Ministry Team
The reverend John c. Perkin – Minister
Born in England, John has studied History, Philosophy, and International Relations earning Bachelor and Graduate degrees at universities in Nova Scotia, Ontario and England. He completed his Master of Divinity in preparation for ministry at McMaster Divinity College. Baptised in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, he was ordained into Christian ministry in Paris Baptist Church in Ontario; he has ministered in churches in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and southern Ontario.
John moved to Sackville, New Brunswick, to work at Mount Allison University in 1993, where he was Chaplain and Adjunct Professor of Religious Studies for twenty-seven years. He also served terms as Dean of Students and Director of Leadership. As Chaplain and Adjunct Professor, John provided spiritual direction and pastoral care to the University community and taught a wide range of courses, the most popular of which was apocalyptic studies. He taught in Japan for a sabbatical semester, and supervised the Mount Allison study program in India several times.
Active in his community wherever he lives, John has served with Palliative Care groups, Corrections Canada, Parent-School Advisory committees, and on a District Education Council. He helped coordinate a community refugee response organization which he co-founded with his wife Dodie, in Sackville. A frequent spokesperson for religious topics in the media, he has been published in several newspapers and journals. Married to Dodie for over thirty years, they have two children, Wray and Joanna; both are Mount Allison graduates.
Ministry, counselling, scholarly activity, and community engagement are John’s professional passions. He is pleased to be Minister of First Baptist Church Ottawa.
Ema Prince - associate minister of discipleship
Ema Prince became First Baptist’s Associate Minister of Discipleship in February 2025. She has been part of the First Baptist family since February 2024, and is a candidate for ordination, under the mentorship of Reverend Perkin.
Baptized as a believer in l’Eglise Evangélique d’Haiti – the Evangelical Church in Haiti – she pursued Christian studies and ministry in that country. After earning her Bachelor of Theology, she worked as a children’s pastoral teacher amd assistant professor at the Christian University of North Haiti, as well as the Women’s Training Coordinator for Baptist Convention in Haiti. Subsequently she earned her Masters in Theology at the Theological Seminary in Elstal, Germany.
alexander merpaw – interim Director of Music
Alexander Merpaw joined First Baptist Church as interim Director of Music in February 2025.
Alex is from Cardinal, Ont., and in 2024 graduated from the University of Ottawa’s Bachelor of Music program with a specialty in piano performance. During his undergraduate years, he received several awards and scholarships at the university; in addition he was a silver prize winner at the 2022 Canadian Music Competition, travelling to New York in October 2022 to compete in the New Tang Dynasty International Piano Competition.
An accomplished pianist, he has played in several concert series in Ottawa, including Ottawa Chamber-fest, the Doors Open for Music Series at Southminster United Church, and at the 4th Stage Series at the National Arts Centre. He has performed in a variety of chamber music ensembles and accompanied the University of Ottawa Chorale Ensemble.
Alex grew up watching his mother play the organ for worship in Baptist and United Churches near their home, and he also plays the organ. Having studied choral conducting at university, Alex now looks forward to working with both the adult choir and the children and youth choirs at First Baptist, as well as to further developing his sensitivity to music and his leadership skills as he prepares to pursue graduate study in piano performance in the fall.
Patti Linn, B.A. (Hon), B. Ed. – Church Secretary
Patti Linn has been Church Secretary at First Baptist Church since February 2000. She also teaches on a part-time basis at Good Shepherd School, of the Ottawa Catholic School Board, in her Blackburn Hamlet community.
Patti teaches piano from her home to a large roster of young students, and has served as a Girl Guide leader in her neighbourhood for the past decade.
Her philosophy in brief is that we all have the capacity to add something positive to the lives of those around us. We just need to identify our gifts…and use them!