Rev. Mercedes Hughes

Mercedes came to the vocation of ministry after other occupations, as a banker, a stay at home parent, an educator, and an activity director working with persons with dementia. She graduated from Emmanuel College, Toronto with an MDiv and was ordained by the Toronto Conference of the United Church of Canada in 2018. Open to God’s call and the guidance of Spirit, she asked the church to transfer and settle her in a pastoral charge anywhere in Canada. She was the final minister to engage in this process and Lyons Memorial was the only pastoral charge in Canada to request the transfer and settlement of a new minister. Mercedes feels that this unique confluence of circumstances points to Spirit’s very present direction in her life and in the life of Lyons Memorial. She is grateful for the opportunity to serve, to learn, and to grow in faith in this generous church community on beautiful Manitoulin Island.