CONTACT US - STAFF

Minister: Reverend Alison Nicholson

Reverend Alison joined EPUC in June 2012. Born in a small fishing village in Scotland, she immigrated to Canada in 1955. She attended McMaster University and worked at Hamilton Place and HECFI for 20 years. She left Hamilton Place in 1997 and enrolled at Emmanuel College, graduating in 2001. She has three adult children and lives on the Hamilton Mountain.

Alison is an avid thespian and recently performed with the Dundas Little Theatre in "Cakewalk." Other interests include painting water colours, knitting, crocheting, photography, baking and tai chi. She also loves the movies and is a member of the Ancaster Film Festival.

Last year (2011) Alison was a delegate for the UCC at the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and made a pilgrimage to Iona. In October 2011, she also made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

Music Director: Sabatino (Sam) Vacca

Sabatino (Sam) is the Music Director of the Etobicoke Philharmonic Orchestra, the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra, and Chorus Master for Opera Hamilton. He has conducted orchestras in the Czech Republic, Symphony Hamilton, the Cathedral Bluffs Symphony, the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra, the Brampton Symphony Orchestra, and the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Orchestra. For Opera York he has served as Artistic Director for productions of Carmen, Suor Angelica/Gianni Schicchi, La Traviata, The Barber of Seville, Tosca, Rigoletto, La Bohème, and Madama Butterfly, and as Conductor for Le Nozze di Figaro and Così Fan Tutte. Next season he will serve as Artistic Director their production of Il Trovatore. For Opera Belcanto he has conducted Cavalleria Rusticana, Pagliacci, and Tosca. For Opera Kitchener he has conducted Madama Butterfly, and La Bohème. Sabatino has worked as an opera coach for the University of Toronto, as well as the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. Sabatino is the recipient of the Spirit of Ontario Award for the Arts by the National Congress of Italian Canadians.

Office Administrator: Alyson Atkinson

Alyson joined East Plains in March 2009. She previously worked with Adrienne Clarkson, former Governor-General of Canada. She is also a former member of the Rotary Club of Canada and a Big Sister. Alyson is fond of animals and has several pets including her dog Bella and four cats.

email: office@eastplainsunitedchurch.com

Custodian: Ken Pelletier

Ken joined East Plains in February 2014. He is a retired industrial mechanic who worked at Stelco for 33 years. He and his wife live in Stoney Creek and they have one son and two twin daughters. His son is a community organizer for the Edmonton Eskimos so he probably won't be rooting for the home town Tiger Cats.