Connecting Communities of Faith Across Canada  A decade ago, Randy Boyd and his team at Trinity United Church in Thunder Bay launched a pilot project that made it possible for them to live-stream interactive worship services with communities of faith outside the area. This project was the model for what is now Rural Connect, an innovative way of connecting communities of faith.
Rural communities of faith face unique challenges and offer unique gifts. Rural Connect offers support to rural communities of faith looking to expand their network of connections with other communities of faith and/or enhance (and more easily continue) the live-streaming efforts that increased numbers for so many communities of faith during COVID-19 lockdowns. By offering a transportable “satellite box” to communities of faith, wired to a central “hub” somewhere in a district, Rural Connect facilitates the creation of live, interactive worship services in which several communities of faith can participate.
Randy says that the two most common objections to implementing the system are an insistence that no one in the community of faith has the tech skills to operate it, and that the location has lousy internet. The church that operates the hub does need a small team of tech-savvy folk to operate the system. This team would be responsible for managing and moving the feed between congregations. However, the actual technology is the “plug and play” satellite box, fully equipped for each community of faith and requiring only a cellular hotspot to run.
The possibilities are limitless, and not just bound to worship services. Communities of faith can share their own resources, such as their choir (or a feed of a choir from somewhere else) as they spend live time together in multiple contexts with people from other communities of faith. Over time, community starts to develop—genuine relationships, Randy says, despite concerns that technology only isolates people. Randy is also struck by the fact that communities of faith using the technology have seen how it can change the way we organize church. By creating clusters of communities of faith with multiple staff with distinct functions, and pooling resources to address worries, we can reduce pressure on individual communities of faith struggling to manage everything they have to do. The question shifts from, “How can I do it all?” to “Who can I do this with?”
Randy hopes that Rural Connect will inspire communities of faith to take a chance on an idea for change, prepared to work through the glitches as they embrace the possibilities of collaboration. He believes the key is seeing the system in action, so the next step is to get communities of faith to try it out! Rural Connect has also partnered with United Online to do a Zoom call on Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. EDT called “What’s Next Conversations”, where you can talk about the church and innovation and ask questions about streaming your events. Visit the Rural Connect website for more information and be sure to check out Zoe Chaytors’ EDGEy Conversation with Randy Boyd!
[Image credit: Omar Flores on Unsplash.com] |
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Ukulele Church: Say It, Pray It, Play It!  Linnea Good and Catherine Stuart both have a passion for music and for using it to spark the Spirit in communities of faith, reminding people of all ages of, in Linnea’s words, “who they are and whose they are.” Given that they are both also ukulele players, it seemed natural to them to combine all these things into a unique online ministry that brings these things and other people that love them together.
This is how Ukulele Church was born, originally to help meet the challenges of church closures and children’s programming suspensions during COVID-19 lockdowns. But it continues in this time of reopening, offering something that we’ve never quite seen before and that its creators feel is important to keep alive. Linnea identifies the Zoom ministry as one unlike any she has led in her 30 years of singing with United Church communities of faith, and Catherine, an ordained reverend for 12 years and the current Minister for Children, Youth, and Youth Adults for the United Church's three Atlantic Regions, concurs.
The beauties of Ukulele Church, according to Linnea and Catherine, include: - The ukulele is an intrinsically happy instrument, and very accessible – you can play a song using only one finger.
- Its intergenerational appeal, bringing together a wide variety of age groups and facilitating intergenerational connections within families (such as those between grandparents and grandchildren who live far apart and don’t often see each other.)
- The combination of worship and skill-building with the ukulele.
- A community across Canada and into the United States. Some people in this still-developing community have had no other experience of church.
- Since Katherine and Linnea plan the calendar so that pieces of Scripture get a “mini-series” of three sessions of focus, they must personally delve deep into the stories to prepare music and art material that will let all the participants do the same.
- The chance to pray and be in conversation with God, without hearing a list of things that God wants us to do, during a time when we’re all tired from the stresses of the last two years.
- A model of church without the anxiety that can come along with a physical building, administration, bureaucracy, etc.
A typical session of Ukulele Church consists of a time of gathering and worship together on Zoom, including prayers gathered from the Zoom chat and a reading of a Bible story, followed by a time of ukulele learning or art activity in breakout groups, and a return to the large group for a devotional time.
These two creative and dynamic women are happy and grateful that the program is having such an impact and look forward to continuing to build the community as Ukulele Church becomes whatever God wants it to be!
Learn more about Ukulele Church and how to join in at the Ukulele Church website and be sure to catch Zoe Chaytors’ conversation with Linnea and Catherine, which includes a video of them playing together!
[Image credit: Hannah Busing on Unsplash.com] |
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Ready to Reopen and Be Creative? Next Grant Due Date is April 15!
Over the last two years we have seen many communities of faith and community ministries create new ways of engaging, leaning in to supporting neighbours, and creating resilience in our communities. With reopening going on across the country, is this a new time for reimagining? Up until April 15, we are accepting applications for both Innovation Grants of up to $5000 and Growth Grants of up to $25,000.
See the story map of initiatives that are already happening across the country.[Image credit: Tim Mossholder on Unsplash.com] |
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Upcoming Learning Opportunities  Mark your calendars for these opportunities to connect with others and learn new skills! All times in Eastern.- Idea Day: May 2, 1:00 p.m EDT An opportunity to hear about innovative ideas from others and to present your idea and get feedback on it. Register, and find out more.
- Curiosity Cohort: Mondays at 1:00 p.m. EDT, starting May 6 Curiosity is the mindset change that we, as people of faith, are craving to begin to reimagine what church can be outside of Sunday morning. It is the mindset shift that allows us to ask and keep asking questions, assists us in letting go of needing “the” answers and to relinquish control, teaches us to follow the Spirit and to keep listening and discerning, and enables us to take leaps of faith and be courageous in experimenting. This five week course is for innovative leaders, curious communities of faith, and those willing to explore what might be possible. Register, and find out more.
- Leading Adaptively: Starting May 26 This three session Zoom course helps you discover new ways to lead adaptively with skills you already have. You will encounter the core theory of adaptive leadership in a vibrant new way and come away with useable practices to reinvigorate your day-to-day leadership journey. The course covers the six core competencies of leadership (competencies you already have!); how to understand and change the culture of your congregation; and how conflict is a leadership resource you can steward wisely. Instructor Clara King has spent 15 years studying adaptive leadership, and nine years as a Priest leading adaptive change in the Anglican Diocese of Calgary and beyond. Register, and find out more.
Email edge@united-church.ca with any questions.[Image credit: Nick Morrison on Unsplash.com] |
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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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