You don’t have to split your politics from your spiritual life. Harcourt offers a space where progressive values — inclusion, ecological care, and economic justice — and faith are practiced together. Whether you’re looking for meaningful volunteer days, intergenerational justice education for your kids, or a spiritual home that aligns with your values, Harcourt makes it simple to act alongside people who care.
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What we do — real programs, real impact

• ​Food security partnerships

At Harcourt, our anti-poverty work starts with food. We partner in various ways with Chalmers Community Services Centre, helping provide groceries and essentials to hundreds of local families each month. Volunteers collect, deliver, and serve — ensuring dignity and choice for neighbours facing food insecurity.

We also prepare and serve meals through Saturday Night Supper, a downtown Guelph program where community members share a hot meal in a warm, welcoming space. Harcourt teams cook, serve, and sit alongside guests, making it a table where everyone belongs.

• Harcourt Communal Garden — food grown to feed our city

Since 2011 our communal garden has been a literal source of care for Guelph: volunteers grow organic produce and donate the harvest to Chalmers Food Pantry and other local food-security partners. Over the years the garden has produced thousands of pounds of vegetables for people who need them. Join a planting day! We'd love to have you.

• Basic Income Guelph — addressing root causes

Food programs meet immediate needs, but Harcourt also works on systemic solutions. That’s why we are active supporters of Basic Income Guelph, a coalition calling for a guaranteed livable income for all Canadians. We host meetings, events, share education resources, and amplify advocacy that argues poverty isn’t inevitable — it’s a policy choice. Supporting basic income is one way Harcourt helps move beyond charity to justice, tackling poverty at its roots.

• 2SLGBTQIA+ advocacy & the Rainbow Chorus

Harcourt has long been an Affirming Ministry within the United Church of Canada, publicly and intentionally welcoming LGBTQ+ people into full participation in church life. Our advocacy includes Pride events, education, and action with the wider community.

We are also home to the Rainbow Chorus of Waterloo-Wellington, which rehearses and performs at Harcourt. The chorus celebrates queer identity through music, and our partnership reflects our shared commitment to inclusion, creativity, and joy. ​

• Harcourt — worship that does justice

Sunday mornings are another time and place to get involved in social justice.  At our Music and Message service  we learn and are inspired to follow the teachings of Jesus in our daily lives by:  sharing generously, welcoming  the stranger, befriending  the lonely, and working for justice and peace in various ways.  We strive to live out our faith beyond the walls of the sanctuary.  

Manna is our all-ages, participatory service where faith and justice meet. It’s hands-on: we learn together, then step outside the sanctuary to volunteer, harvest, pick up litter, plant seedlings, and support local anti-poverty efforts — experiences that make social justice part of how we live, not just what we believe. 

We also have Lunch and Learn opportunities with guest speakers. 

• Direct outreach & partnerships

Harcourt supports local, national and international justice initiatives — from refugee support and community arts events that raise funds for outreach, to joining anti-poverty campaigns that ask governments to act. Our community connects spiritual practice with practical solidarity: advocacy, donations, volunteering and public education.
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Get involved — five easy ways to plug in:

1. Volunteer with Chalmers or Saturday Night Supper — serve food, organize supplies, and connect with neighbours.
2. Help in the Communal Garden — seasonal planting, harvest days and deliveries to local food programs. No green thumb required.
3. Support Basic Income Guelph — join the movement to end poverty at its roots.
4. Celebrate LGBTQ+ inclusion — attend a Rainbow Chorus concert or Pride service, and show solidarity.
5. Join us on a Sunday — listen, learn, and participate in advocacy that moves the needle.

Come see for yourself
Harcourt welcomes people who want church to be a place of spiritual growth and civic courage. We’re at 87 Dean Ave — bring a friend,  and your desire to make a difference. Want to show up on a particular Sunday or sign up to volunteer? Message us — we’ll find a spot that fits your schedule and skills.