A caring presence in the heart of the city.
A caring presence in the heart of the city.
The Church of St. John the Evangelist offers a caring presence in the heart of the city of Kitchener.
Welcome!
Whether you are returning to the faith, a long-time Christian, or searching for something you haven’t yet found, we are glad you are here.
At St. John’s, we believe in and follow Jesus, welcoming all in his name.
We are a diverse church that includes people of all ages, from many different parts of the world. Some of us are wealthy, some of us are poor; some of us are queer, some of us are straight. We love our neighbours, seeking the public good and a thriving city with the help of others.
Music is especially important to our worship life.
We find our theological foundations in Scripture and the historic creeds, centre our worship around baptism and communion, and see the bishop as a figure of unity. A glance at our Ministries page will give you a good sense of what we’re about.
We look forward to meeting you.
Worship is central to life at St. John’s.
On nearly all Sundays of the year, we celebrate the eucharist together. A number of times a year, we celebrate new life in baptism. Easter and Christmas are especially central to our yearly cycle of worship.
We have a full choir, we love to sing, and find music a central way of going deeper into God’s life.
Our sermons are challenging and thoughtful.
And some of us find coffee hour, after worship, to be the best part of our Sunday!
Check out our Worship page for some detail on what to expect.
Baptisms at St. John’s usually take place on particular Sundays of the church year: on the Sunday that celebrates the baptism of Jesus in January, on (alt at) the Easter Vigil (usually adults) on the evening before Easter Sunday, on Pentecost Sunday (usually sometime in the spring) (alt in the spring), and on All Saints Sunday in November.
At St. John’s, we baptize adults, children, and infants.
If you aren’t already connected to St. John’s, come to worship, and see what we are up to! Worship is very good preparation for baptism, either for you or your child, because baptism is an initiation into the Christian life, and worship is at the centre of that life of faith and practice. So, the best way to get a sense of the Anglican way of Christian faith and practice is to join us at 10 a.m. on Sunday mornings.
If you are already in the habit of worshipping at St. John’s, you can get baptismal preparation instruction started by contacting Preston, our Rector, by email or phone at (519) 743-0228 ext 2.
Instruction typically takes place on Saturdays leading up to the baptismal feast. This is a time to pray together, learn, and have some conversations around baptismal life. The Anglican way of faith and practice is summarized in the Baptismal Creed and the Baptismal Covenant, both part of the baptismal service.
If you are thinking about baptism for yourself or your child, reflecting on the Baptismal Creed and Baptismal Covenant is a very good place to begin.
At St. John’s, once young people have come of age and can speak for themselves, confirmation is an opportunity to say “yes” to God and life in the church. Confirmation isn’t just for young adults, though; when people join St. John’s from other Christian churches, confirmation, or reception (if you’ve already been confirmed), can be a way to say “yes” to the Anglican way.
Similarly, sometimes when people are already baptized and confirmed at an earlier point in life, but would like to make a public profession of a newly re-found faith, reaffirmation of faith can be a symbolic way to affirm a desire to be affiliated again in God’s church.
Confirmation, Reception, and Reaffirmation of Faith are not necessary, however, for being part of St. John’s. All are welcome.
If you aren’t already connected to St. John’s and are interested in marriage, come to worship, and discover how God is at work in the lives of others. Regular worship is the most fitting way to prepare for marriage because a wedding is, at its heart, a worship service. A Christian wedding is a way of saying “yes” to God, and a welcoming of God into your relationship. There is no better way to prepare for this than worship.
There are additional ways to prepare for a church wedding at St. John’s. Before a date is set, a marriage preparation course is necessary. Couples tend to discover two things during this preparation: first, they discover that they have already thought through some of the course material; second, they discover that there are things they haven’t thought of yet, but are good to talk about before the wedding. After the course, and once a date has been set, there would be a meeting with one of our clergy to prepare the service and cover items not addressed in the marriage preparation course.
If you are already worshipping at St. John’s, contact Preston by email or phone at (519) 743-0228 ext 2. to begin the preparation course.
A funeral is three things: it is the worship of God; it is a commendation of the dead to God; and it is a way of caring for the loved ones of someone who has died. Funerals at St. John’s are offered according to the rites of the Anglican Church of Canada as they are found in the Book of Common Prayer or the Book of Alternative Services. Funeral services are prepared with a member of the clergy who will guide you through the process of choosing readings, hymns, and the appropriate rite.
If you are seeking an Anglican funeral service for your loved one, call the church office at (519) 743-0228. Of course, pastoral care is available to all at any time. In the event of an emergency, please call (519) 743-0228 ext. 6. to reach the pastor on call. If time is not of the essence, you can contact our rector by email or phone at (519) 743-0228 ext. 2.
There are many ways to get in touch or keep in touch with St. John’s.
Our In Touch page offers several ways (newsletter, emailers and more) in which parishioners, family and friends can keep up to date with our ministry and in touch with our community.
Our Worship page provides an excellent overview of that which sustains our community at St. John’s. The many photos on this page, and elsewhere, yield a window into our life together.
Our Ministries page profiles some of the ways people can get involved in the life of our community. Our ministry runs deep in our community and offers opportunities for all to get involved.
Our Leadership page offers a sense of who some of the key people are at St. John’s. Many of these people are folks you would meet on Sunday morning.
Our Support page gives an overview of how we sustain and manage our ministry at St. John’s. Of course, we’d welcome your support!
Finally, our Contact page can help you locate us on the map or find the right person to take your call or answer your query.
Creed
Celebrant
Do you believe in God the Father?
People
I believe in God,
The Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
Celebrant
Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
People
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again
to judge the living and the dead.
Celebrant
Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
People
I believe in God the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Covenant
Celebrant
Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?
People
I will, with God’ s help.
Celebrant
Will you persevere in resisting evil and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?
People
I will, with God’ s help.
Celebrant
Will you proclaim by word and example the good news of God in Christ?
People
I will, with God’ s help.
Celebrant
Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbour as yourself?
People
I will, with God’ s help.
Celebrant
Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?
People
I will, with God’ s help.
Celebrant
Will you strive to safeguard the integrity of God’s creation, and respect, sustain and renew the life of the Earth?
People
I will, with God’s help.
Angus Sinclair was appointed Director of Music of St. John the Evangelist on February 1, 2023. Having graduated in 1981 (Honours B.Mus.) in organ performance from Wilfrid Laurier University, he went on to distinguish himself as a church musician, recitalist and accompanist touring in both Canada and the UK. For over 40 years Angus has served parishes and congregations throughout Southwestern Ontario as director of music. He experiences his present appointment to St. John’s as a welcome homecoming, both spiritually and musically.
At St. John’s, Angus is able to indulge his love for Anglican liturgy and the Anglican choral tradition by directing our dedicated choir in preparing service music and masterworks from St. John’s extensive choral library. Angus’s own repertoire of organ music allows him to enrich worship at St. John’s with countless voluntaries spanning centuries of the church music tradition. Angus has also composed music in several different genres, and is an accomplished improviser.
As our parish musician, he provides both support and leadership so that a variety of parish programs can find musical expression and attract participation. When our handbell choir is in season, he is one of our ringers. At parish dinners, he provides popular piano music for the guests to dine by. For both worship services and concerts, he will rehearse and accompany vocal and instrumental soloists from our congregation on piano, organ, or even accordion.
Audiences throughout Canada recognize Angus as the accompanist for The Three Cantors whose concerts and CDs raised over $1 million between 1997 to 2016 for the Huron Hunger Fund/Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund, now named Alongside Hope. For their outstanding service to the Church, Angus and The Three Cantors (William Cliff, David Pickett, and Peter Wall) each received Honorary Senior Fellowships from Renison College (UW) and Honorary Doctor of Divinity (DD) degrees from Huron University College (Western University).
Beyond St. John’s, Angus frequently accompanies mezzo-soprano Autumn Debassige in concert, and on the fourth Sunday of each month (September through June), he serves as the duty organist at Evensong for the Choir of St. George’s Anglican Church, London, Andrew Keegan Mackriell, Conductor. Two or three times a year, Angus is the assisting organist for concerts given by the Parry Sound Choral Collective, William McArton, Conductor.
In collaboration with our rector, Angus is responsible for the design of worship at St. John’s. His duties include programming music, service playing for regular liturgies and occasional services, and directing our choir, in addition to working with a variety of soloists, instrumentalists and ensembles.)
As an Honorary Assistant, André preaches occasionally at worship and assists in various ministries as opportunities arise. André maintains a Rota of lay people to read and pray at worship, together with a schedule of people to write the Prayers of the People for Sundays and occasional services.
Ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) in 1980, André has served Lutheran parishes in Baden, Mannheim and New Hamburg. He has served as national Worship officer for the ELCIC and, for the last decade of his working career, served as Ecumenical and Interfaith officer while also staffing the ELCIC’s Faith Order and Doctrine Committee.
In 2006, André received the Eastern Synod’s Leadership Award for Exemplary Service and in 2016 he was named a Companion of the Worship Arts (CWA).
Since 2014, André and his wife, Barbara, have resided in Waterloo where they tend a garden and welcome friends and family.
Eileen Scully was baptized at St. John the Evangelist, confirmed, sang in the choir as an adolescent, and was married here. She then went off into some ecumenical wanderings and theological studies before returning to the parish recently as an honorary assistant. She has a PhD in Systematic Theology from St. Michael’s College, Toronto and taught for a time.
Eileen works for the General Synod, the national body of The Anglican Church of Canada, as Director of Faith, Worship, and Ministry, keeping office space at St John’s for that work during the week. She works principally in liturgical development, helping to create resources for worship, including new liturgical texts, and connects with Anglicans across the country in networks to support ministry and Christian formation.
Eileen was ordained deacon in 2009 and priested in 2010.
Scott is the Chaplain at Renison College at the University of Waterloo. He was ordained and started working in parish ministry in the Anglican Church in 2005 on the West Coast of Canada in Victoria, BC, in the Diocese of BC. After completing a curacy and serving in a few parishes as rector, part of a team ministry and as associate at the Cathedral, Scott and his family moved to Niagara. He continued in parish ministry and served as associate priest for seven years at St. George’s in St. Catharines, before moving to Kitchener and starting at Renison in February 2022.
Scott studied Theology at the Vancouver School of Theology in Vancouver, BC, and before that did his undergraduate studies in Toronto at UofT completing a Bachelor of Music, Performance degree specializing in Jazz music.
As an Honorary Assistant Ken assists with worship services and preaches on occasion.
Ken is a graduate of Hamilton Teachers’ College, McMaster University, and Huron College. Ken retired in 2003 after 34 years as a parish priest in the Dioceses of Niagara, Keewatin and Moosonee. He also served as Archdeacon of Brock. For ten years after retirement Ken served in a number of Interim Ministry positions for parishes in transition. Ken and his wife Sarah moved to Kitchener in 2013.
As an Honorary Assistant, James preaches and presides occasionally at worship, and chairs the Stewardship Working Group. During the six months of Preston’s sabbatical in 2024, he served as Deputy Rector.
Ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada in 1991, James served Lutheran parishes in Stratford and Waterloo until his retirement in 2015. As part of a summer exchange with the Rev. Glenn Chestnutt, he was licensed by the West Paisley Presbytery and the Church of Scotland to serve the congregation of St. John’s, Gourock, UK from 2010-2016. In 2019-2020, he served as Interim Priest-in-Charge of St. Columba Anglican Church, Waterloo.
A lifelong, self-confessed ecumaniac, James is Chair of the Steering Committee of Christians Together Waterloo Region (successor organization to the Kitchener-Waterloo Council of Churches). For 27 years, he served as an on-call chaplain at Grand River Hospital, now named Waterloo Regional Health Network @ Midtown.
James’ first career was also in the Church. For 25 years he was organist or director of music for churches in London, St. Thomas, Brantford, and Kitchener.
James and his wife, Paula, live in Baden, Ontario.
Autumn Debassige has served as St. John’s Parish Administrator since 2023, bringing years of service-oriented and management experience to this important role. Aside from her administrative duties for us, Autumn is a professional mezzo-soprano soloist and alto chorister. Visit her website to learn more!)
Angus Sinclair was appointed Director of Music of St. John the Evangelist on February 1, 2023. Having graduated in 1981 (Honours B.Mus.) in organ performance from Wilfrid Laurier University, he went on to distinguish himself as a church musician, recitalist and accompanist touring in both Canada and the UK. For over 40 years Angus has served parishes and congregations throughout Southwestern Ontario as director of music. He experiences his present appointment to St. John’s as a welcome homecoming, both spiritually and musically.
At St. John’s, Angus is able to indulge his love for Anglican liturgy and the Anglican choral tradition by directing our dedicated choir in preparing service music and masterworks from St. John’s extensive choral library. Angus’s own repertoire of organ music allows him to enrich worship at St. John’s with countless voluntaries spanning centuries of the church music tradition. Angus has also composed music in several different genres, and is an accomplished improviser.
As our parish musician, he provides both support and leadership so that a variety of parish programs can find musical expression and attract participation. When our handbell choir is in season, he is one of our ringers. At parish dinners, he provides popular piano music for the guests to dine by. For both worship services and concerts, he will rehearse and accompany vocal and instrumental soloists from our congregation on piano, organ, or even accordion.
Audiences throughout Canada recognize Angus as the accompanist for The Three Cantors whose concerts and CDs raised over $1 million between 1997 to 2016 for the Huron Hunger Fund/Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund, now named Alongside Hope. For their outstanding service to the Church, Angus and The Three Cantors (William Cliff, David Pickett, and Peter Wall) each received Honorary Senior Fellowships from Renison College (UW) and Honorary Doctor of Divinity (DD) degrees from Huron University College (Western University).
Beyond St. John’s, Angus frequently accompanies mezzo-soprano Autumn Debassige in concert, and on the fourth Sunday of each month (September through June), he serves as the duty organist at Evensong for the Choir of St. George’s Anglican Church, London, Andrew Keegan Mackriell, Conductor. Two or three times a year, Angus is the assisting organist for concerts given by the Parry Sound Choral Collective, William McArton, Conductor.
In collaboration with our rector, Angus is responsible for the design of worship at St. John’s. His duties include programming music, service playing for regular liturgies and occasional services, and directing our choir, in addition to working with a variety of soloists, instrumentalists and ensembles.
After working in youth and camping ministry in Winnipeg and Northwestern Ontario, Preston began his training for the priesthood in Berkeley California in 2001. Following his ordinations in 2004 and 2005, Preston served as a hospital chaplain in Sacramento, California; not long after, he was appointed to St. Mary Magdalene, a multi-cultural parish in the south end of Winnipeg.
In 2012, Preston moved to England, where he pursued a PhD in Christian Theology at the University of Cambridge, while serving as Priest Vicar at St. John’s College, and Director of Studies at Westminster College.
Preston moved to Waterloo in 2017 with his wife, Karen Sunabacka, who took a position as Associate Professor of Music at Conrad Grebel University College.