4 United churches in Moncton open door to merger
Last Updated: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 | 11:26 AM AT
CBC News
Members of four Moncton-area United churches voted over the weekend to start the process that could lead to their amalgamation.
The four congregations, representing Wesley Memorial, Stilesville, Mountain View and Humphrey Memorial United churches, voted 85 per cent per cent in favour of joining forces.
The vote authorized four delegates from each of the struggling congregations to form a joint committee.
Several options are on the table, including amalgamation, and it could mean one or all of the church buildings may have to be abandoned.
The Chignecto Presbytery, the body that oversees United Church congregations in southeastern New Brunswick, will be helping to guide the joint committee's work.
Shirley Alexander, a member of the joint committee representing Wesley Memorial United Church, said the joint committee will be receiving guidance from the Chignecto Presbytery on the possible options that could be explored.
"Some of our ministers have experience in this area, so it's a combination of ideas that everybody's put together, and we'll start working on these ideas," Alexander said.
Three years ago, two other United Church congregations in the Moncton area voted to amalgamate. But the deal fell through at the last moment.
