EDGE brings you the Youth Group YouTube Challenge (try to say that 10 times fast!). Throughout May, we’ve been getting the word out [...]]]> Youth are the way of the future and understand what is on the horizon more than anyone. That’s why EDGE is excited to work directly with Youth Groups and get them involved.

EDGE brings you the Youth Group YouTube Challenge (try to say that 10 times fast!). Throughout May, we’ve been getting the word out through email and phone to as many of the congregations as possible.

The contest is that in under 1 minute a creative video needs to be posted on YouTube that talks about EDGE. Whichever video has the most number of views by July 15th – WINS!  So to get the video up and running sooner is better as it has more time to accumulate views.  If you  have 2 or more people in your congregation interested, find a flyer with all the details here.

Although it sounds a little complicated for some of us, the kids will find this easy as they spend a majority of their time on YouTube anyways! Plus with all the technology these days, it is becoming easier to make videos on your computer, phone, camera, and tablet.  In fact, video cameras are not even required for this.

So far we’ve had positive feedback and are excited to begin getting submissions.  Keep posted for some video clips!

Deep Listening—Sacred Listening 

How well do you listen to your family, congregation, or God? Explore how you can listen more deeply, and more sacredly, to discern what God desires for your life, family, and church.

Open to the Spirit: Five Traits of Lively Congregations 

Experience a sample [...]]]> View all 80 workshops here.

Deep Listening—Sacred Listening 

How well do you listen to your family, congregation, or God? Explore how you can listen more deeply, and more sacredly, to discern what God desires for your life, family, and church.

Open to the Spirit: Five Traits of Lively Congregations 

Experience a sample session from a new six-session United Church DVD and print resource for congregational reflection and strategic planning.

Visions United Presents: What Is God Calling Us to Be in the Here and Now? 

This workshop will explore the courage that change requires, sharing our experiences of creative, new, and relevant ministry. See how gift-based ministry infuses passion into how we are the church. Come and share in the excitement of bold leadership in bold new ways of being church here and now.

Leadership from Below: Shared Leadership in a Small Urban Congregation 

The Great Banquet here on earth? Discover how things work when the minister is not “in charge.”

Beyond Evangelism: How Genuine Church Growth Happens without Worrying about It! 

This workshop will explore the gift and implications of claiming the synoptic Jesus tradition for a ministry of partnership with all people of good will in a multicultural society; moving United churches from a service club model to a loving family model;

Letting God Out of the Box 

Want to change? Want to grow? Come and experience an integrated approach to worship that will enliven the whole congregation.

How Do You Most Naturally Connect with God? 

New data from surveys in the United Church reveals that the most potential for personal growth and congregational development will come about by helping people connect with God and derive their sense of purpose from that connection.

Shift Happens 

God is doing a new thing! Come be inspired and energized as together we explore the dramatic shifts in our culture and church, hear stories of exciting emerging ministry practice and the missional church movement, engage our own stories of mission together, and celebrate God’s mission in the world.

U.N.I.T.E.D. Individual and Communal Discipleship Exploration 

U.N.I.T.E.D. was designed to explore six “marks of discipleship” in United Church language and idiom (Uplifted in daily prayer. Nourished in weekly worship. Informed through conversation with scripture. Transformed through service with and to others. Engaged in spiritual relationships. Devoting our resources to God’s mission.)

Change Is Great…You Go First! 

This workshop will be about how we can create culture change in a congregational setting, creating a congregation that is entrepreneurial and risk-taking.

Church Funding: Hope and a Future 

Scripture tells us God has a great plan for us. Sometimes that plan is really hard to follow, especially during periods of financial stress and when Sunday morning givings do not meet the needs of the church.

Unbinding the Gospel (Going Deeper) 

Martha Grace Reese 

The Unbinding the Gospel Series by keynote speaker Martha Grace Reese, is a congregational transformation process that helps congregations deepen spiritually, become comfortable talking about their faith, and begin to reach out to others beyond church walls.

Messy Church: This Ain’t Your Granny’s Church! 

Are you looking for a way to reach families who are not in our churches on Sundays? Messy Church aims to create the opportunity for adults and children to express their creativity, enjoy a meal together, experience worship, and have fun within a church context

Listening to The Echo, Looking to the Future 

Based on a three-year study of the spirituality and values of that cohort of youth and young adults who are the children of Baby Boomers.

An amazing opportunity, for an amazing price!

More Than Franchises: A Fresh Brew national United Church Event is fast approaching [...]]]> Check out the details of how people can attend More than Franchises: A Fresh Brew for $60 per person PLUS people can share registrations if they can’t be there for the whole event! read more…

An amazing opportunity, for an amazing price!

More Than Franchises: A Fresh Brew national United Church Event is fast approaching – June 16^th to 18^th.  For all the details go to www.morefranchises.ca  which includes the 80 workshops, keynote speakers, pre-conference events on the 15^th.

I think the event is going to be great! But we do need everyone’s help to personally invite people to come and be part of it. This is just the kind of event that enhances ministry…. providing support for a group of people to be filled with enthusiasm, encouragement and new ideas.

And the price is amazing!

To register 5 people together online it is $1500 and then there is a $1200 grant available ….. so that’s only $60 / person for the weekend, including food! The learning grant provides opportunity for people to participate and then gather after to digest their learnings and to discuss how to implement ideas that fit your community.

Can’t think of 5 people in your church or area you can invite? Let us know and we will put your group with another group to make up the 5 required for the learning grant (you can meet by conference call for your six follow up meetings to deepen the learning and explore implementation).

Sharing registrations is an option too!  If you find people who can only be there for part of the event they can share a registration with someone else who can only be there for part of the event. Everyone will be thrilled to have more folks participating and the registrations fully used.

This is one congregation’s story of the impact of More Franchise events.

It was so wonderful to connect with folks from across the country.  As we shared meals together, there were long conversations regarding congregational life – both joys [...]]]> Consider personally inviting those enthusiastic passionate people from your community and see the difference it makes!

This is one congregation’s story of the impact of More Franchise events.

It was so wonderful to connect with folks from across the country.  As we shared meals together, there were long conversations regarding congregational life – both joys and concerns.  Although our congregation was in a period of transition, we quickly learned that we were more similar than different in our experiences!  This created such a strong feeling of connection to the wider church!  One of our participants had this to say: “It was wonderful to be in a group of committed, devoted people who are determined to affect the outcome of our faith community”.

And reflections on the impact of one of the projects initiated as a result of the learnings and insights from More Franchises: “This venture has been embraced by our congregation and we are seeing active involvement from many more people.  New relationships are being forged and there is a wonderful buzz!  Our group is ready to have our batteries recharged once again this year.  We are grateful for this fabulous opportunity for our church.”

A lead group from our congregation, St. Stephen United, Burlington, ON has attended More Franchises as well as More Franchises:  A Second Cup.  We benefitted from the learning grant, which helped to offset the cost so that more individuals could participate in the event.  Both experiences have begun a wonderful transformation of our congregation.

A dozen individuals attended the first event and participated in a variety of different workshops.  It was so wonderful to connect with folks from across the country.  As we shared meals together, there were long conversations regarding congregational life – both joys and concerns.  Although our congregation was in a period of transition, we quickly learned that we were more similar than different in our experiences!  This created such a strong feeling of connection to the wider church!  One of our participants had this to say: “It was wonderful to be in a group of committed, devoted people who are determined to affect the outcome of our faith community”.

As our group, we travelled to and from the event together. This allowed us to engage in discussion of our experiences of the day, and as a result deeper connections and relationships with one another were established.  Our group returned energized and excited about our future as a congregation – and looking forward to the next event!  I had the pleasure of continuing the conversation with the wider church as a participant in the follow-up conference calls.

We were ready for More Franchises: A Second Cup!  Upon hearing the testimonies of those who attended the first event, we had another large group committed to attend.  Another rewarding experience, only this time, we were better prepared to implement some of what was learned and experienced.  One of our participants attended a workshop on “Welcoming Well” and has since facilitated some sessions regarding the way in which we welcome others into our community.  Another participant shared his learning from a workshop on the “Kenora Model”.  We have fully implemented this concept in our congregation.  “Family Groups” have been created including everyone on our church roll. These groups have been carefully selected to ensure there is representation of all aspects of our membership – members, adherents, youth, children, seniors, shut-ins/hospitalized, choir, council, etc. Each “family” is responsible of a month of Sundays; tasks which include, ushering, scripture reading, congregational lunch, preparing communion, visiting shut-ins, as well as many others.  This venture has been embraced by our congregation and we are seeing active involvement from many more people.  New relationships are being forged and there is a wonderful buzz!  Our group is ready to have our batteries recharged once again this year.  We are grateful for this fabulous opportunity for our church.

Blessings,

Shirley Bainbridge, St Stephen United, Burlington

This is a uniquely United Church event where we have the opportunity to share, discuss, reflect, experience and explore emerging perspectives and [...]]]> YOU ARE INVITED! To a gathering of hundreds of United Church of Canada people from coast to coast to coast June 16-18, 2012, . Over 1100 people have attended the previous two events.

This is a uniquely United Church event where we have the opportunity to share, discuss, reflect, experience and explore emerging perspectives and practices that are making the United Church of Canada dynamic, engaging, and life-giving.  We will delve into the topic of the transition we are in to come to a fuller understanding of the opportunities that are before us in this time of spiritual awakening – this time of standing on the edge of a new day.

The event is More than Franchises – A Fresh Brew

Come as a group of 5 and receive a $1200 learning grant if you are willing to meet 6 times to continue to explore the implications of the event and make a real impact in your ministry back home. Grant money is payable before the event to help make the learning possible.

Why would you choose to be part of this major United Church event?

• 80+ workshops of emerging United Church practice
• experience new insights and practices to take back to your community
• amazing keynote speakers such as,
• Phyllis Tickle, The Great Emergence: How Christianity is Changing and Why
• Martha Grace Reese, Unbinding the Gospel – the mainstream: learning to share our faith
• Introduction to EDGE: A Network for Ministry Renewal resources
• Cost saving opportunities from suppliers of church services and commodities
• renewed sense of hope and inspiration in the United Church of Canada

Check out all the details at More Than Franchises.

Hope to see you there!

Karen Hilfman Millson, St Paul’s Orillia, Ontario, EDGE Affiliate

Pruning is a gospel image. In John 15:2 Jesus tells us that God prunes even the [...]]]> Pruning may seem a strange image to begin an article on empowerment leadership, yet it is essential to release the capacity for growth in individuals and congregations. Essentially it is to honour the match of gifts, calling and task.

Pruning is a gospel image. In John 15:2 Jesus tells us that God prunes even the fruitful branches in him so that they will bear even more fruit. Effective ministry leaders of new and renewing ministries find ways to attract the right kind of people to the right tasks. More and more, we find these same leaders find ways to get the wrong people out of their tasks, whether they are staff or volunteers. It’s all about pruning.

In his book, Good to Great, Jim Collins talks about the same thing when he says effective organizations get the right people on the bus and the wrong people off the bus. This kind of pruning in congregations or other ministries is essential.

There are many reasons why a person might be wrong for a leadership role in ministry:

• No one else was willing, so the person takes a role they don’t really like are or are ill-suited for
• Incompetence
• Inappropriate motivation such as the need for status, or undue control in the life of the ministry rather than the desire to make a difference in the world, or to provide for authentic need
• A contradiction between the leader’s vision of the work and the congregations vision of its mission
• An inability to work in team with other leaders

It is difficult to address the elephant in the room when the wrong person is in a leadership role. But it is essential to do it, and to do it well, if effective ministry is the goal. There are helpful practices to bring to the task of ensuring appropriate leadership:

• Training and support for leaders as they enter and carry out leadership roles
• Clear expectations and role descriptions
• Escalating intervention when expectations are not fulfilled or boundaries are crossed
• Conversation started early on with lead staff, board chair or M&P (depending on the role) when reason for concern presents itself
• Develop a culture of gift based ministry and discernment so that decision making groups understand that pruning is normative to honour both the ministry and leaders who may be inappropriately assigned a task

In the end it is essential that faith communities and their governing bodies have spiritual and emotional maturity, so that strong work can be done with compassion and grace. That, by-the-way points to another practice we sometimes avoid in United Church ministries, prayer, but that’s for another article.

Do you feel unprepared and unsupported to lead change?

Its not surprising and you’re not alone. There is help!

The United Church of Canada is on the EDGE between a modern world that is fast disappearing and [...]]]> Are you frustrated by the need for CHANGE in your congregation, but finding deep resistance to go there?

Do you feel unprepared and unsupported to lead change?

Its not surprising and you’re not alone. There is help!

The United Church of Canada is on the EDGE between a modern world that is fast disappearing and a post-modern world that is emerging. The contours of the new landscape are increasingly clear. God is calling us from maintenance to mission, from command and control to authentic empowerment and adaptive leadership and organization. From text based communication to TGIF (Twitter, Google, Internet, Facebook), from formulations of belief to embracing the yearning to experience the divine presence, from values of loyalty, commitment and duty to freedom and choice,  from an “ORDER” of service to EPIC (experiential, participative, image rich and community forming) worship. The list goes on. What matters is the ways of proclaiming and living the gospel that worked in the old world, are often ineffective in the new. We know the destination, the basic contours of the new context in which we do ministry. Yet, even as the wind of the spirit fills our sails to brave this journey we experience the resistance of the seas in between.

Every transformative process has three critical points, the wind of the Spirit that blows us forward, the drag of the sea that resists. The third and often forgotten is the process of negotiating the relationship between the two. Every effective vessel has tools to negotiate this relationship – sails, rudders, hulls design. Each leader and ministry has different seas to sail, some more turbulent, some with strong cross-currents, some calmer but foggy. Each requires a vessel designed to navigate the waters it must cross.

The work of EDGE is to help leaders and ministries design and build the vessel they need to navigate the waters of change towards a new land of vital mission in Christ’ great work of healing, justice and love. Unlike many organizations which focus on education alone, this is a ministry of presence, connection and spiritual community as well as transformative education. EDGE seeks to connect people, ministries and resources for ship building and journeying together.

EDGE is designed to work flexibly with congregations, leaders, presbyteries, conferences or new ministry starts that are seeking ways to engage vital ministry in this new day.  We have gathered and are engaging in training with 20 regionally based consultants who, together with staff, accompany ministries and leaders to design and build their vessel for transformation through consultation. This work also draws on a broad range of data driven tools and assessment strategies that have are being identified and tested.

EDGE has also gathered a group of 6 coaches who can help leaders one-on-one reflect on their experience of leadership and move towards excellence.  These resources are proving to be effective, especially for congregations in a time of staff transition when reflection on the vision and organization of the ministry are already on the table.

To date EDGE has engaged over 1000 practitioners in Webinars, over 500 in face-to-face workshops, working with over 70 congregations in 8 presbyteries and Conferences. If you are considering a serious attempt at transformation towards effective ministry in God’s new day, give us a call. We want to help.