Minister of Worship & Leadership Development

Donald Schmidt was baptized at the age of 3 in St. Aidan’s United in Victoria, and grew up in the Chemainus-Crofton pastoral charge, attending a joint United/Anglican Sunday School in Crofton, and participating in the youth group in Chemainus. He felt a call to ordained ministry very early in life, although constantly thought it was at best a bad joke.

When the call would not go away, he gave in and, abandoning plans for a degree in political science from the University of Victoria, went to Montreal to pursue religious education at McGill University. He received a BA in Jewish Studies and a BTh from McGill, and an MDiv from United Theological College. In 2006 he received a Doctor of Ministry from Wisdom University. He was ordained in the United Methodist Church in the US in 1984, and later transferred to the United Church of Christ.

He has served a number of churches in Quebec, New York, Vermont, Washington, and Hawai‘i, and also served as a conference minister in Hawai‘i before returning to British Columbia in 2015. In addition to parish ministry work, he has for over 25 years served on the editorial teams of The Whole People of God and Seasons of the Spirit curriculum, and has written several books on creation spirituality and biblical story. He has also had a few hymns published in various collections – one in Australia, and one in the US.

When he isn’t immersed in active ministry, Donald finds time to work with wool – spinning, weaving, and knitting – and spending time with his grandchildren. He loves being in ministry in a variety of forms, and is especially attracted to the biblical story and ways to make it come alive in our modern world. He and his husband Kevin live in Penticton.

Minister of Families & Social Justice

Cheryl grew up in the United Church of Canada, the daughter of United Church ministers. But she never intended to be a minister herself! Biblical stories of call like Jeremiah’s or maybe even Jonah’s resonate with her. Cheryl came to First United with a background in curriculum writing and education, energy and experience working with youth and children. She is the author and editor of several books and resources including Youth Spirit, Live the Story: Dramas for Worship, and The Story of the Bible: How the World’s Bestselling Book Came to Be. Cheryl is a mother of three children (8, 11, and 15) herself who loves the challenge of making Bible stories come alive through drama and faith to be relevant to the lives of young people. She also finds her work with marginalized members of the community  important to her spiritual and theological growth!

When she isn’t immersed in ministry, she loves to spend time with her family, loves cooking and eating, reading, and travelling!