Trinity United Church – Minister’s Report 2025 – ACM (Annual Congregational Meeting) 2026

“Since we are joined together in this ministry as a result of the mercy shown to all of us by God, we do not become discouraged.”

2 Corinthians 4:1 – The Voice

Dear Trinity United Church,

January 5, 2025, was my first Sunday leading worship at Trinity as your new spiritual leader. It was not just Epiphany Sunday, it was also twenty years to the date, Monday, January 5, 2005, when I started my educational journey at Concordia University to go into the ordained ministry stream of the United Church of Canada.

My life journey has had many twists and turns, yet I have arrived at this intersection where it feels that I have come home. Thank you for your welcoming heart.

It seems it was just last week that our ministry began, but it was more than fourteen months ago. When I arrived at Trinity, I felt a bit dazed and confused. I had to learn the ropes of this Community of Faith and had many curtains to open and learn what is behind each curtain. It still feels like I am learning. But the last year being with you has been nothing less than an amazing journey of experiencing miracles, doing ministry, and finding new ways to take the Church out of the building and sharing the Good News of Jesus with everyone, and use words if needed.

It was a true miracle to have Rev. Michael Blair not only be the preacher at our covenanting service on March 2, 2025, at 2 p.m. (Transfiguration Sunday), but also to have him spend time with church members from this area and answer questions after sharing the way forward of the United Church on the afternoon of March 1.

When I arrived at Trinity, I was informed that there is a chapel service once a month that takes place at Van Horne Manor. But somehow, God expanded our horizons and gave us the vision of enlarging our territories. Our one retirement home chapel service has become four different chapel services a month. Your Spiritual Leadership and Christian Community Teams fully support four chapel services a month. Thanks to my husband Gary, I have music in my cell phone and a Bluetooth speaker in my bag, and we sing our hearts out every single gathering. In addition, with December being a special time of Christmas, Flora Riley brought her guitar/accordian and we had a fun time singing Christmas carols after sharing in Christmas Communion together. Yes, we do offer the Lord’s Banquet, Communion, at special seasons of the Church.

We are present at Rosebridge Manor in Jasper (every first Wednesday of the month, 2 p.m.). Van Horne Manor (every first Thursday of the month, 2 p.m.). Broadview Nursing Home, which is now combined with Hilltop Manor from Merrickville at the new Broadview facility on Pearl St. in Smiths Falls (every second Thursday of the month, 11 a.m.) and Lombard Manor (every second Thursday of the month, 2 p.m.). We have many members of Trinity United Church in all these four facilities.

We also have taken our Good News of Jesus to radio. We have submitted True Meaning of Easter and Christmas on MyFM, on which the radio audience not only hears the True Meanings of Easter and Christmas, but also gets an invitation to join Trinity’s different gatherings. I have met many people in stores and restaurants and whenever I have introduced myself to them, they would say, “Oh, you are the minister we hear on the radio”. Moreover, there are people who also recognize me from Cogeco’s YourTV. I am truly grateful for the efforts of Cory Agnew and Patricia Agnew, who have helped to blossom the TV ministries of Trinity.

I always say that when people meet me, they meet Trinity United. My thought process always has been that wherever I am, I represent you. Even when I am on vacation or study leave, I represent you, the Community of Faith, who serve the Creator with all your hearts and efforts.

As much as we need a building to gather in and Celebrate God’s Love through Worship, it is vital to take the church beyond the building walls.

From the first moment I arrived at Trinity, Sunday Morning Worship music has been a highlight, with Wendy Stokes-Earl’s gift of music for the first six months of my time with you. With Michael Fenn’s arrival in October, Ministry of Music truly has become a time to strengthen our spirit and intentionally spend contemplative moments. Music is a true gift that helps us experience the Presence of Love and Peace.

Pastoral Care needs are ongoing, either being with those who are facing illnesses, or loss of loved ones, or even just facing the daily difficulties of life. But Trinity has an amazing Christian Community and Pastoral Care Team who follow up, offer Presence, and make a difference. I am indebted to Sharon O’Neill, who has been my support in introducing me to Trinity Members and doing visitations with me. I am excited to report that at the end of 2025, a few new individuals are also interested to expand this amazing Team of Caring and Sharing.

Thanks to technology, Pastoral Care takes place not just in person, but also through Facebook, e-mail, and telephone calls.

The Samaritan Fund is a lifesaver around Smiths Falls. Requests come regularly, and I am so grateful for these essential funds to reach the most vulnerable in our extended communities. Thanks to your generosity to the Samaritan Fund, we have offered more than $1,600 to individuals and families in 2025.

As you can see in the separate reports, we have had new full members join Trinity. We also celebrated Baptisms and Weddings, and I have had the sacred privilege of celebrating Lives of those who departed from this physical world — a few members of this Community of Faith, and a few members of the greater family of God. It is an honour and a humbling experience to journey with everyone in their times of needs, joys and sorrows.

Through all this, we cannot be Trinity United Church if we were not connected to the wider Church, the EOORC (Eastern Ontario Outaouais Regional Council), and the General Council. As a minister, I am considered a member of the Regional Council, as ministers are not members of the church they serve. Therefore, with this “entitlement,” I serve the Regional Council and the General Council through different Teams.

I have been serving the EOORC through three committees: Nominations, Future Through Property Team, and Affirm. These Teams, and others, are always looking for people to serve. All United Church members are welcome to put their name forward and make a difference beyond our small Community of Faith. Moreover, I serve the General Council, as the United Church’s representative to the National Muslim Christian Liaison Committee. This is a three-year term, and my term ends in July 2026.

Beloved, I cannot do all that I do by my own power, but it is through God’s Power, my Family’s Support, and the different opportunities to attend lifelong learning events and taking some time off to rest and rejuvenate. I am ever grateful for the Festival of Homiletics that fed my spirit since 2013. Every May, I would attend this wonderful gathering in the United States and listen to world-renowned theologians, preachers and leaders who make the Word of God become nourishment for our souls. I cannot be your spiritual leader without feeding my soul first. The Festival of Homiletics has carried me through, and my other reading weeks away help me walk even when at times I am too weary. I am grateful to all who have stepped up at Trinity and led worship services in my absence, and to those who have stepped in doing pastoral care as well.

We might think that Trinity is a small church in the greater scheme of things, however you do your ministry through the mighty love of God, and it is a joy to journey with you. At times, my weekends are blurred out and long days become necessary, but I do it all with Joy as my husband Gary Petro’s support and your ministry inspires mine and carries me through.

There is so much more that I can report on, however, how can you sum up an entire year in a few pages? A few of you have participated in many of the ministries we do at Trinity, and that has helped me to get to know you better as we journey together. And I still look forward to getting to know many more who are part of this Family of Grace and many who are joining the flock.

As Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:1, mentioned above – “Since we are joined together in this ministry as a result of the mercy shown to all of us by God, we do not become discouraged.” (The Voice)

I Remain Humbly Your Servant Leader – Because of Grace,
Rev. Takouhi