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Minister's Message Dear Friends, I want to take this opportunity, and this venue, to speak to a question which I am asked from time to time; That is the question of Christ Church amalgamating with another congregation sometime in the future. Many things give rise to this question. As we look around, we may see some congregations which, when faced with closure, have taken this route. There are many areas of the country where we have, or have had, more United Church congregations than we need. This over-supply reflects a previous era, a more Christian era perhaps, and the demographics of, maybe, 100 years ago. Now and then, when people look at smaller Sunday schools, budget woes, and aging congregations, an amalgamation is seen as an easy solution to a variety of challenges. Those of us who remember the buoyancy of the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s, may find it a tempting way forward. Those of us who remember those years, sometimes miss them in a number of ways! Sometimes we grieve the loss of what was. My answer to this question is not a simple one. First, I forthrightly say that I believe Christ Church is a long way from such considerations. We are still, roughly, in the 75th to 80th percentile in terms of our size. That means only 20 to 25% of congregations are bigger than us in North America. Actually, we have a very viable and vibrant congregation which is doing good worship and fellowship and mission together. Last year, we made 95% of budget (calculating for our deficit), on top of a very strong capital campaign and generous support for The Compass. All this is quite exceptional. We are stronger and healthier than we often realize! Second, I also bring some personal experience to this conversation. For three years, I served a congregation where four rural churches had merged into a central larger congregation – and they lost most of the leadership generation from each of those smaller points. In my last year of work at The Hamilton Spectator, our family worshipped in a congregation that was a temporary merger (for several years) of two congregations, which are separate once again. After I left the congregation I served before coming to Christ Church in 2007, my successor led the congregation into an ill-timed, ill-conceived, “short take-off-and-landing” merger. It proved disastrous! Thirdly, for five years in the late 1990s, I was the co-chair of the United Church of Canada’s Commission on Congregational Mission and Church Development. We looked at the future of congregational life. One of the areas of conversation, research, and direction was that of congregational mergers, amalgamations and closures. It continues to be an area of interest to me. So, here are some highlights of what I have observed or read about:
So in terms of our present reality - we are, largely, a different size, focus, culture, organization, and socio-economic segment from that of Sheridan United Church. They are a family sized congregation. (We are program size. There is an in in-between size: pastoral size.) They are doing very well at the moment. I anticipate that if we talked merger with St. Stephen’s on-the-Hill, there would be a knock-down drag-out fight over which site survives and, either way, it would still be a site which lacks visibility – as both our locations are in the middle of neighbourhoods, rather than on main arteries. (Today, new congregations and redeveloping congregations seek to be highly visible on main arteries, where possible.) So, in my mind there are alternatives to mergers:
Redeveloping congregations is a long, slow process. I have been with you now, for five years. I believe my commitment and hope and energy for Christ Church and its future is as strong as ever. We have made good progress. In some areas we struggle to catch up. We cannot undo the results of some things that occurred between 1998 and 2007. We continue to develop and offer new programs and initiatives. We say of Christ Church: “God isn’t done with us!” With you in the pilgrimage of faith and the opportunities that embraces Christ Church! Jim Cairney
A Note from Ann... The last full week of January has begun and I am finding it difficult to know where the days have gone! That, no doubt, is due in part to the weather, which on some days seems more like drab November than crisp, cold, crunchy January. Nevertheless, it is a New Year started and I wish all of you a very healthy journey through year of 2012. As I begin the second half of my second year here with you as Pastoral Visitor, I want to once again commend you on your care for one another. Part of that care is in your taking time to let us know, here in the office, when ones from our community are in hospital, are experiencing troubling, sad times because of illnesses, loss or tragedy that affects their dear ones. It is also in faith family, as in our own and extended families, very important to celebrate the joyous, mountain top times of milestone births, birthdays, recovery from illness, and the ages and stages of life. Please do let us know, through email or phone messages or personal conversation when you are in the building! All of us have been touched by cancer, either ourselves, through family and friends or acquaintances. On Sunday, March 25, at 2:30 in the afternoon, Christ Church will be hosting a service and information/display time for all of us and the community as a whole. Our gathering together will be a time in a non-denominational format to offer Hope and Encouragement on the Cancer Journey. We will, very soon, have flier/poster information available. I am asking you, at this time, to mark the date on your calendars and to begin to invite those you know who might find this helpful. May we continue to be a faith family each one carrying out Jesus’ commandment to...”you shall love God with all your heart with all your heart” and “You shall love your neighbour as yourself”. (Matt. 25:36-39) Blessings, Ann Fleming
From the Humblest of Beginnings… On the stone floor of Westminster Abbey, there is a large brass plaque which carries the following inscription: “Brought by faithful hands over land and sea, here rests the body of David Livingstone, missionary, traveller, philanthropist (1813 – 1873).” Early this fall, when I was in Scotland, I had the opportunity to travel to Glasgow, specifically to its southern suburb called Hamilton. I had come to visit the childhood home of David Livingstone. His father was a labourer in a woollen mill. In fact, David and all of his siblings worked in the mill, too. That’s how, explained the guide, the family of six managed to live (survive) in the one-room apartment in a row of Council houses provided on the mill property for the workers in the mill and their families. That small, single room was kitchen, dining room, and bedroom for the Livingstone family. Around that hearth, life was nurtured, imaginations were fired, and minds were filled with facts. Years later, when word of Livingstone’s exploits in central Africa (as an evangelist and explorer) had spread around the English-speaking world, a neighbour woman who had kept the apartment intact, was busy now, offering to show interested persons the Livingstone’s humble beginnings, for a shilling. Early in the 20th century, property adjacent to the apartment was purchased to be used as a museum of Livingstone’s papers, journals, Bible, and personal artifacts. Today, it is preserved and supervised by the National Trust Association, and is well worth a visit. In the final room of the Museum, there is a large oil painting entitled “Fulfillment”. Beneath the painting is the inscription, “A Gift of The United Church of Canada.” The designation took me by surprise. When I sought out the guide for an explanation, he told me that, in 1929, in those early years of the Museum’s existence, an appeal was made for funds to make the project possible. In response, the General Council of The United Church of Canada sent a financial gift. The painting recognizes the generous gesture made by the United Church of Canada which recognizes Livingstone as part of its heritage. WELCOMING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES Did you know about a new Ontario law which came into effect on January 1st, 2012. It requires all community buildings, churches included, to have a customer service policy in place when welcoming people with disabilities. We’re pleased to highlight Christ Church’s statement in this regard. Christ Church is committed to giving people with disabilities the same opportunities to access our services and events as all other users of the church. Our elevator, our new lower level accessible washroom, our sanctuary listening devices and the future accessible front entrance doors are good examples of this pledge. Any disruption to these assistive devices should be clearly posted along with timelines for return to service and any alternatives which may be available. Education is a large part of the mission as well. All staff and volunteers will be trained to communicate, with dignity and respect, with those who have a disability. Service animals and support persons may accompany those with disabilities to all open areas of the church. Further modification of some of our existing policies may be required if they do not respect or promote dignity and independence of people with disabilities. It sounds a bit daunting, but in this day and age it is truly all about common sense and caring. Faithful in our worship and committed to service, we strive to enrich the lives of those around us, in the church, in the community and in the world. Many thanks to Bill and Kathy Porter, Michael Giguère, Nora Paxton, Betty Smith and Laura Lucas for working to draft these guidelines. If you’d like to read the full policy document, you can find it in the policy manual in the Earl B. Eddy Library. Laura Lucas
Stewardship Program: Living Our Compassion at Christ Church It was standing room only in the Merigold Room at the brunch following the 9:02 service on November 20, Compassion Sunday. The lunch following the 10:30 service was attended by over 130 more people enjoying sandwiches, sweets and fellowship. The fellowship that Christ Church provides, and our compassion for each other in time of need, were the underlying themes in stories told by our three speakers during church services throughout the Living Our Compassion stewardship program. Joan Cobbold, Dave Watters and Liz Brown shared their personal stories of how Christ Church had shown them compassion during difficult times in their lives. Bill Porter’s moving story about the support he received after Cathy’s accident appeared in an insert. These stories, combined with inspiring sermons by Jim Cairney and Reverend Joan Wyatt, our keynote speaker on Compassion Sunday, provided much to think about during this year’s stewardship program. The program ended on Compassion Sunday with attendees at both services submitting their indication of financial support for 2012. We received 96 pledges, which included 20 who had increased their givings from last year. This is encouraging news. Those who were not at church on Compassion Sunday were mailed an estimate of givings card, and asked to return it to the Church Office as we needed to confirm PAR commitments for 2012 in early December, and to finalize our 2012 Budget. I would like to thank the other members of this year’s Stewardship Program team: John Fargey, Joanne Reidt and Jim Cairney, with the usual tremendous support from Anne Moore, for your hard work over the past few months. This is a big undertaking each year and I appreciated everyone’s efforts.
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