Born and raised in the Caribbean island of Barbados, Robert Greaves became a member of the Welchmann Hall Seventh-day Adventist Church in the parish of St. Thomas at the age of 19. It was there he met and married his wife and life partner, Ernell. The Greaves immigrated to Canada to further his studies in Civil Engineering Technology in 1989. Together, they attended the Newmarket and Barrie Seventh-day Adventist Churches. Robert characterises this time in his life as a journey from “faith to failure and back” as it was during this time that he struggled spiritually. However, with the guiding patience of his wife, in 2006 he recommitted his life to Christ through the preaching ministry of Pastor-Evangelist Bill Santos and has not looked back since. He surrendered to his call to ministry after wrestling with the urge for three years. Finally, in 2009 he gave in. This led to his resignation from Magna International – Canada’s Automotive Giant in 2010 where he worked for sixteen years in senior technical capacities in product assembly supervision and quality control management. It was a good professional exposure to have contributed to the design and manufacture of numerous vehicle platforms for Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler Corporation, but nothing beats the experience of serving God through serving others.
Pastor Robert Greaves is a graduate of the Ministerial Program at Canadian University College, now Burman University located in Lacombe, Alberta. In May 2019, he completed his Masters in Theology Studies Degree at Tyndale Seminary in Toronto. He looks forward to beginning his Doctor of Ministry Degree in the area of Christian Leadership. His focus will be training others to see their day-to-day professional work as a ministry calling from God, and a means through which God bestows his providential care to humanity.
Pastor Greaves’ ministerial service includes pastoral internship in Alberta, Youth Pastor as well as Community Services and Evangelism Lead at Willowdale Seventh-day Adventist Church, and Assistant Pastor at Apple Creek Seventh-day Adventist Church. With years of ministry to Canada’s first nations people, ministry to those imprisoned, spearheading and preaching in evangelistic campaigns, engagement in Community Services activities such as health expos and soup kitchens, ministry to the autistic, and countless Bible studies, Robert has led many into a life saving and satisfying relationship with Jesus Christ. Robert believes that if Christ is lifted up in all that we do, He will draw all humanity towards Him (John 12:32). His favorite hymn is “Live Out Thy Life Within Me” and his favourite Bible texts are Philippians 3:8 and 4:13.
Effective May 2020, Pastor Greaves was assigned as the Senior Pastor for the Hope Central Seventh-Day Adventist Group. He looks forward to serving the residents of the City of Ottawa and trusts that all will find the church family and community at the Hope Central group (in addition to the Ottawa Seventh-day Adventist Church) the place to be.
Robert and Ernell have two children - Ambra a school teacher, and Kayla who is pursuing her undergraduate degree in Wellness Management.
daniel.kurek@ottawaadventist.church
Pastor Daniel Kurek is the new assistant pastor at Ottawa SDA Church in Ottawa, Canada. He loves to share and encourage others in a relationship with Jesus, building up Jesus' people, and supporting Jesus' culture. He looks forward to Christ's soon return. He always likes to say: "We are better together."