Meet Jonathan

Jonathan Manafo.
A people person.

Randy Stratton Wedding Officiants performing a ceremony in Southern Ontario

Wedding officiant, Lead Pastor at The Village Church in Whitby, and Licensed Pastor with Be In Christ Church of Canada. Theological scholar, musician, and restorative justice volunteer, joining Randy Stratton Wedding Officiants in 2026 to serve couples and families across the Eastern GTA.

Lead PastorThe Village Church, Whitby
BTH + MTSTheological education
125+Weddings performed
Contact Us (416) 970-2900
Randy Stratton Wedding Officiants performing a ceremony in Southern Ontario

Who Jonathan is

Jonathan Manafo is a wedding officiant with more than a decade of experience, joining Randy Stratton Wedding Officiants in 2026. Lead Pastor at The Village Church in Whitby and a Licensed Pastor with Be In Christ Church of Canada, Jonathan holds a Master of Theological Studies from Wycliffe College at the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Theology from Masters College & Seminary. He serves the Eastern GTA from East Toronto through Pickering, Ajax, and Whitby, and has officiated weddings at venues ranging from Casa Loma and the King Edward Hotel to farms, cottages, and resorts across Ontario.

Randy Stratton, founder of Randy Stratton Wedding Officiants

Jonathan Manafo · Eastern GTA · East Toronto to Whitby

His Story

Pastor, scholar,
musician, neighbour.

Randy Stratton, founder of Randy Stratton Wedding Officiants

Jonathan Manafo · Eastern GTA · East Toronto to Whitby

Jonathan’s path into ceremony was built on a foundation of ministry and high-level theological study, including a Master of Theological Studies from Wycliffe College at the University of Toronto. Licensed under the Ontario Marriage Act since 2012, he has officiated over 125 weddings across the province—leading ceremonies everywhere from Casa Loma and the King Edward Hotel to rustic farms and private northern estates. As Lead Pastor at The Village Church in Whitby, Jonathan brings a seasoned, grounding presence to the front of the aisle, combining calm authority with a warm, welcoming energy that instantly puts couples at ease.

“
I feel very called to be a neighbour. Hosting community events, working with the municipality on restorative justice, helping people lead from the first meeting to the big day. It is all the same work.
Jonathan Manafo, Wedding Officiant & Lead Pastor

Why Couples Choose Jonathan

What couples and families
get with Jonathan

Jonathan describes himself as a people person who loves crowds and conversation. He has officiated weddings everywhere from Casa Loma to backyard ceremonies. Here is what working with him looks like.

He makes you feel comfortable and heard

Jonathan's first meeting is not a sales call. He sits with you, learns your story, and asks the kind of questions that get to what your day is actually about. By the time you walk down the aisle, he knows you. The ceremony will sound like it.

He wants to serve you on your big day

Lead Pastor at The Village Church. Twenty-three years of marriage. Restorative justice volunteer with his municipality. The thread is service. Every wedding Jonathan officiates is in that same spirit.

A people person who loves crowds and conversation

Jonathan is a working musician who gigs in breweries and restaurants across the GTA. He is at home in front of a room. That energy carries into your ceremony, in the warmth, the pacing, and the way he reads a crowd while staying true to the script.

Available from first meeting to the big day

Jonathan will help lead you from the first meeting until the wedding day itself, and he is available for questions throughout the process. The licence questions, the rehearsal logistics, the unexpected detail two weeks out. He picks up.

Credentials & Verification

Every credential, with the
source to check it.

You should never have to take an officiant's word for it. Here is what authorizes Jonathan to marry you in Ontario, and where you can verify each claim independently.

Lead Pastor, The Village Church, Whitby
Jonathan serves as the Lead Pastor at The Village Church in Whitby, leading worship and pastoral care for the congregation. This is his primary vocation and the foundation of his wedding officiating practice.
Visit The Village Church ↗
Licensed Pastor, Be In Christ Church of Canada
Pastoral licence with Be In Christ Church of Canada (BIC Canada), the religious body through which Jonathan's Ontario Marriage Act registration is held. BIC Canada is a Canadian evangelical Christian denomination with roots going back more than 200 years.
About BIC Canada ↗
Registered under Ontario's Marriage Act
Registered to solemnize and register marriages under R.S.O. 1990, c. M.3 on March 1, 2012, through Be In Christ Church of Canada. That is more than a decade of registered officiating in Ontario. Verifiable on the province's public registry of officiants.
Verify on data.ontario.ca ↗
MTS, Wycliffe College, University of Toronto
Master of Theological Studies from Wycliffe College at the University of Toronto, one of Canada's most respected theological graduate schools. Wycliffe is affiliated with the Toronto School of Theology, a consortium of seven theological colleges within the University of Toronto.
Wycliffe College ↗
BTH, Masters College & Seminary
Bachelor of Theology from Masters College & Seminary, a Canadian post-secondary institution offering accredited theological education with emphasis on practical ministry training.
Masters College & Seminary ↗
Restorative Justice Volunteer
Jonathan works with his municipality on restorative justice programs, a community-based approach to addressing harm through dialogue between affected parties. This volunteer work reflects the same neighbouring instinct he brings to his pastoral and wedding work.
Learn about restorative justice ↗
Randy Stratton, founder of Randy Stratton Wedding Officiants

Family & Life

The life behind the ministry.

Randy Stratton, founder of Randy Stratton Wedding Officiants

Beyond credentials and experience, Jonathan’s work is shaped by real life. Having been married for 23 years before losing his wife to cancer, he holds a perspective on marriage that few officiants can claim. He knows firsthand the true weight of vows, the beauty of long-term commitment, and the strength of love through profound change. That lived experience brings a rare depth of empathy to every ceremony he writes and delivers.

Outside of ministry, Jonathan’s life is defined by connection and movement. On weekends, you’ll often find him playing live music at local breweries, hosting community gatherings, or collaborating with local municipalities on restorative justice initiatives. Whether standing at the altar or sharing a song with a crowded room, Jonathan lives out a simple, overarching calling: to be a good neighbor to everyone around him.

In the community

Jonathan's wedding work is one expression of a life rooted in community service, pastoral care, and the conviction that ceremonies matter long after the day ends.

Jonathan by the Numbers

His work, in
verifiable facts.

2012
Officiating since
Registered under Ontario's Marriage Act on March 1, 2012. More than a decade of officiating experience.
Lead Pastor
The Village Church, Whitby
Jonathan's primary pastoral role, leading worship and ministry in Whitby.
BTH + MTS
Theological education
Bachelor of Theology from Masters College & Seminary. Master of Theological Studies from Wycliffe College, University of Toronto.
23
Years married before widowed
Jonathan understands marriage from the inside. His wife passed away from cancer after 23 years together.
125+
Weddings performed
Across 14 years of officiating, plus funerals, celebrations of life, and pastoral services in his ministry.
Active
Restorative Justice Volunteer
Volunteers with his municipality on restorative justice programs. Hosts community events as a regular practice.
Jonathan keeps his calendar small on purpose. Between leading The Village Church in Whitby, his musician's schedule, his restorative justice work, and the wedding officiating, every couple gets a real planning conversation, a ceremony written for them, and a pastor who is fully present on the day. Dates in the Eastern GTA go early during peak season.

Last updated: June 2026

Jonathan's Fact Sheet

Everything in one place.

Full Name
Jonathan Manafo
Role
Wedding Officiant and Licensed Pastor, Randy Stratton Wedding Officiants
Officiating Since
March 1, 2012 (joining Randy Stratton Wedding Officiants in 2026)
Service Area
Eastern GTA, East Toronto through Whitby
Lead Pastor
Lead Pastor at The Village Church, Whitby
Pastoral Licence
Licensed Pastor with Be In Christ Church of Canada
Marriage Act Registration
March 1, 2012, through Be In Christ Church of Canada
Master's Degree
Master of Theological Studies (MTS), Wycliffe College, University of Toronto
Bachelor's Degree
Bachelor of Theology (BTH), Masters College & Seminary
Other Work
Working musician (breweries and restaurants across the GTA). Restorative justice volunteer with his municipality. Community events host.
Personal
Married for 23 years before his wife passed away from cancer. Currently widowed.
Notable Venues
Casa Loma, the King Edward Hotel, farms, cottages, and resorts across Ontario.
Phone
(416) 970-2900
Email
info@randystrattonofficiant.ca

In Their Words

What couples and families have said.

Selected from the 46 five-star Google reviews of Randy Stratton Wedding Officiants. We attribute each review to the reviewer as they appear on Google.

Read our Google reviews

Where Jonathan Officiates

East Toronto, Whitby, and across the Eastern GTA.

Home Base

Whitby

Whitby is Jonathan's home and the location of The Village Church where he serves as Lead Pastor. Most of his Eastern GTA work radiates outward from here.

Eastern GTA

Pickering, Ajax, Scarborough

The cities Jonathan serves most often outside Whitby. Pickering, Ajax, Scarborough, East Toronto, and the surrounding eastern communities.

Notable Venues

Casa Loma to backyards

Casa Loma, the King Edward Hotel, farms, cottages, resorts, and private estates. If your venue is in the Eastern GTA, Jonathan can almost certainly be there. If it is further afield, ask and he will tell you honestly.

Jonathan has officiated weddings at venues ranging from Casa Loma and the King Edward Hotel in Toronto to farms, cottages, resorts, and private estates across Ontario. His Eastern GTA service area covers East Toronto, Scarborough, Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, and the surrounding eastern communities. If you have a venue in mind, send him the details and he will confirm.

Good to Know

Working with
Jonathan, answered.

Jonathan is based in Whitby and serves East Toronto, Scarborough, Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, and the wider Eastern GTA. He has officiated at venues across Ontario including Casa Loma, the King Edward Hotel, farms, cottages, resorts, and backyard ceremonies. If your venue is in the Eastern GTA, he can almost certainly be there. For venues further afield, send him the details.

Jonathan is the Lead Pastor at The Village Church in Whitby. Pastoral work is his primary vocation. He is also a Licensed Pastor with Be In Christ Church of Canada, the religious body through which his Ontario Marriage Act registration is held.

Yes. Jonathan performs both civil and faith-based ceremonies, and any blend in between. As a Lead Pastor he is comfortable including faith elements when you want them and leaving them out entirely when you do not. The ceremony is written to your wishes.

Jonathan holds a Master of Theological Studies (MTS) from Wycliffe College at the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Theology (BTH) from Masters College & Seminary. Wycliffe is one of Canada's most respected theological graduate schools and part of the Toronto School of Theology consortium.

Yes. Jonathan has officiated weddings at Casa Loma, the King Edward Hotel in Toronto, several Ontario farms, cottages, resorts, and private estates. He is equally comfortable in a heritage ballroom and a backyard ceremony. The setting changes; the care does not.

Yes. As a Lead Pastor and Licensed Pastor with Be In Christ Church of Canada, Jonathan leads funeral services and celebrations of life as part of his ongoing pastoral practice. Families in the Eastern GTA can book him directly through Randy Stratton Wedding Officiants.

More than you might think. Restorative justice is the practice of repairing harm through dialogue. The same skills (listening carefully, holding space for emotion, finding language that honours everyone in the room) are exactly what makes a wedding ceremony feel like it belongs to the couple. Jonathan brings that practice into every ceremony he writes.

For peak season Saturdays between May and October, six to twelve months ahead is wise. Between leading The Village Church, his musician's schedule, and his Eastern GTA wedding practice, Jonathan's calendar fills early. Call (416) 970-2900 to check his availability for your date.

Let's start talking about your day.

Book a free consultation with Jonathan by phone, video call, or in person. Tell us about you, and we will see whether Jonathan is the right officiant for your ceremony.

Contact Us (416) 970-2900

We Are Ready To Celebrate Your Wedding

Randy’s personal touch on customized and unique wedding ceremonies provides lasting memories for the happy couple and all that attend their special day.

Get In Touch

We Are Ready To Celebrate Your Wedding

Randy’s personal touch on customized and unique wedding ceremonies provides lasting memories for the happy couple and all that attend their special day.

Get In Touch

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