The Reverend Roshni Jayawardena
Incumbent
(905) 828-2095, Ext. #51
rector@stpeterserindale.org
Roshni grew up at St. Peter’s Erindale, and as a child and teen was involved in a variety of ministries. She especially loved singing in the choirs. She graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with a degree in Communications, Political Science and a minor in Women and Gender Studies. She also holds a post-graduate certificate in Event Management from Humber College and worked in corporate event management in Toronto. It was during this time Roshni felt called towards ordained ministry, and began her Masters of Divinity at Trinity College, graduating in 2018.
Roshni holds a variety of leadership positions in the Diocese of Toronto. She is the Co-Coordinator of the Bishop’s Committee on Interfaith Ministry and a member of the Diocesan Response Team. She also enthusiastically uses her event management background in sharing the gospel and love of God through mission and outreach.
The Reverend Maria Nightingale
Associate/Chaplain to Seniors
(905) 828-2095, Ext. #52
associate@stpeterserindale.org
Maria first came to St. Peter’s as a student when she was working on her Master of Divinity at Trinity College (University of Toronto). Ordained in 1999 in the Diocese of Niagara, Maria first worked as an assistant curate at St. Luke’s in Burlington. She returned to St. Peter’s after serving 15 years as school chaplain at St. Mildred’s-Lightbourn School in Oakville. She also served as the Honorary Assistant at St. Elizabeth’s, Burlington for over ten years. She is grateful to have the opportunity to work with the older adults connected to St. Peter’s as we deepen our faith together.
Maria is widowed and has two adult daughters, Angelique and Gwendolyn.
Dr. Samuel Tam
Director of Music and Organist
Dr. Tam is the music director of the Rose Orchestra Brampton at the Rose Theatre. He recently graduated from the University of Toronto’s doctoral music program, where he worked closely with the University of Toronto Symphony. He is a graduate of McGill University, where he studied organ performance with Dr. John Grew and orchestral conducting with Alexis Hauser. Subsequently, he has held church music staff positions in downtown Montreal and Greater Toronto.
The Reverend Robert Townshend
Deacon
Robert came to St. Peter’s while working on his Master of Divinity at Trinity College at the University of Toronto. Prior to coming to St. Peter’s Robert assisted with services at St. Johns West Toronto. He is the chair of the Outreach Committee and is devoted to raising funds for the church’s various programs including Faithworks. Robert holds strong views on social justice and advocacy issues. In his spare time he volunteers at a local food bank. He is also on the board of directors of the Flemingdon Park Ministries which provides food security to the residents of Flemingdon Park. Robert is an advocate for LGBTQ2S+ issues.
Jean Laduke
Administrative Assistant
(905) 828-2095, Ext. #50
stpeters@stpeterserindale.org
Jean has worked in St. Peter’s church office for 11 years and had over 25 years of experience as a secretary/administrative assistant in various industries before joining us. She supports the clergy and church committees, answers the phones, welcomes visitors and parishioners, produces the weekly Sunday bulletins, does the accounts payable and monthly financial reconciliations, sends out mailings, looks after space bookings and other duties as required. Jean is married to Kim Tucker and they have two children and two grandchildren.
Lydia Cordie
Youth Minister
(905) 828-2095, Ext. #67
stpetersyouth14@gmail.com
Lydia feels honoured to have the opportunity to walk alongside the youth of the parish as they deepen their faith and grow into the person God intended them to be.
Prior to becoming St. Peter’s Youth Minister, Lydia was a Law student at the University of Havana, and a Sunday School teacher at the Episcopal Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Havana, Cuba. Lydia has completed the Diocese of Toronto Youth Ministry Apprenticeship Program and has a BA in Sociology from Ryerson University. Currently, she is pursuing a Master’s of Social Work at the University of Toronto.
Lydia loves reading and going for long walks with her husband, Eusebio Pons. She also enjoys listening to music, visiting museums or galleries, and watching plays.
We are also blessed to have the assistance of our Honorary Assistants
The Reverend Canon James Ferry
Honorary Assistant
A graduate of UofT and Wycliffe College, Jim was ordained in 1980 and served as assistant curate at St. Michael’s and All Angels’, and then as priest at St. Saviour’s (Toronto East) and St. Philip’s on-the-Hill (Unionville). After leaving active ministry in 1992, he worshipped at Holy Trinity (Toronto) for 20 years, becoming an honorary assistant there in 2011 for 5 years before coming to St. Peter’s.
After some time in teaching, he worked for the Ontario Advocacy Commission, and then for 20 years at the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office from which he retired in 2019.
In 1993 Key Porter Books published his best-selling autobiography In the Courts of the Lord – a gay minister’s story
Jim was married to his husband, Jun, in 2017 at St. Peter’s Erindale after moving to Mississauga.
The Reverend Canon David Long
Honorary Assistant
David retired in 2008 after serving in the Dioceses of Toronto and Niagara. His Toronto parishes include: St. Michael and All Angels Toronto, Parish of Elmvale, St. Paul’s Rexdale and St. Hilary’s Mississauga. In Niagara he was rector of Holy Trinity Welland and then Director of Ministry Support and Human Resources. A graduate of Western University (Huron) and Huron University College, David and his wife Arlene have two sons and two granddaughters who live nearby.