Kirk United Church
Profile One – Community
Kirk United Church is located in the community of Dovercourt, in the City of Edmonton. Along with the neighbouring communities of Sherbrooke and Woodcroft, Dovercourt was established circa 1955. It is an established and stable, mainly residential, area with a minor mix of small commercial enterprises.
There are two schools in the community, Dovercourt Elementary and the Seventh Day Adventist Christian Academy. The Academy comprises grades 1-9, and it is currently in negotiations with Kirk to lease rental space for grades 10-12. Ross Sheppard High School is located in the nearby Woodcroft community, adjacent to the Westmount Shopping Centre. Edmonton has both public and separate school systems, along with a number of private and charter schools.
Other services in the vicinity include Westmount Community and Family Services, Woodcroft Library, three seniors residences/care centres, and Westmount Shopping Centre. The Peter Hemingway Leisure and Wellness Centre is located adjacent to Ross Sheppard High School.
We presently rent space in our building to the Seventh Day Adventist and the New Life Pentecostal churches. Other churches in the area include two Roman Catholic, an Anglican, two Baptist, a Lutheran, a Christian Reformed, a Presbyterian, and a Unitarian. There are also three United Churches within 40 blocks of Kirk.
There is easy access to all levels of education within the area, with good transit service to post-secondary and higher level education facilities such as the University of Alberta, MacEwan University, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and Metro Community College, and private colleges, such as Concordia. There are four active treatment hospitals in Edmonton, as well as the widely acclaimed Stollery Children’s Hospital.
Edmonton has a wide variety of cultural activities. It is blessed with a number of both professional and amateur theatre companies; the nationally recognized Citadel Theatre is located in the heart of downtown Edmonton. International and local entertainers perform on a regular basis at several facilities, including the Jubilee Auditorium and the Winspear Centre, both world-class concert halls. As well, Edmonton is home to the Edmonton Symphony, the Alberta Ballet, the Art Gallery of Alberta, Edmonton Opera, the Royal Alberta Museum, and a state-of-the-art Space and Sciences Centre known as the Telus World of Science. Edmonton is known Canada-wide as the “Festival City”, because of a wide range of festivals which take place annually. These include the Fringe Theatre Festival, Heritage Festival, Folk Music Fest, Edmonton International Jazz Festival, and Capital Ex.
Profile Two – Pastoral Charge
Kirk’s Mission Statement
Kirk United Church is a caring community of God’s people who strive to follow Jesus Christ. Our mission is to provide the opportunity for spiritual growth for all whom seek God’s love, wisdom, and guidance. We nurture faith and fellowship,
and provide resources to meet the challenges of today, and those of the future, by sharing God’s word through worship, music, prayer, study, and service.
Kirk has been known as “The Friendly Kirk” for many years. Kirk United Church was constituted in 1956, and built in the community of Dovercourt in 1958. In its 55 years of existence there have been 14 different ministers, in solo and team ministries. The first minister was the Reverend Kirk. The church grew to accommodate, on average, 500 people, at two services. The Sunday School grew to 400 children, and had to run in two shifts. By the early 1960s this number had grown to 600.
The current Sanctuary was built in the mid-1960s, and services have been held there ever since. Kirk celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1981. In 1991 we saw the amalgamation of the congregation of Westminster United into Kirk, followed in 1994 by the amalgamation of Central United’s congregation. In 1996 Norwood United closed its doors, and 12 of its members joined Kirk. In 2006 Kirk celebrated its 50th anniversary.
Since Kirk’s founding in the boom years of the 1950s, it has experienced aging of its congregation and faced the struggle of existing in a modern world, where a church is no longer the centre of the community. Enrolment in the Sunday school and attendance at Sunday services have both significantly declined.
It should be noted that a significant number of our congregants are drawn from outside the districts immediately surrounding Kirk. This raises its own challenges, especially for participation in events other than those scheduled on Sundays, and for Sunday transportation of those unable to drive. At present, Kirk has a few volunteer drivers who provide service on an as-requested basis.
Within a one-mile radius of the church we have 58 members who normally attend Sunday worship service. In addition we also provide services, on a monthly basis, to the Shepherds Care seniors care facility. We have many senior congregants in other care facilities throughout the city.
Kirk belongs to the Westmount Christian Council, which meets on a regular basis, as a group of ministers and lay people from seven different area churches.
There is no doubt that there are more people to whom we could be reaching out: seniors, low income families, First Nations people, and youth. Hopefully, with God’s help, we will develop the resources and expertise to work towards meeting these needs.
In addition to the 10 a.m. Sunday worship service, other regular activities at Kirk include
Organizational Charts and Committee Mandates:
In accordance with the Manual of the United Church of Canada and the particular desires of the Kirk United Church Congregation, the organizational units consist of the official Board which has the following Standing Committees:
Profile Three – Resources
CAPITAL PROPERTY
Ongoing maintenance to the building and facilities is handled in a proactive manner by both contractors and volunteers under the direction of the Property Committee Chair, and the property is considered to be in very good condition.
Kirk has an attractive, well–maintained church building comprising the Sanctuary, with a modified A-frame roof, and seating for 350 people, including a choir loft, which seats 20. The narthex runs the full width of the Sanctuary, and it can be divided, with a folding door, into a small chapel and anteroom, to accommodate small gatherings for weddings, funerals, etc. Across the front of the building are a choir room, offices for Edmonton Presbytery, church offices, and a minister’s office/study. In the annex at the rear of the church are an office, a meeting room, and an elevator. The Christian Education building, adjoining the west side of the church, contains a large gym-style auditorium which seats 200 people, full kitchen facilities, storage rooms, a balcony with several upstairs meeting rooms, and a full basement which is divided into Sunday School/meeting rooms of various sizes.
As well as the use of the church facilities for Sunday worship services and church sponsored programmes during the week, the following groups use the facilities:
Seventh Day Adventist Church
New Life Pentecostal Church
Spanish Pentecostal Church
Alberta Trail Riding Association
Gamblers Anonymous
Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Brownies, Girl Guides and Pathfinders
Jazzercise
Dances of Universal Peace
Stewardship: (Financial)
A general Stewardship Campaign has not been carried out at Kirk for some years now, however, fundraising events have been well attended, and special projects, such as roof repairs, have been well supported.
Volunteers who directly support the Pastoral Charge
United Church Women – long the backbone of our church, U.C.W. ladies provide lunches for a variety of functions, lead worship services as required, and contribute to the M & S fund and congregational expenses, with monies raised from a number of projects.
Pastoral Care Volunteer Network – this organization, an important force within Kirk for pastoral care, makes visits to hospitals, nursing homes, seniors lodges, and residences.
Volunteer Gardeners – responsible for the ongoing design and maintenance of the Kirk Memorial Rose Garden and general care and maintenance of the Kirk grounds.
Senior Choir – provides appropriate, uplifting music for all Sunday services, as well as for various special events and services throughout the year.
Office Volunteers – Bulletin and Newsletter production, envelope stuffing, and helping with mail-outs.
Church Board – makes major decisions and works through individuals and committees to coordinate events and special projects. Acts as a clearing house for, and liaison between, various committees, and ensures the smooth operation of church business.
Coffee Hour Hosts – purchase supplies as needed, set up coffee/tea service and bread trays, serve coffee and tea, clean up tables and kitchen.
Ministry and Personnel
Kirk United Church staff consists of:
Minister
Music Director
Church Secretary
Staff are accountable to the Church Board through the Ministry and Personnel Committee.
Kirk is also served by a Minister Emeritus, and has a contract with a custodial company.
Kirk United Church is located in the community of Dovercourt, in the City of Edmonton. Along with the neighbouring communities of Sherbrooke and Woodcroft, Dovercourt was established circa 1955. It is an established and stable, mainly residential, area with a minor mix of small commercial enterprises.
There are two schools in the community, Dovercourt Elementary and the Seventh Day Adventist Christian Academy. The Academy comprises grades 1-9, and it is currently in negotiations with Kirk to lease rental space for grades 10-12. Ross Sheppard High School is located in the nearby Woodcroft community, adjacent to the Westmount Shopping Centre. Edmonton has both public and separate school systems, along with a number of private and charter schools.
Other services in the vicinity include Westmount Community and Family Services, Woodcroft Library, three seniors residences/care centres, and Westmount Shopping Centre. The Peter Hemingway Leisure and Wellness Centre is located adjacent to Ross Sheppard High School.
We presently rent space in our building to the Seventh Day Adventist and the New Life Pentecostal churches. Other churches in the area include two Roman Catholic, an Anglican, two Baptist, a Lutheran, a Christian Reformed, a Presbyterian, and a Unitarian. There are also three United Churches within 40 blocks of Kirk.
There is easy access to all levels of education within the area, with good transit service to post-secondary and higher level education facilities such as the University of Alberta, MacEwan University, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and Metro Community College, and private colleges, such as Concordia. There are four active treatment hospitals in Edmonton, as well as the widely acclaimed Stollery Children’s Hospital.
Edmonton has a wide variety of cultural activities. It is blessed with a number of both professional and amateur theatre companies; the nationally recognized Citadel Theatre is located in the heart of downtown Edmonton. International and local entertainers perform on a regular basis at several facilities, including the Jubilee Auditorium and the Winspear Centre, both world-class concert halls. As well, Edmonton is home to the Edmonton Symphony, the Alberta Ballet, the Art Gallery of Alberta, Edmonton Opera, the Royal Alberta Museum, and a state-of-the-art Space and Sciences Centre known as the Telus World of Science. Edmonton is known Canada-wide as the “Festival City”, because of a wide range of festivals which take place annually. These include the Fringe Theatre Festival, Heritage Festival, Folk Music Fest, Edmonton International Jazz Festival, and Capital Ex.
Profile Two – Pastoral Charge
Kirk’s Mission Statement
Kirk United Church is a caring community of God’s people who strive to follow Jesus Christ. Our mission is to provide the opportunity for spiritual growth for all whom seek God’s love, wisdom, and guidance. We nurture faith and fellowship,
and provide resources to meet the challenges of today, and those of the future, by sharing God’s word through worship, music, prayer, study, and service.
Kirk has been known as “The Friendly Kirk” for many years. Kirk United Church was constituted in 1956, and built in the community of Dovercourt in 1958. In its 55 years of existence there have been 14 different ministers, in solo and team ministries. The first minister was the Reverend Kirk. The church grew to accommodate, on average, 500 people, at two services. The Sunday School grew to 400 children, and had to run in two shifts. By the early 1960s this number had grown to 600.
The current Sanctuary was built in the mid-1960s, and services have been held there ever since. Kirk celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1981. In 1991 we saw the amalgamation of the congregation of Westminster United into Kirk, followed in 1994 by the amalgamation of Central United’s congregation. In 1996 Norwood United closed its doors, and 12 of its members joined Kirk. In 2006 Kirk celebrated its 50th anniversary.
Since Kirk’s founding in the boom years of the 1950s, it has experienced aging of its congregation and faced the struggle of existing in a modern world, where a church is no longer the centre of the community. Enrolment in the Sunday school and attendance at Sunday services have both significantly declined.
It should be noted that a significant number of our congregants are drawn from outside the districts immediately surrounding Kirk. This raises its own challenges, especially for participation in events other than those scheduled on Sundays, and for Sunday transportation of those unable to drive. At present, Kirk has a few volunteer drivers who provide service on an as-requested basis.
Within a one-mile radius of the church we have 58 members who normally attend Sunday worship service. In addition we also provide services, on a monthly basis, to the Shepherds Care seniors care facility. We have many senior congregants in other care facilities throughout the city.
Kirk belongs to the Westmount Christian Council, which meets on a regular basis, as a group of ministers and lay people from seven different area churches.
There is no doubt that there are more people to whom we could be reaching out: seniors, low income families, First Nations people, and youth. Hopefully, with God’s help, we will develop the resources and expertise to work towards meeting these needs.
In addition to the 10 a.m. Sunday worship service, other regular activities at Kirk include
- Sandwiches for Bissell Centre – monthly
- Shepherds Care service – monthly
- After Church Coffee Hour – weekly
- Knitting Group – ongoing
- Men’s Group – monthly
- Choir “Carols by Candle Light” - annually
- Pastoral Care Volunteer Network – ongoing
- United Church Women’s Group – ongoing
- Fall Supper – annually
- Providing and serving lunch at Bissell Centre (ICPM) – annually
- Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper – annually
- Westmount Christian Council – ongoing
Organizational Charts and Committee Mandates:
In accordance with the Manual of the United Church of Canada and the particular desires of the Kirk United Church Congregation, the organizational units consist of the official Board which has the following Standing Committees:
- Worship, Music, and Christian Development
- Membership and Pastoral Care
- Outreach and Social Justice
- Property and Maintenance
- Ministry and Personnel
Profile Three – Resources
CAPITAL PROPERTY
Ongoing maintenance to the building and facilities is handled in a proactive manner by both contractors and volunteers under the direction of the Property Committee Chair, and the property is considered to be in very good condition.
Kirk has an attractive, well–maintained church building comprising the Sanctuary, with a modified A-frame roof, and seating for 350 people, including a choir loft, which seats 20. The narthex runs the full width of the Sanctuary, and it can be divided, with a folding door, into a small chapel and anteroom, to accommodate small gatherings for weddings, funerals, etc. Across the front of the building are a choir room, offices for Edmonton Presbytery, church offices, and a minister’s office/study. In the annex at the rear of the church are an office, a meeting room, and an elevator. The Christian Education building, adjoining the west side of the church, contains a large gym-style auditorium which seats 200 people, full kitchen facilities, storage rooms, a balcony with several upstairs meeting rooms, and a full basement which is divided into Sunday School/meeting rooms of various sizes.
As well as the use of the church facilities for Sunday worship services and church sponsored programmes during the week, the following groups use the facilities:
Seventh Day Adventist Church
New Life Pentecostal Church
Spanish Pentecostal Church
Alberta Trail Riding Association
Gamblers Anonymous
Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Brownies, Girl Guides and Pathfinders
Jazzercise
Dances of Universal Peace
Stewardship: (Financial)
A general Stewardship Campaign has not been carried out at Kirk for some years now, however, fundraising events have been well attended, and special projects, such as roof repairs, have been well supported.
Volunteers who directly support the Pastoral Charge
United Church Women – long the backbone of our church, U.C.W. ladies provide lunches for a variety of functions, lead worship services as required, and contribute to the M & S fund and congregational expenses, with monies raised from a number of projects.
Pastoral Care Volunteer Network – this organization, an important force within Kirk for pastoral care, makes visits to hospitals, nursing homes, seniors lodges, and residences.
Volunteer Gardeners – responsible for the ongoing design and maintenance of the Kirk Memorial Rose Garden and general care and maintenance of the Kirk grounds.
Senior Choir – provides appropriate, uplifting music for all Sunday services, as well as for various special events and services throughout the year.
Office Volunteers – Bulletin and Newsletter production, envelope stuffing, and helping with mail-outs.
Church Board – makes major decisions and works through individuals and committees to coordinate events and special projects. Acts as a clearing house for, and liaison between, various committees, and ensures the smooth operation of church business.
Coffee Hour Hosts – purchase supplies as needed, set up coffee/tea service and bread trays, serve coffee and tea, clean up tables and kitchen.
Ministry and Personnel
Kirk United Church staff consists of:
Minister
Music Director
Church Secretary
Staff are accountable to the Church Board through the Ministry and Personnel Committee.
Kirk is also served by a Minister Emeritus, and has a contract with a custodial company.