“The church is not a building; the church is not a steeple; the church is not a resting place; the church is a people.”
This is a hymn our congregation loves to sing. It is even more relevant today than when it was first written over fifty years ago.
Our Mission:
We are a welcoming and compassionate Christ-centered community of faith, seeking to inspire, involve and empower people to discover their purpose through fellowship, study and service.
Ministries
Choir: The people of St. Andrew’s have always loved music, whether classical or modern worship songs. Our choir shares that love and help to make our worship service inspiring and empowering.
Bible Studies: We usually hold two or three Bible Studies each year, open to all, as well as the occasional matinee afternoon where we watch and discuss a relevant movie. Our last Advent study, Sing a New Song, explored four of the songs from Luke’s Gospel. Our Lenten study, leading up to Easter, was based on Adam Hamilton’s book, The Way: Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus.
The Church as God’s Family: Our Children and Youth Leader is actively involved in the Sunday worship and is always prepared to teach, guide and entertain any young people who attend. There is currently no separate Sunday School but hopefully this will be reinstated in the near future.
Women’s Missionary Society: The Women’s Missionary Society (WMS) is an autonomous organization within The Presbyterian Church in Canada. To carry out the purpose of the WMS, local groups have been established in congregations from Quebec to British Columbia. The local group is the mainstay of the Society.
Its object is as follows: “The WMS is a community of women whose purpose in response to the love of God in Jesus Christ is to encourage one another and all the people of the church to be involved in local and world mission through prayer, study, service and fellowship.”
Among the many local, national, and international charities supported by our local WMS are the Barrie Food Bank, Youth Haven, Arise Ministry, the Raw Carrot Enterprise and work in Nepal and Malawi.
Any ladies interested in social justice issues, supporting mission projects at home and abroad and gathering with other like-minded Christian women, are invited to join our group on the first Monday of the month at 1:30 pm.
Art Guild: Art for the Heart in Barrie is a community art guild and non-profit creative program hosted by St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. It continues to offer creative programming that nurtures faith, connection, and community through the arts. Our classes and events welcome both congregational members and the wider community, creating an inclusive and encouraging space for artistic growth.
For over 20 years, the St Andrew’s Art Guild has offered two classes each year. Capped at 24 participants, every spot is consistently filled. The programmes attract a vibrant mix of people from the community, including students, instructors, Guild volunteers and church members.
Team Convenors (left to right): Cheryl Anderson (Clerk of Session), Ruth Millar (Membership), Shane Mayes (Stewardship), Gord Thompson (Board of Managers), Rev. Joanne Lee (Minister, Worship), Christine Boyd (Christian Education).
Teams: In a variety of volunteer committees, we experience fellowship, grow in our faith and serve each other and our community. These include: Session, Board of Managers, Worship Committee, Membership, Pastoral Care, Christian Education, Stewardship.
Find where you belong at St. Andrew’s!
God’s Love Includes Everyone
As an inclusive, affirming congregation, we honour the diversity of God’s creation. Our community is richer when we include people of all ages, gender identities, racial and cultural backgrounds, sexual orientations, abilities, economic circumstances and family configurations.
We seek to provide a safe space so that each person can bring every aspect of their whole self into participation within this congregation. We invite all to join into the life, leadership, witness and ministry at St. Andrew’s Barrie.
As part of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, we support the incusion of LGBTQI2S+ people to serve as ministers and elders. We define marriage as a covenant between two adults.
What We Value
At St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, we are centred on the Holy Trinity and confess Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. We are committed to making disciples by growing in faith, sharing God’s love, and serving our community with compassion.
We value worship that honours God through both cherished traditional hymns and modern songs of praise. We believe faith is nurtured through Scripture, prayer, fellowship, and lifelong learning.
We believe every person is created in God’s image and is gifted to serve. We encourage people of all ages to discover and use their God-given gifts, growing together as one church family.
Rooted in the Presbyterian tradition and inspired by the faithful witness of generations before us, we look to the future with hope, trusting God to lead us as we continue His mission in Barrie and beyond.