Greetings and New Year’s blessings – 2026!
It is with great joy that I write to introduce myself to you.
First, I want to thank your search committee for inviting me to be your temporary supply minister for the next three months. In conversation with them, I learned what a fine United Church you are and how much you do for your community. I look forward to being in ministry with all of you.
I am a retired minister who is interested in helping congregations to be all they are meant to be. Since my retirement from twenty years in chaplaincy, I have served six pastoral charges across Canada. I served coast to coast to coast. My expectation is always to be with a church for a little while as a supply minister to help them in between pastoral relations, or for sabbaticals, parental leave, and restoration times. But, during the pandemic, I was up in Yellowknife, NWT and of course could not leave. I ended up staying three wonderful years, learning about Canada’s North and serving both the United and Lutheran Churches. Through the pandemic, I learned how resilient Northern people are.
In the past year I served another St Andrew’s Pastoral Charge in Greater Sudbury, Ontario as their Transition/Interim Minister. They have become a Sustaining Church with a new governance model called the Council of the Whole. I helped them see how significant their ministry is and that they do contribute greatly to the needs in downtown Greater Sudbury.
We are all aware of how fragile our society is at this time. There are many social issues ongoing. Not only are we experiencing homelessness, opioid addictions, but also many suffering with mental health, poverty, working poor, and food insecurity. Our youth struggle with knowing who they are and where they belong. This is where the church comes in. We are called to be the Church; to help others to live up to their full potential, to assure them they are valued and loved is our mission, and to never lose hope. I don’t think we can do this without our faith. We come together to worship, share community time and to not be afraid to name what is happening in our society and make honest decisions of what we can do to help alleviate this suffering. We need the church family to sustain us. The church is not only a place to reach out to others, but to be a community filled with joy at knowing the life and work of Jesus Christ.
Loving your church ought not be burdensome. Working for the good of society is a privilege.
So, I am coming to be with you for a while. I hope to meet all of you at worship and also in your homes when we share in a pastoral visit. I am looking forward to this time together to worship together and do the work of the church with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. How I got to this point with you will all be explained in my first sermon – so stay tuned, and show up for the great story of “Mrs. Hope”.
Peace and God’s blessings, Linda Rev Dr Linda Marcotte, supply minister – she/her revlinda114@gmail.com / 450 522 3005
I live, work, play and pray on the traditional land of the First Nations, Metis and Inuit Peoples. I honour all treaties of peace and friendship. We are all treaty people.
St. Andrews By-The-Lake United Church.
1 Redden Street, Kingston, K7M 4G7
Office number- (613) 389- 8082
Office Hours- Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:30am- 1:30pm.