Our Mission Statement:
a welcoming Community of Faith
Serving God in Love and Harmony
Congregational Minister: Rev. Dr. Sheila Macgregor
Contact Information:
[email protected]
519-235-0613 or
519-854-6522
Church Secretary: Kathleen Siertsema - 519-565-2854 [email protected]
We gather on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee and Neutral peoples. We recognize our duty to uphold the treaties governing this land and our roles as treaty people, committed to moving forward in the spirit of reconciliation with all First Nation, Métis and Inuit people.
Dear Friends,
In a short while we will be celebrating Easter, the most important day in our Church calendar. During the Easter season we decorate our churches and our homes with beautiful flowers and colourful eggs. We look for signs of spring in the crocuses and irises and daffodils that are starting to poke their heads above the hard, cold earth. We sing the wonderful, triumphant hymns of Easter. Some will enjoy Easter egg hunts – or watching as children explore the house or garden to find shiny eggs that have been hidden for them. Some will get together with family or friends to eat a big ham or turkey dinner and share chocolate eggs and bunnies. Others will celebrate more quietly. However we celebrate, I hope we all begin our festivities by remembering the promises of our faith, especially the words of our United Church creed: “In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us. We are not alone.”
This means starting where Easter starts – at the empty tomb. The Easter story begins in a cemetery and while it is still dark outside. The darkness and the cemetery setting represent the harsh realities we face in life, both our personal defeats and losses and the brokenness and suffering of so many in our war-torn world. It is in the darkness that we must begin our Easter journey.
It is in the darkness of the cemetery that Mary and the disciples begin. When they walk to the tomb, they are filled with despair. But upon arriving at the grave of Jesus, they discover not death and decay but rather an empty space filled with the potential for new life. Because the tomb is empty, they realize that their own physical graves—and their personal "tombs" of guilt, shame, or brokenness— will never have the final say.
By starting in a cemetery that is shrouded in darkness, Easter invites us to experience the profound shift from mourning to joy that Mary and the followers of Jesus experience that first Easter. By beginning in the dark, we confirm that no stone is too heavy for God to roll away. This moves us to remember the promises of our faith, which are so important because we all need a faith for the hard times.
For example, knowing what we believe can aid us in times of trouble. Recently I read something from well-known writer and pastor Adam Hamilton that illustrates how the creeds of our faith can be so helpful. He had just completed the worship service when one of his associate ministers handed him a note, telling him of the death of a young man who had just graduated from university and fallen to his death in a mountain climbing accident. His parents, active members of the congregation, were on their way to the airport, but they had left Adam a phone number where they could be contacted that night.
When Adam reached the devastated family by phone that evening, the boy’s father said: “Adam, there’s only one thing holding me together right now. It’s a set of words I memorized when I was a child in church: ‘I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord…” He then proceeded to recite the whole of the Apostles Creed over the phone. The final words of the creed he spoke with determination and strength: “…I believe in the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting.” (Our United Church Creed proclaims the same truth, using different words: “In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us. We are not alone.”) After reciting these words from the creed, the father then said to Adam Hamilton: “Pastor, that’s all that’s holding me together right now.”
I think that father was wise. The creeds of our faith and the Gospels to which they witness help us to hold it together when times are tough. When a marriage ends in divorce, when you lose your job, when someone accuses you falsely, when there is trouble at home, when you are feeling overwhelmed by life, when depression and anxiety threaten to destroy your life, when you are facing a serious illness, or when a loved one becomes sick or dies, what you believe can bring you strength and courage. So can the Christian community that lives out what they believe by offering you concrete support and caring.
When I was a young child, among those passages of scripture I committed to memory was a verse from the psalms: “What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.” (Psalm 56:3) I can’t tell you how many times in my life I have had to draw on the strength of those words. They remind me again and again that I worship the Risen Lord of Easter who is always with me. Whatever I must face in life, I am never alone. As the psalmist puts it so beautifully:
Whither shall I go from thy Spirit?
Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
If I ascend to heaven, thou are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, thou art there!
If I take the wings of the morning,
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there thy hand shall lead me,
and thy right hand shall hold me. (Psalm 139:7-10)
My prayer is that no matter what you may be facing in your life right now, you may know the peace and grace and courage of the Risen Christ. May his love sustain you throughout all your tomorrows. And may you always remember the words of our United Church Creed: “In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us. We are not alone.” This is the true meaning of Easter.
Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed!
Wishing you and yours a blessed Easter,

With love,
Sheila
Rev. Dr. Sheila Macgregor,
Congregational Minister
Mark Your Calendar
Please join us for Good Friday worship at 11 a.m. Friday, April 3rd at KNOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, BAYFIELD, as St. Andrew's United Church and Knox Presbyterian Church worship together at Knox.
Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday
April 5th at 10:00 a.m.
Please join us for our Easter Communion Service at 10:00 a.m.
Special Music by Judy Lounds, Paul Howe and the St. Andrew's Church Choir.
Rev. Sheila's Message: "HOPE SPRINGS FORTH IN THE DARK!" How stories of Mary Magdalene visiting the tomb on Easter morning "while it was still dark," Martin Luther King Jr., and a Major League Baseball Team can point to the hope we have in the Risen Christ!
ALL ARE WELCOME TO SHARE IN OUR WORSHIP AND COMMUNION MEAL!
Sunday, April 12th at 10 a.m.
Rev. Sheila shares in worship with Tracy Emmerton from Camp Menesetung!

COFFEE HOUR and Refreshments to follow service. All welcome!
Sunday, May 10th at 10 a.m. — Mother’s Day and Christian Family Sunday.
If you would like to be baptized or have your child baptized, please contact Rev. Sheila at 518-235-0613 or 519-854-6522.
Bible Study at St. Andrew's UC
Does the Bible ever feel more confusing than life - changing? You aren’t alone!
Please join us for this video-based Introduction to the Bible by Adam Hamilton: Making Sense of the Bible. Rediscovering the Power of Scripture Today.
Whether you are a long-time Christian or a curious sceptic this is a helpful introduction which invites you to consider how to read the scriptures with discernment and how to approach some of the difficult passages we find in the Bible.
Six week study starting Monday, April 13th at 2:00 p.m.
Please contact Rev. Sheila for more information or to register.
Registration required not later than Thursday, April 10th by phoning Sheila at 519 235 0613 or emailing her at [email protected]
No previous knowledge of the bible required
All welcome.
Want to be Apartheid-Free?
Your Congregation can become an Apartheid-Free Community
Attend this Webinar to Learn How – Monday 20 April 2026 @ 7 pm ET
People of The United Church of Canada (‘UCC’) Helped End Apartheid in South Africa
The significant participation by UCC people in the Canadian struggle against South Africa apartheid was highlighted in a 2014 Canadian Dimension magazine article. UCC people were part of a “broad-based coalition of NGOs, churches and activist groups from coast to coast.” Many will recall the work in their own congregations in support of these efforts, part of a world-wide campaign to end South African apartheid.
Because of that work, Canada played an instrumental role in ending Apartheid. Soon after becoming prime minister, Brian Mulroney met with Desmond Tutu, who encouraged strong action. Prime Minister Mulroney persuaded U.S. President Reagan and U.K. Prime Minister Thatcher to join in imposing economic sanctions on South Africa. The sanctions helped bring an end to the apartheid regime in 1990, with free elections following in 1994
We Can Now Help End Another Apartheid – in Palestine/Israel
While the first international anti-apartheid laws were directed at apartheid in South Africa, the prohibition was also included in treaties adopted after apartheid there had ended. The prohibition is now universal and part of customary international law binding all countries.
For years, Palestinians and knowledgeable observers have named what exists in Palestine as apartheid. Desmond Tutu, the former Archbishop of Cape Town was one such observer.
After a 2002 visit to Palestine, Desmond Tutu stated what he saw there reminded him so much of what happened to black people in South Africa. In an interview he stated that in many instances it was worse
The specific crime of Apartheid in areas under Israeli control was detailed in 2021 and 2022 by three human rights organizations – United Church partner B’Tselem, Human Rights Watch (‘HRW’) and Amnesty International (‘AI’) -. Amnesty has an excellent 14 minute explanatory video , while Human Rights Watch provides a shorter 3 minute video.
Since those reports were written, the oppression being experienced by Palestinians under Israeli occupation and in Israel itself has worsened. A July 2024 International Court of Justice (‘ICJ’) Advisory Opinion provided to the UN General Assembly stated that Israel’s occupation is unlawful and must end.
And most recently we have watched the accelerating downward spiral in news reports and on social media. The Palestinian pleas to the world have become ever more urgent. Most recently Palestinian Christians through their Kairos Palestine 2025 Christmas Appeal called for what is happening in Palestine to be named for what it is: genocide, settler colonialism and apartheid.
Apartheid-Free Communities [‘AFC’] Was a Response to the Human Rights Reports
The AFC Network was organized as a response to the Crime of Apartheid being carried out against Palestinians. Begun by North American faith groups, it now (as stated on the AFC website,) “includes congregations, faith communities, solidarity organizations, non-profits, campus groups, businesses, and more.“ Much like the coalition that worked in Canada and worldwide to end South Africa apartheid.
The 19 October 2024 UCC General Council meeting confirmed that its approved principles for justice work apply to Israel/Palestine work and allow for the joining of Apartheid-Free Communities Movement. [See the communication issued after that meeting in the section headed GCE10 Principle-Based Approach to Palestine-Israel].
A number of UCC Congregations and at least one Region (Pacific Mountain Region) have already joined the AFC movement. Others are in process, while still more are working locally with businesses, municipalities, unions and justice groups.
To join the AFC movement, a faith community makes a Pledge. The Pledge is to join others in working to end all support to Israel’s Apartheid regime, settler colonialism, and military occupation. A page on the AFC website provides ideas on actions a community might take to live into the Pledge. They are suggestions, based on what has worked for others.
Our Webinar – A Chance to Learn More
Your faith community can help bring the apartheid in Palestine/Israel to an end.
This webinar will help you explore how becoming an Apartheid-Free Community can be a good way for your Faith Community to help end the apartheid and bring peace with justice to Palestinians living under Israeli rule.
The webinar is organized by United Network for Justice and Peace in Palestine/Israel, a network of United Church of Canada members/adherents and friends. We work for the end of apartheid in Palestine/Israel and for peace based on justice.
Kitchen Conversations with the Moderator
Join us this Lent for Kitchen Conversations with the Moderator, a six-part video series exploring faith, food, and the power of invitation, hosted by The Right Rev. Dr. Kimberly Heath.
Drawing inspiration and recipes from the United Church’s Lenten devotional, Bless Break Share: Recipes for Faithful Living, we’re getting in the kitchen with guests from across the church, including book contributors, United Church youth, and the Moderator’s own family.
Starting Shrove Tuesday, we’ll be breaking bread at a church each week throughout Lent, reflecting on how food can nourish both body and soul, and how in joining around the table, we connect to something deeper than ourselves.
How to support the work of St. Andrew's United Church
If you would like to make a donation to St. Andrew's United Church in Bayfield, you may do so at Canada Helps. Simply click on the button below to make your donation.
You can ensure that your community of faith and those who are helped through Mission and Service can count on your support by giving monthly through Pre-Authorized Remittance (PAR). Through an automatic monthly withdrawal from your bank account, PAR allows you to give to what matters to you most.
If you would like to set up PAR, simply download and fill out this form and submit it to Kathleen at the Church Office.
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St. Andrews is proudly committed to accessibility and offers these features to enhance the experience of those with special needs:
- Wheelchair parking spots adjacent to wheelchair accessible entrance, beside wheelchair washroom
- Elevator that serves all levels
- Seating space in sanctuary that accommodates wheelchairs in excellent position to see and hear
- Pews with soft cushions and large comfortable armchairs near the front
- Hearing devices available from the ushers
- Large screen projection during worship service