Skip to content

Our Clergy

 

Rector

The Rev’d Matthew Kieswetter

Matt has been serving St. Andrew’s since December 2016, and has learned much during this time of growth and evolution at St. Andrew’s, and in the neighbourhood surrounding it. He pursued theological education at Trinity College in Toronto, graduating with an M. Div. (Hons.), and writing the thesis “William Stringfellow’s Vision for an Incarnational, Confrontational, and Political Church.” Prior to this he received a BA (Hons.) in Religious Studies from Renison University College/University of Waterloo. Between these two degrees he thoroughly enjoyed feeding his passion for pop culture by managing a retail store that specialized in music, movies, and video games.

Beyond his liturgical, pastoral, and community-building responsibilities at St. Andrew’s, Matt is involved with the diocesan Congregational Coaches, diocesan Stewardship Committee, Renison University College’s Board of Governors, and the Corporation and Divinity Associates Executive of Trinity College, as well as co-facilitating the Renison Institute of Ministry Drop-In Book Club. He presides at a monthly Eucharist at the Grand Valley Institution for Women, and has served on Grand River Hospital’s on-call chaplaincy team. In parish ministry, Matt is particularly energized by connecting and working with other community stakeholders, and planning and leading liturgy that is engaging and accessible, but still reverent and solemn.

In his spare time Matt relaxes with movies (usually culty B-movies, or something harrowing from the likes of Herzog, Lynch, or Cronenberg), music (punk, post-punk, and metal most of the time, though Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Nina Simone feature prominently in his collection), and books (usually old or new Lovecraftian “weird fiction”). If none of those specifics ring a bell, the main takeaway is that Matt’s tastes are eccentric, to put it lightly. He balances these raucous interests with his valuing of the contemplative tradition. He is an Associate of The Order of the Holy Cross, an Anglican monastic order that has a house in Toronto.

Matt is married to Leslie, and they love their mischievous calico cat, Alice.


Honorary Assistant Priests

The Rev’d Canon Dr. Wendy Fletcher

Wendy was ordained in the Diocese of Niagara in 1989. Archbishop John Bothwell had a vision, at that time, for a category of ministry rarely used in the Anglican Church: worker priests. Wendy was ordained to serve as a priest in higher education. This is what she has done over the past 30 years (Huron University: Faculty of Theology; Vancouver School of Theology at UBC; Renison University College at the University of Waterloo), while also being attached to a local parish for sacramental and pastoral work.

Currently, Wendy is both a Professor of Religious Studies and Social Work and President of Renison. Wendy is married to Michael Gibson who serves as a Justice of the Superior Court of Ontario. Together they have 5 adult children and one granddaughter (and a wonderful canine companion: Monty!). Wendy is also an artist who integrates her spirituality with a deep passion for painting. As a member of the St. Andrew’s pastoral team, she hopes to offer herself as parish needs open opportunity.
 
 

The Rev’d Dr. Gerry Mueller

gmuellerGerry is a retired priest, and has been associated with St. Andrew’s since early 2007. Educated as a chemical engineer in his first life (B.A.Sc., RMC & Waterloo, 1966; M.Sc. & Ph.D., Manchester, 1967 & 1969), he was an engineering educator, researcher, and academic administrator for 19 years (mostly at University of Waterloo). During those years he was also very much involved with the registration processes of Professional Engineers Ontario, including a revamp of how foreign-trained engineers are licensed in Ontario, for which he was made an Officer of the Order of Honour. He continues to be licensed as a (non-practicing) Professional Engineer, (P.Eng.) In 1984 he began part-time (and later full-time) theological studies at Waterloo Lutheran Seminary and the Faculty of Divinity, Trinity College, in the Toronto School of Theology, graduating with a Master of Divinity in 1988. He was ordained Deacon in May 1988, and Priest in November 1988.

Gerry served parishes in Cambridge (St. Luke’s, 1988 – 1991), Mississauga (St. Francis of Assisi-Meadowvale – a campus church with Lutheran and Presbyterian partners, 1991 – 1996), and Scarborough (Christ Church-Scarborough Village, 1997 – 2001). He served as Chaplain to the Layreaders of the Diocese of Huron, and in the Diocese of Toronto as a member of the York-Scarborough Bishop’s Council, and on the Diocesan Planning and Development Board. In September 2001 he returned to the academy as Chaplain of Renison University College and Incumbent of St. Bede’s Chapel, Anglican Chaplain to the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University, and Lecturer in Religious Studies, teaching Anglican History and Thought, thus neatly combining his two vocational loves – teaching and the Church. He retired from Renison University College in August 2006.

Since retiring, Gerry has continued involvement with the governance of Trinity College (Corporation, Senate, and Divinity Faculty Council) and the work of the Trinity College Divinity Associates, mainly in their annual conference planning. He has served on the Development Committee of Renison University College, of which he is a Senior Fellow. and served for six years on the Board of the Canadian Churches Forum for Global Ministries, a missions think-tank and resource that is ecumenically funded. He and spouse June Longworth enjoy travel, and aside from destinations in Europe, North America. and the Caribbean, have been to Australia and New Zealand a few times, and to less visited destinations like Amazonia, Patagonia, and Antarctica. Sadly, as time passes, ages progress, and pandemic restricts, international travel will likely become less frequent, but there’s lots to see within Canada when that becomes possible.

Musically and visually (since the Rector tells of his media taste) Gerry is very different from Matt, and yet probably as much from the mainstream as the Rector. Musical tastes range from plainchant through much of “classical” music into the modern era, bypassing atonal and 12-tone “stuff”. Combining music and theatre is opera, and Gerry enjoys opera of all kind, and in any medium – live, live HD broadcast from the Metropolitan Opera, or disk – of which he has an extensive collection. And in a weird way much of opera falls into the culty B-movie category; let’s face it, the bloody mad scene in Lucia di Lammermoor is worthy of any slasher movie, or in the more recent genre The Exterminating Angel opera is based on a Louis Bunuel B-movie. There is Othello (racism and spousal murder), Madama Butterly (abuse of white privilege), or the beautiful Der Rosenkavalier (but have you really looked at the the relative ages of the lovers involved?). Informative about Gerry’s musical tastes is his favourites list on Sirius XM Radio (for in-car and computer listening) which besides the Metropolitan Opera Channel also includes Jimmy Buffett”s Margaritaville, The Grateful Dead Channel, and the BB King Blues channel. If none of those ring a bell, the main takeaway is that Gerry’s tastes are”different”, to put it lightly.

Since early in 2014, Gerry is the Webmaster of this site; please direct comments and suggestions to him.

And, Gerry and June think that St. Andrew’s is a great parish community, with great people, and consider themselves lucky to be a part of it.


Parish Deacon

The Rev. Kay Baxter

My husband John and I moved to Kitchener in 2011 after living most of our lives in the Niagara Peninsula. We quickly discovered St. Andrew’s and became active members.

In 1998 I began the study of theology through Montreal Diocesan College at McGill University. In 2002 I discovered working with people rather than books was where I was called to be and enrolled at McMaster Divinity College in the field of Christian Studies and Pastoral Counselling. I remained there, part time for the next four years.
I was ordained as a Vocational Deacon in March 2004 at Christ’s Church Cathedral in Hamilton, Diocese of Niagara, and ministered to the people of St. Martin’s Church in Niagara Falls until it closed its doors. In the spring of 2013, I renewed my commitment in the Diocese of Huron and to St. Andrew’s. I enjoy all aspects of a Deacon’s responsibilities, centering on outreach and home visits.

John and I enjoy our two adult children and their families (three grandchildren light up our lives).


  • St. Andrew’s Church (neigbourhood)

    Click to open a larger map

    Click map for larger, navigable version

  • St. Andrew’s Church (greater Kitchener)

    Click to open a larger map

    Click map for larger, navigable version