FAQ

Where is Cole Harbour Woodside United Church located?

We are located at 15 Bissett Road, just as you turn off Cole Harbour Road onto Bissett Road.

Can I get married at Cole Harbour Woodside United Church?

If you are interested in being married at Cole Harbour Woodside United Church, we invite you to call us at (902) 434-7714 or send us an e-mail at least 4 months in advance of the date you are seeking. This allows us to check the availability of our Ministers and sanctuary and give you time to complete a pre-marital course through the church.  Being divorced or not a member of the United Church of Canada does not preclude being married in our church. Most of the weddings we do are for people currently involved in the life of our congregation but we are certainly open to members of the community requesting this ministry.  All weddings are approved by our Worship Committee.

Can I rent spaces in the building?

Yes, we love sharing our building!  Please call the office at 902-434-7714 and speak to our Office Administrator about space availability and our rental policy.

What about Baptism?

Baptism is one of two sacraments we observe in the United Church of Canada.  It involves the parents/ legal guardians for children, those of an age of discernment for children/ teens or adults making professions of faith and a commitment to the life, work and ministry of the congregation.  As a community of faith, we too make promises to provide opportunities for learning, faith, growth and service in the life of the community. We would be delighted to talk with you about Baptism.

Can I volunteer? How?
Absolutely! We welcome everyone from our community who want to support our ministries with their time and talent or who want to attend our fundraising events just for the fellowship.

How does Cole Harbour Woodside United receive funding?
We rely on donations from our congregation, and from the community together with fundraising events to provide the funding to fulfill our mission. We receive donations of money and of food from Feed Nova Scotia designated to support the Food Bank that we operate.

Do I need to be a member of The United Church to make a donation?
No. Anyone who wishes to support our ministries can make a donation. We accept monetary donations and donations of food for our Food Bank. Please contact us by phone, email or through our social media sites.

What is PAR?
PAR stands for Pre-Authorized Remittance.  It is a convenient way many people use to make regular donations to the work of ministry in the congregation.  It involves an automatic debit each month from your bank account and is credited to the church.  You can download the PAR form here here or obtain a PAR Registration Form at a church service or from the church office.

Can I designate which ministry or outreach that I want my donation to support?
Yes. When you use a cheque or the PAR system, or when you donate online via CanadaHelps, we provide a checkbox that allows you to choose the area you want to designate for your support. When you use e-transfers you can note your designation as well. The areas that we normally see for designations include:
Local Givings (General expenses – a good choice for providing general support)
The Food Bank
The Building Fund
Mission and Service Fund ( A National Church Fund for World Mission)
Memorial Fund

Will my donation have an impact?
Cole Harbour Woodside spends a budget of over $200,000 annually for operating our building and for the staff to run the church. This is all funded by contributions from our members and from our fellowship/fundraising events. Any additional donations and all donations designated to a ministry or outreach would be completely spent in support of a ministry. With no deduction for things such as administration. Indeed donations are leveraged by the value of the volunteer time and talent that they attract to our ministries.

Where do food donations come from?
We receive food donations from Feed Nova Scotia, members of our congregation, Schools and other churches in our area and individuals in our community.

How can I make a donation of food for the Food Bank?
Foodbank items or grocery gift cards can be dropped off at the church office during regular business hours or placed in the donation box in the vestibule Sunday mornings during service.

Will I get a tax receipt for my donation to Cole Harbour Woodside United?
We are a registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). This allows us to issue income tax receipts for eligible donations and if a gift is eligible we make every effort to do so. Our Charitable Organization Registration Number is 132726266 RR 0001. You can go to the CRA Website and see our information and confirm our status on their Registry of Charitable Organizations.

What is considered a gift for official income tax purposes?
To be eligible for an official income tax receipt, the donation must be given freely to the charity. Additional conditions may affect whether the donation can be considered a gift eligible for an official tax receipt. Receipts are not issued for payments to CHWUC for things such as tickets to our fund raising events or for our annual maple syrup sale as these are not donations that qualify under CRA regulations.

Can you email my tax receipt?
 At this time, electronic tax receipts are only available if you make a donation online through the CanadaHelps online donation button on our website. Those receipts will be issued by http://www.CanadaHelps.org directly to the email address you provide at the time of the donation. For all other donations, tax receipts will be sent by regular mail to the address you provide.

When can I expect to receive my tax receipt?
Anyone who has requested an annual receipt or is a member of our monthly giving program can expect to receive their tax receipt near the beginning of February of the following year.