At the Toronto St. Peter's Estonian Church's Congregational Meeting on September 27, 2020, the St. Peter’s Board told its members that the congregation’s church had to be sold, as the congregation/church was approaching imminent insolvency. That proclamation has proven false, as two and a half years later the church is still standing, and will continue to stand, although two underlying problems remain. First, the stale St. Peter’s Board has had no changes, though its ELCIC constitution requires three resignations each year. In addition, the ‘worldly’ minister does not appear to be committed to saving ‘wrong track’ souls in Toronto, as his other interests, such as political ambitions in Estonia, appear to have his greater attention. At the 2020 meeting, the minister stated that, ‘our St. Peter’s congregation of 60 - 70 members could fit nicely into 11 Madison Avenue’, [the former Tengye Ling Tibetan Buddhist property], which was the initial purchase of what has become the Keskus project.

At last autumn's, November 12, 2022, St. Peter's Congregational Meeting, there were over 140 people present, [representing ~230 votes], some who had rarely/never attended St. Peter's previously. Attendees were there to vote on relocating the columbarium at a cost of over $3 million, [from where would these funds come?], so that the Church property could be sold at a future date. In the crowd was the lead Keskus ‘funds acquirer’. Also present was the new building’s award winning Estonian architect, who was there to vote to knock down another Estonian architect’s award winning work. While it has been denied that proceeds from St. Peter’s Church would be plowed into Keskus’ constantly increasing budget, it has become obvious that this is the desired outcome.

Many in the Keskus project crew have substantial business accreditation and expertise. One would expect that intelligent, valid business decisions would be forthcoming for any project in which its members would participate. Unfortunately, that does not appear to be the case here. At this point, the financial commitment required to complete the ‘global’ Keskus project has grown to an estimated $46 million. What was its original cost projection, and its sustainability plan? Has any qualified real estate appraiser provided input as to the potential resale value of the completed building? Unfortunately, the sliding ROI, and the squandering of the post WWII exiled Estonians created community funds, [not their own funds], degrades this crew’s ‘business cred'. One can only imagine an Estonian community center which could have been created with $46 million – spacious, car accessible, with parking and a basement. Eliminating St. Peter’s Church to fund Keskus does not make any sense!.

Using funds from selling God's House – St. Peter's - to fund an earthly project would be shameful. The St. Peter’s Mt. Pleasant property value will always be greater than that of Keskus on Madison. Who will be paid at St. Peter's if this ‘not needed sale’ is made to happen?

If the conjecture of this article is incorrect, St. Peter’s Board and Keskus should publicly declare in straightforward language - "No funds from any sale of St. Peter’s will be used to benefit the Keskus project." Such a statement may even bring unfathomable blessings upon St. Peter’s and Keskus, that one can not now anticipate, visualize or understand! Then, this writer will also stand corrected. If such a statement is not published, and St. Peter’s Board and the Keskus crew continue to pursue selling St. Peter’s church, then it will be obvious that a conspiracy is in place to dismantle and liquidate Estonian World War II refugee created community assets.

The best outcome for Toronto's Estonian Lutherans, and for everyone who loves St. Peter’s, is that St. Andrew’s and St. Peter’s congregations come together in St. Peter’s under their common ELCIC agreement, with the spirit of the 1919 E.E.L.K. ‘free peoples church’ constitution. The way to start the process is for the Boards to meet without ministers, hold joint services, and to commence a search for a new minister. To date, the St. Peter’s Board has not pursued options which could help keep St. Peter’s congregation in its own church, preferring to stay on their course to sell the church. … Why?

Toomas Trei

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