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We are pleased to be welcoming three new additions to Cloverdale United Church's staff:   Emma Rui-Xuan Shi  as Director of Music Ministries, Sarah Zezchuk as interim Children & Youth Leader (while Robyn Garland is on maternity leave), and Kiran Gill as Office Administrator & Bookkeeper.

Dr. Emma Rui-Xuan Shi, a Chinese-Canadian pianist, appears in concerts within North America, Asia, and Australia. During her more than thirty years’ piano career, she has gained lots of awards as a soloist and a teacher. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance from UBC, as well as degrees from UVic and Capital Normal University in Beijing.  She has severed congregations from Alliance Church to The United Church—including over 4 years at Colebrook United—where she has built rich experience as a valued part of worship planning teams. Meanwhile, she views herself as providing music that inspires people along their faith journeys. Now, Emma is excited to join the team of Cloverdale United Church.   Emma begins on August 4, 2021.

Sarah Zezchuck brings with her wide experience in ministry with children and youth, both in local congregations and in church camp settings.  Having grown up in a non-denominational church and worked in various evangelical settings, she now finds herself at a point in her faith journey of seeking out the more open and inclusive theology, spirituality, and faith practices we embody in The United Church. As Sarah expressed in her resume, she is someone who “has been blessed with energy and excitement” and who “finds joy in empowering others to follow their (own) gifts, to create things that can serve people and create places that people can serve.” Sarah and her husband, John, live in Surrey.   

Kiranjit "Kiran" Gill, our new Office Administrator & Bookkeeper as of July 20, 2021, brings a wealth of diverse experience and skills in office work and administration, computer proficiency, and customer service. Kiran's work experience includes time spent as a mortgage specialist with a couple of major Canadian banks, work as a clerk in medical imaging for a local hospital, experience founding and running a local small business, and even time as a flight attendant with a Canadian airline.  She was born in Castlegar, BC, and has lived half of her life in Surrey and Calgary.  Kiran came to Christian faith at Center Street Church in Calgary, AB, currently volunteers at Alpha Canada as a digital media support, and in the past volunteered at The Appleseed Bookstore at Center Street Church.  She is married, a mother of two children, and enjoys nature, cooking, and reading.