| For information about THe United Church of Canada’s response and policies regarding COVID19, please visit the church's website for official updates. |
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Soup for the Soul
Lana Lane of Grace United Church in Lloydminster, Alberta (bordering Saskatchewan) recently shared details with us about their three-year strategic planning. Like many other congregations, they serve primarily an ageing population, and so began looking for ways to serve and network with younger families in the community.
Some of their successful outreach programs include:
- Homework Program for grades 7- 12: Every Tuesday, tutors and teachers provide support for the student while their affectionately called “grandmas in the kitchen” prepare food for the students
- Groovin’ with Grace: Music program (with food provided) for 12-18 year-olds
- Kidz Praize: Music program (with food provided) for 4-11 year-olds
- Meals and More: Four meals a week for $50. However, realizing that a significant portion of the population cannot afford the cost, they are invited into the church to help cook the meals with those that can offset their cost.
- Wednesday Drop-In: Every week, they have two volunteers available to listen to those who need it. This program aims not to counsel members of the community but to learn what services are available for those in need and where the gaps are. Often they see that visitors to this drop-in need to visit their pantry for food and supplies.
Grace United Church quickly realized that food was central to all of its successful outreach programs. Thus, the initiative 'Soup for the Soul' was born to offer soup and a bible verse to the community in need. This initiative will see cooking teams develop and freeze soups on an ongoing basis. While they understand they have gifts within their own congregation members, they will also network and ask those on the broader community to join a team and participate in the outreach.
Watch the entire story.
- Written by Sam Irwin
[Photo by Jade Aucamp on Unsplash] |
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Innovative Events
The fall is full of opportunities to connect and learn!
Church Online – Live Streaming Everything! – September 8 at 1 p.m. EDT
Join us for basic, intermediate, and advanced ways to go online and stay online successfully.
“How To Think About The Future” - September 14 at 1 p.m. EDT
EDGE Conversation with Ruben Nelson, a futurist and member of EDGE’s Innovation Gaggle.
Official Launch - United Property Resource Corporation – September 21 at 1 p.m. EDT
Meet the CEO, be inspired by projects already underway, and learn about what UPRC is doing now and moving towards over the next decade.
All of these events will be recorded and posted on EDGE’s YouTube Channel as well as featured in future newsletters. Find more events as they are posted on the EDGE Calendar. |
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Systems, Complexity, and Faith
Last week, Alexandra Belaskie took us on a deep dive into the intersection of science and faith. She began by walking us through two different versions of Adaptive Cycles. Using real-world examples, we understood how the COVID-19 pandemic caused a creative destruction that left many people scrambling for rules and ideas to follow. We’ve since moved into the reorganization stage with more resources being put into “what comes next.” She took scientific concepts and applied a familiar faith-based language by suggesting the “release and reorganization” transformation may be called “resurrection.”
Through this conversation, we also learned about Panarchy. Panarchy is the relationship of systems to each other, specifically how one system's energy affects that of the larger system above it or smaller system below it. For example, the life of Jesus is one person's life, which is altogether a small system, and yet the energy from that one system affected larger systems. The process of a smaller system affecting a larger is called "revolt." The process of a larger system affecting a smaller system is called "remember." This is when the stable action of a larger system influences how a smaller system reorganizes itself in its transformation. An example of this is our faith asking us to pray during all times, including through strife and transformation.
As we navigate these unprecedented times, this talk provided a helpful backdrop to understand how systems influence each other.
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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. |
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