Allan delights in stories — the stories of people’s lives. Stories of unexpected turns, challenges encountered, tough decisions made, love and friendship offered, lives renewed. He listens to those stories for hints of insights gained about the nature of our souls and the nature of our God.
Allan believes in a God who is full of surprises and full of grace. He values a church grounded in the way of Jesus – a church that celebrates an awesome God, the wonder of creation and the diversity of people.
His involvement in the broader community has included serving on the Boards of The James Bay Community Project, The Prostate Centre, and The Centre for Studies in Religion and Society at the University of Victoria. He is a founding member of the planning team for “More Franchises,” a biennial conference on church leadership held inToronto.
Allan came to First†Metropolitan following 22 years of ministry in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. He had been President of the Conference of Manitoba andNorthwestern Ontario. Highlights of his term included coordinating the church’s response to theRed River “Flood of the Century” and an all-day festival to mark the Ecumenical Decade of Churches in Solidarity with Women, attended by 3000 persons.
Allan studied for the ministry at Emmanuel College, Toronto School of Theology (University of Toronto), which later presented him with an honorary doctorate. He was a Visiting Scholar at Andover Newton and the Boston Theological Institute and initiated a study and support group of six United Church ministers in the S3 program at Columbia Theological Seminary inDecatur,Georgia. In 2008, the Interdenominational Theological Center of Atlanta invited Allan to join a group of African-American pastors in going on pilgrimage to the Holy Land
Allan was born in Winnipeg and has lived in Vancouver and Toronto. He ministered in Manitoba and Saskatchewan prior to coming to FirstMet. His musical preferences are eclectic – including 60s rock, roots, classical, electric blues and mellow jazz. Other interests include nature, hiking, art, a good mystery, current affairs, travel, and drama.