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WHO
WE ARE
We celebrate the goodness and
love of God whenever we worship together and hear the message of forgiveness and
of new life that has been freely given to us.
In our life together we emphasize the good news of our salvation through
Jesus of Nazareth, whom we confess as Lord. We believe this salvation is
available to everyone freely as a gift, allowing us to have hope and confidence
and giving us our true worth.
One of the important ways that
God touches us is through the Sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion.
These empower us to be disciples of the crucified and resurrected Christ
live for others and carry out God’s mission in the world.
Inspired by God’s Holy Spirit we try to be faithful to that calling and
we invite you to join us in this exciting task.
COME AND WORSHIP
The Lutheran Church is known for
worship services which center around the Word of God and for its fine musical
tradition, expressing faith in the language of the people.
Worship, study and education are important because a personal faith
cannot develop apart from the community of the church.
We believe that fellowship and
times for gathering, whether to learn or simply enjoy ourselves are also
important. St. Philip’s
offers many opportunities for people to meet, talk and become better acquainted.
ABOUT THE LUTHERAN CHURCH
The Lutheran Church is the
largest Protestant denomination in the world.
Its history dates back. St.
Philip’s (established in 1958) is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in Canada, consisting of about 600 congregations across this country.
This affiliation of churches makes possible the worldwide mission work
that seeks to reach out to all.
Pastor: Doug Kramer
Pastor Kramer has been at
St. Philip’s since 1997. He has a degree in Psychology from Brock
University and graduated from Waterloo Lutheran Seminary (M. Div.) in 1981.
Pastor Doug has been in parish ministry in the Toronto area since that time.
He is married to Cheryl and they have one daughter. With office hours on
weekday mornings, and at other times by appointment, Pastor Doug is ready and
able to serve you in matters of counseling and faith.
Intern:
Sebastian Helmer
Sebastian Helmer is St. Philip’s
Intern for 2008-9, and continues in a long list of Interns supported by this
church over the past 18 years. Sebastian possesses a B.A. and a M.Mus. from
McGill University and is working towards a M.Div. and a M.Th. at Waterloo
Lutheran Seminary. He is thrilled to be able to immerse himself in parish work
and further discover what it means to be a pastor.
Director of Music:
Mark Kieswetter
Mark
Kieswetter is the Director of Music. Mark attended the University of Cincinnati
where he was a piano performance major with a minor in organ. He has played
extensively in Lutheran churches for most of his life, along with playing out
professionally, and teaching private students. Mark and his wife Vivia have
recently moved to Toronto from Toledo, Ohio where he was the Minister of Music
at St. Paul Lutheran Church. (ELCA) He has been blessed with a wide range of
influences and abilities from classical to jazz, and tries to bring these
elements with him to the worship service to make the most
“joyful noise” possible!
Director
of Children & Youth Ministry: Sandra Bailey
As
the fifth of sixth children, I was born in Toronto to Winston and Enid Bailey
and I have three brothers and two sisters. My mother likes to tell everyone that
as a young child, I was ‘artsy’; sewing clothes for my dolls, colouring and
making lavish paper maché projects in my room. Although my creative expression
would make a terrible mess, twenty years later, my entire family acknowledges
that I was predestined to work with children.
In high school I took a cooperative
education course in a kindergarten class and since that time, I knew that my
life would be dedicated to children and youth. My home church gave me my first
taste of Christian education by giving me the opportunity to work as a
Teacher’s Assistant in our Sunday School Department. Over the years, I was
given further opportunities to work with children, serving as a Sunday School
Teacher and Coordinator of our Children’s Ministries program, which was an
extension of Sunday School.
Working with young children in a Christian setting gave me freedom to
express my love of the scriptures and to pass my understanding to children in an
innovative way. Though I had different methods of teaching young children, I
still needed a thorough understanding in child development. I enrolled at George
Brown College in its Early Childhood Education Program, and graduated with an
Honours Diploma. Since graduation, I worked as a Preschool Teacher for two years
and was promoted to Supervisor of a moderate childcare centre in the Martin
Grove and Eglinton area.
In my ‘down’ time, I like to do new and
interesting things that challenge my abilities. In the last three years, I have
developed a habit of traveling to places that have a rich history, as well as a
pleasant climate! So far, I’ve climbed Mayan ruins and traveled to the bottom
of the Caribbean Sea via submarine, but there are still many things I would like
to experience. Let me say how
excited I am to have been installed as St. Philip’s new Youth and Children’s
Ministry Director. I have always been drawn to the development and education of
young children both in the natural world and the spiritual. I pray that God will
guide my heart and my mind that I may serve the congregation of St. Philip’s
to the best of my ability and its children and youth will grow in the grace of
our Almighty Father.
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