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Worshippers from across Oxford County attended a 600-person service in Woodstock

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Worshippers from across Oxford County converged upon l’ecole Sainte-Marguerite-Bourgeoys for a huge, communal ceremony to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the United Church of Canada.

Close to 600 people took part in the Sunday service, said Rev. Mark Marshall from Westminster United Church in Thamesford.

“It’s exciting. It shows we have life, it shows we have unity,” he said.

Most of the United churches in Oxford County moved their regular Sunday service to the celebration in Woodstock.

“Our theme has been ‘we are one’ so we’ve really been trying to promote churches working together – not being about our four closed walls, but reaching out beyond,” Marshall said.

“This is awesome, it exceeds our expectations,” said Rev. Jane Van Patter, past chair of Oxford Presbytery.

“It’s a great way to mark this milestone. We’ve journeyed 90 years together through the decades.”

The theme of the service – ‘WeR1’ – was represented in those who attended, said Cathy Elliott, a member of Trinity United Church in Ingersoll.

“We represented the oldest generations down to the youngest generations,” she said.

That was certainly true of the busload of worshippers that came from Norwich United Church.

Marilyn Robillard brought her six-year-old granddaughter Calleigh to celebrate this milestone anniversary.

“It’s unbelievable, it’s really touching,” Robillard said of the celebration.

“We’re going towards a brighter future,” she said.

The anniversary is also a time to reflect on the beliefs at the core of the United Church of Canada, Marshall said.

“It’s a very open and inclusive church, very welcoming of all people, all beliefs, all abilities, all everything. We were the first to ordain gays and lesbians, and we’re very open to the LGBTQ community,” said Marshall.

There is no denying that it’s a tough time for churches – most are fast losing members and desperate for youth and young families to round out their congregations.

“We’re struggling too,” Marshall said of Oxford’s United churches.

“But I think those that are staying true to their calling, those ones are surviving.”

Sharing resources is one solution for these sustainability troubles. That’s something some in the presbytery would like to see happen more often.

“We need to come together more often,” said Ian Masson, from Trinity United Church.

"There's too many smaller churches fighting financial burdens that they don't need to be if we were to come together as one."

Though the pews may not be full every Sunday, having 600 show up to the anniversary service sends a message to United Churches in Oxford, Marshall said.

“It’s helping remind our congregations that we’re not alone. It’s about bringing us together.”

megan.stacey@sunmedia.ca

 

 

 

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