Credentials

Rev Shelley holds the rank of Appointed Designated Minister with Clergy Support Memorial Church (as of December 16th, 2018). The board unanimously agreed to Appoint her based on her many years of service within the community at large, and her passion for social justice issues including poverty, equality and education. All of these are analogous to Theological training.

Shelley has a strong faith that exudes integrity and humility and is always available to minister to her neighbour.

Academic Achievements

• Master of Social Work – Carleton University
• BA – Bachelor of Law and Psychology with a concentration in Criminology/Corrections – Carleton University
• Registered with the College of Social Workers (RSW) and Association of Social Workers

Social Justice Ministry

Rev Shelley has dedicated over 30 years of her life providing outreach services to her community and feeding her passion in her ministry of Social Justice. She finds a great reward in working with marginalized individuals and helping them in their daily struggle. Available funding is always and issue, and Shelley has learned to do more with less. She maintains her education about mental health issues to better support individuals and families who come to her in crisis.

Shelley’s true qualities shine when she can foster her encouragement to the many individuals who approach her for support when they struggle with physical and mental health issues. Her caring, compassionate and authentic disposition will provide them with counselling, support in advocacy or directing them to programs or food banks where she has involved her children to pack bags of groceries. Shelley has collected clothing to distribute to low income families. She has continued to offer them support and visit them in hospital or she will bring them a bag of groceries when they are unable to leave their home.

Ministry to the Jewish Community

As an Appointed Designated Minister Shelly is also a minister to the Jewish Community. Rev Shelley is a spiritual person who believes people have a right to practice their chosen belief in a way that is meaningful to them.

She has not lost total contact with the synagogue and although admittedly she does not attend very often, she recognises and values the small community that surrounds it and the important relevance that community has in everyone’s lives.

As member of a small egalitarian shul (synagogue), led by the shul community without a spiritual head, Shelley has offered her support by to performing Saturday worship services as many other members have made their contribution as well.

LBGTQ Community

She holds a strong belief in equality and has offers her support to the LBGTQ community. She was thrilled when same-sex marriage became legal, as she was once disappointed when her sister and partner were unable to marry. She holds a strong core belief that no one should be denied the right to marry the person they love.

Shelley’s children have attended the same Jewish Sunday school as she did and has made that guiding choice as there was always a diversity of families and observance. She has an open and valued respect to everyone’s choices for how they discover their spirituality and how they live it.

When she is challenged and requires spiritual guidance she will focus on the “Chesed” and “Tikkun Olam” to guide her along her path. Empathetic and positive, she tries to see setbacks as bumps in the road and strives to share that optimistic vibe despite the challenges that may surround it. Her passion for life may allow her to get angry at the injustices in the world but that only energises her to keep fighting to support and encourage those affected.

Hobbies

Shelley believes that a continued education is important and never wants to stop learning. She will often indulge herself by readings articles or watching documentaries on every subject from “Climate Change” to how the brain repairs itself. Family and friends are important to her and she values the time they can share together at family functions, visiting the National Arts Centre or to enjoy watching a Senators game at the Canadian Tire Centre. Shelley looks forward to the opportunity to return to Iceland with her family where they will be able to be in awe once again of natural spectacle of the Northern Lights.