Annual Side-by-Side Chorus Christmas Concert
2024-12-19 14:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago)
What better way to enjoy the holiday season than with a fun and festive Christmas concert from an 80-voice chorus and band! The Side-by-Side Community Chorus is made up of folks from our Encore community who love to sing and be with friends! This year’s concert will benefit the Encore Family Fund. No tickets are required, donations will be accepted at the door! Make plans to shop for unique holiday gifts before and after the event.

The Longest Night
2024-12-19 18:00
You are invited to a special worship service to observe Winter Solstice – the longest night before Christmas. Join us at 6 PM in the Chapel on Thursday, December 19 –
in a sacred space to reflect and accept where we really are, as we hold out for peace, healing and hope this season. * Service to be livestreamed

Lessons & Carols Service
2024-12-22 10:30
Dec 22 at 10:30 Sanctuary Worship
The Church Choir presents carols for the season coupled with scripture lessons outlining the advent and birth of Jesus on the last Sunday of Advent.

Kids@Canterbury Gingerbread Nativities
2024-12-23 10:00
Mark your calendar and make sure to bring your children to participate in this sweet and fun morning activitiy! We will read the nativity story and create our own unique gingerbread nativities to take home. Fun for kids of all ages!

Christmas Eve Services
2024-12-24 00:00
New Traditions Service * | 8:15 AM | Chapel
A Storybook Christmas * | 1 PM | Canterbury Center
Contemporary Service * | 3 PM | Canterbury Center
Sanctuary Service | 3 PM | Sanctuary
Sanctuary Service * | 5 PM | Sanctuary
* Services to be livestreamed

A Storybook Christmas
2024-12-24 13:00
New this year!
A casual Christmas Eve Communion service designed especially for families with children. Join us in Canterbury Center to experience a unique telling of the nativity story, wonderful music, Christmas Eve communion and candlelight.
Family Communion Service

4K Milestone: I Can Pray
2025-01-12 09:15 - 10:15
Faith Milestones are a chance for the church to celebrate exactly who your child is right now and connect that to important parts of our faith practices here at church. It is a great opportunity for you to have guided faith conversations with your kiddo and get to know some of the other families who are doing life with you here at Canterbury!
We are so excited to see you and your 4K kiddo to join us on January 12 at 9:15 in Canterbury Hall. We will be learning about prayer and how it helps us feel connected to God’s heart.
Please RSVP so that we will be prepared with materials for your family.

Jan 12, 9:15-10:15
Room: Canterbury Hall
This is a parent & me event.

Register here.

Men's Breakfast
2025-01-16 06:30
Save the date! Make plans to join us for a great breakfast, wonderful fellowship, and a time of inspiration on January 16. Click here to register.

Peace & Justice Day
2025-01-20 08:30
Canterbury Rise kids will be gathering with other UMC kids from around the Birmingham area on Martin Luther King day, January 20. We will gather at Canterbury at 8:30 for donuts and a game before driving down to St Paul UMC, located across from the Civil Rights Institute. We will get to know some of the other kids present before setting off on a scavenger hunt in the Civil Rights Institute to learn about our history. We will have a picnic lunch, hear from a St Paul’s member who marched in the children’s march, and of course play some games too. Our hope is to balance the fun of being together with a unique opportunity to learn important ways we can be disciples of Christ in our world.

Jan 20, 8:30 drop off, 3:30 pick up
Please bring: packed lunch
Cost: free

Register here.

UMW Dinner & Special Guest Speaker Sophie Hudson
2025-01-30 18:00
On Thursday evening, January 30, UMW will host a special event featuring local author and popular speaker Sophie Hudson. Make plans to join us at 6 PM to enjoy a fun night of stories and learn ways to find encouragement and hope in the everyday, joy-filled moments of life. Sophie has published seven books and she co-hosts The Big Boo Cast with friend and fellow author Melanie Shankle. For more on Sophie, visit: www.boomama.net.
Registration Deadline: January 26 (NOW CLOSED)

Men's Smoke & Fire Winter Retreat
2025-01-31 00:00 - 2025-02-01 00:00
Men’s Winter Retreat at Canterbury United Methodist Church
Featuring Leonard Sweet
Theologian, Pastor & Author
The Event will kick off on Friday January 31st with dinner and an evening session and will include sessions beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday in Canterbury Hall. On Sunday, Dr. Sweet will teach a combined Sunday School Class and will preach at one of our 10:30 services.
Register here.
Questions? Contact Rick Owen at rick.owen@canterburyumc.org.

2nd Grade Milestone: I Can Taste the Bread
2025-02-09 09:15 - 10:15
Faith Milestones are a chance for the church to celebrate exactly who your child is right now and connect that to important parts of our faith practices here at church. It is a great opportunity for you to have guided faith conversations with your kiddo and get to know some of the other families who are doing life with you here at Canterbury!
We are so excited to see you and your 2nd Grader to join us on Feb 9 at 9:15 in the Dining Room We will be learning about Communion and what it means to partake in this sacrament of the church.
Please RSVP so that we will be prepared with materials for your family.

Feb 9, 9:15-10:15
Room: The Dining Room
This is a parent & me event.

Register here.

Kate Kennedy-Luncheon and Book Signing
2025-02-10 11:30 - 13:00
On Monday, February 10 in Wesley Hall, Kate will be with us to share about the story of challenging the status quo and digging deep into her own story to find connection, hope, and new answers to old problems in her book. It is a story of racial inequity, generational poverty, and finding community in the most unlikely places. It’s about building a school, standing up for children, and finding your place in the world.
For more information and to register, click here.

Legacy Luncheon February 2025
2025-02-25 12:00
Please welcome Dr. Rick Owen as he talks about Canterbury’s recent musical field trip of Living the Blues. Music is more than music. It is community, it is a feeling, it is a part of our soul. Join us as we discover how this music has the power to unite us all with heartfelt stories of Blues music and its deep connection to community. Oh…and you won’t want to miss his surprise guest as we live and feel the blues just for a little while.
Canterbury Hall | Noon | $5
Please RSVP to Valerie Boyd 205.874.1523 or valerie.boyd@canterburyumc.org

Farewell Reception Honoring Sheryl Thornton
2025-03-02 11:30
Sunday, March 2 | 11:30 AM | Canterbury Parlor
Rev. Sheryl Thornton is retiring from Canterbury after 17 years of beautiful and dedicated service. If you’d like to express your gratitude to Sheryl, you may make a Love Offering in her honor. Please send your check to the Canterbury Finance Office noting ‘Love Offering – Sheryl Thornton’ in the memo line. A reception will be held for Sheryl on Sunday, March 2 in the Parlor immediately following 10:30 AM worship.

Ash Wednesday
2025-03-05 07:00
Morning Ashes | 7-8:30 AM | Chapel
DRIVE THROUGH on your morning commute or after carpool drop off to receive your ashes and a special blessing from one of our pastors.
Noon Blues Service | 12 PM | Chapel
New this season! This very unique service will combine the solemnity and reflection of Ash Wednesday with the soulful and contemplative tones of blues music.
Evening Service of Ashes | 6 PM | Sanctuary
Join us as we mark the beginning of the Lenten season with this traditional evening service that promises to be both spiritually enriching and musically inspiring.
Dinner will be served on March 5 from 5-6 PM in Canterbury Hall.

5th Grade Milestone: I Can Give to my Church
2025-03-09 09:15 - 10:15
Faith Milestones are a chance for the church to celebrate exactly who your child is right now and connect that to important parts of our faith practices here at church. It is a great opportunity for you to have guided faith conversations with your kiddo and get to know some of the other families who are doing life with you here at Canterbury!
We are so excited to see you and your 5th grader to join us on March 9 at 9:15 in the Dining Room. We will be learning about both our spiritual gifts and our financial gifts and how they are a part of what it means to belong to a church family.
Please RSVP so that we will be prepared with materials for your family.

March 9, 9:15-10:15
Room: The Dining Room
This is a parent & me event.

Register here.

Discovery Weekend
2025-03-14 00:00 - 2025-03-16 00:00
Get ready for the best retreat of the Spring! Discovery Weekend is March 14-16, and it’s a retreat for all 7th-12th graders! Discovery Weekend is a weekend for our junior high students that is put on by our senior high students. It is a retreat here at the church that will be the best weekend of your life! Registration will open on Monday, February 3 at 7 AM! Not sure what Discovery Weekend is all about? Check out our 2024 Discovery Weekend highlight video to see why it’s so awesome!
Click here to register.

Holy Week Services
2025-04-14 08:00 - 2025-04-18 17:00
Noon Services & Lunch | April 14, 15 & 16 (Chapel) — Maundy Thursday Services | April 17 (Noon & 6 PM) — Good Friday Services | April 18 (Noon & 6 PM)
Please visit www.canterburyumc.org/lent for the full list.

Easter Services
2025-04-20 08:00 - 17:00
We cannot wait to celebrate Easter with you!
Sanctuary Worship: 8:15 & 10:30 AM & Contemporary Worship: 8:15 & 10:30 AM

TAYA Live in Concert
2025-04-24 19:00
Join TAYA at Canterbury UMC for the Come Into The Light Tour, a transformative worship experience featuring her latest single by the same name, as well as other new songs from her upcoming record.
For tickets and parking information, click here!

2K Milestone: I Can Sing!
2025-04-27 09:15 - 10:15
Faith Milestones are a chance for the church to celebrate exactly who your child is right now and connect that to important parts of our faith practices here at church. It is a great opportunity for you to have guided faith conversations with your kiddo and get to know some of the other families who are doing life with you here at Canterbury!
We are so excited to see you and your 2K kiddo to join us on April 27 at 9:15 in room 211. We will be learning about why singing is important as we praise God together.
Please RSVP so that we will be prepared with materials for your family.

April 27, 9:15-10:15
Room: 211, the music room in the Elementary Hall
This is a parent & me event.

Register here.

Side By Side Concert
2025-05-13 14:00 - 14:45
The Side by Side Community Chorus presents “A Stroll Down Broadway!” on Tuesday, May 13 from 2:00-2:45 PM in Canterbury Hall. Great for all ages! No tickets are required, but donations will be accepted at the door to benefit McCoy Adult Day Care. Please come out and support us with your presence for this special event!

Calm Before the Stork
2025-05-18 09:30
Introducing a new program at Canterbury UMC! If your family is growing through birth, adoption or fostering, we would love to spend a morning with you to talk about all the ways our church hopes to wrap around your family during these sacred days and years! We will discuss baptism and walk through what you need to consider when scheduling a baptism, talk about the nursery and Sunday School program, and share a few ideas about great books and Bibles for your little one. This also insures your family is on our church prayer list so we can be holding your family close in prayer as you prepare to meet each other.
We will hold our first bi-annual Calm Before the Stork on May 18 at 9:30 in room 213 in the Children’s Department. Please do us the favor of letting us know you plan to attend by RSVP’ing here.

Birmingham Boys Choir Spring Concert
2025-05-18 14:30
The Birmingham Boys Choir presents its 47th annual spring concert on Sunday, May 18 at 2:30 PM in the Canterbury Sanctuary. All are invited! The concert is free and is the Boys Choir’s gift to the community. To learn more, click here.

Legacy Luncheon
2025-05-27 12:00
May 27 | 12 Noon
Join us for a very special Legacy Luncheon with Dr. John Waits from Freedom Farm, homes for abused, abandoned, neglected and at-risk kids. Learn how this amazing ministry is changing the lives of children and families giving them the “freedom to soar” and to succeed in life by giving them an anchor, a compass, but most of all by giving them hope and a loving home where God and faith are the center. Lunch is $5. Please RSVP by May 22 to 874-1523 or valerie.boyd@canterburyumc.org.

YAC Six Flags Getaway
2025-05-28 07:50 - 20:00
Let’s getaway for our first Summer Getaway of the summer with a trip to Six Flags! We’re headed to Six Flags Over Georgia in Atlanta, Georgia on Wednesday, May 28th! This will be an all-day trip, and it’s going to be an awesome time! Friends are welcome, but spots are limited, so sign up ASAP!
This trip is for students who will complete grades 7-12 in the 2024-2025 school year.
Cost: $115
Sign up here!

Camp Sumatanga Day Camp
2025-06-02 00:00 - 2025-06-06 00:00
Camp Sumatanga is unique among camping experiences because it has an explicit focus on spiritual growth and provides kids the opportunity to meet kids from all different backgrounds from across North Alabama. Every summer, I volunteer to lead a Day Camp for early elementary kids. I’d love to have your kids join me at Sumatanga for Day Camp this summer on June 2-6, where we will be thinking about what it means to be peacemakers.

Rising 1st-3rd graders
June 2-6, 8am-4pm
Cost: $165
FULL, no more open spots

Senior High Lake Trip
2025-06-06 00:00 - 2025-06-08 00:00
Lake Martin | Alexander City, AL

Sr. High students are invited to join us for a lake weekend full of fun, talks, and discussions! We will spend a weekend at Lake Martin from June 6-8, 2025. Our time will be spent on the lake during the day with sessions in the morning and evening. Spots are limited, so make sure you sign up ASAP!
This trip is for students who will complete grades 10-12 in the 2024-2025 school year.
Cost: $150
Sign up here!

Camp Sumatanga
2025-06-08 00:00 - 2025-06-13 00:00
I grew up at Camp Sumatanga and value that it is unique among camping experiences because it has an explicit focus on spiritual growth and provides kids the opportunity to meet kids from all different backgrounds from across North Alabama. Every summer, I volunteer to be on the leadership team of the upper elementary overnight camp. I’d love to have your kids join me at Sumatanga for Elementary 1 this summer on June 8-13, where we will be thinking about what it means to be peacemakers.

Rising 4th-6th grades
June 8-13
Cost: $450
Register through Sumatanga and learn more here: https://sumatanga.org/summer-camp/
