Staff


Lead Pastor | Mike McDonald 


Mike is the lead pastor at Hanwell Community Church, having arrived at HCC in 2003.  Born into an air force family in Winnipeg, Mike has lived across Canada and overseas.  He has been involved in youth ministry throughout Atlantic Canada, having taken part in 30 mission tours.  Recent trips include Germany via Iceland (2008), Alberta (2011), New Hampshire (2012), Haiti and Newfoundland (2014). 

Mike is a graduate of the business programs at Loyalist College, Belleville, ON and Acadia University, Wolfville, NS and he also has a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from Acadia.  In addition, he is a graduate of the Arrow Leadership Program in BC.

Having spoken and led workshops at youth events, Mike has also written numerous magazine articles and co-authored a book on youth mission tours that is now in its third edition.  The young congregation in Hanwell helped to make it a relatively easy transition for him into the lead pastor role.
Hockey is immensely important, whether it’s wearing the goalie gear for a pick-up game, coaching minor hockey, agonizing over the Toronto Maple Leafs, or teaching the sport to his new Syrian friends.
Mike was engaged to his wife Angela, just prior to his first mission tour, and they live near the church, with three young adults of their own: Kathleen, Sarah and Allan.



Interim Youth Director | Sydney Shelley


Sydney Shelley is the interim Youth Director at Hanwell Community Church. She is currently in her 4th year of her undergrad degree with a major in French. Sydney eventually wants to pursue a Bachelor of Education to become a French teacher. She has been working with children for 6 years. Sydney served at Green Hill Lake Camp as a cabin leader for 5 summers, worked in the daycare and afterschool program at the YMCA for the last 2 years and just finished up a summer being a full time 4 year old educator at Fredericton Christian Academy. Sydney is eager to work with all of the wonderful kids and youth here at Hanwell Community Church and hopes to learn as much from them as they do from her!