One chilly winter night, in a lounge at St. George’s Church in the heart of St. Catharines, a group of Anglicans gathered for something new. Little did they know that, a full decade later, the seeds they planted would still be growing.
This winter, Advent Cafe celebrates its tenth anniversary!
Back in 2015, Canon Martha Tatarnic, co-rector, the Reverend Scott McLeod, associate priest, and lay leader Mari Shantz felt the call to start a midweek gathering. The parish received a WOW (Walking on Water) Grant to help fund the creative venture. Offered by the Diocese of Niagara, WOW Grants support “turning dreams into vibrant mission-centred ministries.”
Despite the seasonal name, Advent Cafe is a year-round offering. As Tatarnic explains, “Advent is a season of expectation … We chose the name Advent Café because this gathering is about attending to God’s presence and activity with new eyes, and looking for the surprising ways God shows up.”
Advent Cafe’s first gatherings met in an intimate cafe setting offering music, message, and a simple communion. A hospitality team served beverages and homemade sweets. “Out of the Cold” also met on Wednesdays, so some of their guests joined the worship. The congregation became a unique mix of lifelong faithful, returning prodigals, and members of our downtown housing-insecure community. Social and economic boundaries melted away as we sang and prayed together.
From the start, one of the signature features has been the rotating roster of musicians. Over the years, the congregation has been treated to hymns, pop, East Coast folk, jazz, rock, and even musical theatre. The current roster is Brad Barnham (St. George’s director of music), Tracadie Cross (led by Brian Kerley), Ambush (led by Maxx Schafrick), and Infinitely More (husband and wife duo, Allison and Gerald Flemming).
Many of the musicians have also written original songs for the worship. Infinitely More has recorded two albums of their own songs inspired by Advent Cafe. For each, the community hosted a CD release party, celebrating “their music” being shared with the wider world.
Advent Cafe’s first decade has been filled with many such defining moments. People from all walks of life have shared authentic messages of their faith journey with the popular lay-preaching program.
During the pandemic lockdowns, leaders recorded prayers and songs from home, edited the pieces together, and streamed the service online. This past May, the team created “The Great Canadian Sing-along”. The wider community filled the sanctuary to sing classics by Anne Murray, The Tragically Hip, and Stompin’ Tom Connors. In the summer, Advent Café moves outside, bringing vibrant music, a community barbecue, and love-your-neighbour energy to the downtown core. During the recent World Series, clergy and musicians donned Blue Jays colours while the hospitality team served hot dogs, popcorn, and other game day fare.
As co-rector, Canon Tom Vaughan describes Advent Cafe as “a place where the love of music harmonizes the stories of our world.”
The past decade has brought change to our Advent Cafe community. Our current gatherings are focused on music and reflections inspired by a “hot topic.” Tatarnic explains, “We try to pay attention to what people are talking about and to consider how music opens those conversations and where God meets us in those conversations … This is about coming together as a community to create something beautiful and life-giving, and to look for how we make sure there is a space for everyone around the table.”
Advent Cafe’s 10th anniversary is Wednesday, January 28, 2026, 7:00 p.m., at St. George’s Anglican Church, St. Catharines. Please join us for music, reflections, and cake!
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