The Rev’d Dr. Joanne Mercer (BA, MUN; M.Div., Queen’s; M.Th., Edinburgh; Ph.D., Wales) is originally from Grand Falls-Windsor in the Diocese of Central Newfoundland where she has served as parish priest in the parishes of Newtown-Badger’s Quay-Greenspond, King’s Cove, Gander, and most recently in the parish of Twillingate. She has served on the Primate’s Theological Commission and the Task Force on Presbyteral Ministry of the Anglican Church of Canada.\She has also represented the Anglican Church of Canada at the United Nations Conference on Women in Beijing and New York, and worked for L’Arche Canada. Joanne is a graduate of Queen’s College and taught there from 2003–2013. No matter what Joanne has put her hand to, whether in the parish, in the community, or in academia, she has done it in pursuit of justice and the common good. Joanne loves learning new things, be it the latest theological trends, the newest tech gadgets, or some complex knitting pattern. Joanne brings with her a flair for creativity and a passion for partnerships within the church and the wider community. Joanne’s academic background is as diverse as her interests and has focused on pop culture, literature, animated film, and truth and reconciliation. Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic Joanne has been participating in conversations on the impacts of the pandemic on the church, but also leading by example by embracing the use of new technologies in liturgy, pastoral care and discipleship. Joanne’s vision of theological education is one grounded in the present and emerging reality of the church. Her focus is on networking, or stitching together, the stories of the Anglican and wider Christian tradition, the stories of local faith communities, and the wider societal story of who we are as human beings and where God is calling us as the human family. This weaving will be grounded in prayer and community, and will draw on the rich legacy of the Anglican tradition, but also with an eye toward creativity and experimentation.
