Our Home and Native Land
We are a registered Canadian charity
Springdale Church, Toronto is a registered Canadian charity. The organization is run entirely by volunteers and depends on the charitable donations of our members and special event registration fees to finance all of our operations. This includes our regular Sunday services, during which our visitors may wish to make a financial contribution.
Leadership
The Church’s activities are managed by a Board of up to eight Directors. Each Director is elected by members of Springdale Church to a term of two years and may be re-elected. Any individual is eligible to stand for election to the Board, whether or not they are a current member of the Church.
The Board meets regularly to discuss strategic and operational issues affecting the Church and to make decisions. Our Directors are entrusted to act in the best interests of the organization, as they implement programs and pursue measures designed to advance the Church’s spiritual mission and grow its membership.
Governing Documents
As a registered charity, and in the spirit of transparency, Springdale Church is proud to share detailed information about how we govern ourselves.
The following documents establish the formal, foundational structure of the organization and outline the procedures we follow in making decisions about Church membership, management, and programming.
Read on to learn more about our incumbent Directors. Or, if you have questions about the Church’s governance, then please contact us.
Board of Directors
Hilary Bartlett
PresidentHaving joined the Church as a member in 1998, Hilary has been President of Springdale Church for more than a decade. She brings to this post many years of experience in coordinating and managing a board of directors, as well as the national insight that comes from being a Past Governor of the Spiritualist Church of Canada. Hilary has a strong understanding of the challenges of maintaining a board and implements strategies to address these day-to-day challenges. Hilary is a Lecturer, a Medium, and a lifelong student of Spiritualism.
Cubby Coatsworth
Vice-PresidentA Lecturer, a Medium and dedicated supporter of Springdale Church, Cubby has been Vice-President of Springdale Church since 2021. He has many years of service on the Board under his belt, having held many different positions, including Treasurer and Director. A member of Springdale Church for over 20 years, Cubby is also an instructor of the Church’s Open Development Circle.
Michelle Richardson
TreasurerMichelle has served as Treasurer of the Board since 2018 and has been a member of Springdale Church since 2015. The Church benefits from Michelle’s 10 years of experience in Finance, Accounting, and Payroll. Her area of expertise is in non-profit accounting. Michelle’s involvement with Springdale Church comes from her desire to learn and grow spiritually. In turn, she shares her experience to keep Springdale’s financials in order.
Linda O'Brien
SecretaryLinda has been the Secretary of Springdale Church for over 10 years and has been a member of the Church for 29 years. Her continued leadership has proved vitally important to keeping Springdale’s history alive, being one of the longest-standing members of the Church. In addition to her Board responsibilities, Linda is an instructor of Springdale’s Healing and Beginner Development Classes. She is a Lecturer and a Medium, and has demonstrated a strong commitment to Spiritualism.
Carol Brooks
Director-at-largeCarol has been a Director of Springdale Church since 2021. She first joined Springdale as a member 20 years ago. The Board has had much to gain from Carol’s professional experience, including two decades working in the education system. She brings knowledge of structure, engagement, and the importance of knowledge to her leadership role at Springdale Church. An advocate of “knowledge is power,” Carol attends as many of the Church’s workshops and classes as she can.