Phone: 481-1406

gilchristuc@shaw.ca

Who we are...

We are the congregation at Spirit West United Church (formerly Gilchrist United Church), a small but vibrant community of faith located in the west end of Edmonton. Our minister is Reverend Garth Bogart. Currently we worship at the WestEnd Activity Center, but soon we will begin to build our new church, to be located at 7003 199 Street, just off Anthony Henday Drive.

Where to find us. . .

Our worship service happens every Sunday morning at 10:30 AM. We currently worship in the Terra Losa area, at the Westend Activity Center, 9629 176 Street. To find us, click on the small map below.

How to have the Spirit West experience. . .

First step. The first step is to take a look over our website and get to know a little bit about who we are.

Second step. The second step is to attend our Sunday morning worship service. We are not your typical boring church. We use multi-media presentations and video with a mix of contemporary and traditional music with a message to help you on your journey of faith. Whether you are coming to church for the first time in your life, or whether you are a seasoned veteran, we invite you to experience our unique community.

What Happens on Sunday. . .

• We will welcome you to the day with coffee and tea as you arrive for the service. If you desire, you are invited to bring it with you into the service. We want you to be comfortable.
• You'll be greeted at the door and handed an order of service. Like a theatre program, this tells you what will happen during the service and about other events at the church throughout the week.
• Don’t be surprised if someone comes and says hello before the service starts, we like to get to know each other.
• It is our custom to have children stay with their parent(s) for the first part of the service and then go to another room with a volunteer teacher for a Church School time.
• For new parents, if you want to cradle your baby or toddler throughout the service, people understand that crying and squirming are part of their small lives and are quite acceptable during the service.
• Our service is about an hour long.
• There will be some readings, normally from the Bible, but sometimes from other contemporary sources.
• We love to sing. Music and words are provided on both powerpoint and hymn books in the pew. We have a wonderful choir.
• The pastor gives a sermon, which is a reflection or commentary on the readings, current events, or life in general.
• There are several times for prayer during the service. Some of these will be given by the pastor, and others by a member of the congregation.
• Communion is served monthly in our congregation. Participation is open to all people attending the service, but is not mandatory.
• An offering of money is collected to support the work of the church. There is no set amount; people give as they are able. This supports the local congregation (maintaining the building, providing programs, paying the minister), and also the work of the church around the world through the national Mission and Service Fund.
• At the end of the service, people often gather for more coffee and tea and refreshments and conversation. It's there for everyone and you don't have to be a member to join in. If you have questions, talk to one of our friendly staff or volunteers.

As you can see, there are few “rights and wrongs” about how to behave in our United Church service. The most important thing is being there!

camaraderie and lunch after church

Our minister, Garth Bogart