Melrose United Church

Melrose United ChurchMelrose United ChurchMelrose United Church
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Links We Like
    • History of Melrose
  • Worship With Us
    • Worship Services
    • Child and Family Programs
    • Blog
    • Prayer Requests
  • Celebrate With Us
    • Weddings
    • Baptisms
  • Events & Actions
    • Upcoming Events
    • Actions
    • Rev Sonia's Retirement
  • Rentals & Groups
  • Music
  • Contact Us
  • DONATE
  • More
    • Home
    • About
      • About Us
      • Links We Like
      • History of Melrose
    • Worship With Us
      • Worship Services
      • Child and Family Programs
      • Blog
      • Prayer Requests
    • Celebrate With Us
      • Weddings
      • Baptisms
    • Events & Actions
      • Upcoming Events
      • Actions
      • Rev Sonia's Retirement
    • Rentals & Groups
    • Music
    • Contact Us
    • DONATE

Melrose United Church

Melrose United ChurchMelrose United ChurchMelrose United Church
  • Home
  • About
    • About Us
    • Links We Like
    • History of Melrose
  • Worship With Us
    • Worship Services
    • Child and Family Programs
    • Blog
    • Prayer Requests
  • Celebrate With Us
    • Weddings
    • Baptisms
  • Events & Actions
    • Upcoming Events
    • Actions
    • Rev Sonia's Retirement
  • Rentals & Groups
  • Music
  • Contact Us
  • DONATE
Love

Who We Are

Outreach

Greening Sacred Spaces

Land Acknowledgement

We work through Wesley, one of the longest-standing non-profits in the region, supporting child care, people experiencing homelessness, supportive housing, employment services and refugee settlement. We also contribute to Helping Hands Street Mission, Fiddes Fresh Food Drive, and Hamilton Food Share. 

 

In 2023 we donated to El Salvador Chi

We work through Wesley, one of the longest-standing non-profits in the region, supporting child care, people experiencing homelessness, supportive housing, employment services and refugee settlement. We also contribute to Helping Hands Street Mission, Fiddes Fresh Food Drive, and Hamilton Food Share. 

 

In 2023 we donated to El Salvador Children's Community Centre,  and to the Raw Carrot, a social enterprise that provides the dignity of  work to people who face barriers to traditional employment. We  collected food and financial donations for St Matthew's house, which  supports senior citizens living in the Hamilton community.



Land Acknowledgement

Greening Sacred Spaces

Land Acknowledgement

We  gather on the territory of Erie, Neutral, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee  and Mississaugas. This territory was included in the Between-the-Lakes  purchase (Treaty 3), an agreement between the Mississaugas of the Credit  First Nation and the British Crown; the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Belt  Covenant, an agreement between the Haudenosaun

We  gather on the territory of Erie, Neutral, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee  and Mississaugas. This territory was included in the Between-the-Lakes  purchase (Treaty 3), an agreement between the Mississaugas of the Credit  First Nation and the British Crown; the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Belt  Covenant, an agreement between the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe to  share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes; and the Two Row  Wampum Belt Covenant, between First Nations and colonials. 

We  recognize that as settlers we have not lived up to these ideals and  that our relationship with First Nations people has often been  characterized by a sense of superiority, a desire to dominate, and by  the theft of land. We now work to be people of reconciliation.

Greening Sacred Spaces

Greening Sacred Spaces

Greening Sacred Spaces

We’re very conscious of our environmental footprint and have been greening our sacred space for a number of years. 


We have installed LED lights throughout the building and we heat the sanctuary only when

 it is in use. 


In 2011, we replaced our boiler with a more efficient model, and installed solar panels on the roof.  


 Since their placeme

We’re very conscious of our environmental footprint and have been greening our sacred space for a number of years. 


We have installed LED lights throughout the building and we heat the sanctuary only when

 it is in use. 


In 2011, we replaced our boiler with a more efficient model, and installed solar panels on the roof.  


 Since their placement, these panels have generated over 167,000 kWh, offsetting  tons of CO2 emissions, that would have resulted from this electricity  generation, had it been generated conventionally. 

Worship

Mission Statement

Community

We are a progressive church with traditional elements to our service and include quite a lot of music. 


We welcome people who are questioning. 


We dress  informally and understand that children often run around and make  noise.


All are welcome here!

Community

Mission Statement

Community

 We work through Wesley to support people experiencing homelessness and people experiencing  food insecurity.


 We organize community events, including lectures,  potlucks, knitting and euchre. 


Our building is home to a day-care and  counselling practices, as well as other regular activities such as yoga, Tai Chi, carpet bowling, swing danc

 We work through Wesley to support people experiencing homelessness and people experiencing  food insecurity.


 We organize community events, including lectures,  potlucks, knitting and euchre. 


Our building is home to a day-care and  counselling practices, as well as other regular activities such as yoga, Tai Chi, carpet bowling, swing dancing, basketball and 

Scottish country dancing.


 Space can be rented for community events and private parties.


Contact the office for more information!

melrose@melroseunited.ca

Mission Statement

Mission Statement

Mission Statement

As  a congregation of the United Church of Canada our Mission is to respond  to God's call by being a people of faith who open our hearts and minds  to the true power and love of Jesus Christ; and to live our faith by  providing, within our changing community, a welcoming environment which  encourages all people to care for and accept one another.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusiveness

In 2015 the statement ‘Affirming Other Spiritual Paths’ reminded us of the 1966 UCC Report that stated that God is at work in the religious life of all humanity, not just the United Church or the Christian denominations. 


The UCC 1998 apology to Indigenous peoples included the powerful words “As we travel this difficult road of repentance, reconciliation, and healing, we commit ourselves to work toward ensuring that we will never again use our power as a Church to hurt others with attitudes of racial and spiritual superiority. We work to recognize that Every Child Matters, to undo the harm of colonial practices, and to be a people of reconciliation.”


People who are LGBTQ2SIA+ have also suffered much harm from some interpretations of Christianity. We recognize how wrong it was that our spiritual ancestors behaved in this way, and work towards harmony, justice and equity. We practice equal marriage. 


Everyone is welcome here.

Community

We organize sacred and secular community events. A regular lecture series on Wednesday at lunchtime has covered topics from women djinn in Hebrew scripture to preparing, as people and as caregivers, for long-term care. Twice a month (first and third Saturdays) our community knitting group meets to share skills, ideas and conversation. At potlucks with our own community and with other communities of faith we share food and hear about opportunities to work for justice in our community. Our regular euchre group meets on fourth Friday evenings and we host a family board games event once a month on a Sunday afternoon.


 

In 2023 and 2024 we Melrose  hosted a Community Music Evening, a cafe-style event with local established and  emerging musicians, which was sold out, and which raised money for  Wesley refugee settlement.


Here is the hyperlink for 'Wesley refugee settlement': https://services.settlement.org/en/hamilton/settlement-services/wesley-wesley-resettlement-assistance-program-rap/


Our building is home to a day care and counselling practices, as well as other regular activities such as yoga, Tai Chi and Scotting country dancing, and swing dancing. Our carpet bowling alley is used by a community group weekly. 


Space can be rented for community events and private parties: we have a gym, and a certified kitchen with adjacent parlour and auditorium. Our beautiful abbey-style sanctuary is used throughout the year by diverse musical groups for concerts. 


Baptisms are part of Sunday services held by our minister. Weddings and funerals are usually officiated by our minister, but at her discretion. Other ministers may officiate in our space. We practice equal marriage and all are welcome here.


Each Christmas our Mistletoe Bazaar is a popular community event; our advent also includes a candelight service, and on Christmas evening we have a welcoming early family service and a beautiful midnight communion. 


Music is a strong tradition at Melrose, one upheld by our current music director, Alex Cann, our choir, gifted soloists Chris Palmer and Allana Stevenson, and our congregational signing.

Staff Team



Director of Music: Alexander Cann


Property Manager: Kevin Geluch


Custodial Team: 

Alan Ritcey, George Mayhew and Tim Hammond


Church Administrator: Sue Hawthorne-Bate

About Our Faith Community

Current Featured Video ~ Sanctuary Tour

Supporters of Our Work

Hamilton Community Foundation

Hamilton Community Foundation

We are grateful to receive an annual gift from the Hamilton Community Foundation Douglas J Clark Fund to support the work of the church. 

UCC Foundation

Hamilton Community Foundation

We are grateful to receive an annual gift from the Eva Porter Estate Fund to support the Melrose Mission and Service Fund. 

Horseshoe Falls Regional Council

Horseshoe Falls Regional Council

Please note

Views and opinions reflected on this site do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the organizations listed above.   

Copyright © 2025 Melrose United Church - All Rights Reserved.

Powered by