Our approach at South Arm to worship comes closest to what is called “blended worship.”

We sing some traditional hymns, some modern hymns, and include some even more modern worship songs along the way. Most Sunday’s it is the piano and organ that we enjoy. On special Sunday’s throughout the year however, we are also blessed with the lively worship ministry of our Chancel Choir, our Gospel Choir, Chimers (Bell Choir), Soloists and Guest Musicians on a variety of instruments.

Our worship is structured and friendly (i.e., non-formal) and often quite interactive, with our minister choosing to stand centre chancel in the open and clear view amongst the community, rather than behind the traditional pulpit. South Arm United makes use of the Revised Common Lectionary, a series of assigned scripture texts for each Sunday very widely used around the world and across denominational lines.

We are committed to building inclusive community as we worship together at South Arm United Church. While this is a multi-facetted commitment, here are some of the things you can expect on any given Sunday morning:

• that the scriptures will most often be read from The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible or any other number of different translations, each of which will likely be slightly adapted to make the language as inclusive as possible;
• that the language of traditional hymns will be respected as the testimony of our forebears in the faith;
• that options for inclusively adapting hymn language will be pursued;
• that the traditional language of the church will appear, as our inclusive community includes those from a variety of backgrounds and cultures for whom the traditional language has great meaning;
• that guest preachers/worship leaders will use the language for God and faith which has the most meaning for them as our sisters/brothers in God’s family;
• that the language, metaphors and images used by our minister will reflect the United Church’s commitment to inclusivity.

We delight in the gifts of children in our midst at South Arm. In fact, our faith community has a long history of celebrating the gifts offered among us by children and youth. This has helped to shape our approach to worship to a significant degree. At each worship experience:

• we strive to have two lay leaders, a younger and an older person, because we believe that the generations of our life learn best when we are together in sharing leadership;
• we offer families with younger children the opportunity to walk/play with their child/ren in our narthex (the area just to the east of the sanctuary, behind the glass doors and large windows). We have found that this closeness and visibility allows for greater comfort and connection between the congregation and the children;
• we build a Learning Together time into the first part of our worship, during which we usually invited the children and youth to come to the front, sit on the steps and participate in a conversation or story before leaving for Church School;
• we schedule regular “cross-generational” experiences — especially planned worship during which all the generations of the Church gather together under the sign of God’s love, the Cross.

If This Is the First Sunday of the Month…

then the gathered community will be invited to share in the sacrament of Holy Communion. Don’t be put off by the capitalization of those last two words. In our tradition, communion is a meal shared among all the followers of the way of Jesus, and it is “Holy” only because it is done in remembrance of the last supper Jesus shared with his disciples before he was crucified. It’s a reminder of God’s decision to draw close to us in Jesus, and of God’s desire that the bits of bread and grape juice draw us closer to one another.

At South Arm we welcome any who want to join us as we celebrate communion. When all are invited to participate, and if you feel comfortable to do so, then follow the ushers guidance to go to one of the communion serving stations, take a piece of bread and dip it into the grape juice. Feel free to eat it right away, or after a few seconds, or hold it until you’ve returned to your seat. There’s no right or wrong way, just your way.

Baptism is the second of the two sacraments which are celebrated in our tradition. Why only Holy Communion and Baptism? Because scripture plays a normative role for us, and these are the only two events in the life of Jesus which the first generation of Jesus’ followers insisted on retaining for future generations. Baptisms happen as the need arises throughout the year.

In accordance with decision set by “The World Council of Churches” 1982 meeting in Geneva, we gladly recognize those who have been baptized in other churches and denominations. For those wishing to pursue membership here and call South Arm their church home, we like to re-affirm and celebrate their baptismal commitment which has already taken place, welcoming one and all into a life of faith lived out in and through this community.

We believe in salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. We believe that Jesus was sent by God to save us and give us eternal life. Salvation is only possible through faith in Jesus and repentance of our sins. We understand that we are saved through grace and not by any works of our own. The Bible teaches us that no matter what mistakes we make, God’s love and grace are always available to us. We believe that through accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are able to have the assurance of salvation and the promise of eternal life with God.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, who is the third person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit is the unifying power between God and humanity, and is the source of our comfort, guidance, and strength. The Holy Spirit helps us to understand and appreciate the Bible, and helps us to live out its teachings in our lives. We believe that the Holy Spirit is with us always, faithfully guiding us in our walk with God. We also believe that the Holy Spirit gives us gifts such as wisdom, knowledge, understanding, healing, miracles, tongues, and prophecy so that we can be used to serve God and spread His love.

We believe in the Christian doctrinal belief of The Church. We believe that the Church is a holy assembly of believers, united in faith and love. We strive to be a community of believers who are united in our faith in Jesus Christ and in our commitment to serve Him and His kindom. We are committed to loving God and loving others, and to be known for our love for one another. We believe that the Church is a body of believers who are called to serve and to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to all people. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we seek to be faithful disciples of Jesus and to follow His teachings. We strive to live out our faith through loving actions and service to our community and the world. We end each Sunday gathering with this gentle reminder and call to action, “Beyond these doors our service (truly) begins”.

We believe in the power of prayer, both individually and corporately, as an expression of faith in God's work in our lives. Prayer is an essential part of a Christian life and is used to talk to God and to communicate with The Holy. We pray for guidance, strength, healing, protection, as well as for our families, friends, community and the world at large. Through prayer, we seek to deepen our understanding of God's will and plans for our lives. Praying helps us grow closer to God and to gain a better understanding of God’s will and how we can best serve. When we pray, we do so trusting that God will hear and honour the prayers of our heart and our tongue, in God’s will, way and time. We also pray knowing that whether we see the answer to that prayer or not, we are transformed in the process of coming before The Holy in humility, reverence and right relationship. Prayer is one of the most beautiful ways we communicate with God and God in turn, communicates with us.