About Us
Our Congregation is a part of the United Church of Canada, a progressive denomination of the Christian faith.
Who We Are
The congregation is the community of people who gather together at Wesley. The Congregation is served by our Minister, Rev. Lennox Scarlett, who is paid by the congregation and provides leadership, education, and worship. Wesley's other staff includes our Music Coordinator/Choir Director, Youth Coordinators, Office Administrator, and Caretaker.
While the minister and staff have special roles in the life of our congregation, the members and volunteers are responsible for “running” the church.
What We Believe
- we value the presence of God in our midst as we worship and grow together;
- we value God’s leading through the Holy Spirit, striving to discover our purpose;
- we value inclusive fellowship, open doors, hearts and open minds;
- we value you and what you bring to this fellowship;
- we value compassion expressed to one another and to the community.
Our Minister: Rev. Lennox Scarlett
ABOUT OUR MINISTER
Rev. Lennox Scarlett hails from the small inner-city community of Franklin Town, Kingston, Jamaica. He attended the Clan Carthy Primary School and Kingston College and was one of seven brothers. As a youth, Lennox was very involved in his Youth Fellowship at the Lincoln Kirk United Church, where he served in many capacities including president for three years.
He graduated in 1994 with a Degree in Theology and a Diploma in Ministerial Formation. Ordained to the ministry of Word and Sacrament since April 1995, Lennox has served as minister in varying capacities including; pastor for the Oberlin/Mannings Hill Charge to 2002, Religious Education instructor to the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) at the Oberlin High School, Resident Chaplain of the Knox Complex of Schools from 2002 to 2010 – during which he gave spiritual oversight to the students and staff, taught Social Ethics at the Community College and took up the role of Guidance Counsellor for a year.
HIS PASTORAL JOURNEY
Rev. Scarlett has served as interim minister for several pastoral charges including the Ebenezer/ Andrews Charge in Mandeville, the Bryce/ Pike Charge in Colleyville, Manchester, and as student internship supervisor.
In 2004, he was awarded a Council for World Mission Scholarship to pursue a Masters Degree at the Theologische Universiteit Kampen, the Netherlands, where in read for a Masters Degree in Practical Theology.
In 2010 Rev. Scarlett was placed at the St. Paul’ United Church on Settlement and the following year he answered the Call to pastor the same church where he ministered for eight years.
In 2012, Rev. Scarlett was appointed Justice of the Peace for the Parish of Kingston and a member of the Lay Magistrates Association of Jamaica, Kingston Chapter. He served on many committees of the Lay Magistrates Association including that of the Governor General Achievement Awards for Excellence for the County of Surrey. Also, in the same year, he was elected Vice Chairman of the North Eastern Regional Mission Council with responsibility for Congregational Transformation and Growth. He also Chaired the North Eastern Regional Mission Council’s Cluster 7 of the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.
Rev. Scarlett also served at the then Kingston Council level as president and later at the national level as Youth and Evangelism Coordinator for two years with the United Church Young People’s Association. He has represented the United Church on local, regional, and international matters and was part of the first mission team to visit Haiti. He participated in the Calvin Worship Symposium in Grand Rapids, USA as co-presenter and has also represented the United Church in the Caribbean Workers’ Outreach Programme in Canada in 2015 and 2016.
In 2018, Rev. Scarlett accepted an appointment with the United Church of Canada to serve as pastor of the Scotland United Church as minister. In this appointment, he gave leadership to the Oakland United Church as well.
As of January 1, 2019, the Scotland United Church and Oakland United Church amalgamated to form the Oakland-Scotland Community Church – with Rev Scarlett at the helm of affairs.
In the Spring of 2023, Rev. Scarlett began in the role of President of the Horseshoe Regional Council (Horseshoe Falls Regional Council is an Affirming Ministry of The United Church of Canada).
Rev. Scarlett is married to Antonette and together they have two children, Abigail, and Philip.
In September of 2023, Rev. Scarlett began as the new Minister at Wesley United Church after being selected by the Wesley Search team.
Welcome to Wesley!
Membership
We are a church with open doors, and you are welcome here. In time, we hope that you will find a home here and recognize that this is a safe place to explore what it means to know God.
If you regularly attend Wesley United Church we consider you a part of our congregation and a part of our church family. If you have come to feel that Wesley is your home, you may wish to consider “formally joining” our congregation as a full member.
Church membership is a covenant between the congregation and an individual. The individual promises to be a part of the life and work of the church and the congregation promises to support the individual in his/her quest to follow Christ.
Normally, those who wish to enter into membership in this congregation do so through, baptism, confirmation, profession or reaffirmation of faith, or by transfer from another Christian church or another United Church congregation. If you would like to know more about how you may formally join our membership, please contact one of our ministers.
For more information about the United Church of Canada, please visit www.united-church.ca