Who are we?

The United Church of Canada is the largest Protestant denomination in Canada. We minister to over 2 million people in about 3,000 congregations. The history of the United Church is closely entwined with the history of Canada itself. 

The United Church was inaugurated on June 10, 1925 in Toronto, Ontario, when the Methodist Church, Canada, the Congregational Union of Canada, and 70 per cent of the Presbyterian Church of Canada entered into a union. Also joining was the small General Council of Union Churches, centred largely in Western Canada. Congregations in Indigenous communities from each of the original denominations were an important factor in the effort toward church union. 

The United Church continues to be a “uniting” church, and has been enriched by several additional unions since 1925. In 1930, the Synod of The Wesleyan Methodist Church of Bermuda became part of The United Church of Canada’s Maritime Conference. The Evangelical United Brethren Church became part of The United Church of Canada in 1968.

Ut omnes unum sint

That all may be one

Akwe Nia’tetewá:neren (Mohawk: All my relations)

Revised in 2012, the motto of the crest of the United Church of Canada reflects both the identity of The United Church of Canada as a uniting church and the contribution of Indigenous communities of faith to its past, present and future.

The New Creed (1968) provides a succinct summary of the core values of The United Church of Canada:

As a uniting Church in Christ, we will

celebrate God’s presence 

live with respect in Creation 

love and serve others 

seek justice and resist evil 

proclaim Jesus 

The United Church of Canada is a Christian denomination in the tradition of the Reformation. The United Church of Canada is not a confessional church with a single creed endorsed by all of its members. However, several important statements of faith are shared by the many communities that make up The United Church of Canada.

A New Creed (1968, rev. 1980, 1995) is a favorite contemporary statement of the faith and values of The United Church of Canada.

We are not alone, 

    we live in God’s world. 

 We believe in God: 

    who has created and is creating, 

    who has come in Jesus, 

       the Word made flesh, 

       to reconcile and make new, 

    who works in us and others 

       by the Spirit. 

 We trust in God.

We are called to be the Church: 

    to celebrate God’s presence, 

    to live with respect in Creation, 

    to love and serve others, 

    to seek justice and resist evil, 

    to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen, 

       our judge and our hope. 

In life, in death, in life beyond death, 

    God is with us. 

We are not alone. 

     Thanks be to God. 

A New Creed, 1968 

Visit the United Church of Canada website to learn more about our mission in the world.