June 10 is the 97th anniversary of the founding of The United Church of Canada. That’s right, in 2025, we’ll hit 100!
Time for a brief history of the United Church crest. It was designed by the Rev. Dr. Victor T. Mooney, who was Treasurer of the United Church at the time of Union.
Shortly after the 1925 Union, a committee was appointed to make recommendations for a crest. They decided that they should work into it symbols that would represent the various denominations coming into union. But it wasn’t until 1944 that Rev. Mooney’s design was officially adopted by the 11th General Council.
The crest is designed in the form of a St. Andrew’s cross with an insignia in each of the four corners. The X at the centre represents Christ.
Three of the four symbols on the crest are associated with the three communions that united to form The United Church of Canada in 1925.
The open Bible on the left side of the crest represents the Congregational Church and its emphasis upon God’s truth that makes people free. From this communion we have a heritage of liberty in prophesying, love of spiritual freedom, awareness of the creative power of the Holy Spirit, and clear witness for civic justice.
The dove at the top of the crest symbolizes the Holy Spirit, whose transforming power has been a distinctive mark of Methodism. Here, our heritage is one of evangelical zeal, concern for human redemption, warmth of Christian fellowship, the testimony of spiritual experience, and the ministry of sacred song.
The burning bush at the right of the crest is the symbol of Presbyterianism and the indestructibility of the church. From the Presbyterians, we have received a heritage of high regard for the dignity of worship, the education of all people, the authority of scripture, and the church as the Body of Christ.
In August of 2012, at the 41st General Council, The United Church of Canada acknowledged the presence and spirituality of Aboriginal peoples in the United Church by revising the church’s crest. The crest changes included incorporating the colours often associated with the Aboriginal Medicine Wheel. The Medicine Wheel, which reflects respect for diversity and interdependence, is often represented in the four traditional colours of yellow, red, black, and white, which incorporate important teachings from the four directions, the four stages of life, and the four seasons. The placement of these colours will vary according to the traditions of the nation. The Medicine Wheel teaches us to seek balance in the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of the circle of life.
The symbols of alpha and omega in the lower quarter of the crest are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. They symbolize the eternal living God, in the fullness of creation.
The oval shape of the crest is derived from the outline of a fish, a symbol of identity adopted by early Christians.
The Latin words “ut omnes unum sint,” found on the lower left side of the outline, mean “That all may be one” and are taken from John 17:21. On the lower right side, we find the Mohawk phrase “Akwe Nia’Tetewá:neren,” which means “all my relations.”
This is an abbreviated version of a text by glenda thornton, while at Centenary-Queen Square U.C., Saint John, N.B.
