Harcourt Memorial United Church

What Harcourt Memorial United Church does

Harcourt Memorial United Church is a non-profit religious congregation within the United Church of Canada, located at 87 Dean Avenue in Guelph, Ontario, with origins dating to 1887 and formal United Church affiliation since 1956. The church operates with a small staff of approximately 8 (including a Minister, Manna Lead Coordinator, Director of Music and Arts Ministries, Community Relations Coordinator, Office Administrator/Technical Coordinator, and Custodian) and serves a progressive, affirming, and greening congregation of individuals, families, and LGBTQ+ members in Guelph and surrounding areas. Core service offerings include a traditional Music & Message Sunday worship, the all-ages Manna service, an online Holy Listening Circle, pastoral care, spiritual companionship, and life-event services (baptisms, weddings, funerals), supplemented by music groups, a communal garden, quilting and prayer-shawl circles, and a MindStretch discussion group.

The organization's revenue model is donation-driven, supported by Pre-Authorized Remittance, Interac e-transfers, credit card processing via the Pllenty platform, cheques, and securities donations through the UCC Foundation, with a 2% credit-card processing fee and a 1.5% (capped at C$250) UCC Foundation transaction fee. A secondary commercial revenue stream is generated through Harcourt Commons, a community-space rental operation that monetizes the church's approximately 5,000+ sq ft of accessible facilities — Harcourt Hall (capacity 300, with newly installed laser projectors), Room 204, Gymnasium, commercial kitchen, and multiple meeting rooms — to external nonprofits, choirs, learning groups, and private event hosts. A solar-panel installation with Tigo Energy real-time monitoring adds a small recurring energy-revenue stream. The church distributes services through in-person worship, YouTube livestream, Zoom, and an online community photo directory (Instant Church Directory), and markets through Facebook, Twitter, newsletters (Harcourt Herald, e-weekly, Manna), and the harcourtcommunity.ca website.

Harcourt's community-engagement model centers on partnerships with Chalmers Community Services Centre, Royal City Mission, the Rainbow Chorus, Hospice Wellington, Third Age Learning, Isha Foundation, Amnesty International, Basic Income Guelph, Autism Dog Services, and the Ecumenical Campus Ministry, alongside a 1979-launched refugee sponsorship program and a communal garden that has produced over 7,000 lbs of organic produce since 2011 for donation to the Chalmers Food Pantry. The church holds the United Church of Canada's Affirming Ministry designation (since 2005) and operates as a member congregation of the broader United Church of Canada denominational structure.

Name

Harcourt Memorial United Church

Legal name

Harcourt Memorial United Church

Website

https://harcourtcommunity.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Harcourt Memorial United Church is a progressive, affirming United Church of Canada congregation in Guelph, Ontario offering worship services, pastoral care, and community programs, and operating Harcourt Commons as a multi-space community venue rental business.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious & Community Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311), Religious Organizations (813110)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Local Congregations & Worship Communities (Churches, Mosques, Temples, Synagogues) (BPAGAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences) (BPAGAJAB)

Keywords

• Religious worship services
• Community space rentals
• Pastoral spiritual care
• Inclusive affirming ministry
• Community nonprofit programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Guelph

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations - E-Transfer: Congregants can send Interact e-transfers to the church's email address for the Operating Fund, Mission and Service, Property Pillar, Outreach Pillar, Music and Arts Pillar, Spiritual Life & Education Pillar or other programs.
2. Pre-Authorized Remittance (PAR): Automatic recurring payments through donors' banks, representing the most effective way to maintain consistent revenue. Set up via form submission with void cheque.
3. Credit Card Donations: Credit card donations processed through Pllenty platform with instant tax receipts. Subject to 2% service fee that reduces amount received by Harcourt.
4. Cheque Donations: Traditional cheque donations via mail or dropped in secure box at front door.
5. UCC Foundation - Securities Donations: Donation of securities via the United Church Foundation provides significant tax benefit to donor. Transaction fee of 1.5% up to maximum of $250.
6. Facility Rentals: Rental income from Harcourt Commons spaces including Harcourt Hall, Room 204, Gym, Kitchen, Parking Lot, and Meeting Rooms (203, 101, Library).
7. Solar Panel Revenue: Solar panels on church property reduce carbon footprint and generate revenue through energy generation, with real-time performance monitoring available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Harcourt Memorial United Church operates as a progressive, Affirming United Church of Canada congregation offering Sunday worship services (Music & Message traditional service and Manna all-ages participatory service), an online Holy Listening Circle, pastoral care and Spiritual Companionship, and lifecycle services including baptisms, weddings, and funerals. The church also runs the Harcourt Commons program, renting its accessible 4,135 sq ft sanctuary hall, gym, commercial kitchen, and meeting rooms to community groups, arts organizations, and event organizers, generating supplemental revenue to support its spiritual and social justice mission.

Product overview

Harcourt Memorial United Church is a progressive, Affirming, greening church community that operates as a multi-service organization offering both spiritual/religious services and community facility rentals. The core spiritual offerings include Music & Message (traditional worship), Manna (all-ages participatory service), and Holy Listening Circle (online spiritual discussion). Harcourt Commons provides rental facilities including Harcourt Hall (event space), Room 204, Gym, Commercial Kitchen, and Meeting Rooms for community events. Additional programs include music groups (Choir, Handbell, Lightshine Singers), communal garden, quilting, prayer shawl, pastoral care, and spiritual companionship services. The church also provides digital communication through newsletters (Harcourt Herald, e-weekly) and online donation capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Harcourt Commons: A community space initiative that shares the church building and land with the Guelph community for events, performances, meetings, and gatherings. Church space is seen as public space for the common good.

Products and services

• Music & Message Worship Service Traditional Sunday morning Christian worship service featuring the Harcourt Choir with piano and guitar accompaniment and occasional Handbell Choir or other instrumentation, offered both in-person and via livestream.
• Manna All-Ages Service Alternative Sunday morning gathering at 11:00 a.m. (September-June) designed for people of all ages, featuring interactive storytelling, hands-on practices, music, art, play, and social justice activities as part of a progressive spiritual community.
• Holy Listening Circle Online spiritual discussion group held Sundays at 9:00 a.m. via Zoom, exploring scripture through a progressive Christian lens using a structured small-group deep-listening sharing process.
• Pastoral Care & Spiritual Companions One-on-one confidential spiritual companionship from trained covenanted companions and pastoral care from ministry staff, covering crisis support, hospital visits, grief, and faith concerns.
• Life's Big Moments Services Baptisms, weddings, and funerals conducted by Harcourt ministers to mark significant life transitions for members and the broader community.
• Harcourt Hall Space Rental Main event and meeting hall (4,135 sq ft) with flexible seating, raised stage, grand piano, lighting, AV capabilities, livestreaming, and laser projectors; capacity up to 300 people; parking for 100 vehicles.
• Room 204 Space Rental Meeting room (698 sq ft) with maximum capacity of 45 people, suitable for workshops and smaller gatherings.
• Gym Space Rental Large gymnasium (2,203 sq ft) with maximum capacity of 120-180 people depending on configuration, including tables, chairs, kitchen access, and pass-through service.
• Commercial Kitchen Rental Government-certified commercial kitchen (524 sq ft) available for event catering alongside the gym and meeting-room rentals.
• Meeting Rooms Rental Smaller meeting spaces including Room 203 (546 sq ft, capacity 30), Room 101 (capacity 15), and Library (capacity 8-10) for small meetings and gatherings.
• Harcourt Communal Garden Program Community garden producing organically-grown vegetables and herbs, with all harvested produce donated to the Chalmers Food Pantry for distribution to food-insecure community members.
• Music Groups Program Rehearsal-based music participation program including Harcourt Choir, Handbell Choir, and Lightshine Singers open to community members for music-making and liturgical support.
• Harcourt Quilting Group Monthly quilting group whose finished quilts are donated to those in need or used for fundraising for various causes including refugee support and local outreach initiatives.
• Prayer Shawl Circle Knitting and crocheting group that creates shawls for people experiencing difficult or joyful times, with baptism babies receiving white shawls.
• MindStretch Discussion Group Weekly Thursday morning discussion group exploring faith, spirituality, and life's big questions in an open, non-decision-oriented format.

Quantifiable outcome

• Communal Garden has produced 7,000+ lbs of organic produce donated to Chalmers Food Pantry since 2011
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Transition Guelph / Guelph Community Orchard ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Volunteer-maintained fruit and nut orchard in Guelph planted in fall 2012. Harcourt volunteers help maintain the orchard under the Property Committee. Produce is available for community harvest.
• Amnesty InternationalminorOthersHuman rights organization partnership for social justice advocacy and education initiatives.
• Autism Dog ServicesminorOthersService dog organization supporting individuals with autism.
• Chalmers Community Services CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary food security partner. Harcourt volunteers collect, deliver, and serve groceries and essentials to hundreds of local families each month. The Communal Garden donates all produce harvested (7,000+ lbs since 2011) to Chalmers Food Pantry.
• Ecumenical Campus MinistrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting students and campus community at University of Guelph through ecumenical spiritual care and programming.
• Guelph United MinistriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGUM is a shared ministry among Guelph United Churches. Harcourt participates in shared worship services and collaborative ministry initiatives.
• Planted Seed MontessoriminorOthersMontessori school serving children and families in the Guelph community.
• Rainbow Chorus of Waterloo-WellingtoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLGBTQ+ choir that rehearses and performs at Harcourt. This partnership reflects shared commitment to inclusion, creativity, and joy. Harcourt sponsors the chorus as part of its Affirming Ministry work.
• Royal City MissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSaturday Night Supper program partnership. Harcourt hosts four suppers annually (12 volunteers each) to provide hot meals to those in need. Program started in 1998 with 20 churches/groups participating.
• Basic Income GuelphminorOthersCoalition calling for guaranteed livable income for all Canadians. Harcourt hosts meetings, events, and shares educational resources supporting this systemic poverty solution.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Guelph United Ministries: A shared ministry among Guelph-area United Church congregations of which Harcourt is a member. Operates collaborative worship and ministry programs in the same city, denomination, and progressive theological tradition, making it the closest operating peer.
• Metropolitan Community Church: A global Christian denomination explicitly founded to serve LGBTQ+ communities, with affirming theology at its core. Shares Harcourt's progressive, Affirming identity and ministry model serving queer congregants and allies.
• Affirm United / S'affirmer Ensemble: The Affirming Ministry program that awarded Harcourt its 2005 designation. Operates as the umbrella network for Affirming congregations across the United Church of Canada, directly comparable in mission and constituency.
• St. Paul's Bloor Street: A progressive United Church of Canada congregation in Toronto known for community programming, mixed-use facility operation, and engagement with social justice. Comparable in progressive theological orientation and community-hub operating model.
• Royal City Mission: Guelph-based community organization where Harcourt hosts four Saturday Night Suppers annually and supports food security work. Directly comparable as a Guelph faith-rooted social services partner.
• Chalmers Community Services Centre: Guelph food security and community services partner that receives all produce from Harcourt's Communal Garden. Comparable as a faith-affiliated nonprofit delivering food security programming in the same local ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Camp Micah: LGBTQ+ affirming ecumenical summer camp co-founded by Harcourt's Manna Coordinator Pamela Girardi. Comparable in progressive Christian youth engagement and values alignment, though operating in the camp rather than congregation space.
• The 519 Church Street Community Centre: Toronto-based LGBTQ+ community hub offering space, programs, and services. Comparable in mission to serve queer and affirming communities, though operates as a secular community centre rather than a congregation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HarcourtUC
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@harcourtuc
• Facebookfacebook.com/HarcourtUC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/harcourtuc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Harcourt Memorial United Church