What United Church members believe, and how they worship

The United Church of Canada was formed in 1925 when Methodist, Congregational and most Presbyterian congregations joined together. It is Canada's largest Protestant denomination, known for an open communion table, a wide theological welcome and a strong emphasis on social justice.

What United Church members believe

The United Church of Canada came into being on June 10, 1925, when the Methodist Church, the Congregational Union and roughly two-thirds of the Presbyterian Church in Canada joined together. Its founding document, the Basis of Union, contains Twenty Articles of Doctrine that confess the Trinity, the divinity of Jesus Christ, the authority of Scripture, salvation by grace and the mission of the church. The church has restated its faith three times since: in the Statement of Faith (1940), A New Creed (1968, revised in 1980 and 1994) and A Song of Faith (2006).

A New Creed is the statement most members know by heart. It begins, “We are not alone, we live in God’s world,” and ends, “In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us. We are not alone. Thanks be to God.” In between it describes the church’s calling: to celebrate God’s presence, live with respect in creation, love and serve others, seek justice and resist evil, and proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen, as judge and hope. A Song of Faith, a longer poetic statement, unfolds the same faith in the language of the twenty-first century.

The United Church has always made room for a range of views. Ministers are asked for “essential agreement” with the doctrine of the Basis of Union rather than word-for-word subscription, and members are not required to sign a confession. The church affirms two sacraments, baptism (of infants or adults) and communion, and its communion table is open to everyone. It ordained its first woman minister in 1936, decided in 1988 that sexual orientation is not in itself a barrier to membership or ordination, and since the mid-2000s has supported the marriage of same-sex couples, with each congregation free to decide. The church apologized to Indigenous peoples in 1986 and, for its part in residential schools, in 1998, and it treats reconciliation, refugee sponsorship, poverty and care of creation as expressions of faith.

Worship: what a service is like

A United Church service usually lasts about an hour and follows a simple, recognizable pattern: a gathering hymn and call to worship, the lighting of the Christ candle, prayers of approach and confession, a children’s time before the young ones leave for Sunday school, Scripture readings (often from the Revised Common Lectionary), a sermon of fifteen to twenty minutes, the offering, prayers of the people and the Lord’s Prayer, a closing hymn and a benediction. Music comes from Voices United (1996) and More Voices (2007), usually with organ or piano and a choir; some congregations add a band. Ministers may wear a black gown or an alb and stole, or ordinary clothes.

Communion is celebrated monthly or quarterly in most congregations, often with bread and grape juice, and everyone present is invited to receive, including children and visitors. Infant baptisms take place during the service, with the congregation promising to support the family. Many United churches identify as Affirming Ministries, meaning they have formally declared themselves welcoming of LGBTQ people.

How United churches are organized

Since 2019 the United Church has had a three-council structure. The local congregation, called a community of faith, is run by a governing board or council and holds an annual congregational meeting. Congregations in Wellington County belong to the Western Ontario Waterways Regional Council, one of sixteen regional councils that oversee pastoral relations, property and new ministries. The General Council, made up of elected commissioners, meets every three years, sets policy and elects a Moderator, who serves as the church’s spiritual leader and spokesperson for that term. Ministry personnel include ordained ministers, diaconal ministers and designated lay ministers, overseen by the Office of Vocation. Congregations own their buildings, hire their staff and shape their own worship within the church’s shared policies.

Compared with Reformed churches

The United Church and the Canadian Reformed Churches share a Protestant heritage, and many United congregations in Wellington County were Presbyterian before 1925. Both baptize infants, both confess the Apostles’ Creed, both are led by elders rather than bishops, and both order the service around Scripture, prayer, sermon and song.

A United Church visitor would notice that a Canadian Reformed service is more tightly structured: an opening votum and greeting, the Ten Commandments in the morning and the Creed in the afternoon, and a sermon of thirty to forty minutes. The congregation sings the Psalms to Genevan tunes with organ, and there are two services each Sunday, one preaching through the Heidelberg Catechism. The Lord’s Supper is celebrated several times a year and is open to those who have made public profession of faith. Ministers, elders and deacons are men, and the church holds the traditional definition of marriage. The Three Forms of Unity (Belgic Confession, Heidelberg Catechism, Canons of Dort) bind office-bearers, where the United Church asks for essential agreement and allows greater breadth of belief. You would be welcome to visit and see.

What United Church members believe, and how they worship