Wally Eamer

Background

I was born in Nanaimo in 1949, and grew up in Port Renfrew and Ladysmith. My mother died when my brother and I were very young, and our father, extended family and communities raised us.   I often travelled and frequently went to university to a B.A. in Canadian History, and an M.B.A.  Most of my work career was in the provincial and federal governments in environment, economic development and sustainability programs.  I’ve also managed small businesses. Since refusing Confirmation at age 12 (!), I spent most of my life as an agnostic.  With my family and volunteering in Honduras in 1997, I engaged Christianity and took my first communion at Coral Quemado in a tiny adobe church.  The pull to ministry got stronger until I began a formal discernment process in 2006, was ordained a permanent deacon in November 2008. I was assigned to Holy Trinity, Sooke from 2009 to 2014, spent the next year with my wife traveling through North America, New Zealand and Australia, and joined St. Peter and St. Paul in 2015. In 2006, I left the provincial government to assist a group of First Nations in Nanwakolas to implement Ecosystem Based Management in the southern part of the ‘Great Bear Rainforest’ [check nanwakolas.ca]. Now a younger generation helps them in their work.  You can check big pieces of my current work at these websites, and please ask me questions: [1] Creation Matters committee at [Facebook] Creation Matters Diocese of British Columbia: Creation Matters [2] Umbrella society works with people affected by substance use: Chair of the Board of Directors, at http://www.umbrellasociety.ca/ [3]  Coast Funds manages $100 million to assist First Nations’ economic development and environmental protection in the Great Bear Rainforest: member of Board of Directors at https://coastfunds.ca/  [4] Centre for Christian Studies in Winnipeg: theological school and member of the Finance Committee, at ccsonline.ca/      

Camino 2018

In March I plan to walk part of El Camino, the historic pilgrimage route in northern Spain.  My wife and I will come to the historic cathedral of Santiago de Compestela on Maundy Thursday, and spend Easter weekend there.  Read my reflections during the walk here.  

In a pilgrimage, the starting place is a spiritual state, not a geographic point. My starting place in late January is - trust the moment.