“(The Church) is about building communities of hope and compassion through building healthy, sustainable, vibrant parishes. We have identified seven aspects of healthy churches that flow into one another as people enter the traditional model of church. Each aspect is supported by congregational development research and knowledge.”
This initiative is designed to equip and encourage lay people to invite people to church for specific Sunday services each year. The program includes invitation postcards and posters, usually customized by each diocese. Training videos are available on the Season of Invitation website. Can be done in conjunction with the Spirit of Invitation six-week program.
The objective of this initiative is to equip clergy and lay leaders in rural and remote places to help their churches be catalysts for the development of healthy Canadian communities. A resource centre for rural ministry, it includes offering a Doctor of Ministry in Rural Ministry and Community Development by distance with short courses on site. Also offers certificates for lay leaders in faith and rural life and in rural stress intervention. Includes Clinical Pastoral Education in rural settings. Also hosts conferences every two years, with approximately 60 people attending. Includes a focus on reconciliation and friendship building with First Nations.
This initiative supports experimental activities that explore what it means to participate in God’s mission in the world today. It aims to promote a different way of being church at the individual, congregational and synodical levels, emphasizing reciprocal relationships with neighbours.
WHAT IS MISSION ACTION PLANNING? A process that helps parishes vision, plan, decide and act for growth.
Mission: Learn — resources to help you learn about mission.
Mission: Do — resources for doing mission.
A five-session course that introduces the basic ideas and stimulate reflection on being a missional church.
Revive is a discipleship program to help active lay leaders—wardens, property and finance officers, committee chairs, vestry members, church school teachers, youth ministers, pastoral visitors, and liturgical ministers—grow in confidence as spiritual leaders. In just 10 months, this small-group program transforms leaders of practical church ministry into confident spiritual leaders who love God and participate in Christ’s ministry.