For many years, Mr. Albert Wills (Steven Albert Wills) served our parish community as a volunteer sacristan. He volunteered countless hours over the decades to make our liturgical celebrations beautiful and to assist at many other parish celebrations. I am extremely grateful to him for all that he did for our parish community.

Albert died on the morning of Sunday, January 24^th, 2021, surrounded by his family. A Funeral Mass, which only his immediate family and friends may attend due to capacity limits, will be celebrated at St. Peter’s Church on Saturday, January 30^th at 11:30 a.m.

Visitation for a limited number of persons will take place in the church on Saturday morning from 10:00 to 11:15 am. Due to capacity limits of a maximum of ten at this time, visitation must be booked in advance through Ward Funeral Homes. A visitation time may be booked by visiting:  www.wardfuneralhomes.com/memorials/stephen-wills/4507513/index.php

May Albert Wills rest in peace.

Winter Welcome Table offers FREE take away meals each Monday night from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM. Pick up from St. Peter’s Church, 659 Markham Street (approach from Bathurst St. entrance)

Theme: “Abide in my love….you shall bear much fruit” (John 15:1-17)

Come and join His Eminence Cardinal Thomas Collins, the Sisters of Life and a wide representation of Christian leaders to pray for the restoration of full visible unity willed by Jesus for the Church. The homilist will be David Wells, General Superintendent of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada. This service will take place virtually on Sunday January 24, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. at facebook.com/agnicourtcommunitychurch

Wishing you and your loved ones The Blessing of Peace; The Beauty of Hope; The Spirit of Love; and The Comfort of Faith.  May these be your gifts this Christmas Season!  

Fr. Michael and the Parish staff wish you and your loved ones all of God’s blessings for a ~~~Merry Christmas and a Happy and a Healthy New Year 2021~~~

St. Peter’s Church will be open for Adoration and Communion Services on Christmas Eve from 5:00 to 10:00 pm and on Christmas Day from 9:00 am until noon. During this time, the Blessed Sacrament will be exposed for Adoration and Communion will be distributed in a short Communion Rite every 15 minutes. Due to the COVID 19 protocols that are in place in the City of Toronto, only ten (10) people are permitted in the church at a time.  As this includes the parish priest and volunteer at the doors, only eight (8) people may be in the church at any time. Those visiting the church will be asked to limit their visits to 15 minutes in order to allow others to come to church to receive the Eucharist and pray on Christmas Eve and Day.

The entire parish community wishes you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a happy and health 2021.

On MONDAY DECEMBER 21st Freeman Real Estate Ltd. will host an altered 5th Annual GREAT TURKEY GIVE starting at 7AM . This year due to the Pandemic we are supporting up to 100 Local families in need with holiday food supplies.

Freeman Real Estate has partnered with Spirit of Math Central Toronto and Fiesta Farms to give over 100 families holiday food via our food distributors– St. Alban’s Boys & Girls Club, St. Peter’s Church & Beth Sholom Synagogue.

Inspired by the generosity of Honest Ed’s this is the fifth year The Great Turkey Give will take place. This year please join us as we do a BIG FESTIVE SHOP at Fiesta Farms Grocery store beginning at 7 am Monday December 21st 2020. Fiesta Farms is located at 200 Christie Street (Dupont & Christie area) .

Last year’s Turkey Give was a great success engaging with hundreds of people and spreading the spirit of the season. This years program will deliver food to those in need in a safe and efficient manner. (go to www.thegreatturkeygive.com for more info)

Helping the crew at Freeman Real Estate & Spirit of Math central to shop will be Santa himself and a few honoured guests including Rev. M. McGourty (St. Peters) & Rabbi A. Flanzraich (Beth Sholom).

Freeman Real Estate is a family-run, boutique realty company that has a almost 50 year tradition for supporting community causes, charities and interests.

Spirit of Math Central Toronto is an innovative leader in after-school mathematics education with more than 40 campuses in North America.

Fiesta Farms is a family run independent grocer with deep community ties– located in Toronto’s Annex Neighbourhood.

For any media inquiries’ please contact Elden Freeman elden@freemanrealty.com (416) 834 0790 or (416 535 3103) or Daniel Freeman, daniel@freemanrealty.com (416 937 5556).

Offering Envelopes for 2021 are available at the back of the church along with the Pre-Authorized Giving Plan Form (PAG). Instructions are on the form. The boxed sets are organized alphabetically. Please make sure to pick up only the box with your name on it and kindly refrain from touching boxes belonging to others.  Please practice social distancing and sanitize your hands before reaching for your envelopes

PLEASE DO NOT USE THE 2021 ENVELOPES UNTIL THE NEW YEAR BEGINS

The live Christmas trees are now on sale until December 24, the same company as in years past will be selling Christmas trees on the Markham Street lot of our church. Please consider getting your tree (or trees) from them. You would be helping St. Peter’s operating budget by purchasing your live trees from our Markham Street lot. There are many beautiful trees available and your purchase of a Christmas tree helps to financially support the Winter Welcome table’s outreach efforts. The lot will be open every day from 10 AM to 8 PM.

It is not too difficult to believe that the words that we hear in this Sunday’s first reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, “O that you would tear open the heavens and come down,” are words that have been spoken by women and men of many generations in the face of tragedy and difficulty. These words are certainly not very different from those that I found myself praying at the time of the first lockdown here in Toronto due to the COVID 19 pandemic. As the first shutdown got underway, I, like many, was frightened about the future and about what might be coming. I feared for the parish and how I would be able to serve the needs of the parishioners; I was frightened that we might have to lay off our parish staff; I wondered how I would visit the many seniors isolated in senior’s homes; and I feared that many might get sick and die as a result of the pandemic. The tone of many of my prayers was “Lord, O that you would tear open the heavens and come down and help us in these difficult times.” Continue reading →