Churches, Denominations and Religions: Embracing the Spirit: Eco-Commoning, Innovation Events, and Church Hacks!

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Embracing the Spirit: Eco-Commoning, Innovation Events, and Church Hacks!

For information about THe United Church of Canada’s response and policies regarding COVID19, please visit the church's website for official updates.

What Can The “Commons” Look Like?

Last week The Eco-Commoning Event invited speakers from across the country who are thinking about their neighbourhood in new ways. In a short 90 minutes, there were 12 storytellers:

Online Community of Faith (en francais)
Ottawa Impact Hub (Ottawa, ON, en francais)
Trinity-Plymouth United Church (Sherbrooke, QC, en francais)
Carleton Memorial United Church (Ottawa, ON)
Pow Wow Pitch (Nationally)
Knox-Metropolitan (Regina, SK)
The Refinery (Saskatoon, SK)
Denman Island United Church (Denman Island, BC)
Broadview United Church (Victoria, BC)
Herowork (Victoria, BC)

Each story is 10-minutes long and invites you to consider the question, "what can the 'commons' look like in your neighbourhood?"

Innovation Events

How to Do a Design Jam? - June 25

Register for this final Eco-Commoning Project series that started with theological underpinnings. Last week we heard about local stories and social enterprise, and this week is about how to make room for new ideas. Find out more and register.

GO Project is coming directly to you!

GO Project is running virtual programs instead of in-person camps this year! Despite being online, their programs will still have all of your favourite GO things: community building, mission sites, faith stories, games, spiritual practices, discernment, and long-lasting friendships! Both children and youth camps will meet twice daily for “live” sessions, with optional additional activities in between live sessions. Weekly drop-ins for children and youth who can’t commit to a whole program are also available! “See” you soon! Learn more and register.

Inhabit 2020 – July 16 and 17

A two-day online conference with live keynote sessions, stories, music, art, engagements in your own neighborhood, and so much more. Live sessions will be offered throughout the day from 8:30 a.m - 4:30 p.m. PDT. Inhabit 2020 at-home online access and the connections box is $59. Register now!

30 Church Hacks to Manage Change

With all of the change and the subsequent adapting currently happening, we all need to be learning how to manage change personally and collectively.

So, the Disciples of Christ and EDGE decided to team up to do an immersive session on managing change. The session included a psychotherapist, a community hosting expert, church planting with the Disciples, and Embracing the Spirit all talking about managing change!

Here are some of the hacks:

Recognize, make space for, and honor your feelings
Get comfortable with discomfort
Nurture relationships with individuals holding divergent views
Embrace a growth mindset
Check your ego
Remain open to feedback
Embrace vulnerability rather than perfection
Recognize that change occurs incrementally
Stop, breathe, repeat
Make space for pacing – be graceful
Give permission through action
Let the cream rise
Embrace a beginner’s mind
Do it wrong, then do it again
Resist the urge to revert

Watch the session. If you want more, why not watch the after show too!

[Photo by sydney Rae on Unsplash]

Embracing the Spirit is a learning network and innovation fund. It offers funding and support for innovation ideas hatched out of faith communities and communities in ministry. Some of the stories and best practices that are happening throughout The United Church of Canada are shared in this newsletter.

If you have an idea that you want to launch, reach out and tell us about it! Proposal deadlines are quarterly, and due on the 15th of the month: January, April, July and October. Find out more.