Helping in our Community
For the Parish Members who where away last week, please note that there are SPONSOR FORMS at the church doors enterances. If you wish to help a needy family just drop the completed form in the collection basket or return the form to the rectory office ASAP. Please return gifts to the church by December the 6th. Thank you for your generosity and support. God Bless!!

An answering machine service will hold the messages. The messages will be monitored Monday, Wednesday and Friday by our volunteers with a follow-up call returned as soon as possible. Please speak slowly, leaving your name, number and address with a short message as to why you are calling.
Executives for 2008-2011

President: Jo-Anne McPherson Past President: Florence O’Neil
Secretary: Noreen Brasier
Treasure: Marie Young
Membership: 48 active and associates members

Meetings:
The date of the meeting to be held monthly will be the second Thursday of each month, September through to June. The location of meeting is the rectory library , commence at 1 p.m . – 2 p.m. Please refer to notices in the church bulletin in regard to changes to the meetings.

Duties:

1. Members to visits homes of clients to assess how best to service their needs.
2. To share in the operation of the Central Food Cupboard by giving of their time on Monday and Friday mornings in a four week rotation once a month .
3. To assist in the Christmas Programs : the Parish Adopt-A-Family Program , Be An Angel Giving Tree Program , the Catholic School’s Adopt-A-Family Program , the preparation of food and gifts for families and the disbursement of the hampers from Saint Mary’s School gym , to name a few of the many responsibilities .
4. Hold the collection box at all church doors on the first weekend of every month.
5. To record S . S . V . P. monthly collections in the Saint Joseph’s Room after the Mass.
6. All members to participate in food drives programs which support our work at the Central Food Bank:
   1. Loblaw’s’ food drive days in the summer, fall or winter holidays in which members supple food bags to customers to fill as a food donation.
   2. On the annual Latter Day Saints Church food drive, a team of members assist in the canvassing of the town of Lindsay in October.
   3. Members would take time period to collect cash at difference locations on Tag days organize by the Food Source Warehouse throughout the year.
   4. Participate in St. Mary’s Food Drive in June, July & August to support the Central Food Bank
   5. Volunteers help sort food being delivered to the Food Source Warehouse weekly.
   6. Volunteers, adult and students, to deliver and package food coming from the Food Source to the Central Food Cupboard on the 1st Thursday of the month ( Queen St. Annex Building ).
   7. Assist in the collection of clean clothes and clean rags, shoes and boots for S.S.V.P. store October 3, 2009 Church parking lot (before Saturday’s Mass and Sunday’s Masses).

Funding:

1. Monthly donations are collected by volunteers at all doors on the first weekend of every Month.
2. The use of special envelopes throughout the year and at Christmas time.
3. Loose cash and envelope donations deposited in the slot boxes at the church front doors entrance.

View more pictures before and after renovation.

Report by Larkin Architects

gutting complete

frame work beginning

Larkin Report

The present St. Mary’s Church has a history that dates back to 1859, when on Christmas day of that year, Holy Mass was celebrated for the first time. The church was thirty-five feet shorter then, and did not have a spire or vestry. Inside the church there was a choir loft, and galleries that extended down both sides of the Nave. The spire was added in 1890, and the worship space was enlarged in 1894 to its current size. Other changes made to the church include the addition of a new boiler room, and the removal of the interior galleries. In 1996, a new barrier free access and washroom were built on the west side of the church. Changes made to the main entry steps were completed in 1999. A new roof has also been added within the last couple of years, and at the beginning of this year, the boiler was replaced as part of an insurance claim.

Based upon visual inspection over several site visits, discussions with staff, and a review of church records, it appears that in addition to the above changes, other maintenance related repairs, upgrades, and restoration work have been undertaken over the years. Subsequently, the church is in relatively good condition for a building of its vintage. However, during our review, we identified some items that will require attention as financial resources become available. These include some life safety issues, restoration and/or repairs to masonry, window frames, roof fascias and soffits, painting, and the first floor wood structure. In addition, layout changes that reflect programme needs for the parish have also been addressed. Notwithstanding any initial investment in capital expenditure, it will also be necessary to implement an ongoing, regularly scheduled maintenance programme to ensure that the church will continue to serve the needs of the parish over the long term. We have appended a copy of the Archdiocese of Toronto Church Maintenance Guidelines and Guideline Checklist to assist you in establishing a maintenance schedule to suit the particular needs of your physical plant and site.

This report offers a review of existing conditions for the church only and provides recommendations for remedial action where appropriate. Observations are based upon visual investigations only, completed by Larkin Architect Limited without the assistance of destructive testing/investigations and, without the assistance of mechanical, or electrical consultants. This report does not constitute a Life Safety Study under the Fire Marshal’s Act, Fire Code (R.R.O 1990, Reg. 454).

With the exception of improvements to life safety in the church, which should be addressed immediately, much of the remaining work identified can be addressed with a phased implementation programme. We have preliminary budget amounts for each identified item and listed them in order of priority. After life safety issues, problems associated with the integrity of the building envelope should be addressed next, followed by improvements to critical interior systems and finishes, with final consideration given to discretionary items. In all cases, the safety and well being of the staff and parishioners is paramount. We fully expect that priorities will evolve to suit the financial resources available at any one time following additional discussion and input from the building committee. Election to proceed with any of the identified work may require the involvement of specialty consultants and/or contractors in order to refine the scope and corresponding budgets.

Larkin Architect Limited remains committed to working with the parish building committee to further refine identified needs and provide cost effective solutions for their implementation.