They are becoming community centres.
St. Peter’s in Hamilton, having been given to the diocese by the ANiC parishioners, is now no longer used for Christian worship, but is a community centre used by HARRRP.
St. Aidan’s in Oakville is still used part time as a church but seems to be placing most of its emphasis on becoming a community centre too; sharing its building with many service agencies is, apparently, now an act of outreach. Coincidentally, it also happens to bring in a lot of cash.
From here:
The ‘little church on the corner’ — St. Aidan’s — that serves Oakville’s West River and Kerr Village neighbourhood recently celebrated a new look…..
The first phase of the changes are now complete and Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn, Angelo Di Cintio of the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the Rev. Bishop Michael Bird of the Niagara Diocese were on hand to participate in the ribbon cutting at the open house.
A $130,000 Ontario Trillium Foundation grant in 2009 provided a springboard to get the project underway. More fundraising is underway and phase two plans are in the works.
To date, a new ramp and electric door at the church’s north entrance have been added to make the building more accessible.
The first floor of the building has been reconfigured to make the space more usable and comfortable for groups that meet there throughout the week.
As well, two new washrooms, a kitchenette and servery area, lighting and sound systems were completed this fall as part of phase one.
Through its local outreach, St. Aidan’s shares its space with many service agencies and partners who are able to offer innovative educational and support services for those in need.
St. Aidan’s has again become a hub in the community and a much needed gathering place for the neighbourhood, according to Fricker.
In partnership with organizations like T.E.A.C.H., the Halton Multicultural Council, Art House, Ace, Hopedale Nursery School and Kindermusik, to name just a few, quality programs that directly serve the needs of children, youths, seniors, and new immigrants are offered
Excuse me… you have a HUGE inaccuracy in the first sentence.
The Church of St. Peter, ANIC was NOT GIVEN to the diocese of Niagara, it was TAKEN by the diocese, after the diocese had stolen over a quarter of a million $$ so the church had no money to support a legal defence.
This is a church building into which the diocese had never put one penny- it was built totally by parishioner funds and hard labor because the Anglican Church of Canada had no money to help them when they outgrew their original church- which they had built as well.
Please get your facts straight before you state them as facts.
Is anyone truly surprised by this? Did anyone really think that the Anglican Church of Canada had any chance of making this Parish viable?
This is WONDERFUL! Just can’t wait for some under the radar group rents it for Sunday mornings and puts on “Anglican” worship services. And since it is now a government subsidized building who can stop them ?
He has a point…..
as to the point it is happening in Hepworth Ont. Local Anglican church sold off to the county and now used for social outreach, whatever, one of which is a BCP Anglican church service every Sunday morning (not under the over lordship of the ACoC) Makes one’s heart warm all over.
Multicultural Centre? How long until St. Aidan’s has a minaret addition? With provincial funding, of course.