Recent trends have pointed to the need for renewed expressions of what it means to be a church that lives out God’s mission in the world. In this spirit, the United Church is actively supporting two types of new ministry development.
- Innovative faith formation initiatives: We are seeking to equip and support leaders who are willing to learn by taking risks, experimenting, and finding new ways to connect with those outside the church. For example, relationship-building service programs can be entry points to an experience of faith community; and the Fresh Expressions movement in the UK is exploring ways to listen to, serve, and form a community with people who have remained outside the traditional church community.
- New traditional church plants: Especially in new-immigrant communities, traditional culturally appropriate forms of church continue to have a central place. These churches gather for worship, and combine it with community building and cultural celebration. We are seeking to equip and support immigrant leaders who would serve as bridge builders to facilitate the growth and development of vital new immigrant faith communities.
Together, these two approaches represent a “mixed economy” of new ministries—ministries that will be renewed, relevant, and re-engaging.
We currently support over 25 initiatives across Canada and are connecting leaders who are learning how to start and implement new ministries.
Do you feel called to explore re-energized expressions of church, with the hope of a new tomorrow? We’d love to discuss how we can support you and what grants may be available.
For more information, please contact Bronwyn Corlett
