On the recommendation of the Honorary Degree Committee, the Academic Committee of St. Andrew’s College has selected Rev. Nobuko Iwai and Elder Lorna Standingready, to receive a Doctor of Divinity honoris causa degree at the College’s Spring convocation on May 30, 2025, at Christ Church Anglican in Saskatoon.

Rev. Nobuko Iwai is being honoured for her work in pastoral ministry as well as for her social justice work outside of the Church.  Nobuko currently serves at Grosvenor Park United Church in Saskatoon, SK.  She has also served as Chair of River Bend Presbytery (Saskatoon and area) and President of Saskatchewan Conference, the first person of colour to hold this position.  She has served on the Anglican Church United Church Dialogue as well as the General Secretary’s Supervision Committee.  She is a trained Educational Supervisor, Interim Minister and Racial Justice Facilitator.  Her compassion extends to people in all marginalized communities, in particular those in the gender and sexually diverse community.  As stated in her nomination, “Nobuko is able to give the community a vision of what this world would be when we try to understand and love each other.”

Elder Lorna Standingready, of Regina, SK, is being honoured for her work as an elder and long-standing member and partner with The United Church of Canada.  She is held in the highest regard in terms of her international, provincial and local positions of leadership while also embodying the transformative spirit of Compassion, Light and Love.  She is an Elder within The United Church of Canada, an educator of United Church and Canadian history of colonialism, and on how to be in right relations with all peoples, works with Luther College at the University of Regina as Elder-in-Residence as well as Elder in other communities.  She also has a longstanding relationship with Regina Multifaith Forum.  One letter of support indicated, “Lorna’s dedication to community, to building bridges, to supporting and honouring residential school survivors and their families, to building up the church in love is endless.”