THE REV. EMILY C. COOKE, MDIV
Ordained 2016 by Hamilton Conference
Master of Divinity 2014 from Emmanuel College, Toronto School of Theology, University of Toronto
Rev. Emily joined us in September 2020, right in the middle of COVID. Previously, she had served Revelstoke United for four years after coming out to BC from Ontario, where she had been working as a hospital chaplain and registered therapist in mental health while finishing her training for ministry. Rev. Emily divides her ministry between Mount Paul on the North Shore and Plura Hills United in Aberdeen.
“When I preach, I love taking a familiar story of scripture that we think we know what it means and turning it on its head to look at it in a new way. The Holy Spirit always has ways of opening our eyes to new ways of looking at God’s love and justice, and challenging our comfortable, familiar interpretations of the Word and inspiring us to read the bible with an open mind and heart is one of the ways She does it.
“Jesus is our model for God’s love. He created a community of radical inclusion, welcoming those who had been cast out by society. The church is the body of Christ in the world, and so our church must love that same love and welcome the poor, the stranger, and the oppressed.
“My other big passion in ministry is pastoral care; I spent a lot of time working in hospital chaplaincy, particularly mental health, and I believe that caring for everyone, especially those who are suffering or going through difficulties in life, is how we truly worship God.”
Rev. Emily married her husband Christopher in 2013. They have 2 furry babies (cats), named Monk and Bear. Her hobbies include hiking, music (she sings and plays the guitar, viola, and piano), snowboarding, and Dungeons & Dragons (where her favourite class is, naturally, the Cleric). She also serves as the Secretary for the board of Kamloops Pride.
