McMaster Divinity College (MDC) is pleased to announce that Margaret Helen Derrah has been named this year’s recipient of the Doctor of Divinity honoris causa, to be conferred at this year’s Convocation ceremony.
The honorary Doctor of Divinity degree is awarded to individuals of extraordinary achievement and distinguished service who embody exemplary Christian character. Margaret Derrah has exemplified these qualities through a lifetime of Christian faith, vocational excellence, and dedicated service to the Church and community. Born in England and raised in Canada from an early age, she made a personal commitment to Christ at six years old, a faith that has shaped both her personal and professional life.
A graduate of McMaster University (B.Sc., 1969), Margaret further pursued academic and professional excellence, earning an MBA from Laurentian University, a Master of Accounting from the University of Waterloo, and her CPA, CA designation. Her career included roles in research, programming, systems analysis, and private accounting practice, reflecting a consistent commitment to diligence and integrity.
Margaret has dedicated over four decades to church leadership and service within Canadian Baptist churches of Ontario and Quebec (CBOQ), fulfilling roles such as treasurer, deacon, clerk, teacher, youth leader, and worship leader. She later continued her service for sixteen years within a Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC) church, again contributing as treasurer, board member, leader, and teacher.
Her broader denominational leadership includes serving as Moderator and Treasurer of the Northern Association of CBOQ, participation on the BLEC Committee, and membership on the CBWOQ Board, where she also served as President from 2005 to 2007. During her tenure, she represented CBWOQ on the Canadian Baptist Ministries (CBM) Board and Audit Committee.
Her dedication to McMaster Divinity College has been especially significant. Margaret served on the College’s Board of Trustees for 10 years, during which time she became Vice Chair of the Resources Committee and was later appointed to the Senate. Her work with MDC was marked by a deep commitment to governance and stewardship, including pivotal involvement in fundraising initiatives supporting campus development. She concluded her formal service to MDC in 2022.
McMaster Divinity College is honoured to recognize Margaret Derrah in this way and looks forward to celebrating her contributions at Convocation. A livestream of the service will be available at mcmasterdivinity.ca/convocation.
