as a musician in university and thought I would follow a career in music, but alas, that was not to be!  While at school, I heard and felt a call to go into ministry, to serve God,  and while I did not know where it might lead, it seems like it turned out to be a good decision, because I am now in my 40th year of ministry and service.  I obviously get something out of it myself - I love people and serving their needs as best I can;  in return, my life is so much richer.

My wife Joan is also a clergy person in the United Church and back in the day, when we were ordained, it was the national church that decided where your ministry would begin.  For us, that was northern New Brunswick, a formative time for sure.  A few years later we migrated back to Ontario and eventually settled in Don Mills ON where I took a call to Parkwoods United Church, and Joan followed her own heart into the work of hospital chaplaincy.  Later I worked for the Toronto Conference region of the church as personnel minister for 8 years, followed by an interim pastorate in Aurora, then 8 delightful years in team ministry at Leaside United in mid-Toronto.

I have two grown children, both married and three grandchildren in total.  My kids were raised in the city as we lived and worked there for 26 years.  In 2015 I got the chance to take the church at Sauble Beach where I ministered until 2019.   

Life has strange ways of forcing our hands sometimes.  In 2019 I had a heart "event", and found myself having surgery.  My cardiologist at the time strongly urged me to quit working altogether, so I retired.  However 6 months into retirement I realized, the retirement lifestyle was less healthy and life-giving for me, and my doctor said I could return to work on a part time basis,  which I have been doing now for the last 4 years,  most recently in Port Elgin.

I took a doctorate in preaching because I love leading worship, and I find still today that the Bible is a rich treasure of hidden secrets.  I am progressive and liberal in my approach; I often describe my faith as modern and mature!  I believe that the church has to remain open to new ideas and new challenges else we will wither away.  So, a lot of my preaching and ministry focus is on creating new ways to see our faith, and finding ways to keep our church relevant to the culture in which we find ourselves.  It is tricky sometimes!  But it's what keeps me going.

I have a strong belief that the church is going to enter a new phase because I don't think the Spirit of God has ever stopped being active, and won't stop, really, ever.  It means if we are open to the Spirit's nudgings, we should be able to find a way to a future that is broad and deep.  There will be growing pains along the way.

In short, I am committed to a liberal expression of Christianity.  I love music and love to teach new music, I am more open-hearted than I am open-minded (I hope), and I am happy to share my passions with you for a sojourn together in ministry.  My delights include jazz, travel, walking, paddle-boarding, the Blue Jays, grandkids, and outdoor projects, not necessarily in that order!  

See you in church!

Rev John G Smith