Join us each Sunday morning for worship at 10:00 A.M. with our rotating worship team of  Rev. Peter Hoyle, Glenn MacPherson and Anita Walker.  Following is a brief profile of our worship team:

Anita Walker:

Anita Walker is a Student Supply Minister with the United Church of Canada and is thrilled to have served as a member of the Palermo United worship team since 2010.  As a candidate for Ordination Anita is currently studying at Emmanuel College at the University of Toronto.  Anita plans to complete her Masters of Divinity in May of 2013 followed by a one year internship and Ordination.  Anita's training is supported by her home church family at Appleby United Church in Burlington.

Anita was born and raised in Burlington, Ontario and continues to make it her home with her husband Michael and children Gregory and Katelyn.  When Anita thinks of her call to ministry she is keenly aware that God is calling her to preach the Gospel.  To share the Good News and faith, hope and promise.  She feels strongly that the church be centered on preaching, teaching, sharing, breaking bread and prayer.  Anita feels blessed to be included in the work that God is doing at Palermo and cherishes their unending support, love and hospitality.

Rev. Peter Hoyle:

Rev. Peter Hoyle B.A., MDiv. is a retired minister within Halton Presbytery, was ordained in 1971 after studying at Western and Emmanuel College.  Peter served pastoral charges in Saskatchewan - Ndola in Zambia - Hamilton, Burlington and Bluefields in Nicaragua before becoming the Mission Development Officer for Halton Presbytery in 2008.  Peter is involved in congregation regeneration and new church development and is very hopeful for the future ministry of the United Church of Canada.  Peter is married to Cathyann and has 4 children and 2 grandchildren.  He spends his spare time gardening, canoeing and reading mysteries.  

Glenn MacPherson

Glenn was born and raised in Renfrew, Ontario.  He grew in faith with the St. Andrew's United Church community.  Glenn and his wife Judith were married there by the late Rev. Howard Dickenson, who had a positive impact on them in their teenage years.  As a young family in Roxboro, Quebec, they led a church youth group called the "7-Ups."

Their family grew as they moved from Canada to the United Kingdom to the United States and then back to Canada.  They have three adult children and two grandchildren.  Through all this, their spiritual journey continued through church involvement and Glenn's  participation within the church and with non-denominational men's bible study groups. Glenn felt called to go back to school as a mature student at Wycliffe College at the University of Toronto and after six years of study, graduated in 2006 with a Diploma in Lay Ministry.

Judith and Glenn have been members of Glen Abbey United Church since 1991, and it was there that Rev. Bill Brown and the Worship Committee invited Glenn to lead a service of worship for the first time.  It was not easy, but with support of Bill and others, this first service offered a clear glimpse of where God was calling Glenn.  Since then, Glenn has lead many services of worship in a diversity of settings and contexts.  Over the last five years, the Rev. Dr. Jeff Crittenden, the current minister of Glen Abbey United, has both encouraged him to continue to explore his calling to worship leadership and ministry and has, with the worship committee, provided many opportunities to do so.  As confirmed by others, Glenn sees that he is growing more comfortable in the role as he learns new skills, continue to study our traditions and, above all, deepen his personal spiritual life.

Since 2008, Glen Abbey United Church in partnership with Palermo United Church (Oakville) has entrusted Glenn with providing worship leadership once a month with Palermo.  "It is with a great deal of enthusiasm and humility that I approach my opportunities at Palermo.  My wife and I both get a great sense of acceptance and support from the Palermo congregation.  All of these experiences continue to point me in the direction of a powerful sense of call to ministry in the United Church of Canada.  It is with this sense of call that I offer myself to proclaim the good news about God's love and invitation".

Judith and Glenn are grateful for God's incredible Grace and the interesting life experiences that have brought them to this point.  Thanks be to God.