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The Congregation
St. Andrew's is the oldest English-speaking congregation of Scottish origin in Canada. The congregation began in the year 1759. The church building was erected in 1810, the Kirk Hall (the site of the oldest English School in the Province of Quebec) in 1829, and the Manse in 1837. Some would say that this is the chief historical site of the Presbyterian Church in Canada.
The congregation is non longer large, as the anglophone presence has diminished over time, and is pleased to include French Canadian members who are happy to be part of the St. Andrew's family.
The services can fairly be described as traditional Presbyterian. Our organist applies himself at presenting the best music of the church each Sunday. Likewise the minister presents biblical, thought-provoking sermons that exalt Christ - the living Word of God through whom the written word bears witness.
The Minister
Rev. Dr. Katherine Burgess came as Minister to St. Andrew's Church, Quebec City, in September, 2009. This is her second career. She has taught for 30 years - 15 of these teaching Music and French in a primary school, and 15 years teaching Literature and Writing in a high school. She came here from Wabush, Labrador, via Montréal, where she has spent three years as a student. Immediately after she retired from the school system, she became a student again, to prepare for ordained ministry. She has studied at Memorial University in Newfoundland and Labrador (BA, BAEd, MEd, LibCert), the University of Calgary (DipFa), McGill University (Bth), and Presbyterian College (MDiv) www.presbyteriancollege.ca. And finally she did her DMin (Doctorate in Ministry) at Tyndale University College and Seminary.
Her husband Keith passed away in 2024; She has 4 adult children, 7 grandchildren, a great granddaughter, and a cat. She is thrilled to be in Quebec, and hopes to continue growing with the congregation for a long time.
The Organist
Mr. David Stafford - Having received his training from Kenneth Turvey, adjunct organ professor for the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Mr. Stafford served as organist at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church in Athens, Alabama and, in an unofficial capacity, as sub-organist at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Huntsville Alabama. After moving to Quebec City to complete course work at Laval University, he was appointed as organist at St. Andrew's in 2000, following a period as replacement organist.
A lover of both classical and traditional music, Mr. Stafford uses both to create a musical style that preserves and promotes the uniqueness of St. Andrew's place in the history of both Quebec City and the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Firmly rooted in its Scottish character, the music at St. Andrew's reflects its lively cultural heritage by often incorporating the music of the Highlands into the overall worship experience. From Bach to bagpipes: "Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord".
The Council of Elders
Commonly called "Session", the Council of Elders deals with spiritual matters of the church.
Elders
Gina Farnell - clerk / greffière
Jackie Branion
Guy Morisset
David Stafford
The Board of Managers
The Board deals with the business matters of the church.
Board members
Jackie Branion – Chairperson
Marie-Sol Gaudreau – Treasurer
David Stafford - Secretary
Katherine Bleeker
Caroline Joll
Elizabeth Davies
France Dupuis - Webmaster
Martin Janta-Polczynski
Guy Morisset
Andrea Pelletier
What We Believe
Living Faith - Introduction
In every generation the church needs to confess its faith anew. That confession must at one and the same time be the ancient faith of the church and yet spoken into the mood and questions of its own time. LIVING FAITH endeavours to do that. This Statement of Christian Belief was prepared under the direction of the Committee on Church Doctrine of The Presbyterian Church in Canada. It has been received by the General Assembly of that Church and commended as an acceptable statement and as useful in both worship and study.
While arising out of the Canadian Presbyterian experience, it is hoped that the statement speaks to a much wider circle than one denomination, and to people outside the church. Here, perhaps for the first time, a confessional statement recognizes doubt, and in the midst of its ringing affirmation of Christian truth acknowledges the difficulties of belief and the ambiguities of the life of faith.
In writing this document the authors have tried to be in contact with people where they are today. Thus the statement speaks not only of God’s work in Christ, but also of sex, war, the economy, the family and justice. We believe that all this is fitting in a faith which has as its central affirmation the great truth that “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself.” The living God became the person of Christ and walked in our midst in a world that to an astonishing extent shared many of the same problems we do now. If God could get involved with the grim fabric of life, then so can God’s church! So too, must the faith we confess.
The inspiration for the style and general outline of LIVING FAITH comes from A Declaration of Faith of The Presbyterian Church in the United States. Some use has also been made of modern statements such as The Confession of 1967 of The United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. and others listed in the notes. We are grateful for permission to use these statements. The committee responsible for LIVING FAITH always had in mind the great Reformed Confessions such as the Westminster Confession, the Scots Confession and the Heidelberg Catechism. In the end the statement is our own, reflecting our own needs and experiences.
In 1536 George Wishart, the first teacher of the Scottish Reformation, translated a Confession of Faith. Part of his introduction to that statement is appropriate today: “It is not our mind to prescribe a certain rule of the faith to all churches, for we know no other rule of faith but the Holy Scriptures; and therefore we are well contented with those who agree with these things although they use another manner of speaking. It was our pleasure to use these words at the present time, that we might delcare our opinion in our religion and worshipping of God. The truth will have the upper hand.
For a full version of booklet Living Faith, in English, French or Korean, please consult the Presbyterian Church of Canada page where you will be able to download a PDF. Paper copies are also available in person through our minister.
Copyright 2026 Église St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, 5 rue Cook, Québec, QC, Canada.