We are pleased to introduce to you the Reverend Paul Mullen.

Paul offers a wealth and depth of work and life experiences within the United Church.  A native of Alberta,  Paul has over 25 years of successful team ministry experience gained in serving a diversity of congregations in this province.  His most recent appointment as ordained minister was with Sunnybrook United Church in Red Deer and he previously served Kirk and Knox Metropolitan United Churches in Edmonton, First United Church in Wetaskiwin and Spirit River Pastorial Charge in Spirit River.  He has a strong association with the Calgary Presbytery having been a Pastoral Counsellor and Family Life Educator with the Pastoral Institute in Calgary, an institution his father, also an ordained minister of the United Church had founded. 

Ordained in 1977,  Paul’s credentials include a Master of Divinity (equiv.) from San Francisco Theological Seminary in San Anselmo, California, a Master of Religion in Counselling and Christian Development from the School of Theology in Claremont, California, completion of Basic Pastoral Education at the Pastoral Institute in Calgary, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Alberta at Calgary (now University of Calgary). In addition Paul is a life long learner having completed courses in the areas of congregational development, worship, multiple staff ministry, and asset mapping.

Paul has chaired many and diverse committees and divisions within the larger United Church of Canada, at the presbytery level, the conference and national level including the Red Deer Presbytery Communications Committee, the Edmonton Presbytery, the Alberta and Northwest Conference Ministry Personnel and Education Committee, the Alberta and Northwest Conference as President, and the National Manual Committee.  Paul is not scared of uncertainty, enjoys group faciliation and prefers to lead from within. 

Paul is well read, contemplative and articulate and thoroughly enjoys preaching.  His sermons are engaging, contemporary, and both thought provoking and pastoral.  He is experienced and interested in including and involving children and youth in worship and church life, and ensuring that music and liturgy is inclusive, relevant, healing and challenging.   At an interpersonal level Paul is warm, puts people at ease, and he has a keen sense of humour (there was much good laughter during our conversations). 

His skills and passion lie in resolving interpersonal conflicts and nurturing positive human relationships which he believes are paramount in reducing social injustices.  Paul is currently the Vice President of the Central Alberta Diversity Association which works to combat all kinds of discrimination through programs including workshops in schools and businesses and organizations, community celebrations of diversity, an annual public service announcement competition, and drum circles. 

He is a strong supporter of the Emerging Spirit Campaign and knows that reaching out requires an openess on all parts to communicate honestly and respectfully to allow for growth to occur.   

Paul comes highly recommended by both his peers and by members of past congregations.  In summary, Paul fits very well the criteria and recommendations Scarboro laid out in the JNAC report for both the position of minister as well as the direction our congregation wants to pursue, and, we, the Search Committee wholeheartedly and unanimously recommend him to you to be our new minister.