Central United Church

The congregation of Central United Church, Port Colborne dates its origins in the early 19th century with the establishment of Wesleyan Methodism in Niagara by itinerant preachers. The original Methodist Circuit was recognized in 1857 in the then Village of Port Colborne with a second charge being established in the then Village of Humberstone in 1859 approximately 2 km north of the Port Colborne congregation. The two charges merged in 1894 with the establishment of Central Methodist Church. Following church union in 1925, the congregation received a large number of members from the First Presbyterian Church in Port Colborne which had declined to join church union. The current church building was completed in 1928 at the corner of Delhi and Catharine Streets in Port Colborne. The church was extended by a large Christian education wing in 1956. The church was seriously damaged by fire on October 31, 1985 when the Christian education wing was destroyed and substantial damage occurred to the sanctuary. The church was rebuilt and rededicated in June, 1987 with modern fully accessible premises. The sanctuary seats 350 persons and has a two manual Casavant pipe organ fully rebuilt after the fire. In 2000 the chancel was rebuilt in a platform style to accommodate a variety of styles of worship and other activities and is equipped with up to date lighting and sound system. Our purpose as set out in the Congregation’s constitution adopted in 1992 is: “To know Christ and to make him known” Our mission flowing from that: In response to the message of God’s redeeming love in Jesus Christ our mission is to: - foster commitment to Jesus Christ and his church - be an open congregation that welcomes all people into the church family - worship joyfully and faithfully -provide opportunities for children, youth and adults to grow in knowledge of the Christian way of life - be a community that speaks and lives its Christian values - reach out to people in need in our community in word and action -share with God, responsibility for the well-being of the world, spiritually, socially and environmentally

About the Service

The Central Family worships every Sunday at 10 a.m. Everyone is welcome to join us. Our services include extensive musical content and an emphasis on strong preaching. We look forward to seeing you.

About the Neighbourhood

Our church building is located at 30 Delhi Street, a residential neighbourhood in central Port Colborne. The City of Port Colborne has a population of a little over 18,000 and is located at the south end of the Welland Canal, a part of the St. Lawrence Seaway system. As the largest Protestant Church in Port Colborne (and as one of the largest United Churches in the Niagara Region), we reach out regularly into the wider community in various ways, and our congregation also includes active members from neighbouring communities such as Wainfleet, Stevensville, Niagara Falls and Welland.

Quick Facts

How do people dress for service?

There's no rule, and great variety. Some dress up, some wear jeans, most are probably casual. Basically, however you're comfortable coming is OK with us!

What's happens when I get there?

You'll be greeted by one of our ushers and given a bulletin which will provide an outline of the Order of Service as well as the announcements about what's happening at Central.

What music is played during services?

Hymns (mostly traditional) are sung to the accompaniment of an organ. We also include piano music, and have senior and junior choirs, as well as a Men's Quartet and a Bell Choir. Our Puppet Teams (children and adults) appear at worship regularly.

What happens after the service?

After greeting Rev. Steven at the back of the sanctuary, you're invited to join us downstairs for coffee, tea or juice, to chat with us and to check out our church library.

Who do I contact with questions?

Our church secretary is Terry, and she would be pleased to take your calls. Our office hours are 9 am to 12 noon on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Church Minister

Rev. Steven D. Davis

Rev. Steven was ordained in 1994 by the Toronto Conference, and served pastoral charges in Central Newfoundland and Northern Ontario before arriving at Central on February 1, 2005. His goal is to deliver meaningful and challenging messages that relate the Scriptures to everyday life and to encourage people to develop a love for God's Word, and also to help discern and develop the ministry gifts of the lay members of the congregation. He has also served as an "on-call" Chaplain to the Port Colborne Hospital. He received a Doctor of Ministry degree in Preaching through the Association of Chicago Theological Schools and the Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in May of 2013.

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