Northern Spirit Regional Council Staff

Adam provides information and support on Pastoral Relations and employment relations to Communities of Faith in the Regional Council. This includes providing staff support to the Pastoral Relations Commission, and the Regional Council Committees on Communities of Faith Support, Ministry Personnel Support, and Lay Leadership Support, as well as Ministry and Personnel Committees of Pastoral Charges. He is also a source of information on General Council and Regional Council policies, procedures and resources in general.

Chloe lives and works in Treaty 6 territory, Edmonton, Alberta. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Alberta, where she majored in both English and Women’s & Gender Studies. She has experience working in administration, events, education, and the arts. She has been singing, celebrating, and gathering with the United Church for her whole life. Chloe works with many of the communications and contact tools that help hold our Regional Council together, including the weekly newsletter, contact lists, website content, and responding to questions and requests.

As the Archivist, Leanne works with United Church members to collect, organize and preserve in perpetuity the legal documents, faith and service stories of the community. Every day, she receives phone calls and emails from Ministers and Community of Faith members requesting records advice, historic roll and register lookups, property files, et al. A team, made up of the Archivist and four volunteers, diligently works to fulfill these requests and process incoming transfers of permanent records. An onsite conservation lab and access to skilled conservators, provides excellent care even for smoke or pest-damaged records. For questions about what to do with your records and how to best preserve, promote and celebrate the lineage of your community; what is important to you now and in yesteryear, please contact Leanne.
Leanne is a cisgender mother of two, born and raised in Calgary, Alberta. She has lived in Edmonton for twenty-five years and now cheers for the Oilers. She has a Master’s Degree in Archives and Records Management, and many years of experience working with volunteers and nonprofits across the disciplines of libraries, archives and museums. Her Christian faith is the bedrock of all she chooses to be and do.

Shannon McCarthy is the Executive Minister for three Regional Councils: Northern Spirit, Living Skies, and Prairie to Pine. As Executive Minister she is responsible for: supporting the governance decision-making bodies in each regional council by providing leadership, support and counsel (Regional Councils & their Executives); supervision of the staff deployed throughout the three regional councils; and leadership and connection with the General Council and other regional councils.  Shannon also offers policy and polity advice to congregations as well as dealing with property matters within the regional councils.  Shannon enjoys traveling throughout the three regional councils connecting and building relationships with congregations and ministry personnel.
Shannon is a life long member of the United Church, who grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, Robinson/Superior Treaty, and is an ordained minister of 23 years, having spent all of her ministry in western Canada. She is based in Winnipeg, Treaty 1 territory, where she enjoys cheering for the Winnipeg Jets and the Saskatchewan Roughriders.  Shannon is a proud aunt and loves to spend time with her six nieces and nephews.  In her down time you can often find her reading, camping, playing video games, watching TV or getting in some exercise.

Julie’s work in the three regions focuses on communications strategies and tools, especially during this time of major restructuring; support for Networks and Clusters; and support for people and groups in the three Regional Councils whose work focuses on justice, right relationship, and ecological concerns.
Julie fell into communications and social justice work by mistake as a young adult and layperson active in the United Church and has just kept at it, mostly in ecumenical and interfaith settings. She has served BC Conference, Ten Days for Global Justice, KAIROS, and Affirm United/S’affirmer Ensemble. She works from Saskatoon, Treaty Six.

Previously, Heather worked for Saskatchewan Conference for 5 years as the Financial Administrator. Heather has 30+ years experience working in the not-for-profit sector, in a variety of roles, both administrative and front-line. Heather works out of her office in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Charlene supports twenty one Indigenous communities of faith from the Pacific over to eastern Saskatchewan’s treaty territories. She’s responsible for supporting the priorities as named by Indigenous Ministries Council, including: Real Property and Capital Plan; Mission Support Grants; Move toward becoming sustainable and vibrant communities of Faith; Fundraising ideas; Programming; Partnerships; and Staff support on committees.
All of this can be summed up as: Community (Congregational) Development; Training, Education and Leadership Development; Research and Resource Development.
Charlene Burns is Cree from Treaty Six Territory.  An experienced educator and long-time teacher and administrator, Charlene’s experience includes working as a teacher, Cree instructor, college librarian, vice principal and principal. She taught in her home community of Maskwacis, formerly Hobbema, Alberta for many years.
Since 2011, Charlene has been the Community Capacity Development Coordinator (Western Canada) for Indigenous Ministries with the United Church of Canada.  Charlene has served as a board member on Central Alberta Provincial ,  is currently President on the Red Deer Friendship Center Board, and serves on the Red Deer College Board of Governors.  She has also volunteered through Samson United Church throughout her life. Charlene and her husband, Russel, reside in Ponoka and have three grandchildren.

Jordan Cantwell is part of a team of regionally deployed General Council Office staff in the Growth Department. Jordan serves as the Growth Animator for the Prairie Regions. Working collaboratively with Regional staff, Jordan supports communities of faith as they seek to deepen their discipleship, nurture community connections, and grow the impact of their ministry. If your community of faith is looking to clarify your values and vision for the future, seeking to reimagine your ministry to meet the needs of a changing society, or wanting to build meaningful relationships with your neighbours, Jordan can offer practical and spiritual support for your journey.

Vicki is your go-to for all aspects of Community of Faith stewardship, including annual giving programs, year-round stewardship, Mission & Service, planned giving, the United Church Foundation and more. Vicki also brings her experience to the modules of Called to Be the Church: The Journey, the United Church stewardship program. To book a meeting with Vicki click here and choose Book 30 minutes with Vicki Nelson.

Vicki is a life-long United Church member and has served in staff positions at Eastside United Church and Knox-Metropolitan United Church, in Regina; and as the Executive Director of Lumsden Beach Camp in the Qu’Appelle Valley, Saskatchewan. Beyond church organizations, Vicki has several years’ experience working and volunteering with various non-profit organizations.

Laura Fouhse, a diaconal minister, is part of a team of regionally deployed General Council Office staff in the Northern Spirit, Living Skies, and Prairie to Pine Regional Councils. As Vocational Minister, she supports the processes for the discernment, training and accreditation of people who feel called to ministry in the United Church. Laura supports ministers who are seeking to fulfill the continuing education standards, and she also accompanies ministers engaged in the formal processes for oversight and discipline.
Laura has lived her entire life on the prairies. She grew up in Saskatchewan, and spent several years living in Alberta, and then Manitoba. She returned to Saskatchewan in 2006 to serve in congregational ministry at McClure United Church, Saskatoon.
Laura and her partner, Jordan, live in a fur covered home with 3 cats and big dog. When she isn’t walking the dog you can find her paddleboarding on the river or playing pickleball.