Ministry and Leadership

James Hurd has served for 40 years as a pastor and presbyter in The Presbyterian Church in Canada. Born in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, he was nurtured in the local congregation and camp, and the Presbyterian Young Peoples' Society (PYPS), and as a teenager came to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

He graduated from Knox College, Toronto in 1986 and was appointed an ordained missionary to the Wanham and Blueberry Mountain Charge in northern Alberta, where he served five and a half years, following which he was called to St. Paul's Church, Woodstock, New Brunswick, where he ministered for ten years, before being called to Parkwood Church, Ottawa, which he has served since 2001.

He has served as clerk of the Presbyteries of Peace River and Ottawa, as moderator of the Presbyteries of Peace River and St. John, as deputy clerk and acting clerk of the Synod of the Atlantic Provinces, as moderator of the Synod of Quebec and Eastern Ontario, and as moderator of two special judicial commissions of the General Assembly.

Committee Work and Ecumenical Service

James served six years (1997–2003) on the Assembly Council, was a member of the special committee to revise chapter 9 of The Book of Forms, and also served for six years (2012–2017) on the Church Doctrine Committee. Since 1999, he has collaborated in the publication of the online PresbyCan Daily Devotionals as Devotional editor.

Ecumenically, he served as secretary of the Central Peace Ministerial Association and at different times both as secretary and president of the Woodstock and District Ministerial Association. From 2004–2010 he chaired the Board of Directors of the Algonquin College Campus Ministry. Since 2002, he has served in various capacities on the Board of Directors of CanHave, an Ottawa-based registered charity supporting the education of AIDS orphans in Uganda.

Personal Life

James is married to Karen, and together they have two grown daughters, Jennifer and Janet, both of whom are presently university students.

In his spare time, James enjoys reading, stamp collecting, and camping and canoeing.

Adapted from the bio provided to the PCC for nominees for moderator of the 2017 General Assembly