Our Minister and Staff
Minister: Reverend Shelly Thompson
Reverend Shelly Thompson joined us as our 2-year Interim Minister August 1, 2021.
Reverend Shelly comes to us from Westport, Connecticut, where she was Assistant Minister for Faith Formation at the Unitarian Church of Westport. Shelly’s first career was as a mental health therapist for at-risk youth, children and families. She received her Masters of Divinity from Meadville Lombard Theological School in 2016. Shelly was ordained to the Unitarian Universalist Ministry in October of 2018.
Passionate about helping congregations create and sustain healthy systems that honor whole people, her first commitment is to building the trust and sense of community that places covenantal relationships at the heart of congregational life. Using her background in psychology and expressive arts, her goal is to foster a shared Unitarian Universalist identity that nurtures spiritual growth and inspires social justice work as a way of accountably living our shared values. She loves multigenerational ministry and encourages congregations to develop worship services and programming that promotes faith formation for all ages.
She lives in NW Calgary with her beloved Black Lab, Onyx. She loves living near the Canadian Rockies and exploring all that the vibrant city of Calgary has to offer.
Music Director: Jane Perry
*Jane is currently on medical leave of absence. We hope to see her return to lead her vibrant and multi-faceted music program once she is well enough to be with us again.
Jane has been a church musician in Canadian Unitarian congregations since 2000, serving the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa (2000-2011) and Calgary Unitarians (since 2011). As Music Director at Calgary Unitarians, she has conducted three choirs (UUphonia, Chor Vida, and the Coffee Choir), played the piano at Sunday-morning services, contributed music to the Tuesday Vespers, and worked with our volunteers to create concert events like An Afternoon of Chamber Music, Silent Movie Night. and UUphonia’s annual Cabaret. She and her choirs also learned a lot about how to make music online during the pandemic!
In addition to her work at the church, Jane is the Artistic Director of Calgary Renaissance Singers & Players. She stepped down in July 2021 as the Founding Artistic Director of One Voice Chorus.
Jane trained as a classical pianist, learned how to play jazz, and continues to enjoy a wide variety of music as a pianist, conductor, arranger and audience member. Her twin professional passions are music education and building community, elements that find a natural home in her work with choirs.
Email: music@calgaryunitarians.ca
Director of Religious Education: Sheila MacMaster
I’ve lived in Alberta most of my life, and in Calgary for the past twenty years. I am a believer in life-long education, and am currently finishing my Multidisciplinary Bachelor of Arts degree (with a double minor of architecture and drama) at the University of Calgary. This means I bring a broad liberal arts education and many exciting ideas to our Children and Youth Religious Education program.
I also have over nine years experience as an Administrator and I’m very pleased to bring those skills to the position of DRE. With a young child of my own, it’s very important to me what our children are learning and I feel very blessed to be a part of it.
When I’m not at church, I’m often busy going on adventures with my family and being creative.
Email: dre@calgaryunitarians.ca
Interim Music Director: Krishan Power
Calgary-born Krishan Power is a teacher, conductor, clinician, and performer in the area, working with students of all ages. Krishan specializes in teaching piano, clarinet, voice, theory, and harmony, and has a decade of experience as a choral director. He is thrilled to be with the Calgary Unitarians on an interim basis. In his spare time, Krishan enjoys video games, gardening, and studying regenerative farming practices.
Administrator: Todd J. Robertson
Email: office@calgaryunitarians.ca