United Church Publishing House
You may have noticed that many of the books that the United Church bookstore carries are published by the United Church Publishing House. UCPH has a fascinating history, and has been a leader in many areas.
We Have Faith in Our Books!
United Church Publishing House (UCPH) traces its roots to the Methodist Book Room, which was founded in 1829. Through many iterations, with the Methodists and later as the United Church, publishing has been a continuing mission. Since 1992, UCPH has published more than 250 titles.
From the beginning, UCPH has published books to meet the spiritual needs of both members of The United Church of Canada and others searching for spiritual strength and insight, stronger values, and better community. UCPH is committed to publishing books and resources that help people to engage in Christian ministry, attracting readers—regardless of denomination or faith—considering the spiritual aspects of their lives. We publish titles that support, challenge, and inspire church leaders and individuals. We share our faith and vision within the United Church, with members of other denominations, and with secular markets throughout Canada and beyond.
We welcome your comments on our books. E-mail us and let us know what you think.
Genres and Bestsellers
Many UCPH titles are worship, small-group, and faith development books for churches, their leaders, and their members. Current titles are available in both soft cover and e-book format. Some titles are also available in other downloadable formats. Here are some of our genres.
Faith Resources
Faith formation books are the foundational genre of UCPH. For almost 30 years, UCPH has been publishing a yearly Lenten devotional book, such as Faith on the Move (2020) and Faithfully Yours (2019). Other popular titles include Bullseye: Aiming to Follow Jesus (2015) and Bullseye: Practical Ideas for Individuals and Groups (2015). Jesus 24/7 (2008) and Jesus 24/7 Youth (2009) are best-selling titles, with 3,800 and 3,200 copies being sold respectively. But it is two pocket-sized and illustrated books highlighting United Church faith statements that have been top sellers. We Cannot Keep from Singing (2007), highlighting words from A Song of Faith, has sold more than 9,000 copies, and We Are Not Alone, We Live in God’s World (2007), which has the text of A New Creed, has sold 7,500 copies.
Church Life and Worship
Ministry leaders can find practical resources from UCPH for all aspects of congregational life, such as preaching (Gathered for Preaching, 2021, and Preaching the Big Questions, 2015), navigating changing times (Thriving Churches: Rural and Urban Successes, 2021), and leading funerals (A Good Ending, 2014). Books to equip those leading meetings include Off to a Good Start (2016) and Program Ready II (1996).
There are many resources in the UCPH library for worship planning, from the Worship for All Seasons II lectionary-based, three-book series (2004, 2006) to Gathered for Worship (2010).
Our hymnbooks, More Voices (2007) and Voices United (1996), are staples in churches across Canada. Search our website for a complete range of More Voices and Voices United products.
UCPH is also looking to the future as it plans for the exciting launch of a new, comprehensive online music resource tool called Then Let Us Sing! in 2025.
Indigenous Voices
Providing a platform for Indigenous peoples to share their stories is an ongoing commitment of UCPH. Older titles included From Our Mothers’ Arms (1999), which chronicled the impact of Indian Residential Schools, and Bridges in Spirituality (1997), which shared Indigenous women’s stories. Journey from Fisher River (1993), which celebrates the spirituality of a people through the life of former Moderator the Very Rev. Stan McKay, is being updated and reprinted in 2021.
Recent titles include The Other Side of the River (2020), in which United Church minister Alf Dumont, born into the Shawanaga First Nation, uses his own life to explore the worlds of settler and Indigenous people and traditional and Christian spirituality.
Permissions and Copyright
To request permission or for copyright inquiries, contact Copyright.
Submission of Manuscript
Do you have a book in you? Interested in submitting a manuscript to United Church Publishing House for consideration? Please fill out this form to submit your book proposal.
Retail Our Products
Are you a retailer and looking to sell UCPH books or some of The United Church of Canada‒developed products? Download our Distributor Kit [PDF] for more information about our titles. If you have any additional questions or wish to place an order, please e-mail our customer service team or phone 1-800-288-7365.