Within a church there are Volunteers from all backgrounds that share their gifts to make sure the church runs spiritually and physically.  Below are a few of the Committees and the ministry they provide.

Archives Committee

 

Hidden away in a cupboard on the top floor of the upper hall is the Colborne Street Church Archives. In that cupboard are many aspects of the over 150 years of Colborne Street’s history: photographs of various groups and events through the years, committee reports, and records such as baptisms, marriages and burials – to name a few.

 

Every month, the archives committee meets to sort through and discuss items that have been added to the cupboard. Upon occasion we find gems that are significant to our history and our congregation.

 

If you are someone who is interested in genealogy and/or local history, you might be interested in joining our group.

 

Any questions or want more information?  Please call the church office at (519) 432-4552 or email: church@colborne711.org


Local Outreach Committee                

 

Compassionate outreach is a key component of the Local Outreach Committee’s mission in actively supporting and addressing local community needs.  The Committee raises awareness within the congregation, who contribute with money, time, and talent in responding to those needs.  The congregation also volunteers its time in support of the Committee’s annual fund raising project.

 

The Committee is committed to supporting programs that respond to those in the community who are hungry, marginalized, in need of help with the necessities of life, and who deserve recognition as individuals whether they be homeless, living in poverty, the elderly, children, youth, the disabled, and those facing mental health challenges. 

 

Some of the organizations the Church helps include:

 

Anova,

Byron Cares Food Bank

Canadian Mental Health and Addiction Services – My Sister’s Place

519 Pursuit

Glencairn Community Resource Centre

Growing Chefs! Ontario Society

Indwell

London Community Chaplaincy

London Food Bank

Mission Services of London – Men’s Mission: Rotholme Women’s & Family Shelter

Northern Hospitality

Refuge Ministries Canada

The Caring Cupboard


For upcoming and ongoing events please see the 'Local Outreach' tab on the top menu.

 

Any questions or want more information?  Please call the church office at (519) 432-4552 or email:  church@colborne711.org

 

Ministry and Personnel Committee

 

The Ministry and Personnel Committee (commonly referred to as M&P) is “the only mandatory committee of the governing body of a pastoral charge.” The Committee’s terms of reference are:

(a) being available for consultation and support for matters involving the pastoral charge staff;

(b) overseeing the relationship of the pastoral charge staff to each other and to people in the congregation;

(c) regularly reviewing the working conditions, responsibilities, and compensation of all pastoral charge staff;

(d) making any recommendations needed as a result of these reviews to the governing body;

(e) reviewing position descriptions of pastoral charge staff as needed;

(f) conducting annual performance reviews of the pastoral charge staff;

(g) ensuring pastoral charge staff make use of opportunities for continuing education that they have been given; and

(h) maintaining close contact with the Presbytery [now Region’s Congregational Support Commission].

(The United Church of Canada, Ministry and Personnel Committees: Policy, Procedures, Practices, July 2017, pp. 4-5)

 

Because the Committee’s business very often involves employees’ personal information, the

minutes of its meetings, unlike the other committees at the church, are not made public but kept confidential. The Committee feels blessed to be working with dedicated, talented and staff in advancing the church’s mission.

 

Any questions or want more information?  Please call the church office at (519) 432-4552 or email: church@colborne711.org

 

Church Promotion & Communications Committee

 

With declining church attendance generally, church promotion is more important than ever. Effective promotion strategies can help spread awareness about our church, welcome new members to our congregation, and raise critical funds for our programs and operations. Of course, any promotion strategies we develop must be properly communicated if they are to be successful. This is the work of the Church Promotion & Communications team. Recent examples of their work include the development of Colborne’s new website, as well as an updated version of our church newsletter, Communiqué, soon to be released.

So, what drives the team to do the important work that they do? I like to think that with proper communication comes the greater likelihood that God’s Word and Love will spread more and more throughout our church family and into the community at large.


Any questions or want more information?  Please call the church office at (519) 432-4552 or email:  church@colborne711.org.


Refugee Assistance Committee

 

Colborne is a member of LIRSA (London Interfaith Refugee Sponsorship Alliance), a group of churches that sponsor and support individuals and families who have been identified as refugees according to the United Nations Geneva Convention and have been approved as refugee claimants through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).  Presently the member churches of LIRSA are Colborne St., Siloam, and Riverside United Churches and St. George’s and St. Jude’s Anglican churches.  

LIRSA’s goal is to help relieve some of the suffering of people forced to flee from their county and help these new Canadians make a successful transition to a stable, productive life in Canada.

Once LIRSA has agreed to sponsor a family their responsibility is to provide social and emotional support, advocacy, and community liaison in areas such as health, education, and employment.  Before the family arrives, LIRSA finds suitable housing and has it fully furnished.  LIRSA is also responsible for the financial support of the family for one year.  Although there is no formal commitment after one year, LIRSA often still provides social and emotional support, and offers help in other ways they can, for some time. 


LIRSA is also associated with the Westminster College Foundation. This Foundation has very generously granted LIRSA monies to help with medical, dental and vital services that are not covered by government assistance for London and area refugee families. Without the financial support from the Westminster College Foundation, LIRSA would not be able to assist people with all of their medical and dental expenses. We are extremely grateful for the help that the Foundation has given us. We are indebted to this organization for their help.

 

Any questions or want more information?  Please call the church office at (519) 432-4552 or email:  church@colborne711.org


Stewards Committee

 

The Stewards Committee manages the Church’s financial affairs, including the preparation of independently reviewed annual financial statements and the proposed annual operational and capital budgets. These are presented for review and approval at the Church’s annual congregational meeting.

 

The Committee is also responsible for counting and managing the offerings and other donations. In addition, the Committee is responsible for the maintenance, repair, improvement, security, and administration of the Church building and property. The Committee responds to and establishes the financial agreements for all requests for rental of Church property and manages any issues that arise from the agreements.

 

The Stewards Committee consists of seven or more members or adherents of the Church in addition to the Church Treasurer and the Church Minister who serve as ex-officio members.  The Committee meets at least once monthly for ten months of the year.

 

Some recent projects of the Stewards Committee include budgeting for, researching, and purchasing a new boiler system for the Church; organizing for re-paving of Church parking lot; dealing with a series of repairs for the Church manse which has three rental units; arranging for repairs to Church brickwork;  researching and purchasing new audio equipment for the Church sanctuary; arranging for portable HEPA filter units throughout the Church including the Sanctuary; reviewing, revising and ensuring compliance with the Fire Safety Plan for the Church, and designing and setting up of the Reverend David Carrothers Library.

 

Any questions or want more information?  Please call the church office at (519) 432-4552 or email: church@colborne711.org


Trustee Board

 

With input from our Investment Advisor at RBC Dominion Securities, the Trustee Board is responsible for monitoring the investment portfolio of Colborne Street United Church.  Our investment portfolio has grown over the years with the help of donations and prudent investing.

 

Within the last three years, members of the Trustee Board recommended expanding our common share component limits.  These revised limits were approved by the congregation.  We regularly review our common share component to ensure we stay within the limits.  In addition, we look for ways to increase our yield on fixed income investments.  Overall we strive to keep our portfolio on a reasonably conservative basis.

 

Upon the request of the Church Treasurer or Stewards Committee, interest income from our investment portfolio is transferred as needed to the General Fund of the church to help meet operational expenses. Currently we have 11 Trustees and usually meet twice a year in person or by ZOOM.

 

Any questions or want more information?  Please call the church office at (519) 432-4552 or email:  church@colborne711.org

 

Worship & Music Committee

 

The Worship & Music Committee meets every other month except for the summer months to help plan and oversee worship and music activities at Colborne Street Church.  In co-operation with the Minister and the Director of Music, the committee is responsible to assure that all events and celebrations of the church year are planned and carried out.

 

Music groups include the Chancel Choir, the Handbell Choir, a gospel choir called “Together We Sing,” and a string and woodwind group called “Strings ‘n Things”.  In addition, we have two Choral Scholars from Western University’s music faculty who provide musical support and leadership for their sections of the Chancel Choir and who also on occasion give instructional workshops for other choir members.  The Choral Scholars give a recital each spring for the community.

 

While the COVID pandemic put a temporary end to in-person worship services, we adapted with the help of our videographer, our minister, organist, and a soloist to put the services on YouTube each week.  This recording and posting continues even though we now have returned to in-person worship.


For more information on our music programs please click on the 'Music Ministry' tab in the top menu.

 

Any questions or want more information?  Please call the church office at (519) 432-4552 or email:  church@colborne711.org