Portland United Church
St John NB

Welcome to Portland United Church - the church on the hill overlooking the Crescent Valley, and an important fixture in Saint John's North End area. A hearty welcome is extended to you if you are visiting us here on the internet for the first time. We hope that you will be able to join us for worship each Sunday at 11:00am. We have lots of activities planned for this year with so many wonderful ways to worship God through song, prayer, study, music, sharing meals, welcoming new members. Come and help us, we would love to see you! Thank you for visiting with us and may God continue to walk with you on your journey and give you peace!

 

Download Portland United Church vCard with Service Times
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Download Minister Rev. Sally Budge vCard
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We are proud to have a large, enriching array of groups and activities. Here is a partial list:

Bible Study
Centennial School Hot Lunch Program
Senior Choir
Outreach Program
Portland Quilters
Prayer Circle
Scouting Groups
Sunday School
United Church Men (UCM)
Women of Portland United  

Our services are wheelchair accessible. Hearing aids are available at our services.  

Portland United Church History

As early as 1824 members of Germain Street Church met at the home of John Evans to discuss the advisability of building a Methodist Church in the part of Saint John known as Portland. In 1826 the Rev. Richard Williams began holding regular worship services in the home of John Owens. It soon became evident that a church building was necessary.

The land for the new church was given by the Speaker of the House of the Assembly, the Honorable Charles Simonds for the consideration of a "Peppercorn" per annum. The frame of the church was donated by John Owens, a Trustee, who advised that should he ever become pour, the frame would be paid for. Mr. Owens never needed the money. On June 7, 1829 the "Wesleyan Chapel" was opened for public worship becoming the first place of worship in the Parish of Portland.

The growth of the congregation made it necessary to enlarge the "Chapel" in 1839. On August 26, 1841, a shipyard fire destroyed this center of worship. A new church was built and opened for worship on June 5, 1842. This new church was destroyed by fire on October 20, 1877; just four months after the "Great Saint John Fire". Undaunted, the congregation immediately decided to build another church and on October 10, 1881, the new church was opened for worship. The congregation remembers the kindness of St. Luke's Anglican and Main Street Baptist in making facilities available during these trying times.

The Daily Telegraph reported, "When the old church was rapped in flames, they were sad hearts and the outlook was gloomy and they thought it was impossible to rally for a new church but their faith was practical and they did not sit down and moan, instead they put their shoulders to the wheel and hence another church."

In 1904 the Young Men's Association Hall was built providing gymnasium facilities. Portland has always held a great interest in sports. During the early part of this century the "Big Team" were the city and New Brunswick Basketball Champions for three years. Sports continues to be of high interest today with Portland, sponsoring a hockey team, "The Portland Flyers" many times champions of the Church Hockey League, and an Annual Golf Tournament.

On December 1968, a decision was made to sell the existing church property to the Urban Renewal Commission and relocate the congregation. The decision to locate where you worship today was made by the congregation on December 21, 1968. The first worship held in the new building was on June 21, 1971. Since the building was opened, an Apartment Building, Newport Village, has been added to serve the housing needs of Seniors, single-parent families and the physically challenged.

The United Church Woman and its predecessors, the youth groups, the choirs, the United Church Men, the boards and committees of the church have concentrated their efforts on bearing witness to Jesus Christ in all their endeavors. Whenever possible, facilities are shared with the community for a verity of events.

Much of the credit for the beauty of the sanctuary and usefulness of the entire facility goes to those who were on the building committee. Their pictures can be seen along with pictures of the former church and ministers, in the hallway. The organ, the front woodwork, the lights and any of the stained-glass windows are from the former church building.

The congregation hopes and prays that it will be able to continue to do God's work for many years to come.