Rev. Kimberly Myer-Purdy
I was born and raised in Leamington, and on September 1, 2022, I was appointed Rector of St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church. My faith journey has deep roots in the local Christian community and has been shaped by many churches, people, and experiences along the way.
I was baptized at Leamington United Church in 1963. I grew up as a member of Hillman United Church with my parents and later attended Oak Street United Mennonite Church with my best friend. In 1985, when I was married, I became a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. My journey eventually led me to St. John’s Anglican Church, where I was confirmed in April 2006. I was ordained as a Deacon in March 2009 and as a Priest on November 30, 2009. Throughout my ministry, I have had the privilege of serving in 12 churches across six parishes.
I am married to Michael, and we live on our family’s hobby farm. I am blessed with three beautiful children, Ellena, Robert, and Arthur, and six wonderful grandchildren. My oldest son, Robert, died of stomach cancer on May 27, 2015, at the age of 25. His life and memory remain an important part of who I am and have deeply shaped my understanding of love, grief, faith, and hope.
To be a priest in the Anglican Church is to share in the life of a community through worship, relationship, and everyday life. A priest is called to gather people around Scripture and the sacraments, to preach and teach the Christian faith, and to offer pastoral care in times of joy, grief, uncertainty, and change. This ministry is not exercised alone or simply from a position of authority. It is lived out in partnership with the bishop, alongside deacons and lay leaders, and among all the baptized, whose gifts and ministries make the Church’s mission possible.
In Leamington, this vocation takes on a particularly meaningful shape. Our community is shaped by agriculture, small businesses, long-established families, newcomers, and migrant farm workers. It is a community with deep roots, while also being culturally diverse and continually changing. Ministry here means listening to many stories, welcoming people from different backgrounds, celebrating what brings us together, and walking alongside people through the many seasons of life.
Ultimately, being a priest is less about having every answer and more about being faithfully present: praying with people, speaking the truth with love, making room for questions and doubt, and helping a community discern where God is already at work.
For me, priesthood is a vocation to love God’s people, to equip them for ministry, and to walk with them in hope. It is a privilege to serve, to listen, to learn, and to share in the joys and sorrows of the people and communities God has entrusted to my care.
