I’m New Here

On a Sunday morning you can enter the church through the wooden doors on either Yonge Street or Heath Street. As you come in you’ll be welcomed by one of our greeters — we call them sidespeople — who will hand you an Order of Service pamphlet. Or, you can help yourself from one of the tables near the entrances.

If you have any questions, the greeters would be happy to help you out. 

The order of service includes everything you need to follow along with the service including hymn numbers, information on the readings, prayers, and responses. 

Christ Church Deer Park is wheelchair friendly. Use the entrance from Heath Street where there is a ramp from the sidewalk. You can easily reach our worship space through the double glass doors.

During services or concerts, wheelchairs are readily accommodated on the south side of the church near the baptismal font. Our sidespeople or custodian would be happy to assist you.

To reach our community rooms we have an elevator that is just off the reception area inside the double glass doors. The elevator will take you up to Elliott Hall and the Arthur Smith Room, or down to the children’s chapel and lower parish hall. You can ask the greeters or any parishioner for directions.

Hearing Assistance

If you need some help in hearing the service more clearly, the worship space is equipped with an infrared hearing system. Just ask the greeter or our custodian for a headset.

Large Print Order of Service

We also have a large-print order of service, which might make reading more comfortable for you. Check the tables at each entrance to the church or ask one of our greeters for a copy.

Help yourself: sit wherever you like. 

Once you’re settled, take a look around. Notice our beautiful stained glass windows, our magnificent Karl Wilhelm organ with its classic French styling, and the fresh flowers arranged by some of our talented parishioners.

Families and kids are a key part of our community at CCDP! Your children are most welcome to stay with you in the service if you prefer – we won’t mind! We also offer a vibrant and nurturing Children’s Ministry during the 9.15 service.

Older Children (ages 10-16) are welcome to join our Children’s Ministry. They meet at the front of the church each Sunday (our leaders will stand beside a colourful standing banner) before heading downstairs to the St. Nicholas Chapel for a fun time of learning, playing and exploring what it means to be follower of Jesus. They return upstairs to the church in time for Communion.

We also offer busy bags at the back of the sanctuary and a play mat with soft toys in our chapel (adjacent to our sanctuary) for younger children or those who wish to stay with their parents through the service.

No, you don’t have to give any money if you don’t want to. The collection in the service is entirely voluntary.

If you’d like to leave a gift, you can use one of the visitors’ envelopes that are hanging on hooks in front of your pew, or give online here. We thank you for your generosity.

Generally speaking, we celebrate communion – or the Holy Eucharist – at all our Sunday morning services. All baptised Christians are welcome to come forward and receive the consecrated bread and wine.

If you are not yet baptised, or for any reason prefer a blessing instead of Communion, you are still invited to come forward. Just let the priest know that you prefer a blessing instead.

During communion, we proceed from our pews up to the altar and kneel (as we are able) at the altar railing. The priest will come to you and offer you a host (usually an unleavened wafer; also available gluten free), which most people accept into their hands. Immediately after that, a chalice bearer will offer you the chalice of wine, after having wiped the rim with a clean linen cloth. Please help the chalice bearer by guiding the chalice to your mouth. If you do not wish to drink from the common cup, just let the chalice bearer know; it is perfectly acceptable to only receive the bread. However, please do not dip the bread into the wine.

If you would like a prayer for healing in body, mind or spirit, simply ask the priest before you receive the bread.

At the altar you’ll be kneeling on the Benedicite Kneelers that were designed and stitched by devoted parishioners. The kneelers took three years to complete and contain over 2 million stitches.

Most services have coffee and conversation afterwards. All are welcome upstairs in Elliott Hall to enjoy refreshments and some sweet treats. 

Don’t be shy, introduce yourself!

(During the months of July & August we offer coffee hour between the 9:15am and 10:30am services on the lawn, where we serve lemonade.)