Q&A with Rev. Kimberly Heath, Moderator of the United Church of Canada
The Right Rev. Kimberly Heath Emm 9T9 (L) alongside Emmanuel College Principal HyeRan Kim-Cragg.
The Right Rev. Kimberly Heath Emm 9T9 was recently elected Moderator of the United Church of Canada, the church’s spiritual leader and most senior elected official. In this role, she will guide the church for the next three years, bringing her deep faith, pastoral experience, and commitment to connection and renewal. We asked Dr. Heath to reflect on her time at Emmanuel and share her thoughts as she steps into this new chapter of leadership.
Q. How did your time at Emmanuel College shape your spiritual journey and prepare you for leadership within the United Church of Canada?
A. My time at Emmanuel College was both rich and formative, preparing me well for ministry in the United Church. The courses challenged me to think critically and theologically, but they were also practical. I still remember Prof. Paul Scott Wilson’s homiletics class, where he introduced the Four Page Sermon framework. I used it for years—sometimes I still do! —to guide my weekly preaching.
Emmanuel also gave me opportunities for action and reflection, such as volunteering at the Yonge Street Mission and connecting that experience to classroom learning. I especially valued the ecumenical spirit of studying alongside Anglican, Presbyterian and Catholic students at the different colleges. That kind of shared learning remains so important, and I know Emmanuel has deepened this commitment even further with interfaith opportunities in recent years.
Q. What do you remember most about Emmanuel?
A. It’s funny what sticks in your memory and what doesn’t. When I visited last spring—my first time back since graduation—I realized I couldn’t even remember where the washrooms were (clearly, I didn’t spend much quality time there!). Of course, I remembered the chapel, the student lounge and the library, but what stands out most isn’t the beautiful building—it’s the people.
I have such fond memories of professors like Phyllis Airhart, David Demson, Gerry Shepherd, Paul Wilson and Harold Wells and others, whose teaching shaped me deeply. And I remember the students, many of whom remain dear friends to this day.
Q. What message or encouragement would you offer to current Emmanuel College students who are discerning their own call to ministry or spiritual leadership?
A. You’ll never regret answering a call to ministry or spiritual leadership. It’s rarely convenient, and sometimes it is risky and costly, but it is profoundly worthwhile. Investing in your faith, developing leadership skills, and building relationships with other leaders will sustain you in ways you can’t yet imagine. We are living through uncertain and challenging times, and the formation you receive now will not only shape you but also ripple out to bless others through you.
Q. As moderator, what are your key priorities for the United Church of Canada over the next three years, and how do you hope to inspire and guide the church through them?
A. We are living in difficult times globally, with the rise of fascism, ongoing genocide, growing poverty and increasing transphobia. The church also faces challenges, as many congregations struggle to find ministers, pay the bills or even keep their doors open.
In this context, I will lean into the Call and Vision of the United Church: Deep Spirituality, Bold Discipleship, Daring Justice. This is what the church needs—and what the world needs. We must go deeper in our faith, trusting that our call is bigger than ourselves, rooted in the love of a Living God. We must re-learn faith practices and rediscover what it means to follow Jesus. And from that place of renewal, we will be equipped to meet a world in pain and injustice, sometimes in small ways, sometimes in profound ones.
Q. What one thing about you surprises people when they hear about it?
A. I don’t think there’s much that’s especially surprising about me. I take my coffee black and occasionally enjoy an old-fashioned plain doughnut. I do like to stay active, though. Last year I discovered open-water swimming, and it feels almost magical to swim in the St. Lawrence River.
During the pandemic, my husband and I also took up sailing. That has been exciting—but I wouldn’t recommend it as a marriage enrichment activity! Something always seems to go wrong, and we end up “problem solving” in the middle of the shipping channel. Still, I’ve learned that the more stressed I feel, the more I need to exercise my body, my mind and my spirit. Sailing somehow manages to do all three. Any activity that can check all those boxes is a win in my book.
Step into your calling—explore the Master of Divinity program at Emmanuel College and discover fully funded pathways to ministry and leadership. Learn more about the Master of Divinity program and funding opportunities.