The United Church of Canada is rooted in belief in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. We are grounded by the stories of the Bible that remind us what it means to follow in God's ways of care and compassion.

Below, you'll find some basic information about what we believe at Cochrane Street United Church. If you're interested in more information on any of the topics, we encourage you to read more on the United Church of Canada website.

The bible

The Bible is a source of wisdom, personal prayer, and devotion. We believe the Bible can teach us about the ways God is at work in the world.

We often refer to a passage as "the Word of God." By this we mean the writer was inspired by God. We also know that the various books that make up the Bible are the stories of two ancient communities trying to be faithful to God under difficult circumstances. Some of what was experienced and written by the ancient Hebrew and early Christian communities does not fit our world today. We do not condone slavery, for example, or discriminate against members of the LGBTQ+ community. Nevertheless, in its stories and teachings, the Bible continues to have a mysterious power to inform our lives.

sacraments

A sacrament is visible reminder of God's grace and goodness. In a sacrament, ordinary things like water, bread, and wine point us to God and God’s love. In the United Church, we celebrate two sacraments: baptism, the ritual that formally recognizes we belong to the Christian community, and communion, a meal initiated by Jesus that reminds of God's presence in our lives. 

inclusiveness

Jesus welcomed everyone. It did not matter to Jesus whether you were rich, or barely getting by; ill or healthy; self-made or educated; popular or a loner; secure or full of doubts. The United Church of Canada prides itself on welcoming everyone the way Jesus did, regardless of age, gender identity, health, race, sexual orientation, differing abilities, or economic circumstance.

children

Cochrane Street United Church works hard to appreciate people of all ages, from grandparents to newborns. Children aren't viewed as "adults-in-waiting," nor are they on display for the amusement of the adults. They are full and welcome participants at the heart of each congregation, bringing ideas and unique talents that can inspire the church.

marriage

We see people as unique, loved creations of God.  We believe that relationships require preparation and nurture. We believe God intends loving relationships to be faithful, responsible, just, healing, and sustaining of the couple and those around them. Cochrane Street United Church celebrates the marriage of:

• couples of any gender

• previously divorced people

• couples of different religions

social justice and OUTREACH

Caring for one another was central to Jesus' teachings: Feed the hungry, satisfy the thirsty, shelter the homeless, clothe the naked, care for the sick, visit those in prison.

We believe that we strengthen one another to work, through God's grace, for a better world. Cochrane Street United Church cooperates with other churches, faith traditions, and people of goodwill to eliminate poverty and protect those who are most vulnerable. In our community, we support the good work being done by: Bridges to Hope, Stella's Circle, Street Reach, Choices for Youth, and St. John's Pride. We also support The United Church of Canada's Mission and Service Fund, which helps people across Canada and throughout Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. This enables us to feed the hungry, care for the sick and shelter the homeless far beyond our normal reach.

In 2015, Cochrane Street United Church established a new not-for-profit called Cochrane Centre to run the facility which includes 10 supportive housing units , 5 affordable housing units for seniors, community space and performance space. This is our mission and we support the work of Cochrane Centre with both financial contributions and time. 

NEW SECTION -(under construction): OUR CONNECTION WITH FIRST LIGHT

STATEMENTS OF FAITH

For detailed information on the faith convictions of The United Church of Canada, see:

• A New Creed - a brief and well-loved statement of our relationships with God and with one another (1968, with later revisions)

• A Song of Faith - a contemporary statement of our faith (2006)