Mission and Core Values

Hello from Leaside United Church!

We are located in the middle of the community of Leaside in mid-Toronto East York, Ontario, Canada.

Our church has a proud history of mission, service and witness both in our local community, and in outreach beyond our doors.

You’ll find us at the corner of Millwood and McRae, we are accessible and offer free parking.  (Google map us at 822 Millwood Road).

While our building has a very traditional look, both outside and inside (yes we have pews and stained glass windows!), it’s fair to say we are a little unusual in our theological outlook.

While our minister leans more to progressive theology, our members encompass the full breadth of the theological spectrum.  As a result we have traditional worship mixed in with contemporary hymns and wording. 

We still read the Bible stories, but we sometimes have to update the language because the ancient understandings, while deeply true, don’t quite resonate with our 21st century world.  We have traditional sermons, but the thinking is hip and up to date. 

AND we value everyone’s opinions and outlook, trusting that it makes for a richer community life!

“It is here in this welcoming and vibrant place that my spirit is nourished.  I feel so fortunate to receive a progressive Christian message of hope that I can take with me each week and then try to apply it to life in a modern and changing world.”

Graham L.

You may find that there’s space for you here. 

We hope you do.

If you are a young family, you’ll see we have lots of people like you.  Our wonderful modern program teaches values and principles, along with key Bible stories, to children.

If you are gay, lesbian, straight, or in between, we want you to feel welcome here and know that this is a safe space for you.  We are an Affirming Ministry through Affirm United www.ause.ca; this is such an important part of our legacy as a church:  to be as extensively inclusive as we think Jesus was!

If you care about music and worship, we think you’ll find a wide spectrum of music here.  We do appreciate some of the old-style music once in a while, but we also like to hear jazz interpretation sometimes too.    Traditional, classy, and sometimes really up to date:  that’s who we are.

We do a lot of outreach.  There is always a project going on.  You might really enjoy getting involved in this part of our witness in the world.

Our worship services are Sundays at 10:30 a.m. all year round.   It’s important to know that worship grounds our life as a church community.  Everything we do, from outreach to pastoral care comes from the energy and power we find in our communal worship.  We believe that the fire of God’s Spirit lives inside each of us;  worship helps us stoke the flame!

We hope you will give us a try!  And if you have any questions, check us out on this site, or email us at the church.  Our administrator’s email is office@leasideunited.org she will forward your question to the appropriate person.

In the meantime, stay well.

“Spiritual development is an integral part of being human.  Nancy and I are spiritually curious and want to encourage our kids to develop their spirit, contribute to their communities (and to their church) and have a strong “give back” attitude in their lives.  We love Leaside United Church and it’s values.”

Tim & Nancy M.

OUR MISSION AND CORE VALUES


MISSION STATEMENT

Constitution of the Congregation of Leaside United Church

(Approved at Congregational Meeting on June 11, 2017)

The Mission of Leaside United Church is to grow a caring and vibrant spiritual community that embodies God’s unconditional love following the teachings of Jesus and takes responsibility for being co-creators of a world that works for all.

As an affirming ministry, we celebrate the diversity of God’s creation. We celebrate the richness of our community when we have diversity in age, gender identity, economic circumstances, racial/cultural backgrounds, sexual orientation, ability and family configurations. We seek to create a safe place with an open invitation to bring every aspect of one’s whole self into one’s participation within this ministry.

CORE VALUES

• Acceptance, Respect and Inclusiveness

• Love and Compassion

• The Divinity of all People

• The Nurturing of Spirituality

• The Teachings of Jesus

• The Sacredness of Creation and Reverence for the Environment

• Abundant Hospitality

• Fairness and Justice

• Loving Service to Others

• Inquiring and Open Minds


What’s New at Leaside United:


Give & Go FUNdraiser Event – Thursday, April 18, 2024

Give & Go FUNdraiser Event – Thursday, April 18, 2024

Join us for a FUNdraising event at Leaside United Church on Thursday, April 18th from 7:00-8:30 pm. These events are designed for our whole community so be sure to invite your neighbours, families and friends to participate with you. The format will ...
Awesome Sale Donation Update

Awesome Sale Donation Update

The Next Awesome Sale at Leaside United Church will be on Friday, May 10 (3 pm – 7 pm) and Saturday, May 11 (10 am-1 pm). There is a NEW DROP-OFF LOCATION. Please bring your ...

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