OAKFIELD/FALL RIVER: After 40 years in journalism, including 25 with The Canadian Press, a familiar voice in Canadian news has traded the newsroom for the pulpit.
Michael Tutton, the new minister serving St. Margaret’s in Oakfield and its sister church in Fall River, said the shift from reporting headlines to guiding a congregation has been both gradual and deeply personal.
“It was a big change, going from being a journalist to being a reverend,” he said. “At first, I just wanted to know more about the Christian faith, so I took some courses at the Atlantic School of Theology.
“I was still working the morning shift at CP, then heading to class in the afternoon. I’d be so tired, one professor admitted later she was irritated because I sometimes fell asleep in her class.”
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What started as curiosity became a calling.
“As I worked on the degree, my faith deepened, and I started to think, well, maybe I could be a minister,” said Tutton.
“Something deep inside called me to keep trying to do that.”
Ordained in 2018, he initially balanced both worlds — filing stories during the week and leading worship on Sundays.
Tutton’s biggest challenge came in 2020 when he and Reverend Jody Clarke took on a six-month placement at St. Timothy’s in Hatchet Lake and St. Paul’s in Terence Bay. Then COVID-19 hit.
“It turned into two and a half years,” he recalled. “I sat with people as they died, placed ashes in burial grounds, and baptized babies while wearing a mask.
“Through all of that, I came to really want to do ministry full time.”
Last year, he applied to Fall River’s Anglican parish.
“We say in my world the Holy Spirit moved,” he said with a smile. “I didn’t even read the posting that carefully — I just saw an old church and a newer church, similar to what I had done before.
“They interviewed me twice and offered me the job. After 40 years as a journalist, I finally wrote my letter of resignation.”
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The transition hasn’t been without challenges.
“My first week back from holidays I had a kidney stone. So, I was trying to smile and be a nice minister while exhausted,” he admitted. “It’s overwhelming at first — so many things you could be doing.
“But you must remind yourself: God provides. You can’t do everything at once.”
What excites him most is how involved the churches are in the community.
“Churches don’t get a lot of publicity, but they’re at the heart of our community,” he said. “When someone dies, it’s often the church ladies who make the food.
“These congregations also support food banks, provide meals downtown at St. George’s, and run programs for children. Sometimes they forget how much they do.”
Recently, the parish hosted an ecumenical service at Oakfield Park, bringing together several denominations.
“Somebody said, ‘Why don’t we just have our picnic together?’ So we are,” Tutton said. “It’s a chance to show joy and togetherness, even if we worship in slightly different ways.”
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Looking ahead, he says he wants to build on that spirit of service.
“I want to get to know people and find out what the community needs,” he said. “Maybe someone isn’t that religious, but they play music — well, we need musicians.
“Maybe someone wants to help with food drives or fire safety boards. There’s room for everyone to contribute.”
For him, the change has been profound but rewarding.
“I’ve gone from being on planes with prime ministers and covering Olympic Games to helping someone who’s grieving or delivering food to a hungry family,” he said.
“It’s a change, but it brings things to a human level. That’s also the beauty of local journalism — and now it’s the beauty of ministry.”
