Roxborough Park Presbyterian Church
In 2018 Roxborough Park marked sixty-four years of service and dedication to the people of the east end and places beyond.
Mr. Frank Gillespie– while still a student at Knox College, canvassed the “airport survey” as it was known in those days. The work in the spring and summer of 1954 culminated in the first service being held on Sunday September 26, 1954 in the auditorium of Hillcrest School.
Rev Harold Marr and his wife provided the first full time ministry and preached at the service on Sunday May 5, 1957 when the church building was dedicated. Finally we had our own home!
Late in 1958 came the Rev Ian Rayburn Gibson and family to the newly completed manse, located at the front of our property.
By 1963 we were in our major mission phase where the ladies were being trained and making visits to hospitals and shut-ins – particularly the Ontario Hospital for psychiatric patients, many Christmas hampers were distributed to the poor and needy in the area, One of our ladies operated a used clothing bank. We started coffee breaks after the service, which gave us visiting time with the rest of our church family. The idea of the break after service spread like wildfire through the Presbytery and to other denominations.
Starting in June of 1985, interim-moderator Rev Larry Cowper arranged supply and conducted communion services but also performed another very valuable service. He chaired countless task force meetings in order to get the new “Centre” project in operation as our congregation was reborn as this new phase of our history saw our property became the headquarters for the Roxborough Centre. For those of you who are not aware the official name is the Roxborough Parc Centre. The Parc – spelled PARC - stands for Presbyterian, Anglican and Roman Catholic denominations who undertook the project as an ecumenical outreach as both the church and manse buildings were used to accommodate the day care centre, administrative office, food bank and many other programs run through the centre.
Despite the low numbers our “wee kirk” has always tried to be part of the surrounding community and has endeavored to offer a helping hand to the low-income area in which we are located. We welcomed them all to fun days – a barbeque and games for the kids. No expectation of new members just reaching out to our community.
Despite its precarious times, Roxborough Park maintains a place in service to the Lord and the community. It has many people to thank for their devoted service to the cause.
Every person in these pews will always say yes when asked. Yes to fun – the annual Shaw outing, dinners, the pancake breakfast – yes to digging a little deeper- even though the pocket is not very deep – yes to being of service where we are needed. Yes to making the “wee Kirk” in the east end the one who is always “big” in undertakings.
We had the rug pulled out from underneath us a few years ago when the cuts to government funding caused the closure to the Roxborough Centre as we knew it for over 20 years. The day care centre moved to the newly reconstructed Hillcrest School and the senior centre moved in full to St. Helen’s school. Again we thought this is the end but again we have come back as we have a private day care centre in our manse run by a single Mum who just needed a hand up to help her get on her feet and look after her own family.
We continue to support the Presbyterian Church in Canada and their mission projects in Canada and around the world through our Presbyterians Sharing allocation which we are proud to say we have met for over 25 years. The Food Grains Bank, the Inner City Kids Ministry and PWS&D. We don’t have a lot but we still always find ways to help others.
I can tell you that if you want to be truly welcomed and made to feel part of our family as soon as you walk through the door come by any Sunday morning at 11. You’ll meet people who are genuinely interested in how you are when they ask.
We are there to support each other and our neighbours. God put as there for a purpose. He’s been there with us through broken windows and a damaged roof and good times and sad times but He is always there.
In 2018 Roxborough Park marked sixty-four years of service and dedication to the people of the east end and places beyond.
Mr. Frank Gillespie– while still a student at Knox College, canvassed the “airport survey” as it was known in those days. The work in the spring and summer of 1954 culminated in the first service being held on Sunday September 26, 1954 in the auditorium of Hillcrest School.
Rev Harold Marr and his wife provided the first full time ministry and preached at the service on Sunday May 5, 1957 when the church building was dedicated. Finally we had our own home!
Late in 1958 came the Rev Ian Rayburn Gibson and family to the newly completed manse, located at the front of our property.
By 1963 we were in our major mission phase where the ladies were being trained and making visits to hospitals and shut-ins – particularly the Ontario Hospital for psychiatric patients, many Christmas hampers were distributed to the poor and needy in the area, One of our ladies operated a used clothing bank. We started coffee breaks after the service, which gave us visiting time with the rest of our church family. The idea of the break after service spread like wildfire through the Presbytery and to other denominations.
Starting in June of 1985, interim-moderator Rev Larry Cowper arranged supply and conducted communion services but also performed another very valuable service. He chaired countless task force meetings in order to get the new “Centre” project in operation as our congregation was reborn as this new phase of our history saw our property became the headquarters for the Roxborough Centre. For those of you who are not aware the official name is the Roxborough Parc Centre. The Parc – spelled PARC - stands for Presbyterian, Anglican and Roman Catholic denominations who undertook the project as an ecumenical outreach as both the church and manse buildings were used to accommodate the day care centre, administrative office, food bank and many other programs run through the centre.
Despite the low numbers our “wee kirk” has always tried to be part of the surrounding community and has endeavored to offer a helping hand to the low-income area in which we are located. We welcomed them all to fun days – a barbeque and games for the kids. No expectation of new members just reaching out to our community.
Despite its precarious times, Roxborough Park maintains a place in service to the Lord and the community. It has many people to thank for their devoted service to the cause.
Every person in these pews will always say yes when asked. Yes to fun – the annual Shaw outing, dinners, the pancake breakfast – yes to digging a little deeper- even though the pocket is not very deep – yes to being of service where we are needed. Yes to making the “wee Kirk” in the east end the one who is always “big” in undertakings.
We had the rug pulled out from underneath us a few years ago when the cuts to government funding caused the closure to the Roxborough Centre as we knew it for over 20 years. The day care centre moved to the newly reconstructed Hillcrest School and the senior centre moved in full to St. Helen’s school. Again we thought this is the end but again we have come back as we have a private day care centre in our manse run by a single Mum who just needed a hand up to help her get on her feet and look after her own family.
We continue to support the Presbyterian Church in Canada and their mission projects in Canada and around the world through our Presbyterians Sharing allocation which we are proud to say we have met for over 25 years. The Food Grains Bank, the Inner City Kids Ministry and PWS&D. We don’t have a lot but we still always find ways to help others.
I can tell you that if you want to be truly welcomed and made to feel part of our family as soon as you walk through the door come by any Sunday morning at 11. You’ll meet people who are genuinely interested in how you are when they ask.
We are there to support each other and our neighbours. God put as there for a purpose. He’s been there with us through broken windows and a damaged roof and good times and sad times but He is always there.
