Rev. Joanne Anquist
Worship and Congregational Leadership Minister
Joanne had wanted to become a minister since she was kid, but was raised in a denomination that didn’t ordain women. She found the United Church in her 20s, but it wasn’t until three children and several careers later that at age 50 she went back to school to complete her MDiv. After practicing law and working at several United Churches in Calgary, half in half out, she could no longer ignore the prompting of the Spirit to commit to ministry. She attended Seminary in Halifax, interned in Oyen and was called as Lead Minister at McDougall in July 2016. Her Sunday services are a balancing act. Joanne believes the Divine is encountered when people are truly human -- when they’re honest with themselves and who they are. Sunday Reflections are based in the biblical story, which includes the good and bad of humanity, and she’s not afraid to talk about it! Even so, she insists they can be unsettling and sometimes even wrong, but the ancient writings give insight to our everyday lives. Joanne says “the Church is flawed in so many ways, and we’ve made lots of mistakes – but at its best, it is a place of sacred community, social justice and spiritual renewal. That’s what keeps me going!”
