About Us

Our beliefs

We call ourselves Christian because we belong to Jesus Christ and want to be his followers. We recognize as fellow Christians all people who accept the teachings of the Bible as summarized in the Apostle's Creed. We call ourselves Reformed because we're part of that historic branch of the Christian church that follows the teachings of 16th-century reformer John Calvin, who struggled to return Christianity to its biblical roots. We call ourselves Church because God has called us to be a fellowship of his people in the world.

Our core creed

At the core of our belief is the Apostle's Creed:

I believe in God the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth.

And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten son, our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate;
was crucified, dead, and buried;
he descended into hell;
the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
I believe a holy catholic church,
the communion of saints;
the forgiveness of sins;
the resurrection of the body;
and the life everlasting.

A note from our pastor, Jim Poelman

Welcome to the Waterloo Church in the Woods–a church community that meets to worship together Sunday mornings at 10:30 and then disperses to live the faith where we are planted . I am new to the Waterloo Church in the Woods (also known as the Waterloo Christian Reformed Church), having arrived in August 2025 to be their transition/interim pastor, helping this church prepare for the next chapter in their ministry.

My wife, Linda, and I live west of London. I commute to this area on the weekend and stay until midweek. If I can assist in addressing any questions about Waterloo Church, please contact me at the address below.

OK, enough about me–back to introducing this church.... This is how I am experiencing this church: Waterloo Church in the Woods is a fully welcoming community of people committed to share their life-long journey of following Jesus with all who come. You can learn more about our various ministries as you explore this site but the best way to get to know us is to be part of the worshiping community on any Sunday morning at 10:30. Just to prove how welcoming they are–if you come the first Sunday of the month, you will be treated to lunch with everyone, and you won’t have to do the dishes!

We are always learning to welcome each other as Christ welcomed us and we are learning to walk by faith step by step, 24/7 together.

Thanks for considering,

Pastor Jim Poelman

jimrpoelman@gmail.com

Safe Church Policies

According to a 1992 study in the Christian Reformed Church, more than 1 out of every 4 adults reported that they had been abused. These numbers are similar to studies in the general population. The study also said that 15% reported having behaved abusively. The rates are likely higher because people who have been abused or caused abuse usually under-report.

The purpose of the Safe Church Committee of the WCRC is "to facilitate and encourage the church in its mission to be Christ's ambassadors in a broken world, fostering repentance and comfort, and upholding the promise of reconciliation to God (2 Corinthians 5:20; 7:10). The focus on prevention is intended as a visible sign of hope in a spiritual community free from every form of abuse". (WCRC Safe Church Policy, 2019).

Follow the links below to view forms, information or websites related to abuse prevention. PLEASE NOTE: if you have questions about reporting abuse or wish to ask questions about abuse or the reporting of abuse, you may contact the Chair of the Safe Church Committee at 519-576-0965.

Waterloo Christian Reformed Church Safe Church Policy and Appendices (2026)—The policy and mandates that guide and underpin our efforts in abuse prevention and response. Appendices and forms can be viewed for your information or completed/printed/signed as required. Appendix 2 is the application to be completed by those who wish to become a ministry provider and Appendix 5 is the Memorandum of Agreement that must be signed to indicate your commitment to the mandates of the policy.
WCRC Requirements for Ministry Leaders and Volunteers—Requirements for persons wishing to serve in leadership or volunteer roles within the ministries of the Waterloo Christian Reformed Church.
Resources related to abuse and abuse prevention, available through Waterloo CRC—listing of videos, books and pamphlets on abuse, domestic violence, abuse in the church, as well as resources for youth and worship.
Abuse Awareness site of the Christian Reformed Church in North America—Link to the home page of the Abuse Awareness ministry of our denomination.
Family & Children Services: Abuse & Neglect—Link to the site of Family and Children's Services of the Waterloo Region which provides information on how to identify abuse and neglect. From here you can also find links that provide information on how Family and Children's Services responds to a reporting of abuse or neglect.

Accessibility

In fulfilling our purposes and theological position, Waterloo Christian Reformed Church strives at all times to provide its programs, ministries and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. Waterloo CRC is also committed to giving people with disabilities the same opportunity to access its programs and ministries and allowing them to benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar way to people without disabilities.

Our policy statement outlines Waterloo CRC's approach to meeting the accessibility needs of people with disabilities and is intended to meet the regulatory requirements of the "Customer Service Standard" of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, as well as other related policies and good practices.

To complement to our policy document, we've made available two forms that you can download and complete:

Feedback form: Use this form to help us improve accessibility within our facility and congregation.
Accessibility Needs form: If you have an accessibility need that is not being addressed within our facility or congregation, please let us know your needs with this form.

More information

If you wish to book a training session for our church, please email accessibility@waterloocrc.org.

Our community

At Waterloo Christian Reformed Church we strive to connect with and support our neighbours down the street, across the city and around the world. We can do this only through dedicated individuals and partnerships with outside agencies. The following areas are some of the ways that we facilitate service to others.

Diaconal Ministry

The Diaconal Ministry serves the needs of the congregation as well as needs in our local and global community. Diaconal ministry is rooted and patterned on the humble loving of Jesus, who "did not come to be served, but to serve" (Mark 10:45). We are privileged to serve our community in compassion and mercy, whatever the need. We work to develop awareness of injustice, opportunities for ministry, and faithful stewardship in our congregation.

Our Local Community

Waterloo Christian Reformed Church is located near the Sunnydale Community Centre. This centre serves the surrounding community by providing adult and youth programs, outreach support, and community development. Our deacons and individuals in the congregation continue to seek opportunities to serve our neighbourhood through the centre.

Twice per year, Waterloo Christian Reformed Church facilitates a community clothing sale and exchange. Through this program, good-quality used clothing is distributed throughout our community. Facilitated by the Diaconal Ministry, our congregation's weekly offerings also support many different agencies throughout the KW region, such as House of Friendship, Bridgeport Cafe, Habitat for Humanity and The Working Centre.

Because of our proximity to the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University, we know that our students are very much a part of our local community. See the Our Programs page for more information about our university-related programs.

Community Ministry

The Community Ministry works with many dedicated volunteers to offers opportunities for fellowship in our congregation and the local community. The Friendship Club program meets Monday evenings to minister to individuals with developmental challenges. On Thursday mornings, women gather for Coffee Break, a time of fellowship and Bible study. During Coffee Break, preschool-aged children can participate in the nursery or Little Lambs program. For one week every July, we also offer a Vacation Bible School, where children aged 4-11 can join us to learn more about God through songs, crafts, games, and stories from the Bible.

Within Waterloo CRC's own community, we regularly organize inter-generational events such as potluck dinners, games nights and talent nights. We celebrate New Years' Eve together with a potluck supper, evening worship service, and ice skating. In September we kickoff the fall season with a picnic BBQ together and enjoy games for all ages both inside and outdoors.