In a time of profound and accelerating change, new and renewing ministries are stepping forward into uncharted territory. Leaders, both ordained and lay, are seeking the sort of transformation that will sustain vital ministries in a new day. They are seeking out the skills and ways of thinking that will support the renewal of existing ministries and welcome the creation of new ones.
Journey Together.
EDGE offers facilitated community learning experiences about curiosity, sustainability, leadership, innovation, and future planning. Depending on your journey and needs you may find yourself in either synchronous or asynchronous space with other dedicated change leaders. Cohorts provide the space and guidance to:
- learn new skills
- share resources and ideas
- reflect on your experiences
- receive and offer support
Contact EDGE edge@united-church.ca about upcoming cohorts and how we can support your journey of transformation.
Curiosity Cohort
Curiosity is a mindset and a spiritual practice that helps us greet challenges and change with confidence and resilience. The Curiosity Cohort offered by EDGE supports individuals and communities of faith in developing the practice of curiosity as a way of revitalizing and sustaining ourselves.
What is it?
Curiosity Cohort is a 5-week synchronous experiential learning cohort offered by EDGE and UCC. The cohort is broken into three distinct parts:
- Theoretical Foundation (What is curiosity? Why do we need it? What are the barriers to being curious?)
- Experiential Learning & Integration (Where do we see curiosity around us? What are other people doing that inspires curiosity? What is similar in other stories of curiosity to my own story of curiosity?)
- Practical Application (What practical skills help build curiosity? How can I bring curiosity back to my community of faith? How will I start to practice curiosity in my own life?)
Throughout the 5-week process, you’ll also have access to videos, journaling questions, “homework” prompts and other materials to support your journey. This is supplemental to weekly facilitated sessions.
Who is it for?
Everyone! We all have curiosity in our DNA, most of us have just forgotten about having the “wonder of a child” in the daily grind of adulthood. The Curiosity Cohort is for all of us who are wanting to find that piece of ourselves and use it to help guide our work. Whether you are considering replacing your pews with chairs or starting a social enterprise – curiosity is for you and your community.
What do I need in order to attend it?
A pen, journal, and an open mind & heart. Curiosity Cohort isn’t about giving you the answers, it is about helping you develop the skills, tools, and practices to use curiosity to better understand the unique needs, values, and gifts in your community. It’s a starting point to answer the question: What are we being called to next?
Curious? Find out more on CHURCHx.
Sustainability Cohort
The Sustainability Cohort is designed to help communities of faith learn skills, through the use of readings, videos, discussion forums and reflective questions, that:
- Encourage them to think differently and critically about how they are working in relationship to their neighbourhoods.
- Address a deep yearning in communities of faith across the network to be relevant in their communities and a backbone organization in their neighbourhoods as they become increasingly vibrant.
- Support the fundamental tools that communities of faith need to start along this path.
Find out more and register for the online cohort.
Leading Adaptively
A 3-session Zoom course led by priest, researcher and revitalist Clara King.
Offered in partnership with the United Church of Canada, and open to lay leaders and clergy from any denomination in the United States and Canada.
This course is available throughout the year on CHURCHx.
Adaptive challenges are surrounding us in the pandemic.
In this 3-session Zoom course, you’ll discover new ways to lead adaptively with skills you already have. You’ll encounter the core theory of Adaptive Leadership in a vibrant new way. And you’ll come away with usable practices to reinvigorate your day-to-day leadership journey.
The course will cover: the six core competencies of leadership; how to understand and change the organizational culture of your congregation; and how conflict is a leadership resource you can steward wisely.
Course leader Clara King has spent 15 years studying adaptive leadership, and 9 years as a Priest leading adaptive change in the Anglican Diocese of Calgary and beyond. Clara’s dynamic, hope-filled facilitation style will refresh, empower and energize you for the leadership journey ahead.
“I took Leading Adaptively in the Fall of 2021. Rev. Clara is a brilliant teacher, leader and facilitator. She is able to bring her excellent research in the world of academia beyond just academics. She writes and leads in a very informative and yet down to earth way that is inclusive of everyone, including practitioners like myself who don’t have formal theological or ministry training and don’t work in academia.” – Adam Cresswell, Executive Director of The Hub Community Network
Learn more about Clara King at ClaraKing.com
