Armour Heights Presbyterian Church was established in 1951, and was part of the post-war boom in new church development that marks that period in Canada and in the Toronto area. The congregation continued to make a meaningful impact in the Armour Heights geographical community and beyond, and provided spiritual community and inner growth for many over the years.
In 1998, the congregation of Melrose Park Presbyterian Church amalgamated with Armour Heights Church, and as a result, new members were added and new ministries were established. In August 2017, Harris Athanasiadis was called as the new minister and in August 2018, Rebecca Jess joined the ministry team. With the administrative and community outreach gifts of Erin Stone, pastoral and technical gifts of Clerk of Session Michael Nettleton and gifted musical leadership of Bruce Nasmith along with an incredibly talented group of vocalists/musicians, a new era for the congregation is underway. Check us out!
A CHRISTIAN CREED
By Dr. Harris
1. I believe that I am created full of goodness and beauty, by a Love who is the Ground of all being, whom we Christians name ‘God’.
2. I believe that despite the goodness and beauty in me, I break faith with this Love in how I often mistreat and abuse other life, myself and creation as a whole, whether that is my intention or not.
3. I believe that I need to find my way back to healing and wholeness with this Love, and this journey back to wholeness is my deepest life purpose.
4. I believe that the way back to wholeness must involve an experience of ‘grace’ - that I am loved and forgiven fully and completely, despite the mistreatment and abuse for which I am responsible and accountable.
5. I believe that the experience of grace also inspires and empowers me to seek out healing and reconciliation where possible, and to spread love in the world as my further life purpose.
6. I believe that such a path to wholeness through Love is revealed and embodied most fully in Jesus – in what he teaches, how he lives and the way he dies. I also believe that Jesus is raised from the dead and that his Spirit, the Holy Spirit, is a life-giving energy working in me and in the world to inspire the kind of faith, hope and love that can truly transform our living.
7. I believe the God who is Love revealed and embodied in Jesus the risen Christ and active in the world as Holy Spirit, can most fully inspire in me faith, hope and love when I am being nurtured in worship and fellowship with others in Christian community.
A PRAYER BASED ON THE LORD’S PRAYER
By Dr. Harris
O God, who is sacred and eternal love, who lives and moves in all that lives, may we honour you in all we think, say and do.
May your heaven infiltrate our world and may we become your agents of change.
Give us what we need to live well daily for our bodies as much as our minds and spirits, and give us what we need when our bodies and minds fail us.
Awaken us to our need for your forgiveness and the forgiveness of others. Open us to forgive others as you forgive us.
Empower us to resist our worst temptations and fears, and save us when the consequences of bad choices or circumstances beyond our control overwhelm us.
For to you belongs the highest wisdom, the deepest inspiration, and the greatest power to liberate, heal and save, now and forever; Amen.
THE JESUS MANIFESTO TRADITIONALLY KNOWN AS THE "BEATITUDES", (MATTHEW 5: 1-12) RE-PHRASED FOR TODAY.
By Dr. Harris
Blessed are the humble and down-to-earth, rather than those who are arrogant and full of themselves. They have the key to entering God’s kingdom, indeed, they already have a foot in the door.
Blessed are those who are free to weep tears because they know how precious is the life that is lost, rather than those who are incapable of tears, or escape and deny every negative feeling or reality in the world. It is they who will receive true comfort.
Blessed are those who are not greedy for more but are happy to care for the earth and share its bounty with other fellow inhabitants. They will receive their share and more.
Blessed are those who are passionate about what is right and are prepared to commit themselves to its pursuit in their personal lives and in society. They will experience true fullness.
Blessed are the merciful who see their own imperfections in the failings of others. They alone will experience true mercy.
Blessed are the sincere, honest and authentic of heart. God will find them and they will experience God.
Blessed are those who advocate and pursue the difficult path toward peace in their personal lives and in the world around them. They will find a peace beyond what this world can give them.
Blessed are those who are wronged for doing good, not for doing harm. They deserve to be vindicated.
Blessed are those who remain firm in aligning themselves with the good, even when they are criticized and vilified because of it. They are in good company, for the prophets and saints have gone this way before them and are now celebrating in the fullness of God’s love.
FOR MORE…
For more on the Presbyterian Church in Canada - its history, beliefs and spirituality, go to presbyterian.ca.