Author Archives: stpeters

Summary of Parish Survey 2025

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One of the chief roles of the Parish Council is to ensure that St. Peter’s reflects the goals and meets the needs of parishioners to the greatest extent possible. To do that, though, we need to know what the members of the parish want, and how they feel about what St. Peter’s is doing.

To that end, the Council printed a six-question survey, which was distributed in the pews and the Parish Bulletin in December. It was also available online, through the parish’s web site.

This was not the parish’s first survey, but it was our most successful in recent years, with 41 responses, on paper and online. For the most part, people seem happy with what the parish is doing, and interested in getting involved. Let’s look at how each question was answered. Continue reading →

“Your words, Lord, are spirit and life” (Psalm 19)

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The exterior of St. Peter's Church.The church building that our community presently worships in is the third building that our parish community has occupied. Its construction was begun in 1925 and completed in December of 1926, when our church was dedicated on December 12, 1926. That means that we are beginning the 100th anniversary of our church building. Although we were established as a parish in 1896, a hundred and thirty years ago, this church that we are now in has been our parish home for 100 years.

When a church is built, and set aside as a place for worship, the bishop of the diocese comes and dedicates it. Our church was dedicated in 1926 by Bishop Alexander MacDonald. When a church is dedicated, it is set aside as a place of worship. Within it, the Christian community meets to celebrate the Eucharist and to be built up to be the living Body of Christ in the world. From the celebrations of the liturgy that take place in the building, the Christian community is sent out into the world to continue Christ’s mission and make Jesus present in their day-to-day activities. Because what the Christian community does in the church building is what makes it the church—the living Body of Christ—the building is supposed to be a sign which points to the presence of the Christian community in the area. When people come out of the Bathurst Subway Station and see our church building, it is supposed to be a sign of hope to them, announcing to them the presence of the Christian community. The fact that so many people in need come to our Winter Welcome Table, and office door for assistance, is an indication that we are living up to that sign value. Continue reading →