St.

Andrew’s Presbyterian Church

25 St. Andrew Street
Stratford, Ontario, N5A 1A2
(519) 271-5668 || [email protected]
www.standrewsstratford.ca
Presbytery of Huron-Perth

“With strong roots in the Christian story we

answer God’s call to serve the community,
sharing the new life which is ours in Christ.”
1838-2016 - Celebrating 178 Years
Objective:
The people of St. Andrew’s seek a new minister that will provide a fresh spark for
Stratford’s oldest congregation. With spiritual guidance, wisdom and motivation, may we
grow together in faith by way of fellowship, community, worship and outreach. We greatly
anticipate God’s choice in leadership for our spiritual journey, in Christ.

Priorities:
 We believe that a Minister’s top priority is to lead meaningful, interactive and
truly inspiring worship services in organized cooperation with our music program
 With an aging congregation, we need someone who can work with our youth,
young adults, and young couples and show them the relevance of Christ in their
lives while encouraging them to actively participate within the church.
 We need a preacher who will apply God’s Word to the contemporary world,
thereby equipping us with God’s Message, that we may implement it always.
 Our congregation enjoys our church events, groups and committees so we want a
minister who is eager to get involved, making St. Andrew’s a hub of activity.
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  We believe that a minister should be the face of the church in the community and
should therefore be an active participant in community events, promoting the
church in all things.
 We are motivated to introduce different elements to our worship services and
events, including further use of technology. We presently offer PowerPoint wor-
ship and would welcome a minister who is familiar with the capabilities of tech-
nology, and willing to try new things.
 We are a welcoming church family, strong in fellowship and actively involved in
many church programs. We need a minister who is approachable and supportive
in overseeing that we work together to grow stronger as a church.

Other Sought-after Qualities:

 Optimism  Up to Date  Enthusiasm

 Sense of Humour  Geniality  Music Appreciation
 Open Mindedness  Professionalism  Loyalty

Current Church Staff:

Church Administrator: Heather Racher
Director of Music: Earl C. Clark
Caretaker: John Edmonds

Contact Information:

Convener of the Committee: Interim Moderator:

David MacKenzie Rev. Rob Congram
384 Glendon Road 95 Matilda Street
Stratford, Ontario Stratford, Ontario
N5A 6Y7 N5A 6R9
(519) 273 - 6136 (519) 275 - 3051
[email protected] [email protected]

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 PROFILE FORM
CONGREGATIONAL STATISTICS

Church Information: Member Information:

Average Sunday Attendance: Professing Members: 264
Adults: 85 | Youth: 2-8 Adherents: 70
Christmas Eve Attendance: 135
Active Elders: 17
Easter Sunday Attendance: 150
Participants by Gender:
Other services include Ash Wednesday, Maun-
dy Thursday, Good Friday & Memorial Tree Male: 32 | Female: 49
Service (1st Sun. of Advent)
Participants by Age:
Financial Information:
Income Expenses 0 - 10: 0

Offerings: $299,570 Operating: $224,051 11 - 20: 5

Rentals: $9,340 Benevolences: $38,962 21 - 40: 4
Other: $34,613 Other: $10,614 41 - 60: 14
Total: $343,523 Total: $273,627 61 - 80: 35
Balance: $69,916
80+: 23
Debt: None Endowments: $475,526
Area Information: Building Information:
Areas Served: Established: 1838
City of Stratford Tavistock Mitchell Re-erected: 1868
Shakespeare St. Paul’s Downie Addition: 1914 (Sanctuary)
New Hamburg Sebringville North Easthope Updated: 1955
New roof 2012, fully accessible, large manse
population growth is lower than provincial average
next-door, newly refurbished pipe organ.

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 OUR COMMUNITY
LIFE IN THE CITY OF STRATFORD

Residents of Stratford know that they live in a special place that offers a lifestyle like
no other in Ontario. Known for its friendliness and numerous events, Stratford makes resi-
dents and newcomers feel welcome and an integral part of community life.

Many of Stratford's neighbourhoods are steeped in history and offer residents an

abundance of choices in education and childcare, recreation and social services.

Let Stratford be your playground. Our recreation programs, parks and trails, gardens
and facilities promote a healthy and active lifestyle for all ages year round.

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We are also home to Stratford General Hospital, one of the province's finest health
care facilities as well as the Perth District Health Unit. Quality emergency services ensure
our community is safe.

Stratford offers an extraordinary blend of setting, infrastructure, institutions, ameni-

ties, lifestyle and culture, including the new University of Waterloo Stratford Campus. In
recognition of this, the City has earned its place in the “Top 7 Intelligent Community of the
Year” rankings for 2011, 2012 and 2013 by the Intelligent Community Forum.

Stratford is a destination internationally renowned as one of North America's great

arts towns. Our beautiful City celebrates a vibrant art and music scene, our famed theatre
which hosts over 500,00 patrons per year, modern recreational facilities and a variety
of recreational programs.

For more information, visit www.stratfordcanada.ca

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 PROGRAMS & GROUPS
PRESBYTERIANS GROWING FOR THE FUTURE

1. Worship and Prayer:

As a Christian congregation using varying styles of worship, we glorify God, exalt Je-
sus Christ as Saviour and Lord, and invite the people to be open to the guidance and leading
of the Holy Spirit.
Our Choir is a small dedicated group which does a blend of traditional, spiritual and
more contemporary music. Children are always welcome to sing with the senior choir.
Every third Sunday of the month the “New Life Praise Band” enjoys providing tradi-
tional/contemporary music and the “new hymns” of the church to enrich congregational
worship.

2. Nurturing Christian Community:

As a Christian congregation, we create community by actively seeking those present-
ly beyond the church family and intentionally inviting them to be part of the family.
Sometimes it seems much of our church activity takes place in and around the kitch-
en, including Coffee Hour when coffee and snacks are provided each Sunday before and
after the worship service by various groups within the church. This is a great time of fellow-
ship and provides an opportunity for everyone to get to know each other better!
Also, the 3Fs Dinner (Food, Fun & Fellowship) home-style dinner is held on the third
Friday of the month (September to June). It is a very informal gathering for all ages to share
food and conversation.
Our Community Meals program takes place every Wednesday evening from Novem-
ber 1 to April 30. It provides a nutritious meal to members of the community at no cost to
the recipients. Members volunteer at these meals, helping with food preparation, serving
and clean-up.
We have both a Men's (PCM) and Ladies Breakfast Group, each of which meet one
Saturday a month. Usually along with a healthy breakfast there is a guest speaker with in-
teresting and uplifting messages. Both groups assist with projects within our congregation
and church mission projects.

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 Our PCW group is amalgamated with the WMS and is a very active lively group who
share a time of worship as well as laughter and fellowship. We support ongoing projects of
St. Andrew's as well as many local and worldwide charities.

3. Teaching and Learning:

As a Christian congregation, we offer opportunities to engage in spiritual growth.
Our Sunday School and Nursery have faltered and at the present time we provide
“child packs” if needed. If there are any babies/toddlers visiting, we have staff ready and
available and a well-equipped environment for them. While we have the volunteers for
church school program, our young families simply are not attending.
We are currently providing a “Messy Church” program one Thursday a month for
those of us who are simply unable to attend regular Sunday morning services. This pro-
gram includes a variety of fun activities for Christians of all ages, along with a
“Celebration” (short, direct sermon) and a hearty supper.
An enthusiastic Bible Study group comprised of both members and non-members
meets on Tuesday mornings. The group chooses a topic of study and the learning tends to
be co-operative. Besides that, there is much laughter! Other study groups may take place
through the year.

4. Outreach and Social Justice:

As a Christian congregation, we are mindful of Jesus' teaching to “love one another,
as I have loved you”.
Our “Meaningful Adventure” group meets biweekly from October-May. This pro-
gram provides an opportunity for developmentally-delayed adults to socialize over healthy
lunches and to hear stories, do crossword puzzles and play board games. We always wel-
come visitors as well as extra help for this rewarding activity.
We assist with the Meals on Wheels program run by OneCare by providing volun-
teers to drive and deliver meals on a regular basis.
Our Mission Team provides education about and support for suitable Mission pro-
jects. Most recently we helped raise $10,000 to go towards the Stratford project to bring
five Syrian refugee families to our city and this spring held a fundraiser dinner to support
families in Fort McMurray.

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 The Dream Quilt Group meets every month from September to May each year. They
put together, sew and fill quilts which are donated in August to a Mission. The quilts have,
so far, been donated to Winnipeg City Mission,the Mennonite Central Committee near Tim-
mins and locally to the Emily Murphy Centre for abused women and ShelterLink, a resi-
dence for at-risk youth.

5. Pastoral Care:
As a Christian congregation, we exhibit a “living faith” to all people, seeking new
ways to serve those in need.
Our Pastoral Care Team is a small group of caregivers who are organized to maintain
a steady connection with our ‘home pew’ friends. At Christmas, small gifts are delivered
and students are remembered with Tim Horton’s gift cards at exam time and special recog-
nition at major graduations.
Our faithful Flower Guild arranges flowers for Sunday worship and on Monday morn-
ing some meet to make bud vase arrangements. A card with a Bible verse and a ribbon are
attached and then delivered to people in the hospital, shut-ins, new mothers, 80 and older
birthday celebrants and others, giving them all a ray of sunshine for the day.
Our Prayer Circle is a telephone ministry providing prayer support for members,
friends and relatives in times of illness, death or stress.

6. Speaking our Faith:

As a Christian congregation, we are passionate about sharing our faith.
We are blessed to have a monthly Newsletter – SAINT (St Andrew’s Interesting News
and Tidbits). A small dedicated core group ensures that both regular attendees and shut-ins
are able to receive news of happenings at the church on a regular and current basis.
Also our Sunday Worship is recorded and made available online on our website, or
by CD upon request.

7. Stewardship of Resources:
As a Christian congregation, we are good stewards of God's gifts.
Session consists of Ruling Elders, elected by the congregation for a term of six years
and can be re elected if desired at the will of the congregation when their term expires.
Session are our Spiritual leaders overseeing all the operations of the church, maintaining

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the roll and working with the minister to ensure guidelines of the church are met.
Board of Managers is made up of 12 people from the congregation who are elected
at our Annual Congregational Meeting. They oversee the normal financial operation of the
church and manse. Committees of the board are: property and maintenance, pastoral rela-
tions, nomination and finance and stewardship.
The Pastoral Relations Committee (one board member and one session member)
meet regularly with the minister and other church staff, and while keeping their best inter-
ests in mind, address problems or concerns as they arise, conducting yearly wage reviews
and reporting back to Session and the Board of Managers.
St. Andrew’s Foundation was established to invest and administer all bequests that
are left to the church. Members of the Foundation are called Trustees who seek (for invest-
ment purposes) the advice of designated professionals. There are 9 Trustees elected by the
congregation.
The Welcoming Team came together to find ways to make our church home an ex-
ceptionally friendly, easy place for all to enjoy Christian fellowship. Projects have included a
welcoming booklet for newcomers, the Ministry of Greeters, the Children Only Shopping
Day, Church Photo Directory and any other good idea that “someone should do”. We have
fun informal meetings monthly.

St. Andrew’s sanctuary from the balcony

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 SKILLS & INTERESTS
PRIORITY OF DESIRED PASTORAL CAPABILITIES

1. Leading Worship & Preaching (Planning and conducting worship services)

2. Crisis Visiting (Serving people at times of illness, death, trauma, family crisis or job loss)

3. Equipping Church Members (Providing resources for members to lead a Christian life)

4. Work With Youth (Providing programming for the youth of the church)

5. Program Development (Setting goals & organizing events in the church & community)

6. Leadership Development (Planning for and sharing in the training of church leaders)

7. Mission Outreach (Evangelism and social justice in the community, country and world)

8. Personal & Spiritual Development (Providing resources and guidance for devotional
life, and for prayer groups, retreats, and other small group experiences)

9. Stewardship (Faithful use of our time, gifts and money in response to the generosity
of God in the sacrifice of Christ)

10. Work with Seniors (Providing programming for the elderly of the church)

11. Christian Education (Writing or selecting appropriate curricula for the educational
ministry, and planning activities for groups of all ages)

12. Counselling (Providing advice to direct judgement or conduct on a regular basis)

13. Home Visiting (Reaching out to members of the congregation on a regular basis)

14. Evangelism (Leading the relation of the gospel to people outside of the church)

15. Inter-Church Cooperation (Working in inter-denominational programs and activities)

16. Community Leadership (Leading in areas like drug abuse, schools and community)

17. Denominational Service (Sharing in the work of all the courts of the church)

18. Administration (Managing the affairs of the congregation and other organizations)

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