SSSC Welcomes New Staff

We are delighted to welcome Deanna Zantingh as our new Keeper of the Learning Circle and Rob Smith as our new Keeper of the Centre. Deanna and Rob join our Keeper of the Circle Adrian Jacobs, our Administrative Assistant Gail Larson, our Bookkeeper Sandy MacGean and our Business Assistant Erica Young.

As Keeper of the Learning Circle, Deanna Zantingh will be providing leadership in our Ministry Training Program. In her own words, Deanna brings “my passion for reconciliation as the work of the church and my love for teaching within a relational approach to education that combines and respects Indigenous tradition.” She is completing her Masters of Theological Studies at Canadian Mennonite University with a thesis examining land and identity, as a means of highlighting the prophetic voices of Indigenous people for the church today. Deanna shares some of her story in this presentation at the Mennonite Church Canada Native Assembly in 2014:

As Keeper of the Centre, Rob Smith will be involved in funding development, financial management, overseeing our facilities and retreat centre hospitality. A longtime friend of the Centre, Rob brings 32 years of varied business experience to this role as well as extensive experience in the United Church in his local congregation and presbytery. He has been part of two recent Learning Circles at SSSC. Rob shared his experience studying “Western Systematic Theology and Indigenous Theologies” with us in January: