I thought it might be interesting to have a thread where we could post articles or newsclips featuring the United Church either at a congregational or denominational level.
I was inspired to start this thread because my congregation was recently featured in an ongoing series in our community paper about historic churches in our community.
I wonder if this particular item has an impact on why you have young people in your congregation....In 2010, St. Aidan’s parishioners raised $150,000 for various charities. The church is responsible for building a women’s school in Afghanistan, a church in Africa, as well as supplying disaster relief to Chile, Haiti and Pakistan.
There is a need to connect...
Tabitha
Posted on: 12/26/2010 20:17
and about the free hugs-liked the idea-the mall just sid tell them first-get approval.
somegalfromcan
Posted on: 12/27/2010 01:06
Pinga wrote:
Heh somegalfromcan
I wonder if this particular item has an impact on why you have young people in your congregation....In 2010, St. Aidan’s parishioners raised $150,000 for various charities. The church is responsible for building a women’s school in Afghanistan, a church in Africa, as well as supplying disaster relief to Chile, Haiti and Pakistan.
There is a need to connect...
That certainly doesn't hurt, but I think it's more than that. We are the closest United Church to the university (and the chaplain there is a member at our church), we have recently hired a Sunday School Coordinator and, as our minister says in the article, it is a very open church with people from a variety of backgrounds in it.
somegalfromcan
Posted on: 12/27/2010 01:11
Tabitha wrote:
and about the free hugs-liked the idea-the mall just sid tell them first-get approval.
I do wonder why, however, they felt the need to send over 3 security guards to stop a small group of kids from offering voluntary hugs? That seems excessive to me!
seeler
Posted on: 12/27/2010 06:46
It didn't make the news, except among the announcements on the 'religion' page, but it should have. St. -----UCC will be joining with ------- Street UCC for Christmas Eve and Boxing Day services.
That's news because for many years these two congregations (one former Presbyterian, one former Methodist, and only two blocks apart) have not had any formal relationship. Not since one church became openly inclusive and the other became more and more fundie. That's changed during the past year with a change in pastoral relations. The local Baptist churches welcomed the former St. ----- minister with open arms and announced when he and his entire ffamily were (re)baptised. And the two congregations are working on building bridges - joint summer worship, joint Vacation Bible Camp, and now joint worship over Christmas.
God bless our two sister congregations.
DKS
Posted on: 12/27/2010 10:33
seeler wrote:
The local Baptist churches welcomed the former St. ----- minister with open arms and announced when he and his entire ffamily were (re)baptised.
That sounds like grounds for immediate placement on the Discontinued Service List (Disciplinary). A minister in the United Church of Canada can't do that and expect to stay a minister in the United Church of Canada.
DKS - I don't think he cares. He didn't think very highly of Presbytery or Conference interfering with the way he ran 'his' church. I think he may be much happier where he is now.
But I didn't mean to make that the news story. The real news is that these two congregations are sharing the faith and journying together once again.
DKS
Posted on: 12/27/2010 15:34
seeler wrote:
DKS - I don't think he cares. He didn't think very highly of Presbytery or Conference interfering with the way he ran 'his' church. I think he may be much happier where he is now.
He probably is. But I also trust the presbytery will do their proper job of oversight and move the process forward.
Quote:
But I didn't mean to make that the news story. The real news is that these two congregations are sharing the faith and journying together once again.
Which is always good news.
[/quote]
GeoFee
Posted on: 12/27/2010 17:10
DKS wrote:
He probably is. But I also trust the presbytery will do their proper job of oversight and move the process forward.
Presbytery and Conference minutes will show that the clergy will be subject to a 363 review should any application be made to return to ministry with the UCC.
Getting a bit long in the tooth but I still like to mention this trip.
IT
Russ
RussP
Posted on: 12/27/2010 17:28
somegalfromcan
Love both articles, but specially the free hugs. It sounds so radically inclusive. Oh my, the church is at it again
I find, at least in Ottawa, that the local community newspapers love to get articles and we have managed to get a few in on who we are and what we are up to.
IT
Russ
DKS
Posted on: 12/27/2010 18:13
GeoFee wrote:
DKS wrote:
He probably is. But I also trust the presbytery will do their proper job of oversight and move the process forward.
Presbytery and Conference minutes will show that the clergy will be subject to a 363 review should any application be made to return to ministry with the UCC.
Curious. The Manual offers a very different direction and guidance. But I am sure the presbytery got the proper advice.
GeoFee
Posted on: 12/27/2010 18:53
DKS wrote:
Curious. The Manual offers a very different direction and guidance. But I am sure the presbytery got the proper advice.
Whether the counsel was proper or not I am unable to ascertain. It served well to bring resolution for the Presbytery side of the equation.
I suspect, in light of present renegotiation of our founding document, creativity is now rightly included in the mix; with a full view to accountability.
A fortuitous circumstance, the presence and involvement of a former moderator, did much to make the good news story Seeler cites possible.
DKS
Posted on: 12/27/2010 20:38
GeoFee wrote:
A fortuitous circumstance, the presence and involvement of a former moderator, did much to make the good news story Seeler cites possible.
Having looked at the relevent web pages, you are quite right.
DKS
Posted on: 12/27/2010 20:48
GeoFee wrote:
DKS wrote:
He probably is. But I also trust the presbytery will do their proper job of oversight and move the process forward.
Presbytery and Conference minutes will show that the clergy will be subject to a 363 review should any application be made to return to ministry with the UCC.
The summary of the presbytery minutes on line indicate that the minister has indeed been placed on the Discontinued Service List.
somegalfromcan
Posted on: 12/28/2010 02:57
RussP wrote:
somegalfromcan
Love both articles, but specially the free hugs. It sounds so radically inclusive. Oh my, the church is at it again
LOL - those crazy kids!
I am really enjoying what people are posting here.
Seeler - that is definitely a good news story! I wonder what things may be possible in the future?
Russ - that must have been an incredible thing to be a part of! Wow!
GordW - what is it with the ministers from that region leaving for the prairie provinces??? It must be interesting to read about what your congregation is doing in your absence.
Comments
somegalfromcan
Posted on: 12/26/2010 18:29
I was inspired to start this thread because my congregation was recently featured in an ongoing series in our community paper about historic churches in our community.
www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_south/victorianews/community/112399554.html
My minister also brought my attention to this article - particularly as we share a youth ministry program with Cordova Bay United.
www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_south/saanichnews/news/112264389.html
So, what's the news from your community?
Pinga
Posted on: 12/26/2010 20:13
Heh somegalfromcan
I wonder if this particular item has an impact on why you have young people in your congregation....In 2010, St. Aidan’s parishioners raised $150,000 for various charities. The church is responsible for building a women’s school in Afghanistan, a church in Africa, as well as supplying disaster relief to Chile, Haiti and Pakistan.
There is a need to connect...
Tabitha
Posted on: 12/26/2010 20:17
and about the free hugs-liked the idea-the mall just sid tell them first-get approval.
somegalfromcan
Posted on: 12/27/2010 01:06
Heh somegalfromcan
I wonder if this particular item has an impact on why you have young people in your congregation....In 2010, St. Aidan’s parishioners raised $150,000 for various charities. The church is responsible for building a women’s school in Afghanistan, a church in Africa, as well as supplying disaster relief to Chile, Haiti and Pakistan.
There is a need to connect...
That certainly doesn't hurt, but I think it's more than that. We are the closest United Church to the university (and the chaplain there is a member at our church), we have recently hired a Sunday School Coordinator and, as our minister says in the article, it is a very open church with people from a variety of backgrounds in it.
somegalfromcan
Posted on: 12/27/2010 01:11
and about the free hugs-liked the idea-the mall just sid tell them first-get approval.
I do wonder why, however, they felt the need to send over 3 security guards to stop a small group of kids from offering voluntary hugs? That seems excessive to me!
seeler
Posted on: 12/27/2010 06:46
It didn't make the news, except among the announcements on the 'religion' page, but it should have. St. -----UCC will be joining with ------- Street UCC for Christmas Eve and Boxing Day services.
That's news because for many years these two congregations (one former Presbyterian, one former Methodist, and only two blocks apart) have not had any formal relationship. Not since one church became openly inclusive and the other became more and more fundie. That's changed during the past year with a change in pastoral relations. The local Baptist churches welcomed the former St. ----- minister with open arms and announced when he and his entire ffamily were (re)baptised. And the two congregations are working on building bridges - joint summer worship, joint Vacation Bible Camp, and now joint worship over Christmas.
God bless our two sister congregations.
DKS
Posted on: 12/27/2010 10:33
The local Baptist churches welcomed the former St. ----- minister with open arms and announced when he and his entire ffamily were (re)baptised.
That sounds like grounds for immediate placement on the Discontinued Service List (Disciplinary). A minister in the United Church of Canada can't do that and expect to stay a minister in the United Church of Canada.
GordW
Posted on: 12/27/2010 12:00
My former copngregation is one of the churches in this story: http://tinyurl.com/23ls72o
seeler
Posted on: 12/27/2010 15:20
DKS - I don't think he cares. He didn't think very highly of Presbytery or Conference interfering with the way he ran 'his' church. I think he may be much happier where he is now.
But I didn't mean to make that the news story. The real news is that these two congregations are sharing the faith and journying together once again.
DKS
Posted on: 12/27/2010 15:34
DKS - I don't think he cares. He didn't think very highly of Presbytery or Conference interfering with the way he ran 'his' church. I think he may be much happier where he is now.
He probably is. But I also trust the presbytery will do their proper job of oversight and move the process forward.
Which is always good news.
[/quote]
GeoFee
Posted on: 12/27/2010 17:10
Presbytery and Conference minutes will show that the clergy will be subject to a 363 review should any application be made to return to ministry with the UCC.
RussP
Posted on: 12/27/2010 17:16
Hi All
http://www.emmanuelunited.ca/_pdf/ElSalvador.pdf
Getting a bit long in the tooth but I still like to mention this trip.
IT
Russ
RussP
Posted on: 12/27/2010 17:28
somegalfromcan
Love both articles, but specially the free hugs. It sounds so radically inclusive. Oh my, the church is at it again
I find, at least in Ottawa, that the local community newspapers love to get articles and we have managed to get a few in on who we are and what we are up to.
IT
Russ
DKS
Posted on: 12/27/2010 18:13
Presbytery and Conference minutes will show that the clergy will be subject to a 363 review should any application be made to return to ministry with the UCC.
Curious. The Manual offers a very different direction and guidance. But I am sure the presbytery got the proper advice.
GeoFee
Posted on: 12/27/2010 18:53
Whether the counsel was proper or not I am unable to ascertain. It served well to bring resolution for the Presbytery side of the equation.
I suspect, in light of present renegotiation of our founding document, creativity is now rightly included in the mix; with a full view to accountability.
A fortuitous circumstance, the presence and involvement of a former moderator, did much to make the good news story Seeler cites possible.
DKS
Posted on: 12/27/2010 20:38
A fortuitous circumstance, the presence and involvement of a former moderator, did much to make the good news story Seeler cites possible.
Having looked at the relevent web pages, you are quite right.
DKS
Posted on: 12/27/2010 20:48
Presbytery and Conference minutes will show that the clergy will be subject to a 363 review should any application be made to return to ministry with the UCC.
The summary of the presbytery minutes on line indicate that the minister has indeed been placed on the Discontinued Service List.
somegalfromcan
Posted on: 12/28/2010 02:57
somegalfromcan
Love both articles, but specially the free hugs. It sounds so radically inclusive. Oh my, the church is at it again
LOL - those crazy kids!
I am really enjoying what people are posting here.
Seeler - that is definitely a good news story! I wonder what things may be possible in the future?
Russ - that must have been an incredible thing to be a part of! Wow!
GordW - what is it with the ministers from that region leaving for the prairie provinces??? It must be interesting to read about what your congregation is doing in your absence.