Our Staff

Reverend Kwang Beom Cho

Minister

Reverend Kwang Beom Cho joined Fort Garry United Church as our minister in July 2023.

When he was hired Caring is the word the Search Team heard over and over from his references. We also heard of his deep spirituality, ability to solidly connect with people, and his proven record of relating to youth and providing programming. We learned he can look for solutions to difficult situations and respectfully bring resolution.

Kwang Beom came to Canada in 2007 from South Korea where he worked as a Presbyterian minister for seventeen years, obtaining Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Theology from Hanshin University. After arriving in Canada impressed with the church’s open mindedness and affirming culture he felt called to the United Church of Canada.

Reverend Cho has been heavily involved with the Prairie to Pine Regional Council and the United Church Intercultural Committee. He is realistic about the situation of small churches today but is driven to keep Fort Garry a community place of God. He is full of ideas for our future and is excited about working with the congregation to grow our church together.

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Helen Bergen

Music Director

Helen earned her degree in Piano Performance from Canadian Mennonite Bible College (now CMU), and her degree in Organ Performance from the University of Manitoba. Her musical passions all start with “E” – eclectic, energetic, electric, enthusiastic, exciting!  She summarizes her preferences as “anything wonderful! Even strange and wonderful, but wonderful!”  The Senior Choir, one of the musical responsibilities Helen carries, each year becomes a new community of friends. They welcome everyone, and know how to throw a good party! And she says: “You’re invited! Come with a love of singing!”

Mavis Allison

Office Administrator

Mavis Allison has served as the Office Administrator at Fort Garry United Church (FGUC) since November 2023. Her involvement with the church dates back to 2017 when she and her family relocated to Fort Garry, making FGUC a central part of their community.

Mavis holds a degree in Music from Brandon University and has earned Associate Diplomas in Piano Performance and Piano Teaching from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. She has extensive experience teaching piano, a passion she continues to pursue through private lessons with long-standing students.

Before joining FGUC, Mavis worked in the film industry as a skilled seamstress, where she crafted draperies for the Set Decorating department on various productions. This diverse background highlights her creativity, dedication, and commitment to both the arts and her community.


Eltie Pearce

Office Administrator (Casual)

Eltie is an experienced professional with a strong background in volunteer management and community development. Having been raised on a farm in rural Manitoba, she knows the importance of how people drawing together can help one another to support healthy families and build a strong community. With a University degree in psychology and employment in the education field, community economic development, a family resource centre, and the non-profit sector, Eltie has much experience to draw from.

Her previous position with Canadian Blood Services was a challenging and exciting posting where she managed a very large pool of volunteers. Eltie is an outgoing person who loves meeting and getting to know people, learning something from everyone. She is a firm believer in lifelong learning.