John Donald Lumby was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, on Dec 19, 1930. He married Helen Hase in 1956. They had three children: Lisa, John Jr., and Jeff. He spent most of his life in Saskatoon, moving to Kitchener, Ontario, after retirement, where he died on Nov. 3, 2017.

He studied engineering at the University of Saskatchewan and graduated from the Officer's Indoctrination Course, University Reserve Training, in June 1950. In 1964, he also received a Certificate of Business Administration from the U of S.

He initially apprenticed in industrial and commercial photography at Hansen Photographers in Edmonton. In the early 1950s, he worked as a photographer with the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, and later served as Director of Photography at CFQC-TV in Saskatoon from 1955 to 1965. From 1961-1981, he and Helen operated a film, photography, television and audio production company under the names Lumby Productions (1965-1981) and Size Small Productions (1981-1988).

Saskatoon Balmoral Pastoral Charge was formed in the mid-1950s, part of Saskatoon Presbytery and consisting of Balmoral United Church. The charge officially closed on June 30, 2004.

Saskatoon Grosvenor Park Pastoral Charge was formed in the mid-1950s, part of Saskatoon Presbytery and consisting of Grosvenor Park United Church. The congregation had formed around 1954.

Saskatoon St. Thomas-Wesley Pastoral Charge was formed around 1930, after St. Thomas and Wesley Churches amalgamated to form St. Thomas-Wesley United Church, in Saskatoon. (The building for the combined congregations had previously been St. Thomas.) Prior to union, the St. Thomas congregation had been Presbyterian and the Wesley Congregation had been Methodist.

Saskatoon Westminster Pastoral Charge was formed 1925, as part of Saskatoon Presbytery and consisting of Westminster United Church. Around 1968, Westminster United amalgamated with Grace United Church, to form Grace-Westminster United Church (and Pastoral Charge), in Saskatoon.

Saskatoon Presbytery was one of the original 16 presbyteries established by the first General Council of the United Church of Canada (June 1925), to be part of the new Saskatchewan Conference. Initial boundaries were based on the previous Saskatoon Presbytery, which had been part of the Presbyterian Synod of Saskatchewan. Prior to Union, in 1925, there had also been a Saskatchewan District, in the Saskatchewan Conference of the Methodist Church.

In 2000, Saskatchewan Conference went from 10 presbyteries to 7, with each adopting a new name. Most pastoral charges from Saskatoon Presbytery became part of the new River Bend Presbytery.