The Anglican Church of the Transfiguration

Our Staff Team

The Reverend Canon Michael Burgess (Incumbent)

The Reverend Canon Michael Burgess has been the incumbent of the Church of the Transfiguration since September 2004, and Regional Dean of the Eglinton Deanery since March, 2009. Previously, he was at the Church of the Epiphany and St. Mark, Parkdale, for almost 15 years. A former Domestic Chaplain to the Archbishop of Toronto, Father Michael chaired the Parkdale Ministerial Association, and the West Parkdale Cluster Council. He has served on numerous diocesan boards and committees, chairing the AIDS Committee, and the Marriage, Family Life and Singles Committee and serving on the Community Ministries Board, the Chaplaincy Committee, and FaithWorks, amongst others. In 1989, he staged the Sesquicentennial Eucharist in the SkyDome, and in 1990 was part of an official delegation from the Diocese to Seoul, Korea.

Born in Kent -- "the Garden of England" -- and educated at Dulwich College and the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield, Father Michael was an actor and singer in the UK before ordination, and appeared in three musicals in London's West End, as well as two major tours. He also played in repertory, pantomime, summer seasons, cabaret, clubs and music hall, radio and television. His recording of the musical The Arcadians is still available -- 41 years after it was made! For a time, he worked in the offices of the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, and was a regular contributor to the magazine The Savoyard. After ordination in 1976, he served parishes in Essex and Kent and was a regular broadcaster on the BBC's Thought For the Day and was also seen on The Epilogue.

Since coming to Canada in 1982 as chaplain to Royal St. George's College, Canada's only Anglican Choir School (where he was also head of the Drama Department). Michael has sat on the boards of Toronto Operetta Theatre, CentreStage (now the Canadian Stage Company), Platform Nine, and the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Toronto (of which he is now President), as well as other arts-related organizations. He was also a board member of the Toronto affiliate of Habitat For Humanity for more than five years.

Miscellaneous information: Father Michael loves to travel, and has visited some 40 different countries. His favourite saying is "God loves each one of us as if there were nobody else to love" (Saint Augustine). An avid reader -- especially of biographies and thrillers -- he is also a music lover, and has a huge collection of CDs, mostly classical. He is a cat-lover, and also maintains an aquarium of tropical fish. Michael laughs easily, tries not to take himself too seriously, but takes his Christian commitment very seriously indeed.

John Sigerson, Director of Music

John Sigerson is a native of Pickering, Ontario, and assumed the position of Director of Music for the Church of the Transfiguration on June 1, 2006.

Despite his youth, John has almost 20 years experience as a church musician, and during that time he has served churches of various different denominations throughout the Greater Toronto area. These include Peace Lutheran, Pickering; Pilgrim Lutheran, Scarborough; Queen Street East Presbyterian; Epiphany and St. Mark, Parkdale (Anglican) - Fr. Michael's previous parish - Holy Trinity, Scarborough (Anglican), and most recently, St. Michael and All Angels (Anglican). At the same time, John has been active as a teacher in piano, organ, voice, and theory.

When he is blessed with free time, John enjoys performing recitals for charity events to help support his parish. Outreach is a passion he holds dear. As a choral conductor, John founded Pickering Community Choir, and enjoys hearing voices raised in worship.

He is looking forward to working with the existing faithful choir members, and also looks forward to welcoming potential new recruits. Please get in touch with him if you are interested in joining the choir. A warm welcome is guaranteed!

For contact information, visit our Contact Us page.