By Andrew Chang
Over the next year, two local United churches will be considering amalgamation as a way of dealing with building problems and diminishing congregations.
Rev. Bill Jay, of McLeod-Stewarton United Church on Bank Street, says attendance at his church has declined over the past few decades. He says he draws only about 50 to 75 people on an average Sunday to fill the 800-seat sanctuary, compared to several hundred in past decades. But his church has spent more than half a million dollars repairing the building’s stonework, so he says the church is in good condition.
On the other hand, Read Sherman, a minister at First United Church, says he is facing repair costs of about one million dollars to his Kent Street church only a few blocks away. This and the fact that the size of his congregation has been growing make an amalgamation of particular interest to both churches.
“It’s probably these kinds of nuts and bolts issues that are bringing this possibility to the fore,” says Sherman.
“This is a year to explore how compatible we are and how to make something new and more wonderful than the two congregations are as separate entities. It’s a year of exploration. We hope we can be one body.”
According to Sherman, moving the First United congregation to McLeod-Stewarton’s building is a strong possibility. But what might happen to the old First United church is still up for debate. He says it could be sold to another church, redeveloped, or simply torn down.
Three committees with members from both churches have formed to investigate the possible amalgamation.
Carol Ann Cameron, a member of McLeod-Stewarton’s communications committee, says the discussions over the next year will be critical.
“To survive, we need more energy. We’re tired, I’m tired,” says Cameron, who is a member of several other committees and also sings with the choir.
“A lot of people are worried about what we’re going to have to give up…being a smaller congregation, it’s easier to be a family. When you have 300 to 400 people — I’ve been to churches where there’s that many people — I don’t feel that closeness.”
Adding First United’s 150 members to McLeod-Stewarton’s congregation would fill a quarter of its 800-seat church.
But some McLeod-Stewarton members aren’t worried about losing its intimate atmosphere.
“Eventually you get back together,” says Vernon Worrell, who has been a member of McLeod-Stewarton’s congregation for several years. “You lose a little bit (of intimacy) in the early running, but later on, you become close-knit again. After all, this is a church.”
Bertie Mo, a First United member, agrees.
“Because we’re very inclusive, I think that we wouldn’t lose the intimacy at all,” says Mo, who is also a member of the First United welcoming committee.
“I come from a fairly large family, and for me, the mark of a strong family, a successful family, is how you can actually reach out and embrace strangers… and if McLeod-Stewarton is a very strong family, we can embrace each other.”
By June, each congregation will discuss the amalgamation and reach a consensus, says Jay. He adds that an official recommendation will be put forward by January 2004, and plans to physically amalgamate the congregations would begin by March 2004.
“Basically we’re dating each other very seriously,” says Mo. “We hope that by the end of the year there’ll be a marriage.”