Cheri DiNovo may have left the house — but she has found her home.

On Sunday, DiNovo was formally installed as the reverend at Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre for Faith, Arts and Justice, after stepping away from 11 years at the Ontario legislature representing Parkdale-High Park.

And in her new, non-partisan role, the former New Democrat MPP was celebrated by Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne, who was invited to give the homily.

“Cheri is a master in the art of disruption and a master at speaking truth to complacency,” Wynne told congregants at the downtown church, who laughed and clapped in agreement.

“She has lived a varied life that has not sought comfort or ease for herself, and she is unconditional in her support for the powerless. She is unafraid of emotion, dispute or difference — and with that courage has been able to bring people together in ways all too rare in modern politics.”

Wynne noted that during DiNovo’s time at Queen’s Park, she “passed more private members bills than anyone else. She pulled together more three-party agreement bills than anyone else. She has been a steady — and noisy — advocate for a rise to the minimum wage during her entire tenure, and a long time housing activist.

“And she carried Toby’s Act over the finish line, making gender identity discrimination illegal in this province, and provoking a national dialogue on a subject that few others were prepared to step up to.

“Every member of the Ontario legislature understood and valued Cheri’s commitment to truth, and to honest debate.”

DiNovo, an ordained United Church minister who was first elected in 2006, announced last fall that she was leaving politics for Trinity-St. Paul’s.

She was the first to perform a legal same-sex marriage in Canada, and has been a champion of LGBTQ rights at Queen’s Park — and the only LGBTQ critic in the province’s history. She continues her Radical Reverend radio show on CIUT.

DiNovo told the Star she is enjoying her new role away from politics.

“Being at Queen’s Park is a little like being a chaplain in a war zone,” she said. “There’s only so many tours of duty you can do, and then you have to go home.”

The congregation at Trinity-St. Paul’s is already incredibly engaged, she said, proof “you can have a church that’s thriving in the downtown.”

At the service — which was livestreamed — were Robin Pilkey, chair of the Toronto District School Board, Liberal MPP Cristina Martins (Davenport) and downtown city Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, who sat with Wynne and spouse Jane Rounthwaite.

And, like many Sundays, “most of my seminary profs are here so it feels like I’m being graded when I preach,” said DiNovo, laughing.

During the homily, Wynne spoke of her own faith, growing up attending Richmond Hill United Church with her parents, and taking her own children to Fairlawn United in Toronto.

She lauded Trinity-St. Paul’s for being “on the vanguard of the progressive movement in this city for decades. You’re a beacon for an activist faith, one that responds to God’s call to justice” and one that will be well led by DiNovo — who the premier expects “will be leading delegations back to Queen’s Park to petition us on a new set of priorities!”

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During the ceremony, DiNovo received a standing ovation from the congregation, and later said Trinity-St. Paul’s “is an incredibly good fit” because of its focus on social justice.

“And I’m close to Queen’s Park,” she added. “So I intend to be there the very first day the house is sitting, wearing my collar. I will be a presence, because a lot needs happening.”

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