What can I expect?
When you first arrive you will likely notice the informal and non-judgemental atmosphere. You'll be greeted at the door, given a bulletin to help you follow the service, and shown where to find hymn books. You can sit anywhere you want. If you arrive before 10.30 am you'll enjoy listening to our musicians getting warmed up.
The service includes music, prayers, readings, and a reflection with a focus on a particular topic. Questions about faith, current events, and making meaning of our lives and our world are addressed. Each week is different, and we expect the unexpected!
The service itself lasts for about an hour, after which many people stay for a time of coffee and fellowship.
What about accessibility?
The main sanctuary entrance is up the flight of rainbow stairs at the corner of Admirals and Lyall. There are street level entrances to the lower levels of the church building. The wheelchair entrance off Lyall Street is a short distance from an elevator that gives access to the sanctuary on the upper level. On a Sunday morning there is someone at the Lyall Street entrance to assist. For any other church events, it would be necessary to notify the office ahead of time of needing to use the street-level access and elevator (or, during the event, to notify someone at the main entrance so that they can assist.)
Access to the Wheeley Hall end of the building includes a ramp. That part of the building includes a wheel-chair accesible/non-gender washroom. This part of the building includes Wheeley Hall (where the Rainbow Kitchen is located), and the Lounge/Multi-purpose Room.
The sound system works very well for most people with hearing difficulties. We have recently had some major acoustic treatments done which has improved the clarity of sound. There are also speakers in the family room behond the sanctuary.
There are 2 single-user gender-neutral washrooms on the lower level, one of which is wheelchair accessible.
There is a small parking lot off Admirals Road, on-street parking, and other lots nearby. We have a bike rack so you can lock up your bike.
Buses #15, 25 and 26 all stop within a block of the church. Click here for a map highlighting the bus stops, and here for Google maps.
I'm gay, trans, a person of colour, not sure about Christianity or even about religious institutions.
In this time of growing diversity, more and more people are feeling like they might not feel safe from the pressure to conform to a particular theology or philosophy when they enter a new place of worship. Racism, homophobia, transphobia or other prejudices abound in some churches. We are doing our best to be a safe place for everyone, especially those who may either be discovering their own sexuality or have already found that they don't conform to cis/hetero-normative societal standards. Our family consists of a broad spectrum of folks, with a variety of understandings of what faith is all about. (Check out this page for more information about our progress in becoming an official Affirming Church within the United Church of Canada.)
What about my kids?
We have a space in the sanctuary for kids to sit and be creative, and a Family Room directly behind the sanctuary some restless kids (and their parents) prefer. We have a Children's Ministry worker who works with the children, including having them as part of the service for a special children's time with the adults.
What do I wear?
In a word, casual. Most people tend to dress in what is comfortable and makes them feel good. Anything from blue jeans to business attire is just fine.
Who attends the Sunday morning worship?
The majority of people are new to the congregation in the last ten years, although a few have been coming for more than fifty years. We range in age from new-born to 95, with many of our older folk present every week and our younger families coming when they can. We come from all walks of life, genders, orientations and all kinds of faith backgrounds.
How can I get connected?
We invite you to explore worship with us in a way that is comfortable for you. If you want to stop by during the week to talk with our minister or church administrator, check out our office hours (below). If you wish to phone or send an email to ask some questions, check out our contact information (below). Or just come by Sunday morning and find out first hand. We look forward to meeting you!
Who is Esquimalt United Church?
We invite you to read our February 2025 profile. It is a document compiled from input by the congregation as we prepared to hire our present ministers. It contains some comments from our attendees, our Mission, Vision and Values, a brief snapshot of who we are, and a condensed history of the past 110 years. You can access this document here.