McGill Library
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Identity area
Type of entity
Corporate body
Authorized form of name
United Church of Canada. Montreal-Ottawa Conference.
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
In 1925, all the Methodist churches in Canada, virtually all the Congregationalist churches, and approximately two-thirds of the Presbyterian ones joined to form the United Church of Canada. This amalgamation culminated a number of unification movements within the three denominations, which had earlier produced the Presbyterian Church in Canada (1875) and the Methodist Church (1884). The organization of the United Church is presbyterial, and membership in its boards is composed of an equal number of lay and clergy representatives. Individual congregations are governed by sessions, and these are grouped into regional presbyteries which exercise supervision over ministers and pastoral charges. Presbyteries are in turn grouped as conferences, with powers to ordain clergy. Legislation and policy are determined by the Church's General Council.