AUBA Moderator,

Rev. Dr. Elias Mutale

Rev. Dr. Elias Mutale is a native of Zambia, in Africa, where he grew up as one of seven children. Rev. Elias and wife Sheena have four grown children and are grandparents of three. Rev. Elias came to saving faith in 1975 during his final year of high school in Zambia, leading to a strong call to Christian ministry. The couple immigrated to Canada for studies with three children aged 5 and under in 1988.
In 1976, Rev. Elias began Christian ministry leadership duties in a military training camp, later continuing as an Intervarsity fellowship chair. He became team leader of the young people’s fellowship at Lusaka Baptist Church in 1979, becoming an established Christian and community leader by the end of the 1970s.
Education and Training

After high school, Rev. Elias studied journalism and worked in the print media before turning to human resources and operations management. He became the first Director of Operations for World Vision Zambia in 1983. Rev. Elias entered theological school in 1987 in Zambia and completed a Bachelor of Theology degree in 1990 at Acadia Divinity College in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. Ordained to Christian ministry in1991, he completed a Master of Divinity in 1995 and a Doctorate of Ministry in 2014.
Ministry in Canada

Rev. Elias brings over 20 years of pastoral ministry experience in Canada and ten years on the senior leadership team of the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada (CBAC). In his role as Regional Minister of the African United Baptist Association of Nova Scotia (AUBA), he strengthened the Association through a strategic planning process and transformed the AUBA ministerial into a solid leadership team.

Rev. Elias and wife Sheena have a long history of Christian and community service that has resulted in senior leadership roles. Rev. Elias is the current moderator of the AUBA. He is also the chairperson of the African Nova Scotian Policy Advocacy Committee (ANSPAC) for African immigrants in the province. Service on the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association team (2003-04) and preaching he farewell service for former Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, her Honour Mayann E. Francis in 2013 are examples of his leadership roles. Rev. Elias and Lady Sheena also run an international host ministry for many African international students and their families.

In 2013, Rev. Elias and Lady Sheena opened a new ministry front as missionaries with Serving in Mission Canada (SIM). In this role, the Mutales developed a Culture Connections portfolio in Halifax and pastoral leadership and community development work in Zambia. Rev. Elias gets some of his ministry energy from playing and officiating soccer while Sheena enjoys photography, running a home-based sewing business, and grandparenting. Rev. Elias is currently pastor at South End and Timberlea Baptist churches in the Halifax Regional Municipality.

Rev. Elias has received awards from many organizations, including:

• An award for mentoring young African men and women from Big Brothers Big Sisters in 2011
• A leader of leaders award from the African Jazz Festival committee in 2014
• An award from the Department of Seniors recognizing work done on care of seniors in 2014
• The Senate 150 award for community bridge building work to promote harmony among the various people groups of African descent in 2017
• A special invitation and award at the Zambia Ophthalmology Scientific Conference in 2019

It is a high privilege for Rev. Elias and Lady Sheena to serve God and His people building on the work of numerous giants who have provided hallowed service on the continent and in the diaspora.