The congregation voted unanimously in April 2023 to accept the recommendation of the Search Committee to call James W. Harbell to Met in the role of Minister of Congregational Care and Outreach, subject to his ordination on May 28, 2023. We welcome Rev. Jim to the Metropolitan family - with his friendly, open, and caring demeanour, warm smile, and terrific sense of humour, we are confident he will be a great addition to Met's ministry team!  

About Rev. James Harbell
Minister of Congregational Care & Outreach

The Reverend James Harbell joined the Met team as the Minister of Congregational Care and Outreach following his ordination on May 28, 2023. Ministry is his second career. He graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in the early 1980s and was a partner at a national law firm working in real estate development, energy and environmental law, with a particular interest in housing.  

He graduated from Emmanuel College at the University of Toronto with his Masters of Pastoral Studies 2020 having completed placements at Scarborough Health Network and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. He completed his Masters in Divinity at Emmanuel in 2022 while continuing to work at Scarborough Health Network.

Through this work and his experience, his approach to ministry has become focussed on pastoral care and social justice/outreach. Prior to Met, Jim was at a two-point Montague Pastoral Charge in PEI, where his ministry included pastoral support following the impact of Hurricane Fiona. 

He is interested in prison ministry and is the founding president of Restorative Justice Housing Ontario, a new registered charity set up to provide safe, affordable and secure housing, together with community support, for people leaving prison. As well, Jim serves as a Director of the United Property Resource Corporation (now known as Kindred Works), founded by the United Church of Canada to bring professional real estate knowledge to communities of faith and to develop United Church properties for housing.

He and his wife Pat McQuaid have four adult children and delight in spending time at their place in Prince Edward Island.