Mardi Tindal (born 1952) was the 40th

Moderator of the United Church of Canada The Moderator of the United Church of Canada is the most senior elected official within the United Church of Canada. He or she may be a lay person or a member of the Order of Ministry and is elected to a three-year term by commissioners attend ...

from 2009–2012, only the fourth layperson to take the post since the church was formed in 1925.

Early life and vocation

Tindal was raised in the rural village of

Victoria Square, Ontario Victoria Square is an unincorporated community in Markham, Ontario, Canada. The community was formed in the early nineteenth century. History Historic Victoria Square began at 4th Line (Victoria Square Boulevard) and 18th Line (Elgin Mills Ro ...

, and earned an MA in psychology from the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 ...

. Before her election, Tindal was already well known within the United Church of Canada as the co-host of a United Church television program, ''Spirit Connection''. She was also an adult educator, author, video producer, led pilgrimages to Iona (Scotland), was involved in continuing education in Jamaica, and just prior to her election, was Executive Director of Five Oaks Centre, one of the United Church's education centres.

Moderator

Timdal was nominated to be Moderator in 2009, and at the 40th General Council of the church, she was elected to the position after five ballots on August 14, 2009. She was installed as the 40th Moderator the next day, only the fourth layperson to be elected to the position since the United Church's inception in 1925. In her remarks to the Council following her election, Tindal spoke of entering into a covenant with the church "as we live into ministry together." Meeting with reporters afterwards, her first wish was to support the church in its desire to live in covenant relationship with God and with each other in a caring stewardship of Creation. "I am committed to encouraging young leaders... I am deeply committed to right relationship with creation, in and beyond our faith community... I will be inviting the church to imagine new ways of caring for creation ... We are called to portray the integrity of creation." Speaking about the United Church's current struggles with declining membership and depleted financial resources, Tindal said, "What's most important is to discern what's faithful, set a course, trust in God's abundance, and invite people into it."

Personal

Tindal currently lives in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...

with her husband. She has two children,

Chris Chris is a short form of various names including Christopher, Christian, Christina, Christine, and Christos. Chris is also used as a name in its own right, however it is not as common. People with the given name *Chris Abani (born 1966), Nige ...

, a candidate in the 2010 Toronto municipal election, and Alex, a comedy writer and performer.

Footnotes

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tindal, Mardi 1953 births Living people Ministers of the United Church of Canada Moderators of the United Church of Canada Clergy from Toronto Women Protestant religious leaders