The Very Reverend Dr. Marion Pardy was the 37th Moderator of the United Church of Canada

Moderator of the United Church of Canada

The Moderator of the United Church of Canada is the presiding leader of the United Church of Canada, Canada's largest Protestant denomination. The church is highly decentralized and non-dogmatic and the moderator has only limited power...

 (2000-2003).

Pardy was born May 9, 1942 in Gander, Newfoundland

Dominion of Newfoundland

The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...

 and in 1961 she left Gander to work at Albert College in Belleville, Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

. She went there to complete entrance requirements at night school for Covenant College (now the Centre for Christian Studies). In 1968 Pardy was designated as a deaconess by Newfoundland and Labrador Conference at Gower Street United Church. In 1982 Pardy was ordained by Hamilton Conference.

Pardy pursued and received Bachelor of Arts

Bachelor of Arts

A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...

 and Master of Arts

Master of Arts (postgraduate)

A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...

 degrees from York University

York University

York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....

 in Toronto

Toronto

Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

, and later received her Doctor of Ministry degree from Boston University School of Theology

Boston University School of Theology

Boston University School of Theology is the oldest theological seminary of American Methodism and the founding school of Boston University, the largest private research university in New England. It is one of thirteen theological schools maintained by the United Methodist Church...

 in 1997.

Marion Pardy was successor to the Very Reverend Bill Phipps

Bill Phipps

William "Bill" Phipps is a Canadian church leader and social justice activist. He was Moderator of the United Church of Canada from 1997 to 2000.-Early life and ministry:...

-a Moderator who instigated deep conversation in the church with regard to Christology.