All Saints' Peterborough Unveils Plans for 150th Anniversary

All Saints’ Anglican Church will celebrate its sesquicentennial anniversary in 2025.

Photo submitted by sarah cook, all saints' peterborough 150th celebration committee

At a special event on Sunday, community members gathered at hte Upper Parish Hall for fellowship, refreshments, and entertainment.

Mayor Jeff Leal and former mayor Sylvia Sutherland were also speakers at the event.

"Our 150th anniversary is a momentous occasion, not only for All Saints’ but for the entire Peterborough community,” said Pastor Samantha Caravan. “We have a rich legacy, and we’re looking forward to celebrating it with our friends, neighbours, and partners while also raising funds to ensure our future impact.”

Events planned for next year include a gala dinner, golf tournament, children’s activities, and musical and community performances.

The church is also launching a fundraising campaign with a $150,000 target.

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All Saints Peterborough Aims to Bolster the Community with Spooky Walk and Food Program

All Saints Peterborough continues to reach out to the community throughout the pandemic, with their growing food program and their Halloween Spooky Walk.

All Saints’ volunteer Lois Cook is bagging essential food items which help support over 200 community members each week as part of their food security outreach. Photo Courtesy of All Saints’ Peterborough.

When the COVID pandemic began, All Saints’ provided Prince of Whales Public School with Breakfast Bags, a meal program available to students. Now, that program has grown to become the All Saints' Peterborough weekly Outreach Food Program.

The program provides close to 40 families with increased food security.

Volunteers gather weekly at All Saints’ to bag groceries that help supplement the groceries of neighbouring families in the community. These ‘grocery bags’ include many essential items, including breakfast items (fresh eggs and bread products), peanut butter, canned beans and tuna, and frozen and canned vegetables.

Reverend Suzanna McMillan (left) and Reverend Samantha Caravan (right) in front of one of five vegetable garden boxes that will continually grow crops for local communities. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

For more information regarding Food Security programs at All Saints’ or to sign up to volunteer contact Suzanne McMillan at 705-760-6640. Donations are welcome and can be made by visiting www.allsaintspeterborough.org, clicking ‘Donate’, and selecting Food Security from the menu.

All Saints’ Peterborough is hosting its third annual Spooky walk on Oct. 31 from 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

The free event will include family friendly frights, a pumpkin walk, games, prizes and more. For more information or to sign up as a volunteer, please contact Cormac Culkeen by email at youth@allsaintspeterborough.org.

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Local Church Unveils Community Garden For Food Insecurity Awareness

All Saints' Anglican Church unveiled their community vegetable garden where their crops will be donated to several local communities and organizations to spread food insecurity awareness on Monday.

Reverend Suzanna McMillan (left) and Reverend Samantha Caravan (right) in front of one of five vegetable garden boxes that will continually grow crops for local communities. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Located at the south end of the church, the All Saints’ Peterborough Community Garden will supply vegetables to organizations such as Food Not Bombs, Kawartha Food Share, Prince of Wales School’s breakfast program and YWCA Nourish.

“We obviously love to distribute fresh foods to our member agencies so the fact that they’ve taken this to the next level and are willing to support their families with healthy nutritious food items, it’s so great,” said Ashlee Aitken, Kawartha Food Share general manager.

The garden was built not only as a way to help the community but inspire others to help fight against food insecurity and start their own initiative. Reverend Samantha Caravan said the church believes in food equity and that no one should have to worry about having food on their plate every day.

“We really want to engage with people to help them grow their own food in their own backyards,” she said. “It’s not about just filling empty bellies, it’s really building a relationship with people who live and work in this neighbourhood.”

McMillan helped plant, water, weed and caretake the garden since it was created in early June. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The garden was dedicated to Reverend Suzanne McMillan who serves as the church’s diaconate for over 15 years. The honour came as a surprise to McMillan when Caravan revealed the plaque to the public.

“The priest beside me (Caravan) is filled with wonderful surprises like this. Honouring the people for the work they do,” she said. “I was delighted but very surprised.”

“Suzanne has been the driving force around here for justice issues,” said Caravan. “With her energy and time, we wanted to honour that commitment to her fellow people with this.”

The five garden boxes are 6x25x3 inches in length. Rain barrels are used to help maintain the gardens to offset the cost of water. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The gardens were planted in the first week of June and contain crops such as onions, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, squash and lettuce. The church plans to grow enough tomatoes to hold canning sessions for community distribution.

The church plans to continually use the gardens to crops as long as possible for community distribution.

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