Who We Are
Purpose Statement
Westminster is a welcoming church family in the east end of the city of Barrie who come together to serve Christ and our neighbours, glorifying God through hope-filled worship, biblical study, confession of faith, inclusive fellowship and compassionate outreach.
What We Believe
As a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, Westminster is a part of the global "Reformed" family of Christian faith. Of the two billion plus Christians in the world, about 75 million in 107 countries are of this "Reformed" persuasion.
However, one thing you'll notice is that we are a very diverse group. Many in our congregation are from a Presbyterian background. But there are also some who have backgrounds in the Baptist, Anglican, United, Brethren, Dutch Reformed, Evangelical, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, non-denominational, (and other!) traditions. Some have have had no faith background at all. These titles are of lesser importance: As followers of Jesus Christ, we are all Christians.
Here in Canada, a statement that discusses our theology is called Living Faith. You can download this pdf document by clicking here. It is a very good document; but the most helpful way to explore these deep and gracious truths of the Christian faith is within a faith community. We learn and grow together.
It may also be helpful to prayerfully consider this confession called The Apostles’ Creed. It goes back hundreds upon hundreds of years and is one of the most widely known and universally accepted statements of Christian faith, often considered a "summary" of many of Scripture's teachings. We affirm these beliefs along with many other churches around the world no matter which denomination:
I believe in God, the Father almighty,*Note that here the word "catholic" does not mean "Roman Catholic," but "universal." It is a word meant to include the entire church.
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
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,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,*
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Meet Some of our People
The SessionOur church is governed by a "Session," a group made up of the minister and twelve elected elders. In fact, the word "Presbyterian" means "of elders." ("Presbyter" is simply a Greek, biblical word meaning "elder.") In this context, "elder" does not refer to one's age, but a recognized position of wisdom and oversight in the congregation.
The Session is elected from the congregation by the congregation and meets every month to provide prayerful oversight and care for the church. The Session is also responsible for things like membership, pastoral care, Christian education, stewardship and mission.
The Reverend Matthew Ruttan, Minister of Word and Sacrament
Matthew sees life through the lens of newness—as a new father and new minister. He and his wife Laura are overjoyed to be raising a 2-year old daughter and 8-month old son. He was ordained in 2008 and has served at Westminster since then, where a healthy ministry is being grounded in a 3-year strategic plan and a blended worship style. His experience as a minister is largely characterized by a sensitivity to the world of the young family, our rapidly changing cultural and technological context, and the living dance between Word and music in worship.
Matthew holds a B.A. from York University (1999, summa cum laude) and a Master of Divinity from Knox College (2008, Gold Medal). He is currently studying part-time for a Master of Theology degree in preaching, and is part of the PCC’s national Stewards by Design Planning Team. He just finished a year of serving as the Moderator for Barrie Presbytery and in March had an article published with the Rev. Will Ingram in the Presbyterian Record on the meaning of church membership today. (To read it click here.)
Born and raised in small-town Bracebridge, ON, Matthew grew up in Knox Presbyterian (most memorably as the pudgy sheep in the Christmas pageant) and spent his time eating, drinking and sleeping hockey. By high school he had developed as a singer-songwriter. During and after his undergraduate studies he worked as a rock musician, and later, for several years as a political aide at Queen’s Park to the Minister of Energy and Minister of Government Services. He considers that time one of great blessing and of learning about the challenges of serving a radically diverse population.
When Matthew isn’t learning, song-writing, enjoying a date with his wife while Grandpa and Grandma babysit, listening to his favourite band Pearl Jam, or changing dirty diapers, he is exploring how we can be Christ’s church in a radically changed world with a heart to bless others—grounded in prayer, relationships of integrity, and the living Word of God.
He would love to meet you this Sunday at Westminster.
Music Director, Jenn Harris
Jenn Harris was born and raised in Barrie. As the youngest of five children, she grew up in a home where music was often played, listened to and enjoyed. She performed her first vocal solo in her Grade 3 class, taught by Westminster’s own Dorothy MacPherson. She took piano lessons for two years as a youngster and then began playing it again after beginning high school where her love of music really took off. Joining the music program at Barrie North Collegiate, Jenn learned to play bassoon and trumpet and also joined the school choir. Growing up at Westminster also gave Jenn the opportunity to share her joy of music with both the choir and in the Sunday School.
Now, working part-time for Dr. Brad Dibble, a local cardiologist, as well as being married to her wonderful husband Aaron, and raising two sons Jordan and Matthew, Jenn makes sure to fit music into her schedule. She sings in and directs the Westminster Choir, sings in the King Edward Choir, and is a member of the trio Lumina, along with Angela Lafontaine and Allison Standen.
Jenn’s other passion is teaching children about the love of God. Westminster has provided ample opportunity for this through Vacation Bible School and March Break Camp. Often ‘leaving herself at the door’, Jenn (by the grace of God!) energetically leads the children in singing, crafts, and Bible lessons. Her goal is to make a positive difference in the lives of the children that come through the church doors.
Church Administrator, Angela Lafontaine
Angela has been with Westminster since January 2001. When she began she had a strong eagerness to learn and a deep desire to serve others. She was touched by the way she was welcomed by the leadership and the congregation and considers them all to be part of her extended family.
When you first make contact with the Church, Angela’s smiling face will be one of the first you see!
Angela was born in Cardiff, Wales and emigrated to Canada with her parents and younger sister when she was eight years old. She grew up in Orillia, attending St. Bernard’s Catholic School and Park Street Collegiate Institute before heading to Brock University to pursue her love of music and theatre. She moved to Barrie as a newlywed in 1990 and loves the small-town community feel of the east end.
She has made many good friends over the last 8 years and is an active member and soloist with the Church choir. Angela, Jenn Harris and Allison Standen also make up the group “Lumina” which participates regularly in the Church’s music ministry as well as performing a variety of music at various venues in the Barrie area. She also enjoys serving in the kitchen whenever the church hosts one of their famous dinners and helping out wherever she can at the other events in the life of the Church.
Some General Characteristics of the Presbyterian Tradition
Today it seems as if there are so many different kinds of churches. But think of a title like "Presbyterian" as a kind of sub-title. First and foremost, we are Christians--children of God and followers of Jesus Christ. The other various sub-titles we go by (like "Presbyterian") simply indicate a historical tradition in which we stand as we try to live out that Christian faith. The word "presbyterian" simply means "of elders" or "governed by elders." It refers to how we responsibly oversee our congregations.
That said, Presbyterians are a part of the "Reformed" tradition. Globally there are 75 million of us in 107 countries and from country to country Reformed and Presbyterian characteristics differ. Generally however there are a few things that many of us seem to have in common. Here are six:
- 1. We affirm the sovereignty and grace of the Triune God
God is absolutely sovereign and free; we cannot control God. However, because of what we know about Jesus Christ, we are assured of a wonderful truth: that God is gracious--abundantly generous toward us through no merit of our own. God embraces us like a loving parent. We are invited to respond to this grace with our faith. This is a fundamental building block to our relationship with God. - 2. We are a people of the Book
The Bible has always been important because it is where we learn about God’s ultimate revelation: Jesus Christ. It is a beautiful, powerful and complex library of sacred writings, and so it takes a lot of study, prayer and dialogue with the faith community to deepen our understanding of this great treasure. Our Bible-centeredness (sometimes called the "scriptural principle") means a lifetime of devotion, contemplation and study as we seek to understand God’s will in our lives.
3. Our faith influences our total being, especially our minds
Another emphasis is that our faith influences our total being. Through the course of history, Reformed Christians have desired to express their faith in every aspect of their lives; practically, and in response to a perceived lack of understanding in people's faith in the early 16th century, we have often emphasized the importance of our minds--so much so that part of our devotion to God is studying and learning. In the 16th century there was a drive for literacy so that people could read the Bible themselves. This educational focus has continued to manifest in a variety of ways through the years. Most recently we are called to use the latest insights from many different disciplines to better understand the Bible, our faith and our lives. Questioning and dialogue are a central part of our spirituality.
4. We share church leadership
We have always tried to live-out something called "the priesthood of all believers" in a certain way: everyone shares in the work of ministry no matter what we do in our lives. In terms of the church, decisions are made by representative bodies made up of local elected elders. And although there are four different levels of church government and a "moderator" who serves nationally for a year, s/he is elected and leads in a ceremonial and inspirational capacity. There is no "head" of the Church other than Jesus. Together, we try to communally discern the movement of the Holy Spirit and use the gifts for service God gives us.
5. We seek to be good stewards of the gifts God has given us
The desire to be good stewards comes from a yearning to be wise in the use of the time, resources and lives God has given us. This respects the gifts given each person by God as they participate in the "priesthood of all believers."
6. We seek to lead a practical, disciplined, and ethical life that gives glory to God alone
Alongside these words we could include other ideas like a desire for simplicity; the importance of stewardship; and a yearning for justice in our world. Similar to the previous point, this has its roots in the feeling that one’s faith should be lived out in a way that is not only private but public and not wasteful of the gifts and resources given us by God. We seek to be down-to-earth and useful in our everyday lives in a way which exemplifies high ethical standards and a deep concern for the well-being of the world around us. The end result is God's glory. As one of our tradition's faith statements says: "What is the chief purpose of humanity? To glorify God and to enjoy him forever." (Westminster Shorter Catechism, Question 1)
If you are interested in reading more about the Reformed and Presbyterian ethos, we suggest you check out the Resources page for web links and suggested reading.
What do 'Westminster,' 'Presbyterian,' and 'Church' mean?
What does "Westminster" mean?
Why is our Church called "Westminster," you may ask? In the 17th century a group of people got together at the Westminster Assembly in England to reform the English Church. One of the things that resulted was the writing of a faith statement that - although not fully accepted in the English Churches - was accepted in Presbyterian Churches. So just how some Churches are named after people, ours is named after this gathering that resulted in an influential statement about Presbyterian theology.
What does "Presbyterian" mean, and do I have to be a Presbyterian to attend?To answer the second question first: No! You certainly don't have to be a Presbyterian to attend. Our community is made up of people from many different backgrounds, all at various stages in life’s journey. Our union is based not on our sameness, but on our desire to follow Jesus.
The word "Presbyterian" means "governed by elders." Presbyter is simply a Greek word meaning elder. We go by this name, therefore, because of how we govern ourselves: People are elected from the congregation to be leaders in the congregation. These people are called elders. Therefore, we are called Presbyter-ians.
There are two kinds of elders: "ruling elders" (those just described) and "teaching elders," also known as ministers. Together, all the elders in the Church make up the "Session" – a kind of board which oversees the well-being of the congregation.
Despite popular belief a Church is not a building. Well, okay, we definitely call buildings that look like ours "Churches." But that is not the best way to understand what a Church is.
A Church is a group of people empowered and called by the Holy Spirit to step forward and participate in something special. That "something special" is sharing the good news about Jesus and continuing his ministry of love and reconciliation in our world. As Wallace Alston once said, to be a member of a Church "is to be an active participant in God's unparalleled renovation of the world." In short, it is Christ together with his people. Churches exist all over the world – and in your neighbourhood.
