In October 2021, after 63 wonderful years Westminster St. Paul's closed. The congregation migrated to
St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church (Guelph) and
Knox Presbyterian Church (Guelph). That was fitting since these were the churches that supported Westminster - St. Paul's in its infancy.
First, and most importantly
The legacy of Westminster - St. Paul's lives on, not just in the hearts and minds of the congregants, but in the lives of everyone who knew and was influenced by them.
... the religious, both communally and individually, are happier, and dramatically healthier, both mentally and physically, as well as better adjusted, more resilient and more prosocial in their habits ...
Dr. Iain McGilchrist, The Matter With Things, Appendix 8
Westminster - St. Paul's made the world a better place.
The monetary assets
The memorial fund, plus the proceeds from selling the building, were distributed among the following churches and charities:
The hymnals and psalters
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The hymnals and psalters went to the Cote de Neiges Presbyterian Church in Montreal. |  |
The banners and the baptismal font
The banners and the baptismal font went to Knox (Guelph).
St. Andrew's
Records, documents, artifacts
The records, documents, and artifacts are stored in The Rev. Dr. Peter J. Darch Memorial Archives at St. Andrew's (Guelph). They are being cataloged and, where appropriate, digitized. This web site is a product of that effort.
Renaming the church hall
On September 25, 2022, the St. Andrew's Church Hall was renamed as the Westminster - St. Paul's Memorial Church Hall.
Click here to see pictures of the service and the reception afterwards.
The Home for Good campaign
St. Andrew's has donated the entire $600,000, it received from the sale of the Westminster - St. Paul's church building, to the Home for Good campaign to address homelessness in Guelph.
The Kenora Fellowship Centre
The executive director of the Kenora Fellowship Centre wrote a thank-you letter acknowledging the money the centre received from the sale of Westminster - St. Paul's. Attached to the letter is a description of the centre's activities.
The conditions faced by the centre's staff are harrowing. Their efforts to save society's most marginalized need to be better known.
Click here to read the letter and its attachment.
