The Parish of South Carleton is privileged to be served by Rev. Allan Budzin.
Reverend Allan Budzin
Canon Allan Budzin was born in South Bend, Indiana. After elementary school, he began studies for the Roman Catholic priesthood at Carmelite Junior Seminary in Hamilton, MA. He graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI with a degree in philosophy.
After teaching high school in Los Angeles, he was ordained a priest in 1980 at Niagara Falls, Ontario. His first parochial assignment took place at St. Gertrude’s Church in Stockton, CA. He came to Toronto in 1983 for graduate studies at the Toronto School of Theology. During that time he also assisted at several Catholic parishes in the west end of Toronto.
After leaving the Catholic priesthood, Al married and taught at George Brown College for several years. In 1997 he became an Anglican priest and returned to full-time parochial ministry. He was parish priest at St. Philip’s Anglican Church in Etobicoke.
His interests include poetry, jazz, and thoroughbred horse racing. In summer 2016, Allan moved to Ottawa where he joined the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa. He is now Associate Incumbent of the Parish of South Carleton.
The Rev. Tamara Connors (nee Langman)
Deacon and Pastoral Assistant
A note from Rev. Tamara:
I grew up in the parish of St. John's Richmond and am truly blessed to have the opportunity to be called on to serve the communities in which I grew up. I went to public school in Kars, was part of the North Gower CGIT (Canadian Girls in Training) for many years, both as a girl and then as a leader. I lived between Richmond and North Gower growing up and went to South Carleton HS. The feeling of 'coming home' to all of these places is exciting and reassuring! I look forward to reconnecting with those I knew before and making new connections as well.
Ordained in 2019 as a Vocational Deacon in the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa, I have served as Chaplain to the Well, done community outreach at Centre 454, and Pastoral Associate at Christ Church Bells Corners. Other ongoing work includes part time Chaplain with the Ottawa West End Community Chaplaincy (OWECC).
I use she/her pronouns, am married to a wonderful life partner, Alec (he/him). Together we parent two amazing teens; Malachai (they/them) is almost 17 and Soul (he/they) almost 15 and recently have added a new teen to our family mix, AJ (he/him) is 18. We also have three dogs, a cat, and a corn snake making our home in Hopetown quite the zoo!
Joanne Swift
Licensed Lay Reader
I started attending St. Paul’s Osgoode in 1998 after moving to Osgoode with my husband and young children. I joined the choir and designed and maintained the website for St. Paul’s Osgoode and later for St. John’s Kars for many years.
In October of 2019 I retired from the Pathology Lab after a 35-year career, just prior to Covid. In June of 2020 I was ready to give back to the community as God had been good to me so I asked God what I could do, and the next day received an email from A Friendly Voice, a phone line for Seniors, that they had found a way to do training on Zoom. I answered calls for A Friendly Voice and made wellness calls to people for 2 years. I took courses through Ottawa Pastoral Care Training by zoom in beginner and advanced Pastoral Care as well as the Smart Aging Program through the City of Ottawa.
I was ready for more In late summer 2021, and asked God what else I could do. The next Day the administrative position became available at the Parish of South Carleton (POSC), and I have been the Parish Administrator ever since. This position created an insatiable appetite within me to learn more about scripture so in July of 2022 I began training as a licensed Lay Reader and completed the training being licensed in September of 2023, under Rev. Allan Budzin in the Parish of South Carleton.
Learning is a lifelong Journey, so I enrolled in Education for Ministry, a 4-year program that began in September of 2023.
In January of 2024 I began as the Administrative Assistant for Richmond and started preaching once a month at both POSC and Richmond to allow Rev. Allan to have more time for Pastoral Care and other duties.
I enjoy helping in the community, leading worship, preaching, and have started assisting with Pastoral Care in the Parish. I am very thankful and feel truly blessed for the support and encouragement from Rev. Allan, Rev. Tamara, and all the wonderful people in POSC and Richmond as I follow my calling.
I am very thankful for my husband Dave with whom I will be married 40 years this year and all his support as I follow my calling. My other interests include breeding and showing English Mastiffs and Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldogs, baking, and spending time with family. I am very proud of my grown children who each have very successful careers, loving partners, and dogs of their own.
The Parish is also blessed to have two Honorary Assistants. The Rev. Jim Roberts and Rev. Carolyn Pollock pop up in our three churches on a regular basis and we are thankful whenever that happens.
