Churches, Denominations and Religions: Embracing the Spirit: Making the Impossible Possible, Inspirational Reads, and more! ✨

Thursday, December 10, 2020

Embracing the Spirit: Making the Impossible Possible, Inspirational Reads, and more! ✨

For information about The United Church of Canada’s response and policies regarding COVID-19, please visit the church's website for official updates.

Retelling a Story: White Gift Sunday

Many things are being rethought through this time, including children’s time within services.

St Paul’s United Church in Tisdale, SK knows that keeping the attention of children during this time is even more difficult, and needs some extra effort. By adopting the style of the “Drunk History” comedy television series, St. Paul's United Church has been creating a video series of retelling stories online. Which goes to show that you can get your inspiration from some unexpected places!

This is the link to the first video of how the White Gift Sunday tradition started that you can use as the children’s time or at home with your children.

[Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash]

2020 Made Something Impossible, Possible

Ecumenical Partners in Outreach (EPO) has been gathering together as eight denominations that support innovative leaders and transformation. EDGE is one of these partners. For years, we have been exploring how to collaborate and there was always a yearning to co-create an event of innovative leaders.

With events turning virtual, the eight denominations were able to pull it off last week with Founders Festival! We had over 80 innovative leaders across North America gathered to connect and celebrate their work together.

We are looking forward to seeing what new collaboration will be possible now that we have done this first experiment!

Inspirational Reads on Leading Through Change

How do you lead an organization stuck between an ending and a new beginning? Learn from those who have come before you and stand on the shoulders of giants! Through new lenses of understanding be inspired toward change during uncertain times, as you lead your community on a journey of renewal. For a limited time, receive 21% off all products with a minimum purchase of $60.00*. Use promo code EMBRACE21 and start your journey today. Support the work and ministry of The United Church of Canada by shopping at UCRDstore.ca.

*One use per customer. Offer expires December 15, 2020.

Agile Thinking for Social Innovation Networks

Different lenses are so important in all of our work! We learned from a technology guru about agile methodology and how change makers and social justice champions can use these tools that the tech sector uses.

The language will surprise you when a Chief Technology Officer talks about the Agile Manifesto:

Relationships and people being more important than processes
Rapid iteration is better than long-term planning
Collaborating in the short term is better than delegating
Being responsive to change rather than planning

These fundamentals sound more like the social sector than we expected.

Learn more about Agile and see how it might be helpful in your work!

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.