About Wesley United Church
Mission Statement
Wesley United Church's mission, as part of the fellowship of The United Church of Canada, is to lead people into a lively encounter with God through services providing for the worship of Almighty God, both to its own congregation and its radio audience; to promote the redemptive and social challenge of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to the community and the world; and to build up the membership in the faith through spiritual nourishment, care and loving support for one another in the congregation.
Historical Notes
Wesley United Church has been designated a Municipal Heritage Structure, by the city of St. John's, for its aesthetic and historical value. It is located at the corner of Patrick Street and Hamilton Ave. in the west end of the city. Wesley United Church is aesthetically valuable because it is a fine example of Queen Anne architecture. It features many elements of this style, including varying towers (one tower being 90 feet high), pediments, columns and arched doors that have tracery in their transoms. The church has rounded towers with arched windows, and the front facade features a Romanesque ached tri-window with circular motifs and this is complemented by the circular window located high in the gable. Wesley United Church has a tall steeple which is set off by eaves, brackets and corner buttresses with pyramidal peaks. It also has an adjoining building which houses radio station VOWR - Voice of Wesley Radio.
Wesley United Church is historically valuable because of its age and its association with radio station VOWR. Work began on the church in 1907 and on June 26, 1908 the church was officially dedicated and opened. A notable appointment to the church was an ornamental window inscribed to the memory of Reverend George Boyd, who was a great proponent for constructing the church. Wesley United Church was opened and officially dedicated by The Reverend Doctor Albert Carman; General Superintendent of The Methodist Church of Canada and was named for the founder of Methodism, John Wesley.
The role of Wesley United Church as a pioneer of radio broadcasting is singularly noteworthy. Radio station VOWR was the brainchild of Reverend Joseph G. Joyce, minister of Wesley United Church from 1922-1930. Joyce had been a radio enthusiast from it advent and, early in his ministry, saw its unique potential as a vehicle of communication in the service of religion. He convinced the congregation of the benefits to be derived from a Church affiliated broadcasting station and to raise the funds necessary to acquire one. VOWR (then 8-WMC) was launched on July 20, 1924 from the church. Wesley United Church holds a very special place in the history of communications in Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada.
Further, this church is also significant because the radio station was the first station to broadcast religious services (which it continues to do twice each Sunday) and election results to Newfoundlanders. The station also made an important link during two tragedies. It was the only communications link to the Burin Peninsula during the 1929 tidal wave and also helped in rescuing survivors of the 1931 Viking Disaster. You can listen to VOWR throughout the Avalon Peninsula by tuning to 800 on the AM dial or on the internet by visiting the VOWR webpage at http://www.vowr.org
Ministry Personnel Serving Wesley United Church
| Rev. W. G. Mercer | 2005 - present | Rev. W. G. Bartlett | 1975 - 1981 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mrs. D. White | 2005 | Rev. I. F. Jesperson | 1972 - 1975 |
| Mrs. P. Johnson | 2004 - 2005 | Mr. J. D. Bourne | 1969 - 1975 |
| Rev. Dr. S. Wigston | 2003 - 2004 | Rev. R. G. R. Webber | 1966 - 1975 |
| Rev. K. T. Thorne | 2002 - 2005 | Rev. K. W. Penney | 1963 - 1968 |
| Rev. C. D. Evans | 2000 - 2002 | Rev. Dr. V. A. Smith | 1956 - 1965 |
| Mr. S. Johnson | 1995 - 2002 | Rev. F. G. Weir | 1956 - 1959 |
| Mr. S. Winsor | 1994 - 1995 | Rev. Dr. A. S. Butt | 1955 - 1959 |
| Rev. J. M. March-MacCuish | 1992 - 1994 | Rev. A. J. Barrett | 1948 - 1955 |
| Rev. H. Ivany (Emertius) | 1990 - 1995 | Rev. W. B. Perry | 1940 - 1948 |
| Rev. T. Gripton | 1989 - 1992 | Rev. F. J. Armitage | 1937 - 1940 |
| Rev. A. G. Elliott | 1988 - 2000 | Rev. G. B. Pickering | 1930 - 1937 |
| Rev. J. D. Massender | 1987 - 1989 | Rev. J. G. Joyce | 1922 - 1930 |
| Rev. E. C. Sturge | 1985 - 1990 | Rev. W. B. Bugden | 1918 - 1922 |
| Miss. J. Coultas | 1986 - 1986 | Rev. H. Royle | 1914 - 1918 |
| Rev. J. Patterson | 1983 - 1985 | Rev. F. R. Matthews | 1911 - 1914 |
| Rev. A. J. Roberts | 1983 - 1988 | Rev. J. K. Curtis | 1909 - 1911 |
| Rev. R. G. H. Antle | 1981 - 1983 | Rev. J. Line | 1908 - 1909 |
| Rev. R. J. Mills | 1975 - 1982 | Rev. R. W. Freeman | 1906 - 1908 |
Church Council
Wesley United Church is governed by a Church Council - one of three models of church governance approved by The United Church of Canada. The Church Council is comprised of a six-member executive, the chairs of the Ministry Teams, the Clerk of Session, the chairs of the three Standing Committees, and a representative of radio station VOWR. The ministry personnel is an ex-officio member of the Council. This ultimately involves 125 to 130 persons governing the church - drawn from our congregation that is made up of about 750 households.
Members of the Wesley Church Council are elected for a 3 year (renewable for a fourth year) term. A member must be off the Council for at least 1 year before being eligible to begin another term. This governing structure affords opportunities for renewal and refreshment for the entire congregation. We need to remind ourselves that we are members of the Body of Christ (the New Testament term for the church) and that we are all ministers in the church; each of us has a special and distinctive gift or ministry to perform in the church. As we try to be obedient to Christ and walk in his ways, God will renew and restore the church through us.
The following is a list of the Council Standing Committees:
- Finance Committee
- Property Committee
- Ministry & Personnel Committee
Church Council Members
- Chairperson
- Vice-Chairperson
- Recording Secretary
- Treasurer
- Stewardship
- Property
- VOWR
- Member-at-Large
- Member-at-Large
- Rev. William Mercer (Ministry Personnel - Ex-Officio)