Runnymede United Open House
Join us for morning service and stick around for coffee!
Church is always open, but Sunday, October 26, is a great time to visit if it’s been a while or if you’ve never been to church before.
With a cup and cookies in hand, connect with others about life at Runnymede—from exploring faith in a safe and welcoming space to finding community to supporting justice locally and around the world. Hope to see you here!
Runnymede United is…
a safe, welcoming space to explore faith and enjoy community.
Worship Services
Sunday morning worship begins at 10:30 at our Runnymede Campus and online, featuring beautiful music, an engaging children’s time, a timely and thoughtful message, prayers for one another and the world, and a time for sharing community news. A friendly coffee time follows the service.
Seeking the Spirit services (Wednesday evenings, Windermere Campus) are more experimental in nature. This might be for you if you are looking for something a little different. Everyone is welcome at Runnymede United, making this a safe space to explore faith and discover community.
There are many opportunities to get involved on Sunday morning, from greeting to providing audio/visual support, to serving coffee. Reach out to the office if you’d like to get involved!
Exploring Spirituality
Through various spiritual practices and studies, people are invited to engage in personal reflection and connection with one another.
We hold book studies on memoirs, novels, and spiritual writings that spark conversation about faith, justice, and life’s big questions. Programs are offered both online and in person, at a variety of times, so that everyone can take part.
Grow in spirit, deepen in faith, connect in community.
Families and Children
Sunday School is not only great fun; it’s a safe space for your child to learn about Jesus’ central teachings on love and acceptance, along with age-appropriate lessons on social justice issues and how even the smallest among us can make a difference in our world.
Runnymede offers Vacation Bible Camp in early July, and family events like our movie and popcorn nights. Taking on a role in the annual Christmas Pageant is a highlight for our young people.
There is a nursery in the church for the youngest folk, and baptism and confirmation are available by reaching out to the ministry team.
Pastoral Care
Caring for each other and for the community around us is an essential ministry at Runnymede. Alongside the ministry team, a group of individuals are ready to listen, converse and pray with you. We provide resources and referrals where appropriate.
If you or someone you know needs a friendly visit, phone call or prayer, don’t hesitate to contact the Pastoral Care/Prayer Team by emailing Rev. Ted.
Meet our Ministry Team
It takes a team of people and a lot of volunteers to make a two-campus church work (with buildings and programs at 432 Runnymede Road and 356 Windermere Avenue). You can see our full team at the link below.
Our ministers are Ted Grady and Laura Gallagher-Doucette. David Ambrose is our Director of Music, and Valerie Gow is Runnymede’s Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator. If you have any questions, you can start with our Office Administrator, Eva Havill.
Runnymede United is…
real and meaningful ways to promote justice locally and globally.
Community Meal
Runnymede United has a long tradition of hosting a community meal, held each month on the last Saturday of the month, September through May. More than 100 guests enjoy a delicious four-course meal and fellowship in Memorial Hall, downstairs at our Runnymede Campus.
Come for dinner, or come to volunteer. There are multiple ways to volunteer, including helping in the kitchen, serving, or welcoming guests. If you are interested, contact Rev. Laura.
Food Community Outreach
Volunteers come together in the Runnymede United kitchen to tackle local food insecurity one meal at a time. We partner with the Bloor West Food Bank, providing our signature Roast Chicken Soup as part of their weekly offerings. We also partner with the Toronto Foundation for Student Success to prepare healthy snacks for a local school.
We are always looking for more help in the kitchen or to assist with food deliveries. You can volunteer on a regular basis or sign up for a specific shift. Click the button below to learn more about this local ministry and how you can be part of it!
Kijiji Cha Upendo
Twenty years ago, a Runnymede church member met an AIDS worker from Kenya at a conference in Toronto. That connection has blossomed into a long partnership between Runnymede and Kijiji Cha Upendo (Village of Love in Swahili) in the community of Kibera, Kenya. Read more at the link below.
Big-hearted women take AIDS-orphaned children into their homes. Kijiji helps them provide food and school for all their children. Today, 135 families and more than 600 children are supported. For more information or to be involved, please email Linda Levin.
Advent/Christmas Outreach
In the season leading up to Christmas, Runnymede partners with Unison Health Network, preparing gifts for children and mothers, and with Prison Fellowship Canada, providing assistance with Christmas gifts for children whose parents are incarcerated.
Our reading of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is a wonderful event, helping to raise funds for our food security programs.
There are other seasonal ways to get involved, including baking pies for the fundraising table at our annual Bloor West Village Arts & Crafts Fair!
Seniors Support
There is no question that the population around Runnymede is aging and that aging brings its own joys and challenges. There is an ongoing conversation among church people about how we can best support seniors.
We are currently researching the needs of local seniors and exploring program options. Regardless of your age or whether you are a Runnymede member or not, if you have a heart for working with seniors, please speak with Valerie Gow, our Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator.