Our Team

THE REVEREND CANON GEORGE SINCLAIR - RECTOR (MESSIAH DOWNTOWN)

George studied at the undergraduate and graduate level at Carleton University where he received a degree in Sociology with a minor in Philosophy. He studied Theology and Pastoral Counselling at St. Paul University where he completed an MA in Pastoral Studies.

George was ordained in 1985. For 22 years he served in the Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC). In 2008 his church was the second church in the country to separate from the ACoC and join the Anglican Network in Canada (ANiC). George has served in a suburban and in a rural “multi-point” church.

George is blessed to have been married to Louise since 1981. They have 9 children and lots of sons and daughters-in-law and grandchildren

THE REVEREND DANIEL AVITAN - ASSOCIATE PASTOR (MESSIAH WEST)

Daniel grew up in Southern Ontario, before coming to Ottawa in 2006 for university. He has served in Christian ministry for many years and has a strong desire to see that people are well cared for spiritually and personally know the love of God through Jesus the Messiah. Daniel is married to Christine. They have three young children.

DEBORAH REID - WORSHIP LEADER

Deborah Reid has loved to sing ever since she was a small child. She began singing in choirs and on worship teams in high school and has continued to serve on worship teams at several different churches ever since. In 2013, she married her husband Andrew, and in the following year, she received her Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of Ottawa. Since then, Deborah has spent time directing a children’s choir and occasionally giving vocal lessons to adults who want to improve their singing. Deborah spends most of her time raising her three children, but she also enjoys reading, painting, and gardening.

THE REVEREND DR. STEVE GRIFFIN - HONORARY ASSISTANT

Steve was born and raised in Mexico, where his parents served as career missionaries for nearly 50 years. He first came to Canada in 1985 to work as a volunteer with the Summer Day Camps run by Crosstalk Ministries in the Anglican Diocese of Montreal. It was there that he met his future wife, Stella Sweetman.

After he and Stella were married in 1987, he continued to study and teach Russian language and literature, but then took up theology (first at St Paul University, and later McGill). Since Stella is a career diplomat, he considers it a great privilege to have had the chance over the last couple of decades to partner with churches and seminaries in various parts of the world, helping local leaders to train others for Gospel ministry.

Most recently, he served as one of the ministers at All Saints Cathedral in Cairo, having been ordained there in 2019. He and Stella have three children and five grandchildren.

JOSIAH HAYNES - COMMUNITY LIFE LEAD

Josiah joined the Church of the Messiah staff in January 2024 after four years working in political advocacy as the Director of Content and Communications for a Vancouver-based not-for-profit. He graduated from Trinity Western University and the Laurentian Leadership Centre in 2021 with a BA in Political Studies and a Certificate in Leadership and Applied Public Affairs.

Josiah and his wife Emma have attended Church of the Messiah Downtown since 2021. Josiah is thrilled to assist the ministries of the Church of the Messiah while pursuing studies at Ryle Seminary.