CHAPEL
St. Paul's Presbyterian Church is a Christian community in downtown Hamilton, embodying Jesus’ acceptance and love of all people, and supporting the growth of God’s people in faith and service.
St. Paul's Presbyterian Church is a Christian community in downtown Hamilton, embodying Jesus’ acceptance and love of all people, and supporting the growth of God’s people in faith and service.
ST. PAUL'S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
A COMMUNITY OF FAITH IN HAMILTON
(905) 522-2792
Reverend Dr. J. Mark Lewis
Interim Moderator
The Rev. Dr. J. Mark Lewis was born in South Wales and came to Canada as a child when his Father, the Rev. T. J. Lewis was called to a Presbyterian charge in Southwestern Ontario. Mark is a graduate of McMaster University (Philosophy), and Knox College (Theology) at the University of Toronto. In 2014 Knox College at the University of Toronto conferred on Mark the honorary degree Doctor of Divinity.
Mark has served as a prison chaplain and a pastoral minister in Ontario and Nova Scotia. During his ministry in Knox Presbyterian Church, Dunnville he was elected "Citizen of the Year" in that community in recognition of his volunteer service to the Fire Department, the Royal Canadian Legion, the Canadian Cancer Society and several other community organizations.
Mark was elected Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Canada in 2002. He has served as Vice-Convener and Convener of the National Assembly Council, Convener of the National Long-Range Planning Committee, and the National Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations Committee. Mark has been a member of
the Canadian Christian-Jewish Consultation since 2003. Mark has led large multi-staff churches out of times of conflict, disunity, and stagnation into times of harmony, vitality, and growth. Mark recently retired as Lead Minister at St. Andrew’s, Kitchener after twelve and a half years of service there.
Mark has traveled in Palestine/Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Africa, and Mexico on various human rights initiatives for the Presbyterian Church in Canada. He has a keen interest in the Arab/Israeli conflict and the effects of NAFTA on the indigenous people of Mexico. Mark loves to create worship that is marked by much joy and punctuated by lots of laughter. The "Children's Story" time in worship has always been important to Mark, and the members of Mark’s Church love to see the children welcomed into the service and engaged in the corporate worship with joy and enthusiasm.
Mark is married to Donna Fitzpatrick; they have three adult children, Ruth, Anna, and Samuel. Donna is a Scientific Manager and Senior Research Coordinator at McMaster University in Hamilton.
When Mark retired in 2018, he and Donna were delighted to move back to Hamilton, which they think of as home. Mark and Donna are both grads of Mac (Donna has three Mac degrees). Their daughter, Ruth is also a Mac grad, and Mark’s dad studied at Mac as a mature student. Mark and Donna love all the gardens and trails of the Royal Botanical Gardens. Mark is eager to be a help to congregations in the Presbytery of Hamilton as needed. On a note of interest to the people of St. Paul’s, Mark’s dad, Rev. Trevor J. Lewis ministered to Knox, Waterdown and St. Paul’s, Nelson from 1965 to 1975 and was a friend to Rev. Dr. Stanley Vance through that time.