Church Board
Your Church Board – Who We Are
The Board is the governing body of the Congregation. We concentrate on high-level leadership for the congregation, staying out of the day-to-day operational work that is so capably handled by our Ministries and Committees.
The main functions of the Board, in order of importance are:
- Visioning (exploring ideas and future possibilities)
- Strategic Planning
- Activities such as financial oversight and policy development, as required by the United Church Manual.
Board meetings are open to all; attendance can be arranged by contacting the Chair. Minutes of meetings are available in the office.
Cindy Powell (Chair)
Cindy and her family started coming to Port Nelson in 2016 and became members in 2022. Cindy worked in the automotive industry as an engineer for 10 years before leaving to be an at-home parent. Currently, Cindy shares her passion for science as a workshop presenter for elementary students. She is an active member of the Affirm Ministry, volunteers with Meals of Hope, and is excited to serve as Chair of the Church Board.
Heather Hudson (Secretary)
Heather Hudson is a newer member of the Port Nelson United Church family. She and her son Ryan joined the church in 2023 and are both happy to call Port Nelson home. Heather has enjoyed getting to know the congregation and church staff, has enjoyed learning more about the church through her first year of membership on the Board, and has taken on the role of Board Secretary. Professionally, Heather is a Registered Nurse and has focused much of her career on education and leadership roles.
Steve Jones CPA, CA (Treasurer)
Steve has been the Treasurer since 2003. He oversees the accounting and provides financial reports to the Board and church ministries. He assembles the annual budget with input from ministries and the Finance Ministry. He has learned to be a cheerleader for funding our church operations.
Karen Guyatt (Ministry and Personnel Chair)
Karen transferred to Port Nelson in 2021. She has most recently been the chair of the Worship Ministry and is looking forward to a new challenge as the chair of Ministry & Personnel. A long time member of the United Church, Karen has had the opportunity to be involved in many aspects of church life. As a retired high school principal, she welcomes the opportunities that Port Nelson offers to remain engaged in the community.
Bob Dickinson
Bob and his wife Gloria started attending Port Nelson shortly after their arrival in Burlington in 2012, joining the church the following year. At their previous United Church home Bob had been involved in a number of groups including the Board. He is currently a Co-chair of the Port Nelson Refugee Sponsorship Group and a member of Men-in-Aprons. He has a particular interest in outreach to the local community and beyond.
BRUCE DISHER
Bruce was born in Hamilton and grew up on the family farm in Wellandport, which he still manages. He retired from Bayer Crop Science in 2005. Bruce and Martha have been married for 50 years, and they have 3 boys and 7 grandchildren. Bruce enjoys duplicate bridge, Scrabble, golf, choral singing and piano. He has been a part of the United Church for 72 years. Bruce was drawn to serve on the Board because of the strong pastoral and choral leadership of the church.
Dave Donegan
Dave is excited to join the Board at Port Nelson United Church and continue on his faith journey. He has been attending since 2023 and is a father to a two-year-old son. Professionally, he works in management consulting, focusing on corporate governance and social sustainability. He is also an active volunteer with not-for-profit organizations supporting the cancer community.
John Greven
John and his young bride Cathy have been members of Port Nelson since 1975. They have three children, and a yellow lab named Mekayla. John has been involved in many groups over the years. He served as the Chair of Property during the Rekindle Project and currently is a member of the Affirm Ministry, the Greening Ministry, and Men-in-Aprons. He looks forward to serving on the church Board with an interest in expanding our community outreach.
LINDA ODNOKON
After twenty years working with financial advisors on Bay Street, I now work as an independent advisor. Widowed since 2019, I understand the emotional complexity and the financial implications of the many phases of a major life transition, such as job loss, death of a spouse or moving to a new city and the importance of community. I was drawn to Port Nelson United in 2022, while out for a walk, feeling lost. Yes, that’s me, “Linda with the hat”. I look forward to getting to know everyone better and welcome new members the way I felt welcomed.
Rev. Dr. Michael Brooks (Lead Minister)
As Lead Minister, Michael brings the big picture context of the staff team and the congregation to the Board. He is passionate about leadership development, building on the strengths with which God blesses us, and making it as easy as possible for grassroots people to be involved in the church family and the community in a variety of ways.