A New Canvas for A Renewed Calling

After more than fifty years in ministry, Rev Cherie Strudwick has reached a turning point. Many would call it retirement. She doesn’t.

For her, it’s “re-firing”—a shift into a new way of serving.

“I don’t call it retiring—I call it re-firing,” says Cherie. “It’s not an ending; it’s a gentle turning of the page into something new.”

A Life Shaped by Ministry

Cherie’s ministry has touched countless lives. She has stood with people in joy and in sorrow, in faith and in struggle. “My heart and hands have been devoted to walking alongside people,” she says. “Ministry has shaped my life, my days, and my soul.”

As this chapter changes, she isn’t stepping away from that calling. Instead, she is finding a fresh way to express it.

Art as Ministry

That fresh expression is Art By Cherie. What began as a personal love of painting has become a way of offering reflection and hope. Each piece, she says, is more than colour on canvas. It’s an invitation to pause, breathe, and sense the presence of God.

As Cherie explains it, “Each painting is a quiet space for reflection, an open door to grace, and an invitation to draw closer to the Divine.”

Cherie often pairs her artwork with short meditations and simple practices. These guide people to sit with the painting, notice the details, and allow space for God to speak. For her, art is not only beautiful—it can also heal and restore.

“My work blends colour, texture, and story to invite people to breathe deeply, remember beauty, and feel the presence of something greater. That’s why I include written meditations and simple instructions with each piece, guiding people in how to sit with the art, reflect, and let it draw them closer to the Divine.”

A Calling That Doesn’t End

Though she no longer leads congregations, Cherie is clear that her ministry continues. It has simply taken on a new form. “I’m not stepping away from my calling,” she says. “I’m reshaping it—giving it a new expression on canvas.”

Music also plays a part in this new season, weaving together creativity and faith. Whether through brushstrokes or melodies, Cherie’s hope is that people will discover moments of peace and renewal.

Ministry Continues

Cherie sees this next stage as an encouragement for others too. She wants people to know it’s never too late to begin again.

“It’s never too late to follow the whispers of your heart, start again, and create something that carries love into the world,” she says.

For her, every painting carries a prayer, every colour a whisper. And in that, her ministry continues—alive, open, and re-fired for what comes next.

“Every brushstroke is a prayer, every colour a whisper—inviting the soul to pause, breathe, and rest in the presence of the Divine.” — Cherie Strudwick