Birchcliff Bluffs United Church

06/06/2026

From the desk of Katie Vardy.
Sunday, June 7, 2026 - 10:30 am - 33 East Rd.

In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus shares a meal with people others would rather keep at a distance. The religious leaders question his choices, but Jesus responds with a simple reminder: "I desire compassion, not sacrifice." Again and again, Jesus widens the circle of belonging. He calls Matthew, a tax collector. He stops for a woman who has spent twelve years on the margins. He sees people not as problems to be solved, but as beloved children of God.

As we celebrate Pride Sunday, we are invited to consider what it means to move beyond simply saying "all are welcome" and into the deeper work of creating communities where people truly belong. The Gospel reminds us that belonging is not something we earn. It is a gift. Christ continues to call people, heal people, and widen the circle. May we have the courage to do the same.

Bread for the Journey:
Where have you experienced true belonging, and how might God be inviting you to help create that sense of belonging for someone else this week?

Thanks and many blessings,

Birchcliff Bluffs United Church Sunday Service - Toronto, CanadaON...

05/31/2026

May 31,2026- 33 East Rd ( Warden and Kingston Rd. ) 10:30 am! All are welcome in the house of God.
From the desk of Katy Vardy.
This Sunday, we celebrate Trinity Sunday—a day when the church pauses before one of the great mysteries of our faith. Rather than trying to solve the mystery of the Trinity, we will reflect on what it reveals about the heart of God: relationship, connection, and love that refuses to leave us alone. Through the stories of uncertain disciples, Paul’s blessing to a struggling community, and the shared experience of Communion, we are reminded that faith is not about having every answer. It is about continuing to show up, trusting that God’s grace still meets us in the midst of our questions, our doubts, and our ordinary lives.


Bread for the Journey:

Where in your life right now do you most need the reminder: “You do not walk alone”?

Thanks and many blessings,

Birchcliff Bluffs United Church Sunday Service - Toronto, CanadaONLINE OFFERINGS: https://www.bbuc.ca/donateMinister: Katelyn Vardy / Music Director: Randy V...

05/21/2026

This Sunday is Country Music Service at Birchcliff Bluffs United Church! May 24, 2026
10:30 am!!!
Located at 33 East Rd. ( Warden and Kingston Rd. )
Join us live or online. The link will be provided on Saturday to watch online or go to BBUC.ca for information! https://www.youtube.com/live/x8a071yjPD8?si=9-b_PRbY-mVWPsB2

05/15/2026

May 17, 2026 the church is close for the long weekend holiday. Today’s service link is here:

https://youtu.be/y9z5qs7MoM4?si=AKIqgIiq3Kv9i15Z

From the desk of Katy Vardy

As we gather for worship this weekend, just a reminder that our May 17 service is online. It will be uploaded to our YouTube channel, where you can watch it on Sunday. Whether you will be tuning in to worship from your cottage or enjoying it at home, thank you for being part of our community!!

On this Victoria Day weekend, our Sunday scriptures hold us in the sacred tension of “what now?” In John 17, Jesus prays for his disciples before everything changes. In Acts 1, the disciples stand staring into the sky after Jesus’ ascension, uncertain about what comes next. Between these two passages, we find a faith that does not depend on having every answer. Instead, we discover a God who remains present in the waiting, the wondering, and the becoming.

Together, we will reflect on what it means to trust the Spirit in uncertain times, to resist getting stuck in nostalgia or fear, and to keep taking the next faithful step together. In a world longing for clarity and stability, perhaps resurrection faith is less about certainty—and more about courageous community, compassionate presence, and learning to notice where the Spirit is still moving among us.

Bread for the Journey:
Where in your life might the Spirit be inviting you to take the next faithful step, without having the whole path mapped out?

Birchcliff Bluffs United Church Sunday Service - Toronto, CanadaONLINE OFFERINGS: https://www.bbuc.ca/donateMinister: Katelyn Vardy / Music Director: Randy V...

05/06/2026

On May 10 this Sunday is Blessing of the animals!! All are welcome in our space!!

🐾✨ You're Invited! ✨🐾

Bring your furry, feathered, scaly, or stuffed friends to our Blessing of the Animals service! 🐶🐱🐰🐦🐹🐢

📅 Sunday, May 10 at 10:30 a.m.
📍 Birchcliff Bluffs United Church (Kingston Rd & Warden Rd)

Whether your companion has paws, wings, or whiskers—or maybe prefers to stay home—all are welcome! If your pet is shy, feel free to bring a photo or stuffed animal for a blessing.

This is a joyful, all-ages celebration of the creatures who share our lives and reflect God’s love in playful, mysterious, and unconditional ways. 💖

🌈 Come for community, stay for the wagging tails, purrs, and holy mischief. Leashes, carriers, and good vibes required!

05/06/2026

May 5 is Red Dress Day, the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit People (MMIWG2S). It is a day of remembrance—and a call to act. Let us honour the lives lost, support the grieving, seek justice for the missing, and continue to raise our voices and speak out against colonization, racism, and the injustice of MMIWG2S.

Indigenous women are sacred: life-givers, knowledge keepers, and leaders in their communities. The violence they face is rooted in ongoing colonial systems that continue to put their lives at risk. This crisis is not behind us. It continues.

Today, you can:

📍 Hang a red dress outside your home or church as a public witness
🤝 Join Red Dress Day events in your community
❤️ Support the United Church’s Healing Fund: https://ow.ly/M83750YV1tV
🙏 Pray for action to end this violence:

God of justice and compassion,
we remember today the missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls,
and Two-Spirit people whose lives were sacred and loved.

We grieve with families and communities who carry loss and unanswered questions.
We lament the systems of racism and colonialism that continue to cause harm.

Stir our hearts beyond remembrance into action.

Give us courage to listen deeply, to speak truthfully,
and to work for safety, dignity, and justice for all.

May the red dresses we see today call us to accountability and hope—
until every life is honoured, and all your people can live in peace.

Amen.

05/04/2026

What’s happening at Toby’s Place

05/01/2026

May 3, 2026-10:30 am. 33 East Rd. ( Warden and Kingston Rd.). Our doors are open! From the desk of Katie Vardy!

This Sunday, we mark Mental Health Sunday with a service grounded in honesty, compassion, and hope. Drawing on Lamentations and Jesus' words in the Gospel of John, we will explore what it means to be a community where no one has to hide their struggles. Together, we will reflect on the reality of stigma, the power of lament as a faithful response to suffering, and the kind of love Jesus calls us to—a love that listens, stays, and makes space for one another. Wherever you find yourself this week, you are invited into a space of care, courage, and connection.

Bread for the Journey:
Where in your life—or in your community—might love be inviting you to listen more deeply and make space for what is real?


Thanks and many blessings,

May 3, 2026 - LIVESTREAM

04/26/2026

Today Music Sunday April 26!! Come 10:30 am

What happens when a prayer we know by heart begins to sound…different?

This Sunday, we invite you into a rich and creative exploration of The Lord’s Prayer—one of the most familiar and beloved prayers in the Christian tradition. Through music, we’ll encounter the prayer in a variety of forms, styles, and voices, each offering a fresh lens on words we may have spoken a thousand times. Sometimes, it is in hearing something familiar in a new way that we discover it again—more spacious, more surprising, more alive.

Come and be part of this fascinating and spirit-filled service as we listen deeply, sing boldly, and reflect together on what it means to pray, “Your kingdom come…” All are welcome.

Bread for the Journey:
When you hear the Lord’s Prayer expressed in a new or unfamiliar way, what stirs in you?

Thanks and many blessings, Katie Vardy

April 26, 2026 - LORD'S PRAYER MUSIC SERVICE

04/22/2026

🐾✨ You're Invited! ✨🐾

Bring your furry, feathered, scaly, or stuffed friends to our Blessing of the Animals service! 🐶🐱🐰🐦🐹🐢

📅 Sunday, May 10 at 10:30 a.m.
📍 Birchcliff Bluffs United Church (Kingston Rd & Warden Rd)

Whether your companion has paws, wings, or whiskers—or maybe prefers to stay home—all are welcome! If your pet is shy, feel free to bring a photo or stuffed animal for a blessing.

This is a joyful, all-ages celebration of the creatures who share our lives and reflect God’s love in playful, mysterious, and unconditional ways. 💖

🌈 Come for community, stay for the wagging tails, purrs, and holy mischief. Leashes, carriers, and good vibes required!