Chalmers Presbyterian Church

Our Community Concerns

When the city of Hamilton began to expand upwards onto the brow of the escarpment the Chalmers Congregation was the first Christian congregation established to serve this new suburban area. It was quickly followed by several other Christian denominations. As a consequence, however, Chalmers has always had a strong sense of neighbourhood and community even though now many of our members travel some distance to participate in the life of the congregation.

As the community on the Mountain grew and became a more substantial component of the Hamilton urban area the distinction between mountain and lower city blurred somewhat. Many mountain residents worked in the industries circling Hamilton Harbour and travelling up and down the escarpment became a natural part of everyday life.

Through the years the people of the Chalmers congregation have endeavoured to express their concern for the community by participating in a variety of projects. At the moment these include such things as:

Neighbour to Neighbour, a food bank and community facility located on the Mountain. People from Chalmers were instrumental in the organizing process for Neighbour to Neighbour and we continue to support it with a collection of non-perishable food items which continues throughout the year.

Wesley Urban Ministries is another community project in which we take an interest. At present at least one member serves on the Board of Directors and once each year we host a Sunday at the Wesley Centre. On this occasion people from Chalmers share in a worship service at the Wesley Centre and then serve a meal to the 200+ people who have gathered. Also, in recent years the people of the Chalmers Congregation have been generous supporters of the annual "Case For Kids" fundraising program to raise funds for their summer programming for children and youth. For the past couple of years Chalmers has been a pacesetter congregation with its members contributing more than a thousand dollars to "Case For Kids" each year.

For many years the people at Chalmers have brought in "white gifts" in the Advent season. These non-perishable food items and sometimes things like mittens and games are taken to Neighbour to Neighbour and Wesley Urban Ministries.

City Kidz. For a number of years, Chalmers has been supporting City Kidz, a Hamilton organization for children living in the inner city. One of our members volunteers "full time" at City Kidz serving as Executive Assistant and Secretary-Treasurer of the Board of Directors with many others volunteering. At Christmas we donate cash, gifts and wrapping paper to the organization to help prepare for their Gift of Christmas initiative. Chalmers Congregation was one of 40 churches in the community which participated in Miracle Sunday providing significant financial support to children. A group of people from Chalmers have sponsored a City Kidz Child. Our congregation has also committed to praying for the children on one of the routes.

Women's Shelters. Lady's toiletries, gently used clothing, baby and children's products are collected on the first Sunday of February, May and October to be distributed to the shelters.

A few years ago several of the congregations in the Mountain Brow area began to meet together on a regular basis to discuss their mutual perspectives on both the strengths and the needs of the neighbourhood in which they were located. With much support and encouragement from the Concession Street Business Improvement Association these conversations continued. Needs were identified relating to both Seniors and Youth. We have also come to appreciate that we often don't do a very good job of making our existing community programs and activities known and appreciated by the very people who might most benefit from them. These community endeavours have resulted in the formation of a Concession Street Neighbourhood Community Council. Chalmers, along with the other Christian congregations in the Concession Street area, hopes to continue to make a positive contribution to this community of which we are a part.