On Thursday April 23, 2020 the Eastern Synod Council issued calls to the Rev. Christie Morrow and the Rev. Adam Snook to serve as Assistants to the Bishop of the Eastern Synod. Pastor Morrow will be serving the synod on a 50% basis with primary responsibilities in the areas of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, Stewardship (Generosity) and Public Policy and Service Ministries. The latter two of these portfolios had been staffed by Mr. Jeff Pym and the Rev. Katherine Gohm, who had each announced their intention to conclude their service earlier this year.
Pastor Snook will provide leadership in the synod’s Missional Leadership initiative while providing oversight in the Communication portfolio. With Bishop Pryse and the Rev. Doug Reble, he will also share the vital and ongoing work of providing support to congregations and rostered leaders.
Rev Christie Morrow
Ordained in 2003, Christie has served in ministry together with the people of St. Peter’s, Milverton (2003-2008), and the Lutheran Church of Our Saviour, Owen Sound (2009-2017). Christie has served on what was once the Synod’s Parish Life Committee, the Synod’s Youth Ministry Committee, she has been a Sunday School teacher, youth group leader, Vacation Bible School Coordinator, Chairperson of the National Planning Committee for CLAY 2010, and also served on the National (ELCIC) Youth Ministry Coordinating Committee, the planning Committee for the LWF Assembly held in Winnipeg, MB in 2004, and the Eastern Synod’s Candidacy Committee. She is currently the Director for Youth and Young Adult Ministries in the Eastern Synod.
Christie has always taken a relational approach to ministry and seeks to connect with people and build relationships between people, between people and the church, and between people and God. Christie also most readily experiences God on the edge of things. For her, God’s Spirit dwells in this liminal space of great creativity, calling, coaxing and sometimes pulling the church forward to reach out and to keep reforming – to embrace our roots while remaining relevant. These are the very hopes and dreams she has for our Synod and our Church as a whole as she embraces this new role within the Eastern Synod.
Christie is married to her favourite Presbyterian, the Rev. Mark Wolfe. They live in Stratford, ON with their two daughters, Caroline (age 5), and Lauren (age 3).
Rev. Adam Snook
Rev. Adam Snook is a graduate of both St. Francis Xavier University (B.A.) and Martin Luther University College (MDiv). Ordained in 2011, he has served the Maynooth & Raglan Parish, Maynooth/Schutt; Mt. Calvary, Upper Northfield and St. John’s, Mahone Bay. As a tireless advocate for community partnerships, he has served on the Synod Council, Anglican/Lutheran Vital & Healthy Parish Consultation, Rural Ministry Symposium, Royal Canadian Legion, Kairos Atlantic, Restructuring Task Force; as well as on the Board of Directors for the VON, Lutherlyn Camp & Conference Centre, Lutheran Camp Mush-Mush, and a number of other local grassroot foundations. Adam is also the co-editor of Living Justice: A Gospel Response to Poverty from CPJ.
In response to this appointment, Adam said, “I am humbled and grateful for this opportunity to hear the stories, and walk with communities, who make up our Synod family. God has gifted us with a beautifully vast and vibrant expression of God’s grace, and I look forward to exploring and supporting new and ongoing mission opportunities throughout the Eastern Synod. I am overwhelmingly privileged to work with Bishop Michael Pryse, Pastor Douglas Reble, Synod Officers & Staff, as well as the many lay, clergy and congregations who devote themselves tirelessly to God’s mission that we share. I feel deeply called to serve in this new role, and appreciate your prayers as my family and I make this transition.”
Adam and his wife Holly are the parents of Nathaniel and will be relocating from Nova Scotia to Kitchener, ON.
Bishop Pryse concludes, “I am absolutely delighted that Pastor Christie and Pastor Adam will be taking on these new responsibilities in the life of our synod. They are each very gifted spiritual leaders who will bring much needed new perspectives and gifts to our work. Please join me in praying for them as they take on these new responsibilities. May God grant them joy in their service!