Minister

Reverend Calvin Stone

Minister's Message: If you’ve been paying attention to the trends in the wider Church, you know that mainline Protestant congregations have been shrinking for years. It’s hard not to feel discouraged by that, especially for those of us who see faith as something central — something that shapes who we are and how we live.

Whenever I read another report about declining belief or church involvement, it makes me stop and ask myself why my own faith has remained so steady and meaningful. Why does it matter so much to me? And why do I think it’s important for others too?

For me, faith isn’t just a set of beliefs — it’s something that touches every part of my life. My spiritual life affects my emotional health, my relationships, my sense of purpose, even my physical well-being. Being a person of faith helps me feel more grounded, more alive, and more inclined toward compassion and service.

My faith in Christ has shaped how I relate to my parents, my spouse, my children, and my extended family. It’s given me a heart for helping others and drawn me into volunteering and community involvement. It’s provided a moral compass that nudges me toward kindness instead of bitterness, justice instead of revenge, and peace instead of conflict.

It’s also encouraged me to take care of my body, avoid harmful behaviours, and cultivate a healthy sense of self. Faith has helped me stay emotionally steady, grateful, and content. It’s pushed me to keep learning — to understand where we’ve come from, stay open to new ideas, and stay connected to what’s happening in the world around us.

I genuinely believe that Christian faith helps us become better neighbours, better citizens, and better human beings. And I trust that, over time, those qualities will become a reason people seek faith again. That’s why I believe congregations that nurture these values still have an important role to play.

If you’re looking for a community where faith is lived, shared, and encouraged — I hope you’ll consider being part of New Hope. Blessings, Calvin

Reverend Calvin Stone

Biography: Calvin was born at a time when the Church played a prominent role in society. At age 5 a neighbour offered to take Calvin and his older brother to a local Baptist Church, and so began his journey of faith.

In his teens, a crisis of sorts lead to Calvin, and some of his peers, to assume responsibility for the Youth Group. They could organize activities but were sorely lacking on the spiritual side; they realized proper training was needed. (All ended up going to Bible College, 3 went into Pastoral Ministry and one is a Missionary in Costa Rica.) The point being; we never planned to be in ministry, but God did.

Following 4 years at the Ontario Bible College he returned to his home church and headed up their Youth program while completing a B.A. at Brock University. It was then that he responded to God’s call to Pastoral Ministry, but feeling inadequate for the task, enrolled in a Seminary in Illinois. Trinity opened him to a wider theological perspective.

With a Master’s degree and a couple of years of experience as an Associate Minister in the United Church of Christ under his belt, God led Calvin to serve a rural congregation in Northern Ontario – a breakaway from the United Church. The theology aligned but he felt a need to be a part of the larger Church and so he accepted an invitation to serve a congregation in Stouffville.

While in Stouffville he was encouraged to attain full standing in the Presbyterian Church and so enrolled in Knox College and upon graduation accepted a call to St. Timothy’s in Ajax. Now he was in a denomination that was Reformed in theology and accountable to the larger Church. Both he and the church thrived, but not his marriage.

While on inactive duty, Calvin attended a United Church and was encouraged to consider ministry within the United Church; he applied, was accepted, and served Scugog Island U.C while and completing the requisite courses. Calvin then accepted a call to Wesley Methodist, a United Church in Bermuda.

After the 5 year work permit expired he opted to return to Canada to serve the Cold Springs Pastoral Charge. The challenged of COVID over, Calvin retired. But even before the ink dried on the retirement documents, the United Church came calling, asking him to consider further ministry. Today, Calvin supervises a local Pastoral Charge while serving half-time at New Hope.

As much as he enjoyed the large program based church in Bermuda, the busy and growing sub-urban congregation in Ajax and the learning years in Stouffville, he feel most blessed to be a part of the New Hope family of faith. Blessings, Calvin

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