Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Embracing the Spirit: An Interview with Grosvenor Park United's Brenda Baker, The Listening Post Barrie, and more! 🌷

An Interview with Brenda Baker of Grosvenor Park United Church in Saskatoon

grosvenor park united church
 
Before Zoë Chaytors left the EDGE team, she filmed some EDGEy Conversations for us to upload to the EDGE YouTube channel and profile in this space, so that we’d have stories to present of exciting initiatives going on in the United Church until we set up a replacement to do EDGEy Conversations.

This interview is with Brenda Baker of Grosvenor Park United Church in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, done in mid-January 2023. Brenda is a performer by trade and a volunteer at Grosvenor United, which at the time of the interview had just finished as one of its major recent projects a substantial renovation to improve its accessibility to disabled people and, as Brenda told Zoë, "to turn it into a much more efficient and useful performing arts venue.”

Are you intrigued? We could barely wait to hear more!

The renovation was a pandemic project, completed in 2021. The congregation spent 2022 getting the word out about the new performance space as bookings started to come in. Grosvenor United wanted to make a few details clear to the public, including that they’d:
  • Installed a lift that takes people in wheelchairs up to the chancel level.
  • Removed the pews so that people could sit anywhere in the sanctuary space.
  • Installed an accessible kitchen and an accessible washrooms on the main floor
Baker explained that Grosvenor United felt these renovations required to build equity, so that disabled people could access and use the space and facilities available in the building in the same way that people without disabilities did. At the time of the interview, they planned on exploring this idea and other disability justice-related ideas further in a disability-themed conference to be held at the end of January.

Baker talked at length about “Connecting Communities—Disabilities, Justice, and Living Well," which was held in-person from January 27–29. The event website says: “For those living with disabilities and those who wish to learn about the experience of diverse people living with disabilities, this weekend event is an opportunity to deeply explore how disabilities affect our understandings of personhood, and how ableism diminishes it.”

She talked about how events like this are important not just because we’re all aging and potentially facing disability, but also because people of all ages who have been disabled from birth deserve a chance to have what they need to participate fully in their faith community.

“It’s important to do this because it’s the right thing to do,” she told Zoë.

Evidently, people agree. The renovation work and the conference received not only Seeds of Hope and (pre-pandemic) Embracing the Spirit funding, but support also from Living Skies Regional Council, the Meewasin Valley United Church Outreach Fund, and Christian Horizons. Over 20 speakers agreed to participate in the conference, including several prominent disability advocates. Hear one of the keynote speakers, Gary Tinker, talk about his story and the conference with CBC Radio’s Shaunta Powers.

What’s next? Baker isn’t sure—the renovation and conference has occupied much of the congregation’s time and energy, and now there’s the Grosvenor United Contemplative Arts Festival (on hold since 2019 due to the pandemic) to prepare for its June restart. Hopefully Grosvenor Park United Church will make its conference a regular occurrence and continue to build awareness of and model best practices of accessible and inclusive communities of faith where everyone has the chance to participate fully.

[Image credit: Grosvenor Park United Church Facebook]

The Listening Post in Barrie, Ontario Gets Media Attention

 
Connecting People
 
Meanwhile, another initiative that received funding from a United Church New Ministries Grant is turning heads!

Burton Avenue United Church launched The Listening Post Barrie in 2019. Trained volunteers offer one-to-one deep listening services at several sites in the Barrie, Ontario community, including:Listening Post volunteer Heather Buchan feels the service fills an important need. “I feel that it’s an opportunity to provide what we all want, which is to be heard, and seen, and valued,” she recently told CTV news.

Visitors to one of The Listening Post’s Barrie’s locations can expect an opportunity to share what they want without judging or attempts to “fix” or correct them—no advice or suggestions, just a compassionate presence.

Ruth MacDonald founded The Listening Post Barrie and is its Executive Director. “We listen, but more than that, we bring our hearts to it, and our intention of the heart which is to just be present to someone in a way that lets them know that we value them and accept them as they are,” she told CTV news.

Future plans for The Listening Post Barrie include expanding the number of sites. If you’d like to donate to the initiative or become a volunteer, please reach out on The Listening Post Barrie website.

The Listening Post Barrie is a great example of an innovative ministry that engages community and connects people, and we congratulate everyone involved on its success!

[Image credit: Canva]

Curiosity Cohort Starts March 23!

 
Curiosity Cohorts Logo
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 questions and keep asking questions
  • Helps us in letting go of needing “the” answers and to relinquish control
  • Teaches us to follow the Spirit and to keep listening and discerning 
  • Enables us to take leaps of faith and be courageous in experimenting
EDGE Staff and the Rev. Courtney Armento run the March section of this five-session Zoom course for innovative leaders, curious communities of faith, and those willing to explore what might be possible:
  • Curiosity Cohort, Spring Section: Thursday, March 23, 30, and April 6, 13, and 20, from 12:00–1:00 p.m. EDT.
Register for Curiosity Cohort Spring 2023!
And…if you’re engaged in rural ministry, Curiosity Cohort: Rural Focus helps you get curious about your own community of faith and connect with other leaders in rural settings. We modify the Curiosity Cohort experience slightly so that participants engage specifically with stories and ideas from across the country, examining the different ways that rural congregations are bringing new energy into their communities. Like the original Curiosity Cohort, this is a five-week synchronous opportunity that leads nicely into the material covered in Clara King’s Leading Adaptively cohort.
 
Curiosity Cohorts Rural Focus Spring
Catch the next section of this five-session Zoom course for those involved in rural ministry in a couple of months!
  • Curiosity Cohort: Rural Focus, Spring Section: Friday, June 9, 16, 23, 30; and July 7, from 1:00–2:00 p.m. EDT.
Register for Curiosity Cohort: Rural Focus Spring 2023
Get more information and register for all the Curiosity Cohorts on EDGE’s Curiosity Cohort Portal on CHURCHx! Stay curious, friends

[Image credit: Edge/The United Church of Canada]

Embracing the Spirit supports 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! We're happy to consult with communities of faith about the supports available to help them develop their new ideas.

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