East Plains United Church
375 Plains Rd. East
Burlington, ON, L7T 2C7
Phone: 905-634-5562

East Plains United Church is currently seeking a new minister to replace Rev. Bruce Dickson who has moved to Dublin Street United in Guelph, effective June 30, 2011. To read our JNAC report click on the link on our home page.

Nancy Handrigan, Music Director; has served as Music Director & Organist at East Plains since Easter 1996. She enjoys using a variety of musical styles with instruments and vocal groups for church services and special events. Born and raised in St. John´s, Newfoundland, Nancy earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Violin Performance from Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. While there, she sang in St. Andrew's Church choir and studied organ as her secondary instrument. While in Nova Scotia, Nancy took her first church position as organist at Falmouth United and volunteered her services at Vaughan United.

After moving to Hamilton for her Master of Arts in Music Criticism in 1993, Nancy served as Music Director/Organist at Harmony United in Brantford until joining East Plains. Besides teaching private music lessons and performing professionally, she has held positions in arts administration at Opera Hamilton, the Mississauga Symphony, the Canadian Children's Opera Chorus, and the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra. Having worked in the Faculty of Humanities at McMaster University, she has been with the Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital Foundation since 2004.

Josephine Braun, Visitation Minister.Josephine has served as Visitation Minister for the senior and shut-in persons of East Plains since January 2011. Effective July 1 2011, Josephine’s responsibilities have expanded to include office administration and pastoral counseling until a new lead minister is found. She shares the preaching schedule with Rev. Harold Wells and Rev. Don Parsons. Effective June 2011, Josephine has entered into the discernment process, a step towards ordained ministry within The United Church of Canada.

Born and raised in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Josephine earned a Bachelor of Health Sciences from the University of Western Ontario and later a Master of Divinity from McMaster Divinity College, Hamilton. From April 2008 until June 2011, Josephine served as Coordinator of Volunteer Ministries at St. James United in Waterdown. She also interned for a short time as student chaplain at Mission-Services and completed demographic research for the Strategic Mission Development Committee of Halton Presbytery. Most recently, she has accepted a position as Webinar Coordinator for EDGE (A Network for Ministry Development), an initiative of General Council.

Josephine's Email: Josephine@eastplainsunitedchurch.com

Alyson Atkinson, Office Administrator Alyson joined East Plains in March 2009. She previously worked with Adrienne Clarkson, former Governor-General of Canada. She is also a former member of the Rotary Club of Canada and a Big Sister. Alyson is fond of animals and lives at home with her four cats. Her office hours are 9:00am to 3:00pm Monday-Friday

Office Email:office@eastplainsunitedchurch.com