If you’re new to church, or if you’ve been away for a while, we’re honoured to be part of your spiritual journey! What questions do you have about the church? What frightens or makes you nervous about showing up in a church? What ways do you hope your life will be different by being part of a church? Let us offer some thoughts:

A church is people.

It’s not a building. At different times, we’ve met in a house, a coffee shop, a park, a board game café, on Zoom, and these days, in a big old cathedral complete with stained glass, a bell tower, and maybe some ghosts. A church isn’t a place; it’s people.

A church is Christian.

The heart of the Christians faith is the claim that Jesus didn’t stay dead: that after He died to reconcile us to God, He was alive again. We call this the “Gospel” (aka “Good News”) and it’s what we gather to remember. No matter what you’ve done or what’s been done to you - whether you’re a new or longtime Christian, or not sure what you believe, Jesus is crazy about you, and in this church community, you’ll hear about Him a lot.

A church is a community.

A community is literally a group with a ‘common-unity’. We represent lots of different ethnic and religious backgrounds. We’re at different ages and stages. We hold different views on a variety of political and cultural issues. Elsewhere, these differences divide; but in the Church, with Jesus at the centre, our differences make us a richer community, and a foretaste of the Kingdom.

A church has a culture

No two churches are exactly the same. Many of us in Benediction have a church background which was healthy. For others, it wasn’t. Some of us have almost no exposure to a church and are entering into one is like entering a foreign culture. What’s the culture of Benediction like? Here are some thoughts:

We’re very keen to spread God’s Kingdom, and aren’t too stressed about growing our church. We enjoy many of the benefits of being a small church (e.g., close personal friendships, simple ministry) while being connected to larger groups (e.g., True City Hamilton, The Associated Gospel Churches of Canada).

When it comes to the culture wars, we’re more committed to carrying our cross than “taking a stand”. We don’t have everything figured out, but we can offer an authentic, loving community in which to ask questions, hear other sides, and decide for yourself.

We love Scripture, sermons, liturgy, prayer, hymns, and bread and juice, church coffee, church membership, leadership covenants, and lots of other traditions that some people think aren’t cool anymore. We don’t expect you to dress a certain way, cut your hair, cover your tattoos, or stop drinking, smoking, or cussing.

We love the Church. We still believe the Church is the hope of the world. Jesus hasn’t given up on the Church and neither do we.

It really matters us that we’re BEING the Church, and not just that we’re “going to church”.

A church has a purpose.

Jesus said He’d build His Church and not even the gates of hell would withstand it. As Jesus was sent into the world, so He sends us. We’re sent to embody the love and Good News of Jesus in our neighbourhoods, workplaces, and the city. And someday, it’ll be in Hamilton as it is in heaven. That’s why we do this. If that vision moves you too, you’ll be right at home here.