Our Clergy
Incumbent (主任牧師)
Rev. Canon Simon Li (李時雄法政牧師)
Fr. Simon Li has been the Incumbent at St. John's since 2006. Canon Simon is passionate about biblical theology, spiritual formation, personal growth, marriage enrichment, effective parenting, and practicing our faith in everyday life. Having practiced law in North York for 17 years before taking early retirement to become pastor and priest, he has keen interest in living as a Christian in the marketplace. Fr. Simon is proficient in Cantonese, Mandarin and English, and enjoys singing traditional hymns. He also enjoys discussing spirituality with his wife Linda and four grown children.
李牧師自2006年起任聖約翰堂主任。他熱愛聖經神學，靈命塑造，個人成長，婚姻之道，教養子女和信仰應用等課題。他在北約克執業17年律師工作之後，提早退休接受按立作牧師事奉，並關心在社會中作基督徒的挑戰。李牧師操流利粵語，國語和英文，又喜愛唱傳統聖詩，他也喜歡與太太和四位成年子女暢談人性與靈性之事。
Associate Priest
Rev. Andrew Johnson
Rev. Andrew Johnson has recently joined St. John’s in May 2020 as our assistant curate. He received his Bachelor of Humanities studying the “Great Books” at Carleton University in 2008. He went on to receive his Master’s degree in Political Science (also from Carleton) in 2011. Before entering into seminary at Wycliffe College in 2015, Andrew worked as a professional book nerd in the Canadian publishing industry. While at seminary, he served as a student intern at St. Matthew’s Riverdale, as a lay pastoral associate at Grace Church on-the-hill, and then as a postulant at All Saints Community Church. He also gained pastoral experience working with the Philip Aziz Centre for Hospice Care and the St. John’s Rehab Centre. Andrew graduated Wycliffe College with his Master of Divinity in 2019 and was ordained to the priesthood at St. John’s Willowdale in January 2021.
Andrew grew up in Ottawa and moved to Toronto in 2012. In 2017, he married his wife Elise and they welcomed their daughter Beatrice into the world in 2020. In his spare time, Andrew maintains his book nerdiness by reading books of theology, philosophy and history, and also loves watching movies and breaking bread with friends and family. Andrew’s passions in ministry are for preaching, teaching, counselling and spiritual formation. He is excited to be a part of the Willowdale community and the St. John’s team!
Honorary Assistant
Rev. Heather Gwynne-Timothy
Rev. Heather Gwynne- Timothy is our part-time Honorary Assistant. She is a retired priest in the Diocese of Toronto who has served in four Churches. The Church she retired from is the Church of the incarnation in our Deanery. She is married to James Archer and together they have five grown-up children and three grandchildren. Heather is also Bishop Kevin’s Chaplain to Retired Clergy and Spouses. In her spare time, she likes to hang out with her grandchildren, read, swim and go for walks. Heather is very much enjoying her time here at St. John’s Willowdale. She has found the staff and parishioners to be so kind, and so passionate in their commitment to their faith.
Leaders
Pastor of Children’s Ministry
Mary Wong
Mary serves as our Pastor of Children's Ministry. She holds a Master's degree in Christian Studies from Alliance Bible Seminary in Hong Kong, which she completed in 2021. Mary was raised in a Christian family and cherishes her early connection with God. She is passionate about introducing more children to God and helping them experience His presence in their lives. Mary is happily married to her husband Steven, and together they are raising two children. In her free time, Mary enjoys activities such as watching movies, swimming, and reading Bible stories with children.
Vocal Ensemble Conductor Charlotte Tang
Charlotte has been serving at St. John’s as an organist and director for the vocal ensemble since Oct 2022. Since her childhood, she has been part of the music ministry as a chorister, pianist and organist alongside family and friends. As she settle in Toronto, Charlotte is proud to worship with the amazing congregation and clergy at St. John’s. She is especially encouraged by the hospitality, fellowship and serving spirit in the community, and would love to enrich worship at St. John’s through instrumental and choral music.
Outside of church, Charlotte is a doctoral candidate in piano performance at the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on the pedal indications of Franz Schubert through the lens of historical and modern pianos. When she is not practicing or writing, she enjoys hiking, reading and baking!
Music Director & Organist (Chinese Service)
Emmanuel Limsiong
A dedicated follower of Christ interested in serving and glorifying Him through music, Emmanuel (Manny) is an active church musician who understands the role of music in worship, and wishes to work with clergy and laity in developing music programs that honor God and enhance congregational worship experience. He has and continues to collaborate with many music directors, solo performers and vocal ensembles in both liturgical and concert settings. Given his Episcopalian roots, he has utmost appreciation for Anglican Church hymnody, liturgy and traditions, but also versatile with musical styles and genres.
Before immigrating to Canada, Emmanuel had been the assistant organist and accompanist to the church and chancel choirs at the St. Stephen’s Parish in Manila, Philippines. After settling in Toronto, he has served as staff organist at Toronto Chinese United Church, North York Chinese Baptist Church and Willowdale Emmanuel United Church for many years.
Emmanuel holds a Bachelor of Music (with honours) degree from the University of Toronto and ARCT diploma in Organ Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music.