Anne was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and enjoyed a happy childhood with her parents and siblings.  As a Roman Catholic she attended a Convent school where the Sisters of Mercy had a tremendous influence on her life. Their works of charity and their determination to educate children of all races was an example to many in apartheid South Africa. The Soweto riots of 1976 took place when Anne was in her final year of high school. Black children took to the streets to protest the inequality and inferior nature of their schooling. 
 
On graduating from High School, and because she loved children so much, Anne attended the Johannesburg College of Education where she became a Primary School teacher.  She taught in Johannesburg for 4 years before being seconded to the Teachers College to train student teachers.  It was during this time that Anne met Colin and they married in 1984.  In her late teens, Anne started attending an Anglican youth group and became very involved in ministry in the church. This youth group had a weekly attendance of over 100 young people at their Friday evening gatherings and they were involved in many outreach projects in the community as well as leading worship on Sunday evenings in church.  She eventually decided to become an Anglican.
 
The political situation in South Africa during the 1980s was very tumultuous and at that time Anne and Colin were given the opportunity to move to Canada. Colin was a Specialist physician and on moving to Canada spent two years training to become an oncologist in Ottawa. They moved to Sudbury where Colin began working at the Regional Cancer Centre. Because of visa restrictions Anne was unable to work as a teacher and so she volunteered and became involved in the life of the church in downtown Sudbury.  She also continued her studies, this time in religion. Two children were born to Anne and Colin, Caitlin (now 17) and Richard (almost 14) and Anne enjoyed her time as a stay at home mum. 
 
In 1996, at the suggestion of a priest friend, Anne began studies in Theology at Thorneloe University in Sudbury.  She felt called to more active ministry in the church and this started a lengthy process and put her on the road to eventual ordination in the Anglican Church. She was appointed to her present position, as lay incumbent of the Church of the Ascension before she was ordained. Ordination to the Diaconate took place in February 2001 and to the priesthood in May 2002.
 
Anne loves her ministry at the Ascension and firmly believes in the ministry of all baptised Christians. The church is involved in many outreach projects in the community of Sudbury, as well as around the world. The Ascension has links with a parish in the Arctic and also with the Diocese of Johannesburg as they minister to those living with and dying from HIV/AIDS.  Alone we can do so little, but together and united in the love of Christ, we can do many things.

Fr. Bob currently serves as the President and Provost at Thornloe Univiersity, as well as the Chaplain of St. Mark's Chapel at Laurentian University.  A New Testament scholar by training, Fr. Bob has written a book and a number of essays, articles and reviews on the New Testament Gospels and the letters of St. Paul.  Prior to his coming to Sudbury, Fr. Bob was Associate Professor of New Testament at Regent College in Vancouver. He was ordained Deacon in 2001, then Priest in 2002, in the Diocese of Toronto.  Fr. Bob was installed as Honourary Associate at the Church of the Ascension Sudbury on December 6th 2009.

Fr. Bob's interests include downhill skiing, biking, travel, Mac computers and U2.  He is married to Cindy, and they have two children Chloe and Jack.

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