About Us
Mission
We believe God is calling Centennial United Church
- to become open, caring and loving to all people
- to work together as Christians in harmony
- to show love, respect and forgiveness
- to share our talents, listen and respond to the needs of our congregation and the local and global community
- to provide opportunities for involvement of children, youth and young families
- to celebrate God’s presence in our lives, grow spiritually, communicate and build faith.
Beliefs
Belief is a very individual thing. Yet within the United Church of Canada we endeavour to express our common beliefs in our statements of faith. Over the years the church has created various documents which expressed spiritual understanding within the context of a specific time. The New Creed was written in 1967 (Amended 1980 & 1994) and is used extensively today. It reflects positively our faith within the framework of Christianity. The Song of Faith , the latest expression of our beliefs, speaks of our understanding of the Holy within a poetic framework.
We believe the strongest and most valid aspect of creation is the power of love, exhibited in the nurturing aspect of all of life. This dynamic force, referred over the years as God, is the constant within our universe. We believe that the Christ is the spiritual power to bring healing, wholeness and new life to all aspects of creation. We believe the Christ is ever-present. We believe the teachings and example of Jesus, show us how to live out love in very human ways.
We believe all people are on a spiritual journey. The role of the church is to enable this journey and to allow every person to experience the wholeness and the love present in our world.
Annual Reports
Proposed Affirming Vision Statement
We Believe:
- Creation is holy and sacred
- All God’s people deserve wholeness, peace,
and safety - Embracing differences brings joy and blessings to our community
We Envision:
- A world where people are free to live as their own vibrant and authentic selves
We Commit:
- To keep learning how to be public and intentional and explicit in actively affirming, supporting, and celebrating, as well as engaging in the life and work of our church,
all peoples of every age, race, class, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, family configuration, economic status, neurodivergence, and, mental and physical ability, as part of a broader commitment to seeking justice and inclusion for all people.
Proposed Affirming Action Plan
- Find ways to make public that we are an Affirming Ministry by:
a. Displaying signage at all doors (or in windows near doors if they are wooden).
b. Explore adding Affirm United Logo to Large sign
c. Adding Logo and Vision Statement to our website - In conjunction with the minister, help lead worship services around the following days: PIE, Pride Month (one service), Trans Day of Remembrance, Black History Month (one service), Indigenous Day of Prayer, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and Day for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.
- Continue our “Minute for Mission”, with a focus on work that highlights our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Affirming efforts.
- Continue to investigate ways to make our sanctuary and church more accessible, including but not limited to enhancing our sound system and visuals.
- Commit to Anti-Racist work by investigation United Church’s Anti-Racism Initiatives holding one event per year to promote Diversity and Inclusion. Invite the entire congregation to participate in the United Church’s 40 days of engagement in Anti-Racism and find ways to continue to engage with the material provided.
- Host two “Lunch and Learns” annually.
- March in Collingwood Pride Parade, in partnership with other affirming churches, showcasing Centennial United Church’s Pride.
- Revisit our action plan annually (ie. On the anniversary of our becoming an Affirming Ministry) so that we’re moving forward and adding new items every year as old ones are completed.