About The Church

Finding Inspiration in Every Turn

Princess Street United Church (PSUC) is a caring and friendly congregation, providing traditional Christian leadership under the capable guidance of our minister Rev. Susan McAllister, organist Scott Milligan, church staff, and many dedicated volunteers who contribute their many gifts to the life and the work of the church.

PSUC has a roster of committees to oversee all aspects of the life and work of the church; The Official Board, The Session, Trustees, Ministry & Personnel Committee (M&P), and the Stewards Committee. The Board meets four to five times annually to review reports from various committees and oversee the work of the church. Our official Board Chair is also elected at this time. The Sessions and Stewards meet every other month. We are grateful for the many talented and caring people who work within this structure, and in every other job which needs doing. We are thankful for those who often carry a burden of governance and those who enable all of us to be a Church family.

For more detailed information on our committee structure, and the work we do, please check our Annual Report.

Members of our church family come from throughout the city of Kingston to support our mission of spreading God’s love and supporting our congregation and community. We hope that you will join us on this journey.

Meet The Team

Rev. Susan McAllister

Minister

Ordained in 2000, Rev. Susan McAllister has ministered with congregations in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and various communities in Ontario. With a B.A. (Hons) and an M.Div from Queen’s University, she is pleased to be back in Kingston. Her previous careers in retail management and as a stay-at-home mom have provided her with life experiences that assist her in day-to-day encounters with the joys and challenges of members of the congregation and residents of the Williamsville neighbourhood.

In her ‘spare’ time, Rev. Susan is a volunteer fitness instructor at the Kingston Y (yoga and strength training) and also enjoys reading, walking, and cycling. She and her husband love to travel and she is especially proud of the accomplishments of her three adult daughters. Call or stop by to visit her; a cup of tea or coffee and a compassionate, interested, and energetic Pastor looks forward to meeting you.

Kevin Guthrie

Administrator

The office administrator plays an important role as the 'hub of the wheel' with spokes radiating to all of the church. The position provides administrative and organizational support to the minister and other church leaders, while at the same time undertaking many different tasks to help ensure the smooth running of the church.

Kevin has a long and extensive history of involvement in the United Church of Canada, most notably having served as Secretary of Kingston Presbytery for some 28 years until its dissolution to become part of the new Four Winds Presbytery in 2012. He arrived at Princess Street as the Administrator in 2016, Kevin enjoys the varied work and the opportunity to meet and work with many members of the congregation as well as the other church staff members.

Outside of work, Kevin has been a church musician for many years. In his spare time, he enjoys running, home repairs, gardening, cooking for friends, traveling, and spending time with his wire-haired fox terrier, Milou.

Seeking Help

Director of Music

Princess Street United Church (PSUC) in Kingston, Ontario, is seeking to hire a Music Director, due to the retirement of our incumbent of 33 years.

This is a contract position to start immediately. Payment is per weekly worship service based on about 6 hrs preparation & performance time, invoiced and paid monthly.

Currently, the PSUC congregation is worshipping with St. Luke’s Anglican Church while renovations to the worship space at our church are undertaken. At this time, the leadership of the services is shared, requiring the PSUC music director to play 2-3 scheduled services each month.

Our ideal candidate will have strong musical skills and proven experience to play keyboard instruments. Preference will be given to those with organ experience or interested in learning and with the capability to find and include other instrumental and vocal accompaniments in worship.

We invite interested candidates to apply to: psucsearch@kingston.net as soon as possible.

Meet Our Committees

Official Board Chair/Stewards Chair

The Official Board is responsible for the oversight of the other committees, the congregation, and the church. The Committee of Stewards is responsible for the temporal matters of the congregation, including financial support, property maintenance, and day-to-day administration of the church's institutions.

Board of Trustees Acting Chair

The Board holds in trust all the property of the congregation for the use and benefit of the congregation as part of the united Church, for such religious, charitable, educational, congregational, or social purposes.

Session Chair

The Session is responsible for the spiritual leadership of the congregation, including worship, education, pastoral care, and outreach. This function is usually associated with committees, groups, or teams responsible for worship, membership outreach, pastoral care, and education.

Ministry and Personnel Committee (M&P) Chair

The purpose of the M&P Committee is to support the communication between the congregation and staff. It serves as a confidential, consultative body that supports the pastoral relationship and is accountable to the Board.

Our Community

Kingston (the Limestone City) is a city in eastern Ontario, about 260 km northeast of Toronto and west of Montreal, Quebec at the easternmost tip of Lake Ontario where it meets the St. Lawrence River. Kingston is well known for large institutions such as Queen's University, St Lawrence College, the Royal Military College of Canada, and government offices. Kingston has many historic buildings, including military forts and towers, the original parliament buildings of Canada (now part of Kingston General Hospital), and many homes of Sir John A MacDonald.

Being right on the water, Kingston is home to many water sports such as sailing, motor boating, fishing, and scuba diving. Kingston has the feel of a small city with a population of 152,352, yet has all the advantages of being only a few hours from big city shopping and entertainment.

Right in the centre of Kingston, minutes away from a very bustling downtown, on the main street of Princess Street, is Princess Street United Church (PSUC). Kingston and PSUC are all overwhelmingly warm and generous communities where wonderful things happen when we come together.

Our Partners