Kristin Woodburke

Kristin first heard a call to ministry as a young adult. She was involved in her own church as a youth group leader, Sunday School coordinator, and in a musical theatre program for youth, and in the wider church, helping with the Conference youth retreats and serving as a Presbytery rep.

In 2007, she took the Leadership Development Module (now called Learning On Purpose) at the Centre for Christian Studies, and that inspired her to begin her formal discernment and studies towards Diaconal Ministry. In her time at CCS, she served in learning placements with Sparling United Church and St. Matthew’s Maryland Community Ministry, and also worked part time in spiritual care at Fred Douglas Lodge. She travelled to Guatemala with a group called Breaking the Silence which partners with justice organizations, agriculture co-ops, and schools there. She graduated from CCS and was commissioned as a Diaconal Minister in 2014 and also completed a theology degree at the University of Winnipeg in 2017. She served in ministry for five years in the Neepawa and Area Pastoral Charge before accepting the call to Oakbank United.

Kristin loves the church because she enjoys learning, worshipping, and growing together with others; being engaged in authentic social justice; and practicing pastoral care and the ministry of presence. She also likes connecting with the wider church, recently having served on Agassiz Presbytery’s Affirming Task Group, continuing to serve as an adult advisor with the Conference’s Young Adult and Youth (YAAY) committee, and following the events of the recent General Council 43 meeting as closely as possible online!

Kristin just moved to Oakbank this summer with her husband Shane and her cat Charley. She is excited to be here at OBUC and working in a team with Maureen, and is looking forward to getting to know everyone (but she asks for your forgiveness in advance because she is not very good with names)! She enjoys walking, music, theatre, reading, and Netflix, and loves a good cup of tea!