Two key Indigenous Ministries staff positions have been filled with the hiring of Archdeacon Rosalyn Elm as coordinator and Krista Pura as program associate.
Elm, who is Oneida and the first Indigenous woman ordained in the diocese of Huron, was Huron’s animator of reconciliation and Indigenous ministry and priest-in-charge of the Parish of the Six Nations when she was named General Synod’s new Indigenous Ministries coordinator. The announcement came April 25 during a meeting of the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples (ACIP) in Leduc, Alta.
Formerly Her Majesty’s Royal Chaplain at Mohawk Chapel in Brantford, Ont., Elm was also a candidate for national Indigenous Anglican archbishop in 2022, alongside current National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop Chris Harper. She says she was “completely blown away” by the offer to become Indigenous Ministries coordinator and that it was an honour and privilege to be considered for both positions.
In conversations with Harper, ACIP members and Bishop of Huron Todd Townshend, Elm said, “We have this hope and this vision of working together and this idea of mutual interdependence and relationship and responsibility. How can we model that for both the Indigenous church and the non-Indigenous church? This idea of working together and finding our way together, I think it’s important for our future as a church and it’s important for our future as an Indigenous church.”
As Indigenous Ministries coordinator, Elm takes over the role that had been filled on an interim basis by Donna Bomberry following the death of former coordinator Ginny Doctor.
Harper described Elm as “a great educator and speaker”, a hard worker who would make “a wonderful addition to the Indigenous Ministries family, as well as for the Anglican Church to represent the church and the Indigenous community.” He praised Elm’s “experience of Indigenous ministries on reserve and off reserve, as well as her ability to think outside the box.”
“That’s what we need, especially going forward in Indigenous Ministries—to be able to take a look at the historic setting and landscape of the Anglican Church and adapt the Indigenous concepts, ideals and hopes and dreams of the people to bring better relationships and build on the bridges between the Anglican Church and the Indigenous communities,” Harper said.
While the coordinator oversees the general work of Indigenous Ministries, the program associate provides administrative and program support to the national Indigenous archbishop. In the latter position, Pura takes over from Teresa Mandricks, who served as program associate prior to her retirement in 2023.
Originally from north of Edmonton, Pura has worked in administrative positions for chemical and real estate companies as well as in content marketing. Harper said Pura has “been doing a phenomenal job in getting everything organized” since she started as program associate April 15, describing her as “an incredibly adept, intuitive ‘people person’ … We’re incredibly blessed to have her.”
Pura told the Anglican Journal, “My family is Indigenous and I’ve done a number of jobs in my life, but I was looking to do something a little bit more where I’m giving back,” She applied to work for the church in Indigenous Ministries because “I want to do something where I’m helping other people.”
