Rev. Daniel Benson, Acting Minister
Somewhat ironically, my first official day at Beach United was the first anniversary of my official retirement! Despite the irony, I’m delighted to be here at Beach as the Acting Minister while Rev. Greg is on leave. As half-time minister, I will be focusing on worship, pastoral care, community engagement, and supporting the congregation in its vision of “exploring faith and building relationships with God, People, and the Earth.”
During my retirement year, I spent time church surfing: often in the pew, visiting churches across the GTA on Sunday to worship, simply ‘be,’ and soak up the incredible diversity of faith communities, worship styles, and fellowship in our United Church of Canada. Some Sundays, I was in the pulpit, as guest preacher and worship leader (a different kind of surfing…). So, being at Beach will bring a little bit of stability to my wandering ways of the last twelve months.
I’ve served numerous churches here in Toronto, most recently East End United as their Intentional Interim Minister. Before that, I was Executive Minister of Communications at the General Council. Going way back, I trained as a practical horologist, a study I integrated into my theology thesis: “Beyond Paley’s Watch.” Other work experiences range from carnival barker to property management. My non-churchy pastimes include choral singing, curling, theatre (watching, not performing!), restoring antique timepieces and vehicles, and travel. My husband Grant and I live in Toronto’s east end (surrounded, I’ve discovered, by numerous Beach members!), with our much-too-smart-but-loveable spaniel, Keeley.
This is a tough time to be church: the increasing secularity of our times, the disenfranchisement and isolation we experience, the legacy of COVID, and the stresses of everyday living, have left us all reeling and wondering what’s next. But, as followers of Jesus, of sharers of his Good News, I believe we have an anchor in these stormy seas. We can debate what it means to follow Jesus (some of us may have different ideas), and how that Good News is made real (again, lots of ideas), but at the heart of all this is one truth: we are not alone: God is with us. And that makes all the difference.
I’m looking forward to my time with Beach United, as we explore and live into that difference together.