By Gemma Villanueva
A Centretown church is now looking to house its congregation under the roof of another church, after it failed to reach an amalgamation agreement last year.
First United Church minister Brian Cornelius says high repair costs make it advantageous to move out of the current building on Kent Street.
“If less money is taken by the building, there would be more money for pursuing ministry,” he says, adding the congregation voted against investing money into building repairs, but favoured investing in social justice initiatives such as housing.
Paul Durber, chairman of First United’s council, says attendance is not a factor in this call for sharing space.
Attendance has increased since Rev. Cornelius became the continuing minister in September, he says.
“We were slightly larger three or four years ago,” he says. “But we lost a long-term minister… and often, people don’t like feeling unsettled or being in transition.”
Durber says he sent out letters in February to 24 local churches who would be interested in sharing space.
The accommodating church would have to offer offices, meeting rooms, spaces for youth and a place for worship and meditation, he adds.
He says there has been no final decision as to whether the First United building would be sold to another church, re-developed or torn down.
Durber says less than 10 per cent of the First United congregation live within walking distance from the existing building, and church members are coming from as far as the suburbs and surrounding rural areas.
McLeod-Stewarton United Church on Bank Street and St. Paul’s-Eastern United Church on Cumberland Avenue are each having initial discussions about sharing their space with First United. All Saints’ Anglican Church Westboro, located on Richmond Road also met with First United.
Ian MacAllister, chairman of the board of session of McLeod-Stewarton, says his church’s traditional congregation last year could not see itself combining with First United, one of the few churches in Ottawa conducting same-sex marriages.
“But there’s a difference between becoming one church and sharing a space,” he says, adding that the church has a 700-person capacity but today, attendees only number 50 to 70.
The two congregations would have separate Sunday services and separate offices for staff, MacAllister says. Ample parking is available in surrounding lots and on the street, he adds.
“Sharing the building with First United would be another bold decision,” says Dan Hayward, student supply minister at McLeod-Stewarton United.
He says his church enjoys providing community support through outreach programs such as a drop-in centre and a food bank.
Rev. Alan Edwards, of St. Paul’s-Eastern United, says 350 people can fill his church, but only about 100 people attend church on a “good” Sunday.
He says St. Paul’s-Eastern is looking into whether its parking and offices can accommodate First United, and says he imagines there would be two worship services for the distinct congregations.
“That’s simply because churches, like people, have personalities,” Edwards says. “No one wants to lose their personality.”
Allen Box, rector of All Saints’ Anglican Church Westboro, says his congregation is willing to talk about sharing its building and is not concerned about First United’s liberal stance on same-sex marriage.
Tom Tanner, chairman of the Glebe-St. James United Church council, says his church declined First United’s invitation.
“Sure, there are extra seats in the sanctuary on Sundays. But not in terms of meeting rooms,” he says.
Durber says he hopes First United can start moving by the middle of next year.
“There’s a sadness to be leaving,” he says. “But on the other hand, I think people welcome the possibility of a creative partnership.”