Connections Day

Local Gatherings Throughout EOORC

November 1st, 2025

The fall meeting of the Eastern Ontario Outaouais Regional Council is going to look quite different this year! Instead of doing one meeting, we’re holding five of them on the same day at the same time, but in locations across the region. During the region’s strategic planning process, it was decided that we should transform our fall meetings so that they reach more people, closer to home, to build connections and relationships with the wider church. Unlike in normal Regional Council meetings, this invitation is extended to all congregational members and leaders, as well as their ministry personnel. If you are involved in your local church in any way, we’d love to see you! Your presence is important as we connect, discuss and remind ourselves that we are not alone in this ministry.

Locations:

Trinity United Church (Vankleek Hill, Ontario)

Grace United Church (Chelsea, Quebec)

Zion United Church (Pembroke, Ontario)

Kanata United Church (Ottawa, Ontario)

St. Paul’s United Church (Perth, Ontario)

FAQs

Which event should I attend? We invite you to choose the location which is closest to your community of faith (or which makes geographic sense for your community of faith.) We are hoping that these events will be a good opportunity to meet neighbouring communities of faith.

When are the gatherings? All the gatherings will take place on Saturday November 1st. At 9:00 am, we will have a time of gathering with coffee and snacks. Worship will be at 9:30 am. We will wrap up by 4 pm. A more detailed agenda will be available soon.

Is food provided? Coffee and snacks will be available on arrival at each location. We ask that you bring along your own packed lunch. Due to logistical challenges, participants will not have access to fridges or microwaves, so we ask that you pack accordingly.

Who should attend this event? Congregational lay leaders (including council members, committee chairs and more), ministry personnel, lay representatives to the regional council, and more. If you are involved with your local church in any way, you are very welcome. We hope you can join us to meet your neighbours, worship, learn, and share about your local church’s experience.

Are all the sites accessible? All sites are wheelchair accessible. Please see the more detailed accessibility information available by scrolling down on this page.

Accessibility and Parking Information

All of the churches which are hosting these events were chosen because the buildings are wheelchair accessible. We know that more detailed information is sometimes helpful in planning, so we will provide detailed accessibility information for each site below. If there is anything else that would help make this meeting more accessible for you, or if you have questions, please feel free to write to nmatkovsky@united-church.ca.

All Sites

All of the events are scent-free.

All events will have a microphone and sound system. Our expectation, as always, is that everyone will use the microphone while speaking.

Those who are creating the slide show for the presentation will choose larger fonts so it is easier to read.

Trinity United Church, Vankleek Hill:

Parking is on street. We will have a sign to keep the places free at the front of the church building to help with mobility.

We will use the side door, which is accessible (slight bump) and once inside, everything will be on one level.

We are expanding a washroom to make it more accessible, but this is not complete yet, however, there are no steps to the washroom….all on one level

Chairs are cushioned. The chairs do not have arms, but we will be at tables.

Grace United Church, Chelsea:

The main entrance is the one in the middle of the building (between the church building and hall). If you require a shorter walk, you may wish to park closer to the entrance.

When you come in through the main door, you will enter in a section to put away your coats and can change shoes if you wish. Then you turn on your right, you will pass in front of both washrooms, then enter the hall with a kitchen. All of this is on one level.

The chairs have no arms, but they are cushioned.

Zion United Church, Pembroke:

Accessible parking: Our parking lot has handicapped parking slots near the entrance door.

Accessible entrance: The entrance off our paved parking lot is the one we always use at ground level, which is the Murray Street entrance.

Getting around within the building: The parking lot entrance doors are on ground level and a ramp is available to get to the next level into our Fellowship Hall and Sanctuary. This is a level which is only three steps up when taking the stairs. We do not have an elevator. There is a lower level only accessible by stairs. This event will take place entirely in the accessible part of the church.

Accessible Washroom: The washroom is on the same floor just outside the Fellowship Hall entranceway, where the meeting would take place.

Chairs: Our chairs do not have arms or cushions. However, we do have a few cushions available if needed.

Kanata United Church:

Kanata is fully accessible; has accessible parking near the front door; there is an accessible sidewalk which brings you to the front door. Both entrance doors are accessible with access by a wave of the hand, or even by being close it.

Inside the building we have an accessible and gender neutral washroom and all spaces are wheelchair/walker accessible.

Most of the chairs are cushioned, and we have some extra cushions. A few of the chairs have arms – if you require one of these chairs, please speak with one of the hosts or write to nmatkovsky@united-church.ca.

We have overflow parking access at the school next door, and I would ask those for whom slightly (as in 1 minute) longer walk is comfortable to park in the overflow area or the back of KUC’S parking lot.

As well as the sound system which will be used for everyone, there are additional devices for folks to use for enhanced hearing. They are separate but work very well. We have 4 units.

There is also a circular drive with a dip in front of the door where folks can be dropped off.

Lastly, we are a scent-free building and this extends to the hand-soap in the bathrooms.

St. Paul’s United Church, Perth

St. Paul’s U.C., Perth is located at the corner of Gore and D’Arcy Streets. There are two parking spaces for those with mobility restrictions on D’Arcy St. The D’Arcy St. door is the accessible entrance via ramp. D’Arcy St. is the only entrance for those requiring wheelchair accessibility. The office entrance at the corner of D’Arcy and Gore will be used as well for those arriving in the morning who wish to have tea, coffee, and muffins prior to the meeting. The double wooden doors on Gore St. lead directly into the sanctuary where the meeting will be held in the morning.

Once you are in the building, there is more than one floor. You enter the building using the ramp at the D’Arcy St. entrance, and there is an elevator there to take one down to the Fellowship Hall for refreshments prior to the meeting.

There is an accessible washroom. Follow the ramp to the washroom at the end of the hall. Signs will be posted.

The morning part of the meeting will be held in the sanctuary. There are chairs with arms available for those who require them. The pews and chairs all have cushions. The afternoon portion of the meeting will be downstairs in the Fellowship Hall. Tables will be set up for lunch and left up for the balance of the meeting. Chairs with arms can be brought in for anyone who requires one.

Coffee, tea, and muffins will be served on arrival. Coffee, tea, and snacks will be available at lunch as well.