Churches, Denominations and Religions: Embracing the Spirit: Final Call for Grant Applications, How Camping Ministries Have Adapted, and more!

Thursday, October 15, 2020

Embracing the Spirit: Final Call for Grant Applications, How Camping Ministries Have Adapted, and more!

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

Grant Applications Due Tomorrow!

Last call for 2020 to get your grant application in!

Innovation Grants are up to $5,000. Already have an idea that's ready for the next level? There are grants that will help to take that idea and grow it!

[Photo by Jonathan Kemper on Unsplash]

How Camping Ministries Have Adapted

The United Church of Canada camp ministries include 55 camps, hire over 1,000 leaders, and support 25,000 children and youth. With COVID-19, they have had to be innovative, which they took to naturally!

If we can’t do “camp” camp, what do we do?

In Eastern Canada, four camps decided to work together and be creative about what this could look like
Some camps in Ontario welcomed migrant workers
Camp Firkin switched to family retreats and retooled to day camps
Sparrow Lake Camp switched to podcasting

No one sat back and everyone retooled. Pretty impressive to see how responsive folks were! Now the question is, what does 2021 look like? Does our mission change now? All we really know is that, "Camp is alive!".

Watch the whole story.

[Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash]

Ontario Non-Profit Driven Conference

Want to be part of the larger non-profit and charitable sector discussions? Ontario Non-Profit Network’s annual conference is fast approaching on November 10 and 11. This year it will be online with keynotes, breakout sessions, and a chance to hear what's new in the non-profit world.

The United Church of Canada has a membership. If your community of faith wishes to become a member, here is the link for the membership discount ($0 membership).

If you want to attend the conference, please register as a member to receive the discounted membership rate.

Theory of Change Workshop

Create a more informed, responsive, and impactful ministry!

This workshop will explore links between your ministry's activities and outcomes for the purpose of planning, participation, and evaluation. The resulting product will guide and focus your work, helping you increase intentionality and purpose. We believe this workshop will help you significantly improve your spiritual, social, ecological, and financial impact and better accomplish the change your ministry is trying to accomplish.

RSVP to the facilitator if interested, to be part of a Doodle poll to determine when this might occur.

United Church Focus Group

There are lots of things that need your feedback!

Other peoples' initiatives could receive feedback and ideas, new Buying United programs could use your feedback, as well as new programs, and lots of other things! If you are interested in being part of this ongoing focus group, let me know by sending an email to carla@edge-ucc.ca. We'll send out a survey/email with questions once a month; your feedback matters, and your voice has an impact!

[Photo by Emily Morter 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.