Our Congregation - St. Albans Church

Congregation

As a Parish, we believe that each individual plays an important role in the collective ministry of the church. It’s about the power of God working through a community that is a part of the body of Christ. We are constantly being challenged by God to find the places where our greatest passions meet the world’s greatest needs, extending God’s grace and mercy to all.

We endeavour to engage and involve everyone, regardless of racial identity, ethnic origin, age, socioeconomic status, gender expression/identity, or sexual orientation. We value the voices and ministry (both lay and ordained) of women and non-binary people.

I'm New,

What Should I Know?

Chances are if you are coming to St Albans, you have already been to one of our services online. If not, you can check one out here. We’ve put together a rundown of some of the things you may be curious about when visiting us for the first time.

Sunday Service

Our Sunday morning service is central to all that we do at St Albans. It starts at 10:00 am and usually goes to about 11:00 or 11:15. We would love for you to join us. If you want to check us out online, our services are live streamed on Facebook and YouTube.

After the service, many stay and take time to connect and catch up with each other as we prepare for the week ahead.

Worship Booklet

When you enter the church a member of our Care Team will greet you and hand you a worship booklet. The booklet contains everything you need to participate in the service. If you have any questions, members of the Care Team are there to help provide or find answers!

Music

Music is an important part of our Sunday morning expression, and we express ourselves with a large range of music, from Bach to Metallica, from traditional hymns to modern compositions. Our intent is to create a space where we can engage and explore worship freely and authentically. Check out the range of music on our playlist below.

Our Team

Rev. Michael Garner (He/Him)

Since 2022, the Reverend Michael Garner (BA Sc. MA M.Div) has served as the incumbent at St Albans. Prior to entering the priesthood, Michael worked as an infectious disease epidemiologist at the Public Health Agency of Canada. Michael is also a Chaplain at the University of Ottawa.

Michelle Sorenson (She/Her)

Michelle joined the St. Albans community in 2019, after moving to Ottawa from Edmonton. It didn’t take long for her to get involved. Michelle joined Parish Council in February 2020 and was appointed Rector’s Warden in February 2021.

Mary-Martha Hale (She/Her)

Mary-Martha joined the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa in 1998 as Executive Director of Centre 454 and, in 2011 she joined in the creation of a new parish at St. Albans. Since that time, she has coordinated many ministries in the parish including Sunday morning Altar Care and Communion servers, Wednesday morning Bible Study and initiatives during the Covid-19 pandemic such as monthly Resilience meetings on Zoom and a peer support group in response to the mental health needs of the congregation. Mary-Martha joined the leadership team in February 2024 at St. Albans annual vestry.

Anglican

St. Albans Church is a parish of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa, the Anglican Church of Canada and the world-wide Anglican Communion. Our membership, however, is diverse, and includes people from many other faith communities, walks of life, cultures, family situations, and neighbourhoods across Ottawa. It shouldn’t be a surprise, then, that at St. Albans, you’ll find a diversity of views, perspectives and backgrounds. We all come from different places and with different experiences that inform how and what we believe. The Anglican approach to faith provides a safe place for people to safely encounter God in a variety of ways. It is no surprise that many who have felt hurt or silenced in their past church experience find St Albans a breath of fresh air!

As Anglicans, we don’t define our doctrine in a single confession. Instead, we are a people united by common prayer. So, to find out more about what we believe, you’ll need to pay attention to our liturgy (worship services) and the ways in which our faith shapes the way we live in the world. St. Albans Church is a contemporary expression of the Anglican tradition, passionate about social justice and fully engaged in what’s happening in today’s world.

Our faith is shaped by scripture, tradition and reason. There are a number of historic definitions of faith that are important to us. These include the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed and the Athanasian Creed.

History

Established in 1866, St. Albans is the oldest Anglican church building in downtown Ottawa. We are proud of our church’s longstanding commitment to inclusion. This is experienced in the design of the building– a street level entry into the building with no stairs, and the fact that Centre 454 has operated in our basement since the late 1970s. Since its beginning, St. Albans has sought to eliminate barriers for people to be included in the life of the Parish… That work continues today.

Saint Alban

Saint Alban is considered the first recorded British Christian martyr. He lived in Roman Britain during the 3rd or 4th century AD. According to tradition, he sheltered a Christian priest fleeing persecution. Impressed by the priest’s piety, Alban converted to Christianity. When Roman soldiers came to arrest the priest, Alban exchanged clothes with him and allowed himself to be captured instead. He was subsequently martyred for his faith, reportedly being beheaded around the year 209 AD.

St. Alban is revered as the patron saint of converts, refugees, and torture victims, and he is particularly venerated in the Anglican Communion and Roman Catholic Church. His feast day is celebrated on June 22nd.