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Renee Ramzy

Renee Ramzy

BIOGRAPHY

I graduated from medical school in Egypt, then moved with my husband, Dr. Nashaat Asham, to the United Arab Emirates. I worked there as a Family Medicine physician for 21 years. We immigrated to Canada in 2006 but didn’t fully move from the UAE until I then started working as a family doctor in Newfoundland, away from my family and from any Coptic church which made me long for that sense of community. I finally moved to Toronto in 2015 and currently run a private medical office in Whitby.

I started attending SMSV in 2008 when the liturgies were held at St. Luke church after which I immediately felt a strong sense of belonging.

Having lived in the UAE for so long, I was exposed to people from all walks of life, different nationalities, religions, and cultures. As I started going to SMSV more frequently, I noticed that, similarly to UAE, SMSV really embraces all cultures and all people with open arms, no matter their race. I have always been very passionate about serving my community. Back in Egypt, I started serving when I was 17 years old. I served kids in Sunday school as well as in orphanages throughout Egypt. Those experiences really opened my eyes to the challenges disadvantaged people face and how we can contribute to improving their lives through service.

I also served in Sunday school & the youth ministry all throughout my tenure in UAE. Additionally, I was involved in the annual church exhibitions as well as the ministry servicing our monk priest’s household weekly.

In Toronto, I have been serving in nursing homes until the Covid pandemic began. At SMSV, I have been involved in the hospitality ministry and the laundry ministry. I love the community we have built at SMSV, and I hope to always be able to serve in any way that I am called to.

VISION

Since joining SMSV as a newcomer years ago, I have always felt a strong sense of community, inclusivity, and warmth. I truly believe in the mission and vision of the church to focus on outreach and missionary work, to welcome everyone into the church, and to embrace diversity and multiculturalism. I believe that outreach can be incredibly powerful and impactful to those who are part of the community or those who want to be.

I want to advocate for services and activities that support this mission so that this sense of commitment and service continue to pass to future generations.

IDEAS / SUGGESTIONS

Missionary work is the backbone of SMSV. I want to help create a service that would follow up with members of the community who have converted to the Coptic faith in recent years to support them in their progress of adopting the Christian faith. I am also passionate about the ministry for young parents to support them in raising their children in a Godly way. Today’s society presents many challenges to raising children with Christian values. The various interactions with the parents at SMSV have given me insight to some of the concerns they have, and I hope to support them.

I also want to dedicate additional outreach resources to those in vulnerable groups such as seniors, disabled individuals, and those with no family nearby. It is easy to forget about those we don’t see often at church, but they are part of the SMSV community, and they are deeply in need to be cared for.