EOORC Celebrates - 100 Years of the United Church of Canada
An Invitation…
Siblings in Christ,
The United Church of Canada is preparing to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2025. Events are taking place across the country and much enthusiasm is building around this milestone.
The Eastern Ontario Outaouais Regional Council is planning a significant worship service to commemorate the centenary on June 15th, 2025 at 11 am. Given the special nature of this event, we are hoping that all communities of faith in our region will join us to make it one of the largest United Church gatherings in recent memory.
It will be held at the EY Centre in Ottawa and the gathering will be an opportunity to invite long-time members of the church to celebrate and for us to welcome those who are curious to come and have a taste of this unique expression of Christianity in Canada. We hope to have 1000 people from all parts of our region coming to sing, pray and celebrate together.
We ask that communities of faith worship as one on that day, together at the EY Centre. We are making plans for transportation for those who would use it, for broadcast for those who cannot make it in person, and to invite those who have never stepped foot in a United Church before to join us.
More information will be forthcoming, but please hold the date in your calendar and start spreading the word, so that we can continue to spread the Word!
Blessings,
Rev. Éric Hébert-Daly
Regional Executive Minister
Eastern Ontario Outaouais Regional Council
Centennial Resources
The United Church of Canada has created a 100th Anniversary Web Page with many resources available. You will find a “Tool Kit” which includes logos, bulletins, banner templates, slide templates and more. The toolkit also has some colouring pages for children! Each PDF features a short story (Grade 3 reading-level), thematic Bible verse, and colouring page exploring the past and present of the United Church. Submit photos of finished artwork to share with the wider church using the provided QR code.
You can also find an Events Calendar, where you can find events near you or add your own event. And of course there are Worship Resources available !
The United Church Foundation’s Centennial Granting Fund will provide grants across four granting rounds beginning in Fall 2024. Applications are welcomed from any United Church ministry, community of faith/congregation, or other organization undertaking a special event to commemorate the United Church of Canada Centennial. You can learn more here.
The Centennial Newsletter will be published regularly from 2024 through to June 2025. It celebrates and commemorates the history of the United Church of Canada through many different angles. You can subscribe to this e-newsletter here.
Have a friend or family member who is curious about the United Church of Canada? This Centennial webpage will give them some more information!
Contact
If you have any questions or want to connect with the planning team, please contact eoorc.anniversaryinformation@gmail.com.
You can also check out the FAQ below.
FAQ – EOORC’s Centennial Event
What is happening on June 15th?
The Eastern Ontario Outaouais region will be hosting a large gathering. This gathering is to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the United Church of Canada. There will be a worship service, a mass choir, food, and activities for folks of all ages. We hope you can join us at the EY Centre! The worship service will begin at 11 am.
Where is the 100th Anniversary event?
It will be at the EY Centre in Ottawa. The EY Centre is located at 4899 Uplands Dr, Ottawa, ON K1V 2N6 (close to the airport.)
You can read more about parking and transportation at: https://eycentre.ca/parking/. Some congregations are planning to organize a bus to attend the event.
Should our whole congregation attend?
Yes, we are inviting all communities of faith in our region to worship as one on June 15th. This will be a special opportunity to be together in worship and community. We encourage each church council or governing body to give prayerful consideration to how you might attend as a congregation. Many United Church congregations will be cancelling their regular Sunday service and joining us at the EY Centre.
My congregation is more than an hour away from the EY Centre in Ottawa. How can we participate?
Some congregations are planning to run a bus to the EY Centre. Might this be possible for your community of faith? The United Church Foundation is offering grants for Centennial events, and EOORC is creating a grant template which can help you apply for funding to charter a bus to the event. The bus could be for your community of faith, or you could invite neighbouring communities of faith to join you on your bus.
You could also consider organizing a carpool.
Finally, the service will be broadcast on YouTube. If you are unable to attend in person, you could organize a “watch party” at your church.
Is this event only for members of the United Church of Canada?
Everyone is welcome! Many people at the event will be completely new to the United Church of Canada, and we offer you a special welcome.
Is the EY Centre a wheelchair accessible building?
Yes, the following information is from the EY Centre website: “The EY Centre is designed with you in mind. The layout of our facility was arranged to provide an accessible and safe environment for our guests. The EY Centre is a ground floor building, including our parking lot. We offer wheelchair services, accessible restroom stalls and amenities, as well as family restrooms that accommodate guests with special requirements. (…) EY Centre adheres to all federal, provincial and local regulations and laws regarding accessibility and the rights of persons with disabilities. If you have any special requirements, please contact our administration office.”
Will there be food? Do I need to register?
Yes, there will be food! Closer to the event, we will have a registration form available. We ask that you please register to help us have the right number of chairs and the right amount of food. On the online registration form, you can let us know your choice of food for lunch. We will have it ready for you. A free-will offering will be taken to help share the costs for lunch. We will be able to accommodate some special diets, and you are also welcome to bring your own lunch along.
Is this a good event for children or youth?
Yes, we will be planning the celebration with people of all ages in mind. There will be plenty of options for children and youth to engage in the worship service. We are also considering other special activities, like a children’s choir in worship and a youth gathering after the service.
How can I be part of the mass choir?
We will be having a large choir involving people from many different communities of faith. If you would like to join the choir, please contact eoorc.anniversaryinformation@gmail.com for more information.
Is the United Church of Canada planning a national/denomination-wide celebration?
Yes, a special worship service is planned for Sunday, June 8th. It will be at Gower Street United Church in St. John’s NL. This Centennial Worship service will be livestreamed, allowing people from across Canada to participate in real time. Congregations in EOORC might consider hosting a watch party for this event during their Sunday services. We invite you to also join us at the EY Centre in Ottawa for our regional celebration on June 15th!
We received a letter about cluster services on June 1st and a televised service on June 10th. Where do those fit in?
This message came from Brian Arthur Brown under the title of “Friends of the United Church Foundation”. Some communities of faith received the letter, while others did not. These clustered and televised services are not events in which the Regional Council or the General Council is involved. Rev. Brown has created this project and is driving it. While you are welcome to join him in his proposed activity, we want to be clear that this is not a requirement nor an expectation. Our Regional Council’s official celebration will be held on June 15th at the EY Centre.
I have a question / I would like to contribute to the event
Questions can be directed to eoorc.anniversaryinformation@gmail.com.
If you would like to be part of the event (helping with planning, being an usher, being a first aid responder, etc), you can also contact eoorc.anniversaryinformation@gmail.com.
There will be an offering (an opportunity to donate) at the event, and we would be grateful for your support.
2025 AGM
EOORC has booked the EY Centre in Ottawa for Saturday June 14th-Sunday June 15th. On Sunday June 15th, we will host a celebration of the 100th anniversary of The United Church of Canada.
On Saturday June 14th, EOORC members will meet at the EY Centre for the business and learning portion of our AGM. There may also be an online session on Friday. More details to come!