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Gale Presbyterian strives to be a welcoming and safe
space for people of all ages\, gender identities\, racial and cultural bac
kgrounds\, sexual orientations\, abilities\, economic circumstances and fa
mily configurations.
Each of us should be celebrated for who G
od has made us to be: a unique part of God’s beautifully diverse creation.
“For just as the body is one and has many parts\, and all the parts of th
e body\, though many\, are one body\, so it is with Christ.” (1 Corinthian
s 12:12)
Children are welcome in our sanctuary or
to attend Sunday School part-way through the service.
If Sunday doesn’t work for your busy family
\, join us for Messy Church (a Fr
iday evening monthly program for all ages).
Click here for more details.
Hebrews 13:2
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers\, for ther
eby some have entertained angels unawares.
If it’s been a while\, or a very long time (or never) since you walked into a church\, you might feel a bit nervous or even intimidated to come through the doors.
Please don’t!
Gale would like you to know that you are a welcome traveller on the journey regardless of your “church/no chur ch” experience or background. You’ll meet people who are both long-haulers (have made church a part of their lives forever) as well as people who ha ve ventured on this spiritual journey more recently. All share a curiosity about how God’s love and Jesus’ message applies to everyday life. The wee kly sermons feed\, encourage\, inspire\, and sometimes challenge listeners to live the life God wants for all people.
Here are s
ome answers to some common questions:
What time sho uld I arrive: Anytime between 10:15 and 10:30 will get you here o n time! Chat with others\, reflect on your own\, or catch up on church act ivities by reading the announcements on the screen before things get start ed.
Parking: We have a large lot and plenty of spac es around the church as well as a covered portico where you can drop off a passenger before parking if you wish. Handicapped parking is available cl oser to the door.
What should I wear: No special ex pectations here. Wear what makes you comfortable – we don’t require formal dress or head coverings. (But if you want to wear either\, that’s ok!) Yo u will find people dressed in jeans\, in dresses\, wearing ties\, or no ti es with casual tops. Shorts in summer.
As you enter : There is a large welcoming narthex where people often chat before the se rvice. You will see two open doors that lead into the sanctuary where the service is held. There are greeters who will say hello and help you find a seat if you wish. (very comfy cushioned seats!) If you have time before o r after the service\, there’s a library next to the sanctuary if reading i s something you enjoy.
Accessibility: There are des ignated wheelchair locations in the sanctuary and parking spots in the lot . There are washrooms available\, also wheelchair accessible.
Music: Yes\, there is sing ing\, and the words are on a screen for all to read. There’s a choir and a praise band so the music is varied and included to strengthen the day’s message. Expect to see the minister frequently leading with guitar while t he music director plays piano or clavinova. Sometimes other instruments ar e involved in special musical presentations.
Offering/Giving : Gale recognizes that “giving” happens in a variety of ways\, in cluding monetary\, as well as the gift of talent and time. There is a dona tion plate inside the Sanctuary Doors available for those who are able to financially support the church. The donations help pay for the staff\, inc luding our minister\, as well as the costs of running a facility. If able\ , you just place your donation into the plate before you sit down. If you put the money inside an envelope with your name and address on the outside \, the offering will be recorded for an income tax receipt.
Order of Service
Although things can change\, a typical serv
ice is as follows:
Welcome
Announcements
Call to worshipHymn
Children’s story
Hymn
Scripture Reading
Sermo
n
Reflection (often music provided by choir)
Pastoral Prayer and
Lord’s Prayer
Offering\, Prayer\, Hymn
Benediction\, Sending Hy
mn
Coffee hour: There may be coffee\, juice\, and c ookies available after the service. Everyone is welcome to stay and visit.
Directions
Need to find us? Join us in our l
ocation 10 Barnswallow Drive at the corner of Barnswallow Drive and Church
Street West (Highway 86) on the northwest corner of Elmira\, ON.\, Canada
.
Gale Presbyterian is located on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee (Ho-den-o-show-nee)\, Anishinaa be (Ah-nish-nah-bey)\, and Chonnonton (Chi-nawn-ton) peoples.
This is part of the Haldimand Tract\, which encompass es six miles on either side of the Grand River.
We acknowledge this territory’s significance for the Indigenous peo ples who lived\, and continue to live\, upon it and whose practices and sp iritualities were tied to the land and continue to develop in relationship to the territory and its other inhabitants today.
We acknowledge that The Presbyterian Church in Canada has been a part of the residential school system.
< strong>And together we seek a new relationship with the First Nations of t his land\, one based in honour and deep respect.
Please be considerate of individuals who may be sensitive to scented products. We ask that you do not bring in\, use or wear scented products during your st ay.
We are implementing a new Sunday morning program model.
Click here for the Fall p rogramming schedule.
The Presbyterian Church in Canada is committed to fostering safe church environments free from harm and harassment\, where vulnerable individuals\ , especially children and vulnerable adults\, are protected. Creating safe churches involves preventing and responding to harm through policies\, tr aining\, police record checks\, transparency\, clear reporting procedures for misconduct and pathways to justice\, redress and healing when harm occ urs.
To read more\, click her e: http://presbyterian.ca/sa fe-church/