History

History


The first United Church community in Erin Mills began in 1973 as a union congregation with the Christian Church Disciples Of Christ, worshiping at Brookmede Public School. In 1974, in an ecumenical spirit, the congregation, then called Church at the Crossroads became part of the Erin Mills Church Campus, in the building near South Common Mall. The Campus also provided worship and office spaces for St. Thomas Anglican Church, Glenbrook Presbyterian Church, and Credit Valley Baptist Church.


When the union discussions between the two denominations faltered and to better identify the congregation, the name of the congregation was changed to Crossroads United Church.


Over time, the Campus space became too small to accommodate the growth and viability of so many churches under one roof. Halton Presbytery guided Crossroads United through a period of consultation with the result that in 1988, Crossroads gave ‘birth’ to Erin Mills United Church. With the appointment of ministers, Rev. Harry Oussoren, Yvonne Stewart and Kathy Toivanen to work with the congregation, Erin Mills United planned and worked toward a move to a new location at the corner of Winston Churchill and The Collegeway. In the summer of 1992, the new church building was completed and the congregation celebrated an inaugural service on July 5th, 1992. The new church was formally dedicated on October 4th.


In its 25 years on the corner of Winston Churchill and The Collegeway, EMUC has served the community by providing space for groups such as AA and two other congregations (a Korean and Tamil congregation), offering a variety of programs for all ages, partnering with ecumenical, interfaith and other community groups in initiatives for youth and those on social assistance. OASIS, an EMUC summer drop-in program for youth grew into Erin Mills Youth Centre, now a stand-alone not-for-profit organization that offers programing for youth year-round.

EMUC’s property has supported a community garden, the first to be established in Mississauga, and in 2011, EMUC became the first church in Mississauga to install solar panels on its roof.



In 2016, Kathy Toivanen, our long-standing minister and one of the original team ministers, retired. In September, 2017 EMUC welcomed a new minister, Rev. Kathi Phillips, to lead and serve the congregation and the community.

EMUC expresses the love of Christ through its commitment to serving in the community, its support of those on social assistance, its care for the environment, and its partnerships with other churches, faith groups and local not-for-profit agencies. EMUC seeks to be a community where all are welcome and can “put down their roots and let their spirits soar.”

Share by: