Christianity

Christianity is a monotheistic religion, with many sects, which believes that:

  • The world was created by God.
  • All things within that world were designed to have meaning and purpose.
  • The Bible, which offers guidance for how humans are to live their lives, is a gift from God, inspired by God.
  • Jesus Christ was/is the Messiah and is the way back to God.

Christian Denomination Contacts:

Mel Cruikshank
Baptist Chaplain:

Mel Cruikshank

1. Religious Affiliation
Baptist (Canadian National Baptist Convention)
2. Educational History

Bachelor of Science (University of Alberta)

Master of Divinity (North America Baptist Divinity School)

3. Joined the U of A
1982-1995, 2009-2010, 2017
4. Current Focus at the U of A
I am a part-time chaplain at the U of A and I work closely with a committee of local church leaders to coordinate a number of Baptist ministries we have happening on campus. We also have worship services on campus, fellowships, a Mandarin campus ministry, and opportunities for discipleship. As well, I lead the Baptist Campus Ministries across Canada for the Canadian National Baptist Convention.
5. Why I am a Chaplain at the U of A
The most significant decisions of my life took place while I was an undergraduate student at the U of A. I am a chaplain here because students will often be making vital decisions about careers, relationships and faith, and I hope to share my own experiences as a way to help students navigate their decision-making process.
6. Other Passions and Interests
I love my wife Marybelle. We have three children and four grandchildren. Next to my faith in Christ, they are my greatest passion and interest. I also lead mission teams each year to work with our Christian brothers and sisters in Cuba and I have fallen in love with Cuba and it's people. And, I enjoy golfing, hiking the mountains, swimming in the ocean, and reading good books while camping.
7. Contact Information
169B HUB Chaplains’ Centre
mcruiksh@ualberta.ca | 780-235-8577
Joshua Smith
Baptist Chaplain:

Joshua Smith

1. Religious Affiliation
Baptist (Canadian National Baptist Convention)
2. Educational History

Bachelor of Christian Studies (Canadian Baptist Theological Seminary & College)

Pursuing Masters of Arts in Biblical Leadership from the Bullock Institute through Northwestern Seminary

3. Joined the U of A

August 2023

4. Current Focus at the U of A
As a part time associate Chaplain, I work closely with many local Baptist churches and their leaders to minister to students in a variety of ways. Initiating student events, planning worship nights, discipling students, and serving the needs of students on campus are some of the important things I will be doing. My role may change but my focus to support students in their faith journey will stay the same.
5. Why I am a Chaplain at the U of A

I believe that the most important thing I can do in life is to love God and others. Jesus Himself told His followers and adversaries that the most important thing they can do is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (Matthew 12:30-31). I truly believe that university students are in in need of this Christlike love and that is why I am a Chaplain. Students are at a significant stage in life and in their faith journey. I hope to help meet their spiritual needs so that they will be successful students, joyful people, and people who love God and others themselves.

6. Other Passions and Interests

I enjoy many things. A good board game, fun social activities with friends, an exciting fiction novel, and of course a relaxing tv show or youtube video. I am passionate about supporting people who have disabilities, traveling to foreign countries, learning new languages, and trying new things. Having lived in 5 provinces and 3 states, I have experienced a lot of new things that have helped me grow in character, compassion, and courage. I thank the Lord for all of them.

7. Contact Information
169 HUB Chaplains’ Centre
jms7@ualberta.ca | 587-834-0668
Rick Mast
Christian Reformed Minister:

Rick Mast

1. Religious Affiliation
Christian Reformed Church in North America
2. Educational History
B. Ed. Calvin University (Michigan)
3. Joined the U of A
February 2018
4. Current Focus at the U of A

My interest is developing communities of faith, rooted in prayer, guided by God and by the community's weakest members - through whom God's presence is revealed (case in point: Jesus Christ). Each member discovers and deepens in their spiritual life and lives it according to their particular faith and tradition. Communities can be like the holy temple in the vision of Ezekiel (ch. 47), from which living waters flow that heal and give life. From within community we discover the mystery we are living and are helped to be faithful to our vocation - invited continually to "launch out into the deep" (Luke 5:4). My aim and focus is to create a brave space - for students, faculty and staff. Those who have no religious affiliation are also welcomed and respected in their freedom of conscience.

"Love is the quality of attention we pay to things," J.D. McClatchy wrote after Simone Weil observed that "attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity."
5. Why I am a Chaplain at the U of A
An important part of managing pain or struggle is presence - someone who reveals to the person that they are not all bad or all alone, a friend who is happy just to be there. Of course, when people have a toothache, it is not enough to tell them that we are with them or that we care about them. We should then take them to a good dentist! Friendship communicates life to others, draws them out of darkness, and gives them a new desire to live. That is compassion in the strongest sense of the word: to "be with", to "suffer with". It takes time to create bonds of trust and to enable someone to believe in the fidelity of a friendship.
6. Other Passions and Interests

For the past twenty years, I have led a group of students and adults on spiritual pilgrimages, living alongside the religious community on the remote Isle of Iona, Scotland. I also serve on The King's University's Board of Governors, and the Board of Trustees at Calvin College.

I have four daughters with my wife Aileen of thirty-six years. In my downtime I enjoy downhill, cross-country and backcountry skiing; hiking in the summer months; and reading. I would also refer to myself as 'Folkie,' and I drive a Westy.

7. Contact Information
182B HUB Multi-Faith Prayer and Meditation Space
Richard Reimer
Lutheran Chaplain:

Richard Reimer

1. Religious Affiliation
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC)
2. Educational History

Bachelor of Arts, University of Alberta

Diploma in Christian Studies, Regent College, Vancouver

Master of Divinity, Lutheran Theological Seminary, Saskatoon

3. Joined the U of A
1991
4. Current Focus at the U of A
Secretary of Interfaith Chaplains' Association, duties including coordination of annual Festival of Lessons & Carols, Winspear Centre; Advisor to the Lutheran Student Movement; Chaplain to a Resident Christian Community at Martin Luther House.
5. Why I am a Chaplain at the U of A
When I was an undergraduate student at the U of A, campus ministry had a significant impact on my life, leading to my baptism in what is now the SUB Alumni Room - back then it was a multi-purpose room that smelled of beer from socials the night before! Here, in the midst of an academia that measures us by 'points', I encountered a God who values us for who we are, as a matter of grace (i.e., gift), and calls us to loving service through unique gifts that meet the world's need. That gift and calling gave me the strength to ask, "Beyond getting a job, what is my 'vocation' or calling?" And the weekly meal at Jesus' table fortified me for the meandering road ahead. Campus ministry met me at a critical juncture, when faith is challenged to grow along with knowledge. I feel privileged now to accompany you here on campus as a messenger of the grace that has made all the difference to me.
6. Other Passions and Interests
Camping, novels (e.g, The Orenda), piano composition, and 'Lutheran' Lattes (drop by for one!)
7. Contact Information
169E HUB Chaplains' Centre
richard.reimer@ualberta.ca | 780-492-4513
Kevin Guenther Trautwein
Mennonite Chaplain:

Kevin Guenther Trautwein

1. Religious Affiliation
Christian (Mennonite)
2. Educational History

B.A.Rel., Ambrose University (2005)

M.T.S., University of Waterloo, Conrad Grebel University College (2014)

3. Joined the U of A
September 2015
4. Current Focus at the U of A
My current focus is on developing and supporting communities for mutual support, social justice, and mental health. I am also the Treasurer for the InterFaith Chaplains' Association.
5. Why I am a Chaplain at the U of A
I love the university. The pursuit of knowledge, the boundless questions, and the desire for a well-lived life. I am a chaplain so that I can support people as they reach for these worthy goals, but along the way I also get to learn from some of the most passionate and thoughtful people in the world.
6. Other Passions and Interests

I spent years working as frontline support for organizations serving street-involved communities and at-risk youth. Recently, I've been proud to be involved with the Edmonton Ecumenical Peace Network's annual Prayer Walk for Peace, and the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights' Festival of Faiths. I serve on the Board of Directors for the Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers.

I am married with two young children, and these days I enjoy going to the park, canoeing on the North Saskatchewan, and catching live music whenever possible. Also, coffee.

7. Contact Information

169D HUB Chaplains' Centre
kg2@ualberta.ca 

Bryan and Lisa Clarke
Presbyterian Reformed Chaplains

Bryan and Lisa Clarke

1. Religious Affiliation
Reformed-Presbyterian. Presbyterian Church in North America (PCNA). GraceFinder Resourcing Network is the charity we started to support chaplaincy work on campus
2. Educational History

Bryan has been serving at the University of Alberta with Lisa since 2005. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Windsor, in Ontario, Canada and his graduate studies, earning a Master's of Divinity at Reformed Theological Seminary. Bryan Clarke has a Ph.D. (Secondary Education) from the University of Alberta. His current research interests include ongoing interaction with Deleuzian scholarship as well as a focus on ethics, popular culture, and philosophical hermeneutics. He has most recently taught in the faculty of Education at the University of Alberta and at St. Joseph's College while also serving as a university chaplain. He has several ongoing projects including a textbook for his course on Harry Potter and spirituality.

Lisa has studied Home Economics and Women’s Studies at the University of Windsor and received a certificate in early childhood education, St. Clair College, Windsor.

3. Joined the U of A
2005
4. Current Focus at the U of A
GraceFinder Resourcing Network has a mission to promote grace in all of life through connecting campus, church, and city. We do this through resourcing students with supportive relationships, and teaching on campus, connecting them to local churches for ongoing spiritual growth, and helping them transition to their callings in the city. We resource the church through our connections to students but also through informative, winsome, and encouraging workshops/seminars in areas such as worship, leadership, cultural engagement, and evangelism. We resource the city through educating and developing people with the skills needed for the workplace and to train leaders for chaplaincy. We resource each area through providing resources to students, church leaders, and those involved in their vocations.
5. Why we are Chaplains at the U of A
For students, faculty, and staff - seeking to educate, empower, and encourage leaders to see all of life through the lens of grace, towards all things made new in Christ. We enjoy seeing students grow and learn through their various disciplines and work with them in connecting faith and the academic, breaking beyond a secular/sacred binary.
6. Other Passions and Interests
Hockey, soccer, cooking, and a community kitchen on campus.
7. Contact Information
169A HUB Chaplains' Centre
bclarke1@ualberta.ca | 587-785-4344
laclarke@ualberta.ca | 780-885-2474
Brooklyn Decker
Pentecostal Chaplain

Brooklyn Decker

1. Religious Affiliation

Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada

2. Educational History

Bachelor of Education (University of Alberta)

Bachelor of Arts in Drama (University of Alberta)

3. Joined the U of A

August 2023

4. Current Focus at the U of A

My current focus is building relationships with students and developing a strong faith community on campus. The U of A is huge and can sometimes be a lonely place if you haven’t found your people, and your people are out there, waiting for you! I am passionate about getting students connected to a campus club and/or local church where they can form genuine relationships and grow in their faith. I also want to provide support for students—as a recent graduate myself, I’m familiar with the toll student life can have at times, and life outside of school for that matter, and I’m here for you. Regardless of where you’re at when it comes to belief in God, you are always welcome to pop by my office for a cup of tea. (It even says so on the window of my office outside of HUB.)

5. Why we are Chaplains at the U of A

It’s summed up pretty well in this Bible verse (2 Corinthians 1:3-4): “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

God has radically healed and transformed my life. I am a chaplain at the U of A because I want to be able to share the love God has shown me with others and be able to comfort those who need it with the same comfort I have received from God. I also want to help people navigate their faith, with all the mess that can sometimes come with doing so—that means having the courage to ask tough questions and think critically, at times questioning things or struggling with doubt. All of this is actually healthy and can strengthen one’s faith, if you invite God to help you through it.

6. Other Passions and Interests

I love singing and writing songs, playing around on piano or shredding on guitar, as well as drawing and painting. Over the past year I’ve also gotten really into photography and have been working on compiling my poems to create a poetry book! (Stay tuned.)

7. Contact Information

182B HUB Multi-Faith Prayer and Meditation Space

bdecker@ualberta.ca

Instagram: uofachaplain_paoc

Mona-Lee Feehan
Roman Catholic Chaplain:

Mona-Lee Feehan

1. Religious Affiliation
Roman Catholic
2. Education History

Bachelor of Education (University of Alberta)

Masters of Education (University of Alberta)

Masters of Theology (St. Stephen's College)

Doctor of Ministry (St. Stephen's College)

3. Joined the U of A
October 2018
4. Current Focus at the U of A
I am a Campus Minister at St Joseph's College at the University of Alberta (U of A). All students, regardless of belief, are welcome in my office. My primary concern and focus is the mental health concerns of all U of A students. In my work, I have the opportunity to provide a safe space to talk about issues that affect students' well-being and open the door of communication to discuss faith and spirituality.
5. Why I am a chaplain at the U of A
I love my faith; faith is what grounds me. If I can walk with someone discerning their own personal journey and they, in turn, invite someone else to join, we have the capacity to grow in community.
6. Contact Information
monalee@ualberta.ca | 780-492-4750
St. Joseph's College
Timothy Chrapko
Orthodox Chaplain:

Timothy Chrapko

1. Religious Affiliation
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada
2. Education History
  • B.Th. - St. Andrew’s College (Winnipeg)
  • M.T.S. - Newman Theological College (Edmonton)
  • D. Min. - St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (Yonkers, NY)
3. Joined the U of A
2022
4. Current Focus at the U of A
I am a part-time chaplain at the U of A and I work with Orthodox priests, parishes and families to assist students attending the U of A to remain connected to and integrate their faith into their lives as students.
5. Why I am a chaplain at the U of A
It has often been said that “high school and university is where life makes its choices.” I am a chaplain at the U of A in order to walk with students through their life while in university, and to help them to see this period of time as an opportunity to deepen their faith and to make their faith integral to the person that they become through their years of study.
6. Other passions and interests
In addition to my duties as chaplain, I am also the parish priest of St. Anthony’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Edmonton, as well as the priest in charge of St. Nicholas Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Red Deer, AB. In addition, I am a professor of systematic theology at St. Andrew’s College in Winnipeg and have recently been appointed to represent the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada on the Canadian Council of Churches Commission on Faith and Witness.
6. Contact Information
302K SUB 
tchrapko@svots.edu  780-818-4175
Directions to HUB Offices
  1. Take the stairway beside A&W HUB Mall down and outside, then turn right.
  2. Enter the paved pathway beneath HUB Mall to Multi-Faith Prayer & Meditation Space (on left).
  3. Follow the hallway to double steel doors. (The rooms of 182 are on your left.)