Sunday, August 31st, is the Final Service of the 2025 Season! - All Are Welcome!
Our Spiritual Path Begins - Join us to connect on a deeper level!
Our Spiritual Path Begins - Join us to connect on a deeper level!
Rev. Dr. Todd E. Leach,
Senior Pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church, Buffalo, NY.
It is with great pleasure that we welcome Rev. Dr. Todd Leach to join us at this week's Sunday Service.
Rev. Dr. Todd E. Leach currently serves as Senior Pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church • Buffalo, NY.
Rev. Leach was ordained in 2007, and previously served as Associate Pastor for Missions at Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh.
During his thirteen-year tenure, he successfully built and implemented their mission program with a focus on sending members into the community where, in his words, “God’s kingdom is actively breaking into the world.”
Previously, he taught science in the Columbus Public Schools (Ohio), served as Executive Director of the Delaware County Housing Coalition (Pennsylvania), and was Director of Mission and Deacon Ministries at Media Presbyterian Church (suburban Philadelphia).
He has also led numerous rural, urban, national, and international mission initiatives.
Rev. Leach brings a wealth of diverse educational and career experiences to Westminster. He holds a Doctor of Ministry in Public Theology from Drew Theological School, a Master of Divinity from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Ohio University.
Rev. Leach, his wife, Linda, and their teenage daughters, Nadia, Jean and Vinodhini Grace (Dhini), are excited to be a part of the Western New York community..
Thank you so much Rev. Todd Leach!
Dear Friends of the Chapel:
Once again, the Holloway Memorial Chapel will be sponsoring a food, toiletries and school supplies drive to benefit the many families that are assisted each month in the Ridgeway and Crystal Beach area through the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry in Crystal Beach.
Save the date for our Food and School Supplies Drive at our Chapel on Saturday August 30th and Sunday August 31st this Labor Day weekend.
Saturday, August 30th, 9:30am – noon
Sunday, August 31st, 9:30am - noon
We have been very blessed in the past to have been able to contribute to our community in such a special way.
Let’s help local families in need with food and supplies!
This Sunday, August 31st, will be our final 'Coffee Fellowship Hour'.
What a great opportunity to mingle with old and new 'Friends of the Chapel' over coffee and delicious cookies and treats in fellowship after our Sunday Worship with Rev, Todd Leach, Westminster Presbyterian Church.
Thank you once again for your support during our 131st summer season!
Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Wilson, Lead Pastor, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Buffalo, NY. took this impromptu and amazing 'selfie' of last weeks' Sunday Service!
Taking the bridge over to Canada is almost always a delight. Whether it is the close-up view of Niagara Falls on theRainbow Bridge, the tree-lined path of the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge, or the cityscape view of downtown Buffalo on the Peace Bridge, these human-made structures are truly among the seven wonders of Western New York.
Except when the trip isn't delightful. There have been years when traffic has built up so far it extends past the Duty Free station and into the highway beyond it. Hours of waiting, trying to find the perfect line through the border crossing, only to have the guards change shifts just before it's your turn, is aggravating to say the least. The fight through state -run bureaucracy, can take the fun out of a quick trip into Canada.
But, even after all of my years in Buffalo, I still can't get over how lucky we are to be so close to the other side. While New York City may technically be close enough to drive, the big city of Toronto is a place where you can spend the day and get back before dinner. Niagara-on-the-Lake, Hamilton, and the Canadian side of the Falls make for great family trips, or just brief reprieves from our country’s politics.
For almost a decade, I have been leading services once a summer at a small church right past Crystal Beach. The Holloway Memorial Chapel on Abino Bay is a sweet, down-to-earth interfaith prayer space that has been in operation since 1894.
Not having a spiritual leader of their own, they invite clergy from the surrounding area to lead their Sunday services all summer long. On any given week, you might encounter a Catholic priest, a Protestant minister, or even a Jewish rabbi. In the 50-125 seat, white-painted room, time seems to stop. There are no microphones or modern electronics, just the sound of the voices of the choir, mixed together with a collection of Canadian and American congregants singing familiar melodies.
I consider it an honor to lead one of their services every summer, even if it means waking up early to brave the Peace Bridge traffic. This year, I had added trepidation, not of long lines at the border stations but of cold stares from the border guards. The recent tariff wars have put a damper on American-Canadian relations. Fortunately, as I made my way across, I encountered only love and support. It turns out that Canadians, despite the frosty relations between our political leaders, were as nice as ever.
And, at the chapel, this was doubly true. Having recently lost their long-time organist, Barbara Ann Cosby, a gem of a woman who always made me feel at home, they were especially glad to see me. Barbara died quite suddenly in May, only a few weeks before the start of the season.
As always, I began with a prayer for the heads of state: their prime minister, our president, the secretary-general of the United Nations, and the king of England. Then, over the course of an hour, we prayed together, hoped together, consoled together while shutting out the outside noise and focusing on the inner peace of the space.
As I left, easily making the crossing over the border, I celebrated the beauty of reIations that no amount of politicalposturing could ever fully dampen.
Holloway Memorial Chapel, a cherished landmark with 131 years of history, continues to serve the community as a vibrant and beautiful space for various celebrations. This meticulously preserved chapel, on Abino Bay near the ‘scenic shores of Lake Erie’, offers an atmosphere rich in old-world charm and tranquility, making it a perfect setting for Sunday Services from Father’s Day through Labour Day.
Open to all, the chapel provides an interdenominational space that welcomes everyone. It is an ideal venue for significant life events, including baptisms, engagement proposals, elopements, marriage ceremonies, vow renewals, and Celebration of Life events.
Nestled among lush greenery and vibrant gardens along the scenic shores of Lake Erie, Holloway Memorial Chapel offers an enchanting backdrop for your unforgettable moments. The historical significance of the chapel adds depth and meaning to any celebration, inviting you to become part of its ongoing narrative.
For those seeking a unique and meaningful venue to celebrate their love and life’s milestones, Holloway Memorial Chapel stands as a timeless choice.
For more information, available dates and costs, please contact us via the Information Request Form in the 'Contact Us Section' on our website; send an email to hollowaymemorialchapel1@gmail.com or; contact our Weddings, Baptisms and Memorials Director, Carolyn Miller at 905-834-4036.Our mission is to spread the message of peace and love through the teachings of Holloway Memorial Chapel. We believe in the power of faith and strive to create a community that fosters spiritual growth.
The Holloway Memorial Chapel was founded in 1894 in honor of Issac and Mary Ann Holloway. Through the years it has welcomed residents and visitors to the Ridgeway Ontario area to participate in Sunday Services throughout the summer season.
Our mission is to bring together an inter-denominational worship community through praise, proclamation, music, teaching and sharing. We welcome freedom of thought and opinion to all who enter. We believe the experience of loving fellowship will bring joy and peace to each person's spiritual journey.
Sunday Services are held at 10:00 AM throughout the summer months. Please see the Calendar Page for the 2025 Schedule and Speaker Names.
Through the years the Chapel has been a special place to hold weddings, baptisms, memorial services and other similar events.