On Thursday evening, Minister Patti Rodgers was officially welcomed as the new minister of Bond Head United Church in a Convenanting service, celebrating her new relationship between the church and Presbytery.
Rodgers started in her new role this past July and began with outdoor sermons throughout the summer. In September she welcomed parishioners to worship inside as pandemic restrictions lifted.
Prior to joining the Bond Head United Church, she was the minister for nine years at Tottenham Rich Hill and was considering retiring. Then COVID hit, and "my plan kind of went out the window," she said.
Rodgers grew up in Mount Albert and lived in Innisfil for 30 years with her husband. The couple had plans to retire and move up north, where they owned property.
But when her husband passed away unexpectedly, it put her retirement plans on hold indefinitely. She took it as a sign that there was something else she was meant to be doing.
When she saw the call for a new minister in Bond Head earlier this year, she thought it would be a good fit.
Rodgers is passionate about the work she does, in particular with Indigenous People, mental health, and providing palliative care and grief support. She spearheaded a mental health and wellness program for people on waitlists for public support and even ran a few programs to support people with mental health issues.
With the rising prices of homes in the region and across the province, Rodgers is committed to helping find solutions to finding affordable housing, and is a member of the Simcoe County Alliance to End Homelessness and the Affordable Housing Task Force.
"The cost of housing has skyrocketed and we are working with local governments on making more affordable housing in our area," she said.
Prior to becoming a minister, she worked as a law clerk for 25 years working with families in deep crisis, which led her to work in the legal department for the United Church. From there, she applied as a student to get her certificate in ministry and then became the student minister at Rich Hill.
She received her ministry training at Emmanuel College, University of Toronto, and the United Church Training Centre at Calling Lakes in Fort Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan.
Other notable experiences of hers include working at the General Council Office in the Office of the Moderator and General Secretary, Aboriginal Ministries, and at Toronto Conference deployed to Living Waters Presbytery.
Of all her accomplishments though, she says being a mom is her proudest one.
"I have amazing kids and grandkids," she said.
She is excited about her new role at the Bond Head United Church.
"They're (the parishioners) a wonderful, warm, caring and loving community, I am really fortunate to be there," she said. "It's going to be a journey for us at Bond Head to figure out where the mission is because COVID has changed everything."
Rodgers is also a writer and musician.
She used to play piano and guitar but due to arthritis now creates music electronically.
"You don't have to use your fingers so much, just your brain," she said.
She writes music as well, and all her children and grandchildren play instruments.
"When we get together at my house it's loud! We're like the partridge family," she said.
Rodgers likes to keep her approach to church light, welcoming and comfortable.
"I try to speak to a generation of people who didn't grow up with church and teaching them that the stores we use in references to our faith, they are stories to guide us," she said.
Rodgers currently lives in Alliston, with her three children and three grandchildren all living close by in the region.
To learn more about Rodgers and the Bond Head United Church, visit their website here.
Bond Head United Church is now hosting in-person sermons every Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
