Beyond the Pews: How a Sarnia Church Reinvented Itself to Save Its Community and Its Future
On a vibrant Saturday afternoon in early May, St. Luke’s United Church in Sarnia, Ontario, hums with continuous, energetic activity. Parents, children, and community volunteers weave fluidly between parked cars…
More Than a Thrift Store: How a Small Alberta Church’s Basement Sale Became a Lifeline for Grande Cache
When Grande Cache United first started holding monthly garage sales in its basement more than a decade ago, nobody expected a huge turnout. Nestled in the mountain community of Grande…
From Basement Garage Sales to a Community Lifeline: How a Small Alberta Church Thrift Store Transformed Grande Cache
When Grande Cache United Church first began hosting monthly garage sales in its basement more than a decade ago, the expectations were modest at best. Nestled in the mountain community…
More Than a Thrift Store: How a Small-Town Alberta Church Found New Life in the Basement
When Grande Cache United Church first opened its doors for a modest series of monthly garage sales down in its basement a little over a decade ago, expectations were remarkably…
From Bankruptcy to a Towering Future: How a Historic Toronto Church is Reimagining Its Mission
Every Sunday morning, on the westernmost edge of Toronto’s Cabbagetown neighbourhood, a devoted gathering of roughly 45 worshippers crams into the tiny chapel at Saint Luke’s United Church. Every single…
Church finds new energy by putting the people in charge
When in-person gatherings were suspended and traditional church routines ground to a halt, St. John’s did not simply wait for the storm to pass. Instead, the congregation formed a dedicated…
Reimagining Community: How a Kemptville Church Rediscovered Its Purpose During the Pandemic
Above the kitchen window of St. John’s United Church in Kemptville, Ontario, a small mural tells a visual story of a congregation in transition. Created by two artists from the…
Church finds new energy by putting the people in charge
Far more than a decorative addition to the church’s interior, the mural was conceived as a visual roadmap to help the congregation imagine its next chapter—a thoughtful, deliberate process that…
Church finds new energy by putting the people in charge
Like many faith communities across the country, St. John’s faced unprecedented challenges when in-person gatherings were suspended due to public health restrictions. Rather than allowing the physical separation to stall…
Called to Be Small: How The United Church of Canada is Rethinking Faith, Scale, and Resilience
By Julie McGonegal (With files from Alanna Mitchell) The church community arrived without fanfare, sign-up sheets, or a sprawling architectural legacy. It occupied an unassuming storefront space in Barrie, Ont.,…