Southminster-Steinhauer United Church
An Affirming Congregation within the United Church of Canada

Ministry Team

Nancy Steeves

Nancy’s faith has been nurtured in several Christian communities. She began her faith journey in a Baptist church in northern New Brunswick. After completing a B.Sc. in psychology, Nancy studied at Fuller Theological Seminary in California and Toronto School of Theology. She was ordained by the Presbyterian Church in Canada in 1981 and served Valleyview Presbyterian in Calgary before moving to Edmonton to study law at the University of Alberta. During her years as a law student, Nancy served Metropolitan Community Church of Edmonton and Evansburg-Greengrove Pastoral Charge. Since 1993, Nancy has been practicing law on a part-time basis and has served in ministry positions with Rio Terrace (Moravian) Community Church, Deer Park UnitedChurch in Calgary and Buchanan Eastwood United Church in Edmonton. Nancy has been part of our ministry team since August, 2003.

Nancy’s vision of ministry is companioning the journey; sharing the search for spirit; critiquing the social order; advocating justice; feeding hungry hearts; speaking truth to power and to the powerless. She is committed to the gospel as a vision of social and global transformation.

Heather Koots

Heather Koots joined the ministry team of Southminster-Steinhauer in August 2008, following 20 years in Cochrane Alberta where she spent ten years parenting 5 sons full-time and being actively involved in the children’s ministry program at St. Andrew’s United Church. She re-entered ministry with a year at St. David’s United in Calgary and then joined her husband Don in team ministry at St. Andrew’s where she continued to share her enthusiasm for the faith formation of children and youth. Ordained in 1985 by British Columbia Conference of the United Church, Heather has further completed certification in death and grief studies with a particular emphasis on companioning children through their experiences of grief. She has led youth trips to Costa Rica and Jamaica and delights in the global awareness these adventures have sparked.

Jim Spiers

Jim has been resourcing our youth ministry since 2004. In that capacity, he provides and recruit leadership for youth events and activities, resources young adult ministry, co-facilitate social events for families, and resources youth summer programs.

He grew up in Calgary attending St. Andrew's United, participated in choir and Hi-C, played high school football, and also violin in the Southern Alberta Youth Orchestra. Jim attended the University of Saskatchewan in Agriculture, Commerce and Food Science, and lived in St. Andrew's College for several years. With wife Wendy (B.Sc. Pharmacy UofS) he has lived in Edmonton, London, Halifax, back to Edmonton (with Labatt's), then to Red Deer (with Drummond and Global TV) before returning to Edmonton. He has a lifelong association with the United Church of Canada, serving on and leading boards, committees, presenter (at Banff Men's Conference and youth events), and youth program coordinator (Gaetz United Red Deer).

Jim and Wendy have a son, Adam, and a daughter, Rebecca living in Red Deer. In his spare time, Jim enjoys mountain backpacking, curling, skiing, aerobics, wine making, and music.

Administrative Staff

Pat Vallis

Pat Vallis Pat is our Office Administrator. Pat provides many administrative services including booking space in our building, preparing the weekly newssheet (the Morning Messenger) and semi-annual newsletter (the Reminder), responds to phone inquiries and manages the office each weekday (Monday-Friday) from 9AM to 1PM.