Meet Your Staff Members: Rev. Joanne Anquist - Worship and Congregational Leadership Minister

Over the next weeks, we are going to be introducing you to the staff at McDougall. We hope that you enjoy learning more about them!

Meet Rev. Joanne Anquist - Worship and Congregational Leadership Minister

Joanne Marie Anquist

I have served at McDougall United since September 2015 – right after my internship concluded in Oyen, Alberta.  I was first called as a supply minister as the congregation underwent a needs assessment and search.  I am so grateful to this congregation for calling me as their permanent Worship and Congregational Leadership Minister.  Hard to believe it’s been almost 8 years!

My hopes for McDougall, right from the start, have been that we would be known as a community hub and a spiritual home for those who are seeking a place to belong.  I have been impressed by the level of commitment this congregation has to seeking justice through food security, right relations, feed the hungry, sandwich programs and so much more.  I was proud of McDougall for their decision to become an affirming ministry which insists that everyone has a place at the table.  At the same time, innovative worship and ministry invites people who are not part of our Sunday service gathering to experience McDougall as their “church” in other ways.  I trust we can continue to be a community hub and spiritual home as we meet the challenge of changing demographics.

This year I would like to see McDougall in partnership with other United Church congregations so that we can expand our ministry within our budgetary constraints.  The future is consolidation and partnerships and McDougall can play a leading role in these efforts.  It will mean an openness to new ideas and people and alternative models of ministry, but I believe it is our best hope to continue to thrive as a congregation and make an impact on our larger community. 

My “favorite” book is A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving.  What I loved about this book was how random things in Owen Meany’s life – little habits he formed, practices he perfected, choices he made, prepared him for a life-altering moment – almost as if there was a divine plan for his life.  I like to think if we’re open to God, we are ready to meet the challenges that life throws our way. 

My “favorite” movie, at least the one I’ve seen the most times is The Mission.  It’s a story about missions that have been set up in what is now Paraguay and how they were affected by the Treaty of Madrid in 1750.  Two priests, one a man of peace, and the other a former mercenary, disagree on how best to confront Portugal’s army that wants the mission properties disbanded.  It asks the ever present question before people of faith – when confronted with evil and injustice do we fight or do we pray? 

When I need to relax, I love camping with my husband Dave.  We often take our trailer to a campground close to Calgary (so I can be here for Sunday services) and spend a 3 day weekend enjoying the beauty that surrounds us.  We are so blessed to live so close to one of the most beautiful places in the world. 

May we at McDougall lean into the future and trust that God journeys with us always.

To learn more about the staff at McDougall, please visit the Staff Directory.

To learn more about all the amazing volunteers at McDougall, please visit the Volunteer Page.