Runnymede United Open House
You’re Invited!
Come for the worship service, stay for the conversation, coffee and community.
Church is always open, but Sunday, October 25, is a great time to visit if it’s been a while or if you’ve never been to church before.
Join us for our worship service and then stick around for coffee and cookies. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet new people, learn more about life at Runnymede United, explore our programs and ministries, and see how we’re building a more just, compassionate and connected community, locally and around the world.
Runnymede United is…
a safe, welcoming space to explore faith and enjoy community.
Worship Services
Sunday morning worship begins at 10:30am 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.
Affirming Ministry
Runnymede United Church is an Affirming Congregation, committed to radical welcome and inclusion of all people without judgment or prejudice. We seek to make this a place where all of God’s people belong. Our two-campus church is a safe space for 2SLGBTQ+ people.
An Affirm Committee builds a positive community presence at Runnymede United Church by ensuring attention, intention and effort to make our church inclusive. This includes welcoming events and learning opportunities such as guest speakers and well-stocked carts featuring Indigenous, 2SLGBTQ+ and disability books.
We also celebrate key moments such as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation/Orange Shirt Day and Transgender Day of Remembrance in our worship services.
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 the church office.
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!
Village of Love Canada
Twenty-five years ago, a Runnymede church member met an AIDS worker from Kenya at a conference in Toronto. That connection has blossomed into Village of Love Canada - a lively and faithful partnership between Runnymede and Kijiji Cha Upendo in Kibera, Kenya. Village of Love supports women who have generously taken in orphans and vulnerable children, providing the children with loving homes.
Women receive small business training, community garden support, counselling, and more, while the children get support to stay in school and complete their education. Today, 150 families and more than 700 children are supported. Read more at the link below. If you’d like to be part of this life-changing program, contact info@villageoflovecanada.org.
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. You can purchase your tickets here.
There are other seasonal ways to get involved, including baking pies for the fundraising table at our annual Bloor West Village Arts & Crafts Fair!
North of 60 Seniors Group
North of 60 is a new community group run in partnership between Runnymede United Church, Parkdale Golden Age Foundation and the seniors who participate. Come out for coffee and chat, gentle movement exercises and stimulating learning or recreational activities, all wrapping up with lunch together.