Aurora is a community church in the North End of Halifax.
We are a fresh spiritual home centred on Jesus that values faithful presence, community engagement and justice.
We are grateful for the space we have and acknowledge that we meet in Mi'kma'ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq People. We are all Treaty people and take calls to action toward reconciliation seriously.
At first glance, the building might not lead you to expect anything unique from our church. We hope you will find us refreshing, creative, collaborative and life-giving.
We are trying new things, pursuing God, contributing to justice, and seeking to be a Christian community faithfully present in the broader community.
We are focused on Jesus and we strive to be like him in all we do. We place a high value on the Bible and we love interacting with it in various ways. It is a rich, varied, and life-giving text. We pray, meditate, sing and eat together. We are progressive and growing and we love what we are building together.
Drop us an email if you have any questions or stop by at 5666 Sebastian St. on Sunday morning at 10:30am to meet us. You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram.
Facebook Instagram Email Aurora ChurchFrom the beginning we have wanted to identify ourselves first and foremost as a community of Jesus followers who want to connect with people regardless of denomination or spiritual background. We also appreciate our partners and could not exist without them. We are especially grateful for our partnership with the Navigators of Canada and CBAC (Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada) who are kingdom minded families that we are a part of and that support us tremendously.
Home. Most of us have had one. Some of us have one now. Many don't. Homes evoke feelings and memories good and bad. At its best, a home centres you and is a refuge and place you can be yourself. At Aurora, we consider our church to be our spiritual home and a place that all of us – all ages, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, incomes, languages, and ethnicities – can belong, be nourished, contribute, grow, share and find God.
As a community that proclaims Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour that wants to be true to the entire Bible and follow the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit, we think it is important for others to know that we are dedicated to full inclusion and equality in the church as well as in society as a whole. Going forward LGBTQ+ people in our spaces will be welcomed, valued and enabled to contribute without being criticized or excluded.
We are centred on Jesus, God in the flesh. We want to be like Christ and learn to do and act as he did everywhere we find ourselves. Yet even those who wouldn't quite say this is true for themselves, still belong and are given space to explore, test the boundaries, search and contribute. Our hope is that in following Jesus well we will become a beautiful expression of his kingdom and good news. Our name Aurora means ‘the dawn' – a wonderful picture of the beautiful new things God desires for people and places.
At Aurora we believe that all the spaces we inhabit deserve our faithful presence and thoughtful participation. This includes the community our church is in as well as the places we live, study, work and socialize. Our passions are local and much of our energies are directed locally. It is our longing to help our community flourish and to partner with others who want the same. We care deeply about justice and are growing in our understanding of the stories of this place and enjoy being part of those stories in meaningful and practical ways.
We gather in person every Sunday at 10:30am in our church building (5666 Sebastian St.). You are welcome to come as early as 10am for food and friendship. On the long weekends in July, August, September and the Sunday before New Year's Day we take what we call a 'Sabbath Sunday' which means we don't have a service. We encourage people to do other things - connect with friends, family, neighbours or each other. Other than these four weekends we meet every Sunday.
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We offer children's programs for kids aged 3-7, 8-11 and Junior High. Children & Worship (for kids aged 3-7) runs every week. The program for kids 8-11 and Junior High runs every second week. There is no programming for kids in the summer.
We eat breakfast together every Sunday because we want to build community with one another and we believe eating together is one of the best ways to do this.
We alternate between two different services — Lectio and Teaching.
On Lectio Sundays, following the food, we transition to a time of worship which includes contemporary music and something called Lectio. Lectio is an ancient practice of prayerfully and meditatively reading the Bible. In short, a passage is read and we are given quiet time to listen, reflect and share (if we want). Everyone including kids is together during the first half of the service. Once the Lectio starts the younger kids head to their program.
On Teaching Sundays, we also eat breakfast. After this we transition to a time of contemporary worship and teaching. Teaching is interactive at Aurora. People are able to ask questions and we usually take time for small group discussion at the end. Everyone including kids is together during the first half of the service. Once the sermon starts the younger kids head to their program.
At Aurora, we love that children are part of our church family! During breakfast/coffee time and worship through music at the beginning of the service, everyone is together. We offer children’s programs for kids aged 3-7, 8-11, and Junior High during the sermon/Lectio. Of course, you can always choose to keep your child with you throughout the entire service. When children are present, we encourage parents to help them engage in age-appropriate ways. When they are younger, this may include using shakers, singing, or doing actions during the songs. As they get older, it includes listening to the sermon, doing the Lectio, or contributing to the small group discussion time. We acknowledge this will not always be easy and engagement will vary by age and temperament. To help, we have a children’s area at the back of the sanctuary with colouring, puzzles, and other quiet activities. Ultimately, we want everyone, adult and child, to feel welcome and respected, and we want kids to learn and engage in the structures of corporate worship.
Our gatherings are designed to be authentic, relevant, and life giving. We are usually done everything by 11:30am.
In addition to Sunday morning, some of us volunteer in the local community. We are continually looking for ways to be involved in each other's lives and cultivate deeper community.
Kevin has been our pastor since we planted our church in 2019. He has been ministering with the Navigators for 25 years on campus, in the community and most recently with us. He has an undergrad degree from the University of Waterloo in History and Applied Studies. His theological training is from Acadia Divinity College and The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology in partnership with the Parish Collective. Prior to working in ministry, he worked in market research in the consumer goods industry. He has a passion for education and justice and the local community and desires to see people outside of the sphere of traditional church encountering Jesus and experiencing his transforming work. He has been married to Carolyn for 30 years and together they have four kids aged 16-26. He is an avid basketball player and loves hiking and kayaking.
Aurora Community Commons is a shared community space across from Isleville Park in the North End of Halifax belonging to Aurora North End Parish Church. With affordable space for community groups increasingly hard to find, we offer an open and evolving space for those that are working for justice, serving the marginalized, and contributing to the flourishing of people in our neighbourhood.
Email Aurora CommonsTo financially support the ministry of Aurora send an e-transfer to auroraoffering@gmail.com or if it is easier, you can bring a cheque on Sunday morning made out to Aurora North End Parish Church.
