The Rev. Christine Muise

Hello!  I arrived in the Parish of the Valley to begin serving on September 1, 2024.  I travelled almost 5000 kilometers to arrive here from the Northern tip of Vancouver Island where I lived on the territory of the Kwakwaka'wakw Peoples to now reside on this territory of the Algonquin and Annishnabek Peoples. 

Born in Montreal and raised in various communities in Southwestern Ontario.  I attended the University of Ottawa for the first two years of my undergraduate studies before I relocated to Abbotsford BC to complete my degree in Criminology at the University of the Fraser Valley in 2001. 

I worked for the International Centre for Criminal Justice Reform and Criminal Justice Policy (a body of the United Nations) and then worked for the John Howard Society in two half-way houses for men who were being released from federal corrections institutions as well as with LINC (long-term inmates now in the community).  I had planned on attending Law School to study Human Rights and Natural (now known as Indigenous) Law.

God had different plans.  Thanks to faith leaders, mentors, teachers, and friends, I discerned a call to serve Christ in the Anglican Church of Canada.  I completed my Master of Divinity Degree at the Vancouver School of Theology in 2006 and set off to work at Sorrento Centre (an Anglican Retreat Centre) located in the Shuswap Region of the BC Interior.

In 2007 I was the Lay Pastor to the North Kokanee Region to the communities of New Denver, Nakusp, and Kaslo BC.  I was ordained in the Diocese of Kootenay in June 2008 to the Sacred Order of Deacons, and in December of that same year, to the Sacred Order of Priests.  Since that time, I have served the communities of Golden, Parksville, Port Hardy, Port Alice, Port McNeill BC.  During these years, in Parksville I was a founding member of OHEARTS: Oceanside Ecumenical Advocacy Response Team which was a response to the community needs for homeless shelters and a compassionate response to the opiate crisis; and then in Port Hardy we responded to the need for an early morning Sanctuary to offer a safe space for those experiencing houselessness, chaotic housing, mental health challenges especially for those struggling with alcohol addiction. 

Now in my 16^th year of ministry, I am joining the team at the Parish of the Valley.  I am so excited to be here.  I thought that my ministry would be in the downtown cores of cities; but instead, I have found that I love rural ministry and living; small communities seem to be best suited for living out gospel values.  I take my baptismal vows seriously and I care deeply about God’s creations and creating and of our role as caretakers.  I am passionate about our responsibilities to walk in a good way with the Indigenous Nations on whose land we have come to share. 

I have spent many years as a gymnastics coach, lifeguard and swim instructor.  I believe that we are meant to fully inhabit and enjoy our bodies as creatures of God.  I continue to enjoy swimming, gymnastics, kayaking, climbing trees and more.