Joyce Ross
Rev. Dr. Joyce Ross was ordained in 2014 at the age of 75. She describes her lifetime experience in prison ministry and early childhood education, vital community work for which she was awarded the Order of Canada in 2002.
Project Team
At Called to Serve, we preserve, share, and analyze the stories of women ordained to ministry by Baptist churches in Atlantic Canada between 1950 and 2020.
Patty Beals
Patty Beals was ordained in 2012. For ten years, she pastored the rural Lawrencetown Baptist Church, a church that had plateaued but under her leadership started new community ministries.
Diane Juckes
Diane Juckes was ordained in 2003. She has pastored at Lower Derby Baptist Church, and served as a chaplain in both hospital and correctional institutions. Diane shares stories of prison ministry in a maximum security setting, and the challenges and…
Nancy Murphy
Nancy Murphy was ordained in 2005 and has served as children’s pastor at Brunswick Street Baptist Church and Oromocto Baptist Church. She describes her journey as a single foster parent and how her current work in civil service is as…
Deb Stevens
Deb Stevens was ordained in 2010 at Windsor Baptist Church. She talks about receiving her call into ministry during a tumultuous time navigating a divorce. Since then, she has served as a pastor, a chaplain, and a social worker, and…
Marlene Pitman-Knowles
Marlene Pitman-Knowles was ordained in 1998 and has served at several Maritime churches, including Bayers Road Baptist Church, Windsor Baptist Church, and Southend Baptist Church. She talks about her reluctance to embrace ordained ministry, and the things she enjoyed most…
Project Violet International Symposium
Dr. Melody Maxwell shares a paper she presented in January 2025 at the Project Violet International Symposium. Project Violet is a UK initiative with a similar focus to ours. It has helped understand more fully the theological, missional, and structural…
Sarah Trenholm
Sarah Trenholm was ordained in 2018. She has pastored at Midland Baptist and now served alongside her husband at Debert Baptist Church. Sarah talks about the pros and cons of serving as a clergy couple and gives her advice to…
Kim Butler
Kim Butler was ordained in 2023. She has served for many years at Atlantic Community Church but has recently accepted a call to serve as Senior Pastor at Salisbury Baptist Church. Kim talks about wrestling with her call to pastoral…
Marion Jamer
Marion Jamer was ordained in 2011 and has served as both a pastor and as a community chaplain working alongside first responders. She talks about working with the fire department and RCMP and how she sees her ministry as that…
Hannah Bartlett
Hannah Bartlett was ordained in 2020 and serves as the Next Gen pastor at Cornerstone Baptist on Prince Edward Island. She talks about her approach to leading a very large youth and children’s ministry and describes the impact that other…
June Keddy
Rev. June Keddy passed away in February of 2024. In this interview, June spoke about her childhood experiences with church and with faith, and her call into ministry as an adult. She served both as a pastor and as a…
Barbara Putnam
Barbara Putnam was ordained in 1996 and soon after began a career in military chaplaincy. In 2016 she became the first woman to attain the rank of Colonel in the Royal Canadian Chaplain Service. In 2022 she was awarded an…
Sherrolyn Riley
Sherrolyn Riley was ordained in 2003 and has pastored at Victoria Road and Mahone Bay United Baptist Churches. She talks about entering seminary after retirement and persevering in ministry in spite of challenging environments.
Jennifer Sutton
Jennifer Sutton was ordained in 2016 and has pastored congregations including at Forest Hills and Aenon Baptist Churches. She talks about the challenges she’s faced serving as a divorced single parent, as well as the unique ministry opportunities she’s had…
Angela Wade
Angela Wade was ordained in 2017 and now serves as lead pastor at Union Street Atlantic Baptist Church. She talks about her experience at the ordination examining council, as well as how she’s learned the importance of balance for not…
Louise Hannem
Louise Hannem was ordained in 2012. She served in pastoral ministry at several churches before moving into full-time roles with Canadian Baptist Ministries. Louise talks about her experience taking maternity leave as a pastor, and the challenges of balancing ministry…
Carol Dimock
Carol Dimock was ordained in 2008. She shares her experience serving in prison ministry and talks about the transformation she saw in the lives of many men.
Linda Perrin
Linda Perrin was ordained in her sixties, after a long career as a school principal. She talks about resisting her call to ministry, and how she has leaned on God through sickness and finding continuing ways she can serve.
Liz Johnson
Liz Johnson was ordained at 60 years old. She served as a chaplain with assisted living and in her community. She talks about the importance of listening in pastoral care and her ministry emphasis on love.
Faithfully Feminist?
Dr. Melody Maxwell shares “Faithfully Feminist?”, a paper she presented in 2024 at conferences in Quebec and North Carolina. This is one of several avenues of research she has been working on using Called to Serve interviews. Listen below to…
Sylvia Hagerman
Sylvia Hagerman was ordained in 2008 and has served in spiritual formation ministries and ministry to women. She talks about the challenge it was for her to navigate feeling called to ministry while being a mother, and how she has…
Sarah Stevens
Sarah Stevens was ordained in 2014 and has pastored at Bethany Memorial and Harmony Baptist Church. Sarah talks about coming to faith at the age of nineteen, the powerful youth ministry she led at Bethany, and the way that the…
Audrey Carter
Audrey Carter was ordained in 2001 alongside her husband Jack. Some of the churches they pastored together were in Digby Neck, Barrington, and Woodville. Audrey talks about the advantages of team ministry and the ways she noticed she was treated…
Margo MacDougall
Margo MacDougall was ordained in 1997. She has worked in several positions, including as a counsellor, a probation officer, and a pastor to several Atlantic Baptist churches. Margo talks about the challenges she experienced serving in ministry as a single…
Rhonda Britton
Rhonda Britton was ordained in 2002 in the United States. After moving to Nova Scotia, she pastored at Second United Baptist Church in New Glasgow, and New Horizons Baptist Church in Halifax. Rhonda describes being called to ministry in her…
The Storied History of Women in Ministry
Hearing the stories of others makes us consider our own lives and what might be possible for us… Dr. Maxwell spoke with Carley Lee for Tidings Magazine, a publication of Atlantic Baptist Women. Read the article below and learn more…
Renée MacVicar
Renée was ordained in 2009. She has pastored at North and South Alton, RiverCross, and Hillside Baptist churches. Many listeners will be familiar with Renée through her role as the Executive Minister for the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. She…
Kayla Colford
Kayla was ordained in 2018 and now serves as a military chaplain. She talks about serving in chaplaincy as a woman and the importance of knowing where her true identity lies.
Janet Kwantes Baker
Janet was ordained in 2014. She has served in several churches including Bridgewater Baptist and Greenfield United Baptist Church. Janet talks about leading an active rural youth ministry and how it’s possible for spouses to pastor in two separate congregations.
Linda DeMone
Linda was ordained in 2017 and now pastors at Uniacke Baptist Church. She describes how leaving an abusive marriage led her into ministry, and how she began a successful youth ministry at a dying church.
Freda MacDonald
Freda was ordained in 1999. She served at several churches, including North and South Alton and Black Rock Baptist Church. She describes both positive and negative experiences serving as a woman in ministry.
Sarah Clapham
Sarah was ordained in 2010. She has served at South End Baptist Church and at St. Luke’s Protestant Chapel, as well as at the QEII hospital in Halifax. She describes the importance of chaplaincy and how she practices listening to…
Carolyn Steeves
Carolyn was ordained in 2014. She is currently the senior pastor at The Crossing Church, Newfoundland. She talks about her experience working with multi-site churches as well as serving on the search team for the new CBAC Executive Minister.
Nancy Draper
Nancy was ordained in 2002. She served at Grace Memorial and First Baptist Dartmouth as a Christian educator. Nancy talks about her experience at the examining council and the changes she’s seen in Christian education over time.
Michele Bland
Michele was ordained in 1992. Since 1996, she has been living in Hong Kong, where she is currently Senior Pastor at Union Church. She describes her call to international ministry and what it’s been like pastoring in Hong Kong as…
Joan Nickerson
Joan was ordained in 1998. She served as a chaplain at Nova Institution for Women for eleven years. She shares about her experience with the joys and challenges of prison ministry.
Jennifer Riley
Jennifer was ordained in 2006. She is now Senior Pastor at Hantsport Baptist Church. She talks about the different expectations faced by female pastors and her impression of Oasis 2023, when Rev. Renée MacVicar was appointed Executive Minister of the…
Heather Donovan
Heather was ordained in 2002 and became a chaplain with the Canadian Armed Forces. She talks about the unique challenges and joys of military chaplaincy and working with cross-denominational teams.
Sandy Sutherland
Sandy was ordained in 2005. She went on to pastor at several churches, including The Crossing Church in St John’s Newfoundland, and First Baptist Moncton. Sandy talks about her journey towards ordination and how she and her husband Gordon navigated…
Sarah Scott
Sarah was ordained in 2005. She went on to pastor at Bridgewater Baptist and serve in chaplaincy. Sarah shares how she approached differing opinions on the subject of women in ministry. She also talks about developing boundaries and how navigating…
Thelma MacDonald
Thelma was ordained in 2006 and went on to pastor at Bethany Memorial Baptist and Truro Immanuel Baptist. She talks about being called to ministry as a mature student, and the passion she has for interim pastoral ministry.
Melody Maxwell
Melody was ordained in 2020 and serves at Acadia Divinity College as Associate Professor of Christian History. She talks about her journey to ordination, which took place over Zoom during the Covid-19 pandemic. She also shares her experience working in…
Robin McCoombs
Robin was ordained in 1999 and went on to pastor at Wilmot and Middleton Baptist churches. She talks about her journey to faith as an adult, her gradual call into ministry, and what it was like returning to pastoral ministry…
Marion Aretha Borden-Davis
Marion was granted a license to preach in 1987 and graduated from Acadia Divinity College in 1992. She went on to work with the Department of Education and later as an educator in Detroit. Marion shares the challenges she faced…
Elizabeth Waugh-Olmstead
Elizabeth was ordained in 1989 at Grace Memorial Baptist Church in Fredericton. She shares her recollection of the 1987 Convention Assembly, when the convention voted on the question of women in ministry. She also discusses what it was like to…
Marilyn McCormick
Marilyn was ordained in 1996 at Grand Bay Baptist Church. She has served in numerous churches and ministries, including children’s, youth, family, and music ministry. Marilyn shares about her experience with depression and how it impacted her work. She also…
Kimberly Beers
Kimberly was ordained in 2001 at Cambridge Baptist Church. She has worked at the Moncton Crisis Pregnancy Center, in child protection services, and is now the Gander site pastor at The Crossing Church, Newfoundland. She talks about serving alongside her…
Jennifer McWilliams
Jennifer was ordained in 2012 at The Journey Church in Moncton. She is now the lead pastor at The East Toronto Meeting House. Jennifer shares some of her experience growing up in the Salvation Army church, her road to ordained…
Carol Smith
Carol was ordained in the Presbyterian Church in 1995. She shares her experience being called to prison ministry and then unexpectedly beginning her journey as a mature student and a single parent. She also describes her experience in Baptist, Presbyterian,…
Marlene Quinn
Marlene was ordained in 2007. She has worked with the Salvation Army, and at churches in Bedford and Parrsboro, Nova Scotia. Marlene shares about her experience serving in the community, including the radio program she began in Parrsboro.
Rachel Kwan
Rachel was ordained in 2020 and is now pastoring at Fundy Seaside Baptist Church in New Brunswick. She shares about her experience with music ministry, the challenges she had finding available internship positions, and what it was like going before…
Ardythe Ashe
Ardythe was ordained in 1988 and went on to pastor numerous Baptist churches in Nova Scotia. She shares about her experience of coming to faith at the age of 37, the challenges of pastoring after the loss of her husband,…
Barbara Cochran
Barbara was ordained in 1991 and has been pastoring at West Brooklyn Baptist Church for around thirty years. Barbara describes the difficulties she faced at the beginning of her journey into ministry, her experience pastoring through the Covid-19 pandemic, and…
Anna Robbins
Anna Robbins was ordained in 1995. She was involved with local church ministry, served as faculty at the London School of Theology, and is now President of Acadia Divinity College and Dean of Theology at Acadia University. Anna describes her…
Carol Anne Janzen
Carol Anne was ordained in 1997 and has served at several churches, including First Baptist Dartmouth. She shares about her journey towards ordination, the influence of her Mennonite Brethren heritage, and her experience with doctoral studies and being part of…
Kristen Price
Kristen was ordained in 2016 and has served as youth and children’s pastors in several Atlantic Baptist churches. She shares about her experience navigating shared pastoral positions with her husband, her heart for youth and children’s ministry, and what it…
Called to Serve in Tidings
Tidings magazine, published by Atlantic Baptist Women, featured Called to Serve in its June 2023 issue. We are grateful to editor Cindy MacDonald for spreading the news about our project!
Elizabeth Legassie
Elizabeth was ordained in 1976 and went on to pastor, counsel, and teach. She shares about her years of ministry experience in both Atlantic Canada and abroad, serving in Kenya with Canadian Baptist Ministries.
Lola Mather-Dyer
Lola was ordained in 1991 and went on to serve as a pastor and chaplain in Atlantic Canada and Ontario. She shares about her call to rural church ministry, the importance of serving through listening and presence, and her impressions…
Pioneering Pastors
In 2019 and 2020, Dr. Melody Maxwell and research assistant Samantha Diotte interviewed eight of the first women ordained by Atlantic Baptist churches. This was the first phase of the project that became Called to Serve. It was fascinating to…
Judith Tod
Judith was ordained in 1989 and went on to pastor at Kentville Baptist Church, work with refugee families, and serve as a chaplain in several communities. She describes some of the challenges she faced as a woman entering into ministry,…
Gail Whalen-Dunn
Gail was ordained in 1998. She describes some of the challenges she faced over her years of ministry, like how she balanced expectations around ministry and motherhood, and how she handled doubt when others questioned her call.
Maxine Ashley
Maxine graduated with her MDiv in 1970 and was later ordained in 1989. She has worked at three theological schools, including Acadia Divinity College, and continues to minister as part of a team of four retired pastors. Maxine shares about…
Barbara Fuller
Barbara was ordained in 1995. She shares about the experience of tragically losing her husband Gerry and how she went on to serve in ministry as a single mother. She talks about her ministry in Canada as well as overseas…
Shirley DeMerchant
Shirley was ordained in 1998. She has served at Hosanna Presbyterian Church in South Korea, and has been senior pastor at Stevens Road United Baptist Church in Dartmouth. Shirley talks about her experience working overseas, the importance of team ministry,…
Christine MacDormand
Christine was ordained in 1984. She describes her ministry over forty years, including planting a church in Pugwash, Nova Scotia. She also shares about the financial and social challenges she faced serving as a single woman in ministry and about…
Miriam Uhrstrom
Miriam was ordained in 1985 and went on to serve as a pastor both individually and alongside her husband Karl. She shares their experiences going before the examining council and what it looked like to serve as a clergy couple.…
Kathy Neily
Kathy was ordained in 1986 and went on to serve at Bedford Baptist Church and First Baptist Charlottetown. Kathy shares her story of being called and ordained to ministry, the challenges of balancing her call with parenting, and how she…
Sharon Budd
Sharon was ordained in 1987 and in 2013 she retired from her long-term ministry at Melvern Square United Baptist Church. Sharon emphasizes that for her, serving as pastor has been a very positive experience.
Joyce Hancock
Joyce was ordained in 1987. She served as director of Christian Education at First Baptist Dartmouth as well as a missionary overseas in Indonesia and Brazil. Today she works with NorthWind Family Ministries in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Joyce speaks about…
Sara Palmater
Sara was ordained in 1986. She recalls being present at the 1987 convention assembly when the group voted on whether to continue allowing women to go before the examining council. Sara also shares about the different shapes ministry can take…