Rev. Joe Ponic is our new interim rector while we search for a permanent pastor. he brings a depth of experience as a priest having been in ministry for over thirty years. As well, he has taught an almost equal number of years in Canada and the U.S. with experience in both Egypt and Italy. He seems to genuinely enjoy working with us to make St. James' community an even better place to be.
Cynthia Dyck, the actress and dog-lover, is in charge of all the facilities here at St. James' and the Refinery and also runs Centre Stage and Live Five. You will see her in the Box Office, organizing the class schedule and rentals, editing the newsletter and other promotional materials, decorating the bulletin boards and ordering supplies. Her vision and energy is driven by a love of good artist-run cooperative theatre and quality live performances. Her husband, Jim Arthur, is the lighting and sound technician for the Refinery and St. James and also freelances at all the major venues in Saskatoon.
Murray Ashton is in charge of maintenance and really keeps the place humming! He retired from the City of Saskatoon after 25 years in Environmental Services. Murray was on the executive of the Solid Waste Assoc. of N. America, Prairie Chapter, for 15 years and was presented with a Professional Achievement Award in 2002 at the International SWANA convention in Long Beach, California. A long time member of the St. James family, Murray enjoys welcoming people to the Church and The Refinery and is pictured here with Susan his wife, music librarian for the choir.
Our Music Director is Mark Turner, a talented pianist now training to play the organ. In 2005, Mark completed an Associate from the Royal Conservatory of Toronto and in 2006 won the award for the highest mark in North America on his Licentiate exam from London College of Music, England. Mark has performed extensively across western Canada as a pianist and collaborative artist – working with choirs, instrumentalists, and singers, and has been featured on numerous recordings. Here at St James, Mark leads and assists with the Refiner’s Choir, plays the organ/piano, sings tenor, and shares his humour.
Our honorary clergy assistant is The Rev. Canon Glenn Ash. Glenn has a long history with St. James, serving as rector from 1969 to 1981. Since retirement, he and his wife Adelaide have remained at St. James as active parishioners. Glenn has a passion for Global Justice issues and is a mover and a shaker with the PWRDF.
The newest member of the team is Sheila Ann Whiteway. She is responsible for program development aimed at meeting the needs of shut-in parishioners and newcomers. She will also prepare the weekly church bulletin and the monthly parishioner newsletter, so contact her if you would like something included in either one. This is a second career for Sheila Ann. Prior to joining the St. James' team, she worked for 29 years as a librarian, mostly with the Saskatoon Public Library.