I am a lifelong member of the United Church of Canada.  Born and raised in Charlottetown, PEI, I was from a young age connected to my home congregation of Spring Park United Church.  Whether it was Sunday School, the Scouting program, youth groups, the church was the center of many activities growing up. The Senior High/Young Adult youth group discussions that helped me to see and see the many challenges that exist in the world – we covered a lot – but that was balanced with the value of community and play,  It was this group and an experience at Maritime Conference Youth Forum from which the seed of formal ministry began to grow.

Ministry was not on my “Bingo Card” growing up.  Though I had these church experiences, my academic skills were geared towards math and science, and my first degree was from UPEI with a major in Mathematics and minor in Physics.  After a couple of false starts I went to Mount Allison University in New Brunswick and completed a Bachelor of Education Degree and eventually spent a year teaching in North Carolina.  

I didn’t know it at the time, but the work done during the B. Ed degree and the year spent in North Carolina nurtured my discernment into ministry in the United Church of Canada.  The Spirit had been nudging for years and coming back to the Maritimes I attended the Atlantic School of Theology in Halifax, completed a Master of Divinity Degree and was Ordained at Maritime Conference in 2003.

During my 20+ years of ministry, I have served three multi-point pastoral charges in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and two “Shared Minister” relationships one in New Brunswick and most recently with the Watford and Wyoming United Churches here in Ontario.  Though there are financial challenges that come with being smaller churches, there is often a strong sense of community – being together and supporting one another – on our life and faith journeys. It is in these communities where my skill set as teacher, listener and pastor seem to fit. 

On the more personal note I am married to Amanda… we met at the Atlantic School of Theology, and she is an Anglican Priest serving part time at the Parish of St Aiden’s in London and part time as an Archdeacon to the Anglican Churches in London and west to Sarnia.  We have no children and appreciate those nights when our schedules allow us to veg together!  In my free time I follow many sports (my wife would say too many), curl, read and finding time and places to recharge my spirit.

I am looking forward to being in ministry with folks in Melville in the shared relationship that you have with Ilderton United.  May we continue to grow in faith as we seek to live into the message that the Kingdom of God has come near… that the Kingdom of God is all around us, a gift for all of God’s creation.

Reverend Steve Longmoore