History

Pastor Sue Carr started "Chapel at the Mission" during lent in 2006. Sue was working as a chaplain at the Mission Services Men's Shelter located on the corner of James St. N. and Barton St. E.  This building was once a Tavern and some of the men notice that the glasses being used for communion were the very same ones they use to drink out of when it was a bar.

Some churches agonize over the right name, others get their name handed to them.

Years ago, Tom Heeney (director of Mission Services men’s services) made a wooden sign that read "The Meeting  Place." In 2008 he brought it in and said "I think this would be a good name for the church." Everyone agreed!

Sue Carr was approached by Compass Point Community Church and asked to be the executive director of a social enterprise they were trying to open called 541 Eatery & Exchange. Sue said she would do it on the condition that The Meeting Place could use the space on Sundays.

The Meeting Place's first church service inside 541 Eatery & Exchange was on June 8th 2014. 541 opened for business later that same month. The Greater Ontario House Of Prayer (GOHOP) was invited to create a prayer room in the basement with many people from the church participating in prayer activities. 

Leaders from The Meeting Place pilgrimaged to Birmingham, England in October 2017 for the global 24-7 Prayer conference. That is when we became the first church in Canada to officially join the 24-7 prayer movement .

In 2020, The Commons (a Mennonite church plant) and The Meeting Place agree to join their gatherings together for a year. Their first gathering together on March 15th, was the last gathering churches were able to meet in person before the Covid shutdown. The two churches transitioned to meeting together online. This was a hard season for many churches but really hurt us because so many of our core members couldn't navigate online church. Many of our people rely on public spaces like the library to access the internet.   

At the end of that year The Commons decided their church's journey was completed and they decided to close. A few people from The Commons decided to join The Meeting Place and our leadership started getting to know the wider Mennonite Church. 

On April 29, 2022 The Meeting Place was welcomed into Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (MCEC) as a “Provisional Congregation.” This provided us with a denominational covering, and accreditation for our pastor.

We felt that the Jesus centred values of community & peacemaking in the Mennonite tradition were a good fit for our urban street ministry calling and context. 

Sue Carr retired from being the Executive Director of 541 Eatery & Exchange in October 2022. This gave her time to focus on her volunteer pastoral ministry with The Meeting Place and to have more time for things like being a member of the Mission Council at MCEC. 

Nov 11th, 2024 we were officially welcomed as a core member of the TrueCity Church Network. 

TrueCity is an interdenominational community of Hamilton churches working together for the good of the city. One of the unique things about Hamilton is the spirit of cooperation between churches. We are very thankful for our church neighbours. 

On Thusday Nov 28th, 2024, Randell Neudorf  (Randy) was hired as The Meeting Places' Prayer & Outreach worker. With Sue no longer working for 541, we thought it was important to have someone from the church connecting with people while the café is open. On Thursday mornings Randy visits with people arround the big community table, provides informal pastoral care and leads a prayer time in 541's community room.

This small position was started through funding from MCEC's Mission Council. 

We first got to know Randy as the pastor of The Commons (the Mennonite church we partnered with in 2020). In 2021 he joined the staff team of the Greater Ontario House of Prayer (GOHOP is a sister 24-7 Prayer community) but he continued to join us on a monthly basis to lead worship as a guest. In 2022, Randy officially joined The Meeting Place and became part of our leadership team. 

After 20 years of pastoring The Meeting
Place, Sue Carr decided it was time to retire. Her last Sunday was on  June 28th 2026. A packed room of people came together to celebrate Sue's ministry.

Here is how Jill Webber (a Meeting Place alumni, and  24-7 Prayer leader) summed up Sue's ministry:

"If I were to describe Sue Car with one word it would be ‘indomitable,’ which means someone or something that is impossible to subdue, conquer, or defeat. It is usually used to describe someone with powerful, unrelenting will, spirit, or courage. Whether she is facing down building developers, or tricky budget meetings, or the poverty that ravages the city of Hamilton, she does it with courage, will and spirit. If I were to describe Sue Carr with two words they would be ‘gospel champion’. As long as I’ve known her, Sue has displayed the gospel in both word and deed. Loving, honouring, championing people, creating hospitable and safe spaces. Preaching the good news of Jesus with tears in her eyes and a catch in her throat. She is a true mother in this city, and I’m so blessed to have had the privilege of sitting under her good leadership and enjoying her friendship."

Randell Neudorf  (Randy)  became our pastor in July 2026.  He is an ordained Mennonite minister who also works part time for the Greater Ontario House of Prayer (a 24-7 prayer ministry).

Randy moved to Hamilton in 2005 and has a deep understanding of the realities in our community through his many years of working for different ministries. He has experience working in areas of gang prevention, street youth ministry, art therapy, and church planting. Coincidently, his very first job in Hamilton was managing a little third space coffee house called The Freeway, which makes 541 feel very familiar.