Three churches amalgamate to form Halifax United Church

Three churches have formed the Halifax United Church.

Three Halifax churches have amalgamated this month to form a single church in the downtown core.

The Fort Massey, St. Matthew’s and Saint Andrew’s United churches amalgamated on July 1 to launch the Halifax United Church.

According to the church’s website, Sunday services will be held at the former St. Matthew’s church on Barrington Street in July and at the former Saint Andrew’s church on Coburg Road in August.

“This amalgamation is undertaken to consolidate our energy, gifts, resources, people, and material assets for more effective Christian ministry,” a statement on St. Matthew’s website reads.

“Driven by both theological conviction and practical necessity, we seek to create a vibrant, faithful, and sustainable expression of the United Church that will be a blessing to our community, welcoming to strangers, deepening faith, and practicing faithful stewardship of all our gifts and resources.”

The plan to bring the churches together has been in the works for more than three years.

Tim Matthews, treasurer with the Halifax United Church council, noted the churches are dealing with high maintenance costs and dwindling congregations.

“So those two factors together made us think, how can we do this differently?” he said.

Two church properties will eventually be sold but first all three will undergo structural and market assessments to determine which is best suited for the new congregation.

“Decisions will need to be made and they will be very difficult and painful for those who worship in those churches,” said Patricia Murray, co-chair of the Halifax United Church council.

While that survey work goes ahead, the new congregation is looking for two new ministers to lead the church, which gathered on Sunday for the first time.

Officials say this is part of a soft launch of the new church ahead of an official opening in September.

With files from CTV News Atlantic’s Jesse Thomas

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