OCTOBER 30, 2019
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Meet new Voice of Vegreville United Church, Rev. Pamela Milton Rosanne Fortier helping her decide to pursue ministry. So, she started News Correspondent her schooling in 1998 to be a minister. She started in There will be a new and interesting touch at children’s ministry which she enjoyed tremendously Vegreville United Church as the congregation now and then she worked as a youth minister. has a new Minister, Rev. Pamela Milton. Rev. Milton really enjoys being a minister but she Rev. Milton was born in Calgary where she resided said in female ministry, men make more money until she was 47. She then and get the jobs faster. Some men still do not feel a settled in Irrcana which is woman should be ministers northeast of Calgary until and they do not consider 2005 and later, she went to women equal to them. “I am Wainwright and her and her a Diaconal Minister so my husband are still living in training was very different Wainwright and are in the from an ordained minister process of buying a house in who maybe has more knowlVegreville. Rev. Milton and edge in theology and coursher husband have two es in Hebrew and Greek but grown-up children who still it is easy enough to look this live in Calgary. up on-line. My training conShe said Vegreville is a centrated on facilitation, really nice town and everygroup work, getting along one is so nice and friendly; with people, giving workthey welcomed her with shops, doing worship open arms. and looking after pasRev. Milton has been a toral care. From 2005minister now for 19 years. 2007, I wrote a thesis She had a calling to become called, Facilitating a minister in 1998 when she Dramatic Worship for started to look back at all the Young People. I care things she had been doing. for all people! ” She was working for a New Minister, Rev. Pamela Milton has a vision The changes she Housing Co-op as a coordiof including all people and all ages of people at noticed in United nator. Before that, she was a Vegreville United Church. (Rosanne Fortier/photo) Church are they have secretary/bookkeeper. While taken away presbyteries at the Housing Co-op at her which are smaller areas and instead the churchchurch, she was still teaching Sunday school after her es are working with regions. This has made it kids were gone from it, and she played the piano and harder because rural people have to drive more did peace services. There was a woman who came in and congregations are struggling more as fewer who helped them get a focus on their Sunday school and fewer people are attending church. “I and Rev. Milton looked at her and she thought, you believe this is because the United Church has know I could do that and she asked her minister if she policies of no discrimination of gays, lesbians, could be a minister, and he said he was wondering indigenous people, and other people, and they when she would ask. He was really instrumental in
WEDDING CRASHERS - CONTINUED from PAGE 7 Vegreville Social Centre. Michelle Henderson was the emcee. This elegant event started off with cocktails and music played by DJ Michael Simpson. The principal of St. Martin’s School, Joe Kucy said the prayer before the meal which was catered by Baba’s Best Cooking Company. There was also a silent auction and a live auction
with Dale Menzak as the auctioneer. Some of the auction items included a chair which the students painted on and some well done and original artwork created by the students. Chair of the organizing committee, Barbara Strydom, said this event was a fundraiser for St. Martin’s School where proceeds will go towards a new school bus for the school.
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use inclusive language. Yet in some rural areas they don’t begin to think the world has changed. There are the conservatives, conservatives, we don’t need more conservatives. We need people who are going to challenge the way the world and be different. Jesus was different.” Most of all, Rev. Milton hopes to bring a sense of joy, a sense of calm, and see who they can partner with to make this church vital, and how can they move to make that happen. The church needs more people to step up and get involved in children’s ministry and she hopes to get a grant to help with these programs. “I mainly hope to give the church longevity because people need this kind of church! If you really follow the United Church’s doctrines and policies, you would see we follow the ways of Jesus; we are social justice-minded people, we have a Mission and Service Fund, and we believe all people of all ages should be included.” In Rev. Milton’s free time, you will find her playing the piano and being involved in the sport of paddleboarding.
