Embracing the Spirit: EDGEy Conversations with Inter Church Health Ministries Canada, Educational Opportunities, and more!

Innovation is happening in The United Church of Canada and beyond! Embracing the Spirit newsletter will be ending soon, and moving to a new spot in the E-ssentials newsletter. There, we will continue to share new ministry initiatives and educational opportunities on a regular basis. Join us as we continue the Embracing the Spirit journey. Subscribe to E-ssentials today! EDGEy Conversations with Inter Church Health Ministries Canada A while ago, we profiled a parish nurse working in London. We were delighted to recently have an EDGEy Conversation with Anne Marie Mohler, another parish nurse, who gave us a look at the larger picture of church health ministry provided through parish nurses at Inter Church Health Ministries Canada. This volunteer, registered charity, grounded in Christian faith, promotes and supports the work of parish nurses in faith communities across Canada. ICHMC’s vision is for every congregation to have a health and healing ministry. These registered nurses have specialised training in all dimensions of health, letting them provide care for the body, mind, and spirit. This holistic approach to health care means that a parish nurse may take on a variety of roles in their work, depending on the needs of a congregation and the community in which it’s located. They may provide education, advocacy, or referrals. Their work may be centred mainly within in the congregation itself or, as Mohler found during COVID, require "a tremendous amount of outreach" to help the medical establishment meet the needs of not only the sick community members, but of those around them dealing with "many, many losses." Mohler calls the emotional and spiritual stress that accompanies these losses the "undetected dimensions of health." ICHMC believes that communities of faith are in a unique position to help people tend to these dimensions of health, leading the agency to reach out for (and receive) grant money in both 2021 and 2022 to develop their "Alive and Well" initiative. Two "Alive and Well" theme packs are now available on the ICHMC website (one covering dementia and one covering grief and loss). Each downloadable theme pack includes, for $25, the following tools: Digital poster Promotional graphic and A/V clip Presentation Video Resource and Discussion Guide The theme packs were originally designed to help people plan and host educational events about health issues, but Mohler says that families and caregivers have definitely taken an interest in these opportunities to learn. The initiative has brought in international speakers above and beyond the impressive partnerships ICHMC has made using its online health care platform. Creating a virtual space to share resources and facilitate discussion has helped ICHMC generate partnerships with Parish Nurses UK, Westberg Institute, Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries, Canadian Virtual Hospice, and others. But the parish nurses and their focus on holistic care remain the cornerstones of the ministry, showing compassion, caring, and the power of God’s love in vital ways in our communities. Listen to Alexandra Belaskie’s full EDGEy Conversation with Anne-Marie Mohler on EDGE’s YouTube channel. [Image credit: Canva] Toronto Area Churches–Are You Looking for a New Tenant?   Aangen needs a new space. Can you help? Aangen is a not-for-profit social enterprise dedicated to providing sustainable, solution-based responses to social injustices locally and globally. Aangen’s innovative programs focus on breaking the cycle of poverty by addressing hunger and homelessness, creating employment opportunities for marginalized people, helping families in crisis, and much more. Aangen raises funds for its community service programs by selling nutritious meals, providing cleaning services, and partnering with agencies to create employment. Doing all this requires space, and Aangen needs a new space! Specifically, it needs an empty space (either storage/manufacturing/industrial) to adapt into a commercial kitchen, or a space previously approved to be a commercial kitchen, under the following terms: $5k-$6k/month lease. 1300+ sq ft of bathroom access Permission to adapt the space so that it can legally run as a commercial kitchen, if not previously approved to do so. Ability to adjust electrical outlet output. Standard is 110V; dehydrators need 220V per plug. Access to outside-facing windows (for HVAC and venting purposes) Sinks: three compartments, ideally (or adequate plumbing to install) Adequate heating and cooling. If not installed, open to discussion about options; people will be working in the space all day, in all seasons. Stove or oven are not necessary, as Aangen can switch to steam kettles with adequate ventilation outside. If you can help, please email gurbeen@aangen.com. [Image credit: Canva] Educational Opportunity with Dreamwork Canada   Dreams can deepen our spirituality! Are you interested in: Learning what your dreams mean? Becoming part of a dream group community? This fall, Dreamwork Canada offers an opportunity for people to meet in small groups to discover together the wisdom of dreams.   Join us on Zoom on September 19, 2023, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. EDT Cost: $20, or pay what you can. Bring your curiosity and a dream (not required to participate). After a brief introduction, participants will meet in groups to explore the meaning of someone’s dream. Each group will be led by an experienced facilitator. To register:  Send your name and e-mail address to the registrar at dreamworkcanada104@gmail.com so that Dreamwork Canada can forward the workshop Zoom link to you. Send your payment by e-transfer (or a request for an alternative payment method) to dreamworkcanada104@gmail.com. E-transfers deposit automatically; no passcode is required. Registration deadline: September 12, 2023. Contact the registrar at dreamworkcanada104@gmail.com with any questions. [Image credits: Canva] Error Correction Thank you to readers who alerted EDGE to the fact that in our recent article about the community engagement going at Christ First United Church in Mississauga (Embracing the Spirit – July 19, 2023) we misspelt Victoria Keane’s name. We regret the error and apologize to Miss Keane! You can contact us about any content issues at embracingthespirit@united-church.ca. 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. Facebook Twitter Email Instagram YouTube LinkedIn Donate to The United Church of Canada and help fund life changing work around the world!

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