A Directory of Activities at Thornhill Presbyterian
To find out more information about any of these groups, please contact the Office
Administrator, Nadine Calfa, at 905-889-5391 or admin@tpchurch.net
Thornhill Presbyterian Church is an active, vibrant congregation with opportunities for members of all ages to learn, to serve and to play. This information will give you a brief overview of the many ways in which you and your family members can participate in the life and work of TPC. New ideas are always welcomed!
Activities for children and young people:
Nursery Care
All children and babies are welcome in worship, however TPC also provides a nursery room for parents to bring babies and toddlers under 4 to play and read books. There is a sound system that will enable parents to still hear the service. Please speak to one of the ushers.
Sunday School (ages 3 and up)
Our Christian Education ministry sponsors a lively Sunday School program for children ages 3 to teen years. Regular programming is held concurrently with Sunday worship. Children join the worship service for the first 15 minutes, and then proceed to their classes. Two volunteer teachers lead each workshop class. At Christmas, the children participate in a pageant. The Sunday School also hosts periodic fun events such as a skating party, a Hallowe’en party, and a picnic.
Junior Youth Club (JYC) (Ages 5-7)
This fun and energetic group meets on occasional Saturday evenings for games, activities, crafts and food! All children under 7 are welcome! Children under 5 must be accompanied by a parent.
Kids in Christ’s Kingdom in Thornhill (Kick It!) (ages 8-10)
This spirited group meets one Saturday per month for fun and fellowship and food! Some activities include games, sports, crafts, cooking, movie nights, bowling, music and discussion.
F3 Senior Youth (Faith, Fellowship and Fun) (High School)
This Senior Youth Group at TPC meets for social events, retreats, or special progammes. Fun activities include team building, games, discussion, worship, music and food. Other events include digital scavenger hunts, bowling, laser quest, pool parties, BBQ’s and mission projects. This group enjoys going on a bi-annual retreat.
Classes for Adults
We offer weekly classes in ESL from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Tuesdays. We have three teachers that run the ESL classes for the very beginners and beginners. If you need more information or would like to join, please contact the Administrator at admin@tpchurch.net or telephone 905-889-5391.
Choirs
Our junior and senior choirs are an integral part of worship at TPC. The choirs lead the congregation in the musical part of worship, enabling all of us to sing praise to God. In addition, they often provide special musical presentations throughout the year such as Christmas and Easter music, cantatas, choral pieces and fun musical events.
Do you like to sing? New members are always welcome in the choir. By joining the choir, you have the opportunity to be an active participant in the vibrant ministry of music at weekly worship services as well as special music presentations. This is a vital ministry in the life of the church. Come and experience the joy of singing praises with enriched and varied choral styles, and also enjoy warm, rich fellowship. We would love to have you join us!
No formal musical education or experience is required. Just bring your voice and your desire to sing.
The Senior Choir welcomes singers from Grade 9 to adult. Rehearsals are held on Wednesday evenings from 7:15 pm in the Sanctuary except for the months of June, July, and August.
The Junior/Youth Choir welcomes singers from Grade 1 to Grade 8. Rehearsals are held on Sunday mornings from 9:45 am to 10:30 am, except for June, July, and August months.
Small Group Ministries
These small group ministries provide a forum for study, prayer and spiritual growth while fostering the development of supportive and caring friendships within the congregation. Newcomers will find a warm welcome, lively and informative discussions and, without doubt, delicious refreshments!
The Women’s Missionary Society
The WMS is a group in our church, which focuses on mission. They encourage one another, and the people of the church, to be involved in local and world missions. WMS’s bulletin board in the hallway beside the sanctuary has information about our current programs and activities.
WMS holds meetings either in person in the Fellowship Hall or by Zoom the 3rd Tuesday of the month, from September through June – the time varies depending on the venue. They hold 5 meetings each year. WMS provides a time for worship, study and refreshments.
A warm welcome awaits all who wish to explore the challenging frontiers of mission addressed by the Presbyterian Church in the 21st century.
Adult Fellowship
Sunday Morning Discovery
This group meets every Sunday morning from 9:45 to 10:30
to discuss the deep and niggling faith issues that arise from life.
With the bible in one hand, a commentary blog in the other
they will have a time of coffee and discussion.
This is not a traditional Bible Study.
It is a place where they talk about faith issues and share their thoughts together
in light of the Scriptures and their life experiences.
Leaders: Edmond Lee and Rev. Dr. Heather Vais
All are welcome.
Committee Structure
Please click here to view the PDF of our Committee Structure
Board of Managers
The Board of Managers is responsible to the congregation for the care and maintenance of the Church and Manse property and for financial matters relating to the operation of the church. There is a property committee whose primary duties include ensuring that our facilities are kept clean and in good, safe condition, that the necessary supplies and equipment are purchased and that the grounds are maintained. There is a financial committee whose primary responsibilities include the preparation of an annual budget for presentation to the congregation, keeping and maintaining of the financial records, the disbursement of funds, and arranging for the counting and depositing of the church offerings. There are various year-end reports that the financial committee prepares as well as financial reports for the managers meetings. Meetings of the managers are held at times stated in the church bulletin – at least one in three months for the transaction of business.
Congregational Committees
Caregivers
The focus of the Caregivers Committee is on comforting and visiting the sick, the bereaved, and people who cannot attend worship and other events. When appropriate, meals are prepared and delivered to members of our congregation who are temporarily incapacitated. Sympathy and other cards and flowers are sent or delivered to members on special occasions.
Caregivers also:
- Operate an extremely active Prayer Chain
- Dispatch audio recordings of the Sunday worship services to shut-ins when requested
- Send welcome notes to new members
- Organize receptions held at the church following funerals and other special events.
Christian Education
The Christian Education Committee meets about four times a year. This committee oversees the Sunday School classes and the youth groups while providing prayer and support for the teachers and leaders whom God has called and equipped to lead these programs. Adult bible studies and Covenant Groups also fall under this committee. In addition, the committee may plan special events including dinners and retreats. If you would be interested in serving on the committee, or helping in a specific area, contact the office for further information.
Congregational Life
Sometimes lovingly referred to as the “social committee”, the Congregational Life committee plans and supports activities and events designed to provide us with fellowship and social gatherings in an effort to build up and strengthen our Christian community.
Somehow, food is almost always associated with fellowship and fun at TPC. We do love to eat together!
Mission and Outreach
As part of TPC’s commitment to mission and outreach we provide generous support to Presbyterian Sharing and Presbyterian World Service & Development. We also support special projects as they come to the attention of the committee. We support the ministry of Evangel Hall, a mission of the Presbyterian Church located in downtown Toronto, by providing sandwiches on the first Thursday of every month, providing and serving Christmas Dinner and donating clothing and other items needed by their clients.
Locally, we support the Thornhill Christmas Assistance program. Our Christmas Mitten Tree gathers warm clothing donated by the congregation which is sent to communities locally and across Canada, most recently to Evangel Hall and to First Nations communities in Ontario and Saskatchewan. The TPC community knows that our faith is borne out in our actions, and caring for others locally and globally will remain a priority. Anyone with an interest in furthering TPC’s mission and outreach goal is invited to assist in this ministry.
Stewardship
The Stewardship committee was established by Session to give general leadership to efforts within our congregation aimed at making the most of the gifts God has given us. This committee seeks to utilize the gifts of our congregation and all resources to maximize our mission and ministry in Christ’s name. It also seeks ways to develop, among the congregation, a strong understanding of what it means to be stewards of our time, talents and treasure, as individuals and as a congregation. The committee works within the scriptural tradition of Christ’s parable of the talents.
Welcoming – Greeters
A team of two Greeters is on hand every Sunday morning to welcome everyone entering the church. Visitors and newcomers are apprised of any pertinent information they may require with respect to the worship service, Sunday School, the location of facilities, and other church activities.
Fall Bazaar
This committee plans the annual church Bazaar, usually held on the 1st Saturday of November. The Bazaar features craft tables, home baking, used books, white elephant and jewellery tables with both morning coffee and muffins and a luncheon served. This is TPC’s largest fundraising activity and requires countless helping hands to make it successful and fun!
Fundraising
The Fundraising committee meets on an ad hoc basis to develop, organize and carry out fund raising activities to assist the church’s finances. Some of our activities include:
- pie making for fall bazaar
- sale of poinsettias at Christmas
- sewing and selling of re-usable Onya mesh bags to reduce the plastic used when shopping for produce
- sales of bedding plants and hanging baskets in the spring
We welcome everyone’s input as they bring fresh ideas and skills to our team.
Worship and Music
As a committee, we seek to serve the congregation through worship and music that glorifies God and is joyful, challenging and relevant to today’s experience. There are many ways to serve, from ushering or running the sound system to reading or singing in one of the choirs or the Praise Time band. We encourage the congregation to participate in all aspects of worship and music and welcome any suggestions or concerns.