Reflections on the heritage, life & work of faith communities in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario
You are the salt of the earth — those words from Jesus, recorded in Matthew 5:13, were at the heart of the 10:00 AM Sunday liturgy I attended on February 15 at Russell United Church, a historic house of worship built in 1887. By the end of it, everyone walked away with savoury surprise gifts…
Built in 1909, MacKay United Church at 39 Dufferin Road is a Romanesque Revival architectural jewel. I visited the church on February 8 for their 10:30 am service, alongside around 50 members of the congregation who gathered in person, with several more following a live-stream remotely. I found a crisp, bright interior and a multi-generational…
Built as a Presbyterian church in 1906, Centretown United Church boasts beautifully preserved Gothic Revival architecture and is the only house of worship along the downtown segment of Bank Street best known for its eclectic array of restaurants and shops. I visited the congregation on Sunday, January 11 for their 10:30 AM service, alongside around…
God doesn’t forget us, even when we forget Him. These words are not about a loss of faith; they acknowledge the quiet suffering of those struggling with Alzheimer’s, dementia and other forms of memory loss. It was the first time I ever heard a hymn speak so explicitly and movingly to those losing their ability…
I visited Almonte United Church on a breezy, brisk Sunday and met Reverend Heather Kinkaid who took the time to greet every single person in the pews before beginning the service. Her interaction with the faithful was more than a passing hello. She exchanged a few sentences with everyone, she listened, knew about what was…
I will never look at pretzels the same way after my visit to St. John’s United Church in Kemptville on October 19 — an unseasonably warm day that was as bright as the mood of this cheerful congregation. Built in 1869 to serve as the spiritual home of local Methodists, a fire in 1888 destroyed…
Alexandria United Church in North Glengarry is precisely what this publication is all about: discovering historic churches about which there is very little information online, and encouraging our readers to explore these hidden gems for themselves. I visited Alexandria United Church on Thanksgiving Sunday and attended their 9:00 AM service. A plaque next to the…
With Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada no longer providing funding to house 130 asylum seekers in Ottawa hotels, people of faith in the nation’s capital have stepped up to assist newcomers facing homelessness. Volunteers and clergy from Kitchissippi United Church, including Council Chair Denise Bonomo and Reverend Daniel Addai Fobi, have helped 20 asylum seekers…
Completed in 1955 in the Neo-Gothic style, Rideau Park United Church remains a vibrant congregation with a particularly robust music ministry — something that became clear to me when I visited on the last Sunday of the summer season, September 21, at the 10:00 am service. Close to 100 people were in attendance that Sunday….
When one visits a church and hears that the congregation’s clergywoman is sometimes known as “the little Pope from Brockville,” the risk of tuning out the sermon is greatly diminished. I had the chance to visit Wall Street United Church in Brockville on a couple of occasions this summer and in each instance, I found…