Our worship leaders bring their gifts, wisdom, and spirit to our congregation week after week, and we are deeply grateful for their presence in our community. We wanted to create space for you to get to know these leaders a little better.

For our second interview, we’re delighted to share a conversation with Rev. Elizabeth Bryce. We asked Rev. Bryce to reflect on her journey in ministry, her approach to worship, and what shapes her work and calling. Here is what she had to say:

I am so pleased to be leading worship with you and working with Jessica and Jeannie. I am a career minister. I first heard a call to ministry as a teenager, in a time when I didn’t know any women in ministry. The call was inspired by a woman who heard me read in church, and who told me I should be the minister. That was in my home congregation in Montreal, where I attended McGill University and United Theological College.

When I was ordained, I was settled in Saskatchewan Conference (my choice) and served there for fourteen years, before moving to Ottawa in 2003. My most recent ministry was in the team at Rideau Park United, until my retirement in 2024.

When not working, I enjoy knitting, sewing, swimming, hiking and watching Korean dramas – though I don’t speak any Korean, I’m thankful for sub-titles. I really love preaching my way through the Bible. I often find the harder or more unknown the passage, the better the sermon. I use sermon preparation as a time for spiritual deepening, both in understanding the faith and my own yearning.

Being at Carleton Memorial gives me a chance to preach and to fulfill the invitation of that dear woman who saw something in me, even as a scrawny teenager. I appreciate the warm welcome, and the creativity and resilience of your community of faith even through these transition times. I haven’t yet remembered to turn off my microphone when singing, but hope you will join in and drown me out!