Staff and Board

Lay Leaders’ Contact Information


Pastoral Care:

Minister
Rev. Bruce Sanguin

Bruce was called to Canadian Memorial in July, 1996, after serving two congregations in Ontario, Canada. We are part of an expanding movement of open-minded churches that celebrate, (not just tolerate), that there are many paths to the Holy: different religions, traditions, and non-believers all representing different and valid windows on reality. What this means in practice is that we work together with a wide variety of spiritual and secular groups to help make the world a better place. On personal level, Bruce plays guitar, practices hot yoga, plays golf whenever possible, and when his rotator cuff is fully healed he’ll be back on the tennis courts. He is an avid film buff and obsessed by Integral Philosophy and Spirituality. He is married to Ann Evans. His daughter, Sarah Carter, is a musician and actor living in Los Angeles. Contact Rev. Bruce Sanguin by phone at (604) 731-3101 extension 2 contact Bruce by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it www.brucesanguin.com Books by Bruce Sanguin

Minister of Music
Neil Weisensel

Neil has been Minister of Music at Canadian Memorial United Church since 2000, where he directs the 30-voice Chancel choir, directs the Worship Band and the Peace-in-the-City Band, arranges and composes music for special events, and plans the music portion of each Sunday service with Minister Bruce Sanguin.

As a conductor, Neil has worked with Vancouver Opera, Manitoba Opera, Tapestry Music Theatre in Toronto, Vancouver New Music, the Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra, and the two chamber groups at Canadian Memorial that he founded: the Peace Centre Brass and the Peace Centre Chamber Orchestra.

As a composer, Neil has written five operas, as well as works for orchestra, songs, a musical, chamber and choral music, and music for big band. Recent highlights include composing a work for performance by the Victoria Symphony, opening for Academy Award and Nobel Prize winner Al Gore, and composing and performing an original song for former U.S. President Bill Clinton and the Clinton Foundation with his wife, the singer Rachel Landrecht. Neil has written and arranged big band music for Michael Bublé and has received grants, fellowships, and commissions from The National Endowment for the Arts (U.S.), the Canada Council, the Manitoba and BC Arts Councils, OPERA America, the Vancouver Opera Guild, and the Banff Centre. He holds degrees in composition and piano performance from the University of Manitoba and the University of British Columbia, and has also studied orchestral conducting at the Conservatoire Nationale de Musique in Toulon, France.

In addition to his art music, Neil has composed, orchestrated and produced a wide variety of original music for feature film and documentaries, with networks such as the CBC, Bravo!, TSN, WTN, and CTV Sportsnet. Internationally, he has produced music for large-scale multi-media installations, such as the German pavilion at Expo 2000 in Hanover, Germany. Neil and Rachel have one daughter, Miracle, born in 2006, who is the love of their life.

Contact Neil Weisensel
by phone at (604) 731-6819
contact Neil by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
http://www.neilmusic.com

Minister of Pastoral Care
Susan DuMoulin

Susan’s sense of call has led her to serve half-time as Minister of Pastoral Care for Canadian Memorial United Church for the last thirteen and a half years. In this role she coordinates our Ministry for Seniors and facilitates our Living Your Spiritual Gifts process . She facilitates our Centerpoint Spiritual Pilgrimage.

She brings experience from previous work in the fields of education, social work and grief recovery. She also has a private practice in counselling and spiritual guidance. Susan received her Master of Arts in Theological Studies degree in May 2006.

Her passions include walking in and communing with nature, puttering in her balcony gardens, spending time with family and friends, witnessing her daughter Shauna’s and son-in-law, Josh's lives unfold, spending one day a week with her young God-daughter Miracle, and sharing her home with her beautiful cat, Avalon.

Contact Susan DuMoulin
by phone at (604) 731-3101 extension 3
contact Susan by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Office Administrator
Peter Turton

Canadian Memorial's Office Administrator greets people and answers the phone in the church's office in the Centre for Peace. The Administrator handles all bookings for the church and centre. Lots of other items such as bulletins, announcements and newsletters are managed by the office staff and volunteers. If you are uncertain where to go or who to ask, Peter is a good place to start.

Peter is a Certified General Accountant (C.G.A.) whose travels through his career have included Controller, V.P. Finance and Management Consulting roles. He has three children, one son and two girls, one with permanent special needs and one with hopefully resolvable special needs.

Peter is interested in the spiritual journey through life and enjoys writing and public speaking with his latest talks being on Finding Meaning in Life, Service and The Mastery of Fear and Other Difficult Emotions.

Contact Peter Turton
by phone at (604) 731-3101 extension 4
contact Peter by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Custodian
Luis Otero

Luis is a man of many talents, and keeps the Church and Centre in spotless shape and good repair. Luis is also in charge of setting up (and take down) of facilities to meet the various user needs.

Contact Luis Otero
by phone at (604) 731-3101

Minister for Children, Youth, & Families
Sophia Ducey

Sophia Ducey is an accomplished speaker and teacher of the principles of various world traditions. She has shared her gifts with children and adults throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Russia and Ukraine. She has served as the co-director of International Youth & Family Ministries, designing curriculum, coordinating children and youth programs, and supporting churches world-wide in creating and expanding their children, youth and family programs.

Sophia loves to "play" with children to build self-esteem through the awareness of their own spiritual connection, and support families of all kinds to build the spiritual foundation for creating healthy family. She is committed to guiding youth toward spiritual maturity and empowering them to pursue their own personal ministry within the church, the greater community and in the World.

Contact Sophia by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or phone 778-316-4780, and check out the new updates about the exciting plans for our children, youth and family!

Wedding Director
Marion Allaart

Marion is the person to call to arrange a wedding date or to work out answers to questions you might have about wedding planning. As she works largely from home it is best to send Marion an email or leave a message at her home number. She will get back to you promptly. Marion is available to meet with wedding couples every other Tuesday evening for a site tour (by appointment only) at 6 pm and from time to time at other pre-arranged times

Contact Marion
by phone at (604) 731-5052
contact Marion by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Coordinator of Hospitality
Mary Lou Whittaker

Mary Lou helps people find volunteer opportunities in the church that suit their spirit given gifts. This is a volunteer position for Mary Lou, so her hours will vary.

Contact Mary Lou
by phone(604) 731-3101
contact Mary Lou by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Coordinator of Lay Ministry
Anita Kilberg

Anita maintains a complement of members for core Ministry Teams.
(Finance, Property, Personnel and Spiritual Pathways.) She promotes through announcements and personal communication a culture of creative emergence.

Anita's duties include recruiting potential Board members with the nominations Team, supporting and recognizing the contributions of Lay Ministers, managing minor property upgrades and decor, and communicating at staff meetings the accomplishments, needs and changes of the lay ministry.

Anita also coordinates the In From The Cold Program.

Contact Anita
by phone(604) 731-2399.
contact Anita by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Board at Canadian Memorial Church

The Board meets monthly in their role as spiritual elders. The congregation elects nine members to serve a three year term, who along with the ordained Minister, comprise the Board. The terms are staggered, so generally each year three new members join the Board and three retire. The Board elects a chair (currently Ann Golinsky) for a term of three years. Board Governance Policies

The Board has adopted a set of Board governance policies (pdf document) based upon the Carver model. We are greatly assisted by the work done by Gilmore Park United Church, in Richmond, BC. The plan was approved by the congregation at their AGM in June 2006. Paper copies of the policies can be viewed or obtained at the office in the Centre for Peace.A New Balance for Mission

The Board is supporting our Minister's process of consulting with the congregation regarding the balance between our funding of the M&S Fund and direct mission projects. The January 2007 Mission Newsletter sets out the issues and our process. The Board welcomes verbal and written feedback from the congregation.

Members of the Board are listed below: