Credentials

The Clergy Support Memorial Church Board was in full agreement to certify the Rev Melissa Weigel to the Office of Appointed Designated Minister – Pastoral Care Ministry on October 2, 2017. Before joining Clergy Support Memorial, Rev Melissa served The Evangelical Christian Church of Canada where she began her ministry. Melissa was wanting to do more in an outreach capacity, we were pleased to extend her an invitation to join, recognizing her to be a caring, thoughtful and loyal cleric, ready and desiring to help others however she could.

Serving her Community and Beyond

Since 2010, Rev Melissa has focused her skills as a spiritual caregiver. Serving as a Chaplain, she has worked in a hospital setting serving those experiencing illness, long term care serving those with dementia as well as homeless men experiencing poverty, addiction and mental health.

She keeps herself busy and available performing memorials and life celebrations, leading spiritual groups, hymn sings, bible studies, and art therapy groups.

Melissa sponsors a child from Uganda who she have seen grow from a toddler to a young tween. She feels blessed to have contributed to the welfare of another human being.

For the past two years, she has been a part of a Connect Bilingual Ladies Study Group through her church where they meet to learn, grow and support each other and volunteer in the community.

Counselling

Rev Melissa offers counsel to people in their spiritual distress and seek to offer the “ministry of presence” to all.

She admits she has had the greatest pleasure journeying with folks in their most vulnerable times, sharing their joys and walking with them in their lowest of times. Melissa understands that no matter what we go through, all humans are the same – we are all seeking connection, love, belonging!

Theological Background

• Clinical Pastoral Education, Scarborough General Hospital, 2010
• Master of Divinity – Spiritual Formation, Tyndale Seminary, Toronto, 2013
• Bachelors of Arts – Political Science/Religious Studies, University of Waterloo, 2002

Hobbies

Rev Melissa is an avid animal lover. She is a passionate activist against the dog meat trade and against animal cruelty and welfare. She has volunteered for seven years fostering over 35 cats and working with the feral cat population to spay and neuter, feed and build winter shelters.

She loves to hike in the summer with her family and swim in the winter.

A Message of Hope

Her life poem is by Emily Dickinson. The first verse reads; “Hope” is a thing with feathers/ It perches in the soul/ And sings the tune without the words/And never stops at all.” Rev Melissa’s message is “Hope is what keeps us all moving ahead, growing and waking up in the morning, keep trying. If I can help someone find hope, then my day is full! “