Our Ministry Team

Our Clergy

The Rev. Dr. Kyle Wagner

Parish Priest and Rector

  • The Rev. Dr. Kyle Wagner, Rector (BA, MDiv, DMin)

    “Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone;
    ​therefore we are saved by love.” --Reinhold Niebuhr
    ​

    • Bachelor of Arts (Mount Allison University)

    • Master of Divinity (Atlantic School of Theology)

    • Doctor of Ministry (Trinity College, University of Toronto)


    The Rev. Dr. Wagner, was born in Halifax, but grew up in Bedeque, Prince Edward Island. Ordained in 2009, his many interests include religion, politics, faith, science, and South African Studies.

    In 2008, he spent three months in South Africa as a Theological Student International Intern, where he worked in UN refugee camps.

    In 2020, Mr. Wagner completed his Doctorate of Ministry Degree at Trinity College, University of Toronto. His thesis is entitled: Politics and Religion: The Faith of God's People, The Gospel, and Anglican Interpretation. The thesis examines the nature of religion and politics in the lives of Canadian Anglicans. As a phenomenological study, the collective voices of Anglicans in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia were gathered and analyzed. The research identifies how some Anglicans engage the world and their understanding of the scripture.

    Within the diocese Kyle has served as Regional Dean for the Eastern Shore, as member of Diocesan Council, Human Resources VSST, as a pre-ordination Assessor, and as a member of the Task Force for Diocesan Episcopacy. Dr. Wagner has been a member of General Synods in 2013, and 2019. He also served on the national communications committee. Dr. Wagner was a member of the The Primate’s Commission: Reimaging the Church, Proclaiming the Gospel in the 21 st Century, Structures and Resources. He currently serves on The Transformation Task Force which supports the work of the General Synod by coordinating and advancing the implementation of the six pathways identified in Creating Pathways for the Transformational Change of the General Synod. Rev. Dr. Wagner also is a member of the Senate for the Atlantic School of Theology, Honourary Degrees Committee, and AST accreditation committee. 

    Rev. Wagner also teaches at the Atlantic School of Theology as a sessional instructor for Field Education (MAP).

Staff

John Gallant

Parish Administrator and Outreach Coordinator

  • John is a lifelong member of Christ Church.  In December of 2019, he became the full time Parish Administrator.  After graduating from Dalhousie University in 1993 he started and operated Gallant Interior Plants until 2021.  Over those 28 years John leased and serviced indoor plants in many offices in the Halifax area.  

    Since becoming Parish Administrator, the role has grown with the Parish and John has a commitment to Social Justice especially around issues of Homelessness and Mental Health.

Music Ministry

Tessa Short

Music Director

  • Tessa Short, BMus, MMus (Director)

    Tessa Short is a local singer, voice teacher, and choir conductor. She studied voice at Acadia University (BMus 2013), and choral conducting at Memorial University (MMus 2018). Tessa has been fortunate enough to work with a number of acclaimed conductors and teachers, including while part of the National Youth Choir of Canada (2012, 2014), and has a broad musical and artistic history to bring to her work. While most of her training has been in classical and operatic styles, Tessa grew up singing jazz and musical theatre and considers them valuable assets and lifelong loves. While in Newfoundland for school, Tessa sang at the Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and learned a great deal from the experience. She has been singing at Christ Church Dartmouth since the fall of 2018, and is very pleased to now be conducting the church’s choir full time. 

  • Death, dying, bereavement/grief, trauma, sexuality, congregational dynamics and development, leadership, personality theory, guilt, sports and religion, the nature of intimacy and closeness, individual and community resilience, medically assisted dying, humour, Charles Dickens, Psychospiritual themes in literature, running, Rowan Williams, Anglicanism, spirituality and drumming, listening and hearing for the first time, football

Honourary Assistant and Theologian-in-Residence

The Rev. Dr. Canon Jody Clarke

The Rev. Canon David Greenwood

  • The Reverend Canon David Michael Greenwood is a former military chaplain who retired from the Canadian Armed Forces after 35 years of service. He participated in several domestic and overseas deployments and tours of duty in the USA and Italy. He completed post graduate studies in Ecumenism (MA Th) and Inter-Religious Dialogues (SLT) and is currently completing doctoral research on Inter-Religious cooperation within the Anglican Communion. Formerly Chaplain in Marseille, France and Assistant at All Saint’s Rome, Italy, he is a priest of the Church of England currently residing in Canada.

Honourary Assistant

Joey Dowell

Organist and Pianist

  • Joseph Dowell has been studying and playing piano in Halifax for most of his life. He is classically trained and followed the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) requirements to the ARCT level with honors. In 2011, Joseph received his piano performance degree at Dalhousie University. He received the Tietje Zonneveld scholarship in his third year and the following year received the William Tritt scholarship to participate in the Scotia Festival of Music’s Young Artists Program. After his undergrad he completed an additional year of advanced applied study and focused on piano pedagogy and collaborative piano. 

    Joseph has performed many solo piano works over the years including Rachmaninoff's 2nd piano concerto with the Dalhousie orchestra, Haydn's Seven Last Words of Christ in concert, and many works by celebrated piano composers such as Bach, Scarlatti, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, and more. His favorites are romantic composers Liszt, Chopin, and Rachmaninoff. Joseph is the resident pianist for Saint Mary's University events and plays many solo pieces there. He also performs regularly at Christ Church Dartmouth as he is the pianist and organist there.

    Joseph is versatile and enjoys making music with others.  He is currently an active collaborative pianist and has performed with professionals and students in many settings. This includes students of the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts, Dalhousie University, the violin studio of Ms. Myonghae Yoon and students of the Suzuki Violin School. Recently he was resident pianist and ensemble performer in composer Sandy Moore's world premiere opera "Escape to Freedom" through Vocalypse Productions. He currently works as the pianist and organist for Christ Church Dartmouth as well as the Giocoso Community Choir in Halifax, NS. He was also the senior piano faculty member with the Halifax Music Co-Op (HMC) where he performed Faure's requiem on organ with orchestra and choir, and many other smaller works with the HMC Chorus and Starling choir. Joseph has performed many different styles of music including popular music, jazz, blues, showtunes, sacred music, and more.

    Joseph is an active piano instructor and adapts his teaching styles depending on his students' needs and goals. He focuses on giving his students opportunities to perform with studio recitals throughout the year. He encourages his students to train for RCM examinations and to participate in music events like the Scotia Festival of Music and the Kiwanis Music Festival. His goal is to help students find love for music.