Who we are
We are John Black Memorial United Church; a church with a future, happily celebrating and struggling to share God’s love here and now, mindful of our proud heritage.
We are a Worshiping Community- In May of 2024, we entered into Collaboration with Immanuel United Church, which is at the corner of Golspie and Kimberly. Since that time we have shared clergy and have alternated worship between the two buildings. We meet at either John Black or Immanuel at 10:45 every Sunday morning. Our two congregations share more than worship. We support each other’s fundraising activities, participate in each other’s charitable works, and enjoy each other’s company and friendship in a time of fellowship and coffee after every service.
Our administrative assistant, Pat Johnston, is in the office Tuesday – Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. If you enter our building during that time you will be met by Pat or by our ministry staff. On differing days you may encounter people making pies, collecting food for the North Point Douglas Women’s Resource Centre or West Broadway Ministry, rehearsing hymns and anthems for Sunday service or having various meetings to talk about our ongoing pastoral care and worship life. If you arrive in the evening you may hear the joyful noise of Sparks and Scouts, see a group of people engaged in yoga, or find a prayer group being conducted by Four Square, which finds space in our building on Sundays as well.
Ministry to the home bound-
Not all of John Black Memorial Members are able to physically attend worship services but we do our best to go to them. Our twelve member Pastoral Care team visits or calls the home bound and those in personal care. As well as visiting, the Pastoral care team takes handmade prayer shawls to anyone who may need a reminder they are surrounded in love.
We are part of the United Church of Canada, which has been made up of the Congregationalist, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Evangelical Brethren Churches. As a union church we respect each other’s differences and through the love of Christ try to be faithful to the Spirit calling us to open our hearts and doors to all who God loves. Although we are called and empowered by the Spirit we are not tossed and turned by every new idea. We are the church- Christians who believe in Jesus, who have been saved by grace, who need forgiveness and to give forgiveness, who do not have all the answers but are willing to search for them by following with others the one who was called the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We live this out by welcoming everyone to worship, believer and seeker, and inviting all who faithfully desire to follow in the way of Jesus to share, and have their children share, in the sacrament of Holy Communion.
We are part of a greater Christian Community,
John Black joins with Christians around the world in celebrating World Wide Communion the first Sunday of October, and participates with other churches in the World Day of Prayer in November.
We are part of the Kildonan and Winnipeg Community
John Black is part of the TBJIGGN network of churches, which includes Transcona, Birds Hill, Immanuel, Grey Street, Gordon King and North Kildonan United Churches. Representatives from these participating churches meet regularly to plan shared special events such as Maundy Thursday and Shrove Tuesday. In the summer these churches organise Church o Rama. Services are conducted in a different church each Sunday during the months of July and August, and congregants from all the churches attend wherever church is being held. This has become a very effective way of learning about and appreciating each other.
Our Blue Christmas Service in November or early December is a quiet Christmas service open to the public, for those who feel some sort of loss, and find it difficult to celebrate the birth of Christ with loud festive carols, and a barrage of multi colored lights.
We do outreach in the community and invites anyone who chooses to join us. We share in the United Church mission to the North Point Douglas Women’s Resource Centre and West Broadway Community Ministries by providing support, pastoral care, and lunches. We have an ongoing collection of food for their emergency food banks.
We have a relationship with Prince Edward School, and do our best to support the staff as they work to meet the needs of their students and families.
The Christmas Cheer Board becomes a focus at holiday time as we donate food for hampers and invite folks to donate mittens for the mitten tree which are distributed to area schools, families and charities.
We are part of the Global Community.
As we extend our focus from local to Global by giving the opportunity to donate to the Canadian Food Grains Bank the first Sunday of every month, and participating in Just Christmas in December. Our blanket making team stitches blankets for the Mennonite Central Committee, who gives them to their aid projects.
Once a month in worship we highlight the work of the United Church’s Mission and Service Fund and encourage people to include this ministry as part of their regular weekly offerings.
Who are we? We invite you to come and see.
Regular gatherings:
The Choir: The choir meets Thursdays at 2:00 p.m. at either John Black or Immanuel depending on where worship will be held that week for rehearsal, and shares in worship Jan- May, and after the September long weekend to the end of December.
The Leadership Team: The LT meets on the third Thursday of every month in the chapel.
Upcoming events
Bible Studies/Theme studies
Blue Christmas
Market Day
Christmas Craft and Bake Sale