The Reverend Jane Manary Parent

Jane is a Deacon at St Luke’s Anglican Church in Pembroke, Ontario serving with her husband and Rector, The Venerable Tim Parent. Born in Montreal to a loving Baptist family, she did her BFA at York University (1986) in Graphic Design, Art History and Philosophy, worked in the university library and went on to Wycliffe College to study as a background to medieval art, where she discovered her love of theology surpassed her interest in art. She chaired her IVCF at York and served as a theological representative on Wycliffe’s student council.

She completed her Masters of Religion (1999, emphasis on theological ethics) with a thesis on the relation of Church and Scripture, receiving prizes in Theology and Church History. The grace and truth she experienced in Anglicanism and Tim drew her to serve in the Diocese of Ottawa in the ACoC alongside him. First briefly in Ottawa at St Thomas the Apostle, then in the multi-point rural parish of Beachburg-Cobden and Westmeath (1992-1997) she served on Alpha Teams, Bible Studies and adult education, often leading or co-leading. At Holy Trinity Anglican Church (ACoC, 1997-2007), she was able to serve more fully in teaching, leading Bible studies and training leaders, ecumenical speaking and training prayer ministry. Writing and co-leading meetings and presentations to call the ACoC back to Biblical faithfulness (including serving on the board of the Anglican Gathering of Ottawa, a precursor to ANiC), it was with joyful relief she & her husband stepped into ANiC in 2008, planting St Luke’s in Pembroke with other faithful Anglican Christians and being ordained Deacon in 2010. 

Her primary gifts are affirmed as wisdom, teaching and mercy which she continues to use locally at St Luke’s and ecumenically as well as in other ANiC parishes through giving seminars, retreats, workshops (such as the Children and Youth ministry one at the ANiC Eastern Assembly in 2013), occasional preaching, meeting individuals for discernment and prayer, and in over 12 years of service as a Kids’ Church leader, trainer and curriculum developer. She has served on the ANiC Loving Children and Families Committee and other parish committees, is currently engaged in developing and doing more online family ministry, and has a passion for ANiC continuing strong in all streams of Biblical Anglicanism and encouraging small churches.