Lead Pastor

Born and raised in Tiverton, Ontario, Phil attended Kincardine District Secondary School before he completed his Bachelor of Theology degree at Emmanuel Bible College in Kitchener Ontario. Following Bible college, Phil spent nine years pastoring the Eau Claire Missionary Church near Mattawa, Ontario before coming to Pastor the Palmerston Evangelical Missionary Church in November 2012.  

Phil has been married to Amanda for 20 years, and they joyfully parent four daughters. Their family is filled out by two dogs.

Phil has a great heart for the outdoors, and finds that he connects well with God as he hikes, fishes, hunts and camps. When time permits, Phil also takes pleasure in riding the hills and curves of Ontario on his motorcycle. Phil enjoys working with his hands, whether it is renovating their 100 year old house or affecting minor vehicle repairs. It is often when his hands are occupied that Phil is able to do some of his best thinking and praying. Phil has served eighteen years as a volunteer fire fighter, first with the Calvin Township Fire Department and now with Minto Fire.

Although he is a husband and a father - two roles that he values more deeply than he can say - Phil believes that it is his identity as a child of God that is most critical in defining who he is and what he does

Office Administrator

Joanne has been a member of Palmerston EMC since 1990 but is an Evangelical Missionary Church girl born and bred, having spent her entire life attending EMC churches.

Raised as a PK (preacher’s kid) in Aylmer Ontario, Joanne learned about Jesus early on and at the age of 7 gave her life to Christ at a Billy Graham Crusade in Toronto.

After attending Emmanuel Bible College, and following a couple of years in the workforce, she met and subsequently married Verdun, her husband of 38+ years. The Zurbriggs’ family doubled in size when they had children, first a daughter and later a son.

It was in 1994, that Joanne started working as the church secretary at Palmerston EMC. Although challenging at times, the position has been very rewarding. It is the interactions with people that she has enjoyed the most. Over the years she has also served in several volunteer roles for the church including librarian and bookkeeper.

Outside of church ministry, Joanne enjoys spending time with her family, especially her two grandchildren, as well as reading, taking photographs, and gardening.