- God doesn’t live here anymore
Our problem is not so much finding the answer as it is facing the answer.
Michael Wood Daly
As a lifelong reader and former librarian, I know that summer is often the time when many people prefer ‘beach reads’ aka books that are light and quick to read. I do not fall into that category. I prefer non-fiction generally and am currently reading a book on Germany’s first woman chancellor, Angela Merkel and another book on the rise of AI. Not exactly light reading!
This summer, I also read a book by Michael Wood Daly called God doesn’t live here anymore. Wood Daly is a Canadian pastor, church leader, writer, and researcher who is passionate about community development and change leadership.[1] He is the founder of the Halo Project Canada, Flourishing Congregations, and is also involved in Releven, a Canadian organization that helps congregations reimagine their physical spaces.
This was also not light reading, but worth it! In fact, this is probably one of the most important books that I have read regarding the state of the Church in Canada. In this book, Wood Daly provides a history of Christianity and how it spread in Canada. He does an excellent job of connecting the history of Christianity in Canada with our relationship with Indigenous peoples, a history that is sadly full of manipulation and abuse.
While I highly recommend this book, that doesn’t mean that it was an easy read. Wood Daly forces us to confront our past and to see that we cannot blame the decline of the church on the world on the other side of our church walls. We have to shoulder much of the blame ourselves. He also reminds us that we also have an opportunity to change the future, if we are brave enough to listen to and answer God’s call.
In the final chapter, he says these prophetic words:
The institution we have come to call the church is dying. The decline is not just a social or cultural phenomenon, but also a natural consequence of past action and present apathy. God is dismantling the church. God is naming the idols we have built. God is extinguishing the political, cultural, and economic power we have accumulated over the centuries. God is exposing our inability to see our faults and unwillingness to change. God is calling us out of our fear toward something new. But are we listening? Are we willing to answer the call?(God doesn’t live here anymore, pages 190-191)
Challenging words indeed.
Blessings, Rev. Emma
- What does a flourishing congregation look like?
I am always interested in Canadian content. We are similar to the US in many ways, but there are also significant differences.
I recently watched an interview in the Maple Spirit Pulse Series sponsored by the Institute for Religion, Culture and Societal Futures (IRCSF). The IRCSF is a Canadian, non-partisan organization specializing in social scientific and empirical research related to religion, spirituality, and emerging forms of communities of belief and practice.
The host, the Dr. Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme (University of Waterloo) interviewed Dr. Joel Thiessen (Ambrose University) about the research on the key indicators of a flourishing congregation in the Canadian context. Dr. Thiessen is also a part of Flourishing Congregations, another organization that studies the religious landscape here in Canada.
In this interview, Dr. Thiessen states that flourishing congregations are not necessarily about the numbers – the number of ‘bums in the pews’ or the amount of money in the bank. Large congregations do exist in Canada, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are doing well.
He gave three main categories that are used to measure how well a congregation is doing and they are as follows:
- Organizational dynamics
How do they self-identify?
Are they open to change and innovation?
How do they develop leaders?
What are their structural processes?
2. Internal dynamics
How do they encourage discipleship and spiritual formation?
How do people engage in their social networks?
Do they foster diversity?
How are the laity engaged?
3. Outward focus
How are they connected with the community?
Do they engage in evangelism?
Do they engage in community partnerships?
It was also acknowledged that there are many external factors that influence how congregations flourish. The changing religious landscape in Canada is an obvious factor. Immigration has also been a factor for many congregations.
Another interesting trend that was briefly discussed is the ‘circulation of the saints.’ Loyalty to a specific congregation or denomination is declining and with the rise of congregations broadcasting their services online, Christians are on the move – aka church shopping – more so than ever before. So, one congregation may be seeing in rise in their attendance and givings not because of evangelism or discipleship, but because people have left another congregation.
To be sure these are challenging times to be engaged in ministry in Canada!
In what ways is your congregation flourishing? How is God planting seeds of hope and joy?
Blessings, Rev. Emma Duncan
General Presbyter
- Come to me and I will give you rest
Ministry is hard.
But you already knew that!
When this blog post becomes active, I will be on vacation with my family. What a blessing it is to have this time away!
In a society that values busyness and productivity, it is important for us as Christians to remember that our faith calls us to care for ourselves – body, mind, and soul. Rest is biblical. Spending time alone with the Lord is biblical. Setting boundaries is biblical.
And these biblical truths are not just for when we are on vacation! We are encouraged to nurture our personal faith in every season of life. As church leaders, it is important for us to model Christ’s example of taking time away from the pressures of ministry and spending time with God in prayer, study, and reflection. When I was struggling with this a few years ago, my Spiritual Director challenged me with this question – how can you care for your Congregation if you can’t care for yourself?
This was a difficult question to answer because I knew that she was right.
We all need to be reminded to make time to be with the Lord – not for sermon prep or Bible study, but to nurture our own souls. We all need to set boundaries that protect our personal faith and our time with family and friends.
While I am no expert in this field, I encourage you to find ways to model Christ in your own life. There are many ways to do this that don’t take a lot of time or cost any money. And since we are all unique, you have to find what works for you. For example, I am not a morning person, so please don’t tell me to get up early to pray – it’s not going to happen!
As a fellow traveller and seeker, I simply encourage you to strengthen your walk with the Lord.
Blessings, Rev. Emma
General Presbyter
- 13 years and counting
Today marks the 13th year anniversary of my ordination.
And I would have totally forgotten about it if a friend didn’t send me a picture from that day.
The service was held at my home congregation, St. Andrew’s Brampton, and it was a very hot and humid day. I remember being so nervous and excited. It had been a long 5 years of studying and I was about to become ordained as a Minister of Word and Sacrament and then start a new job.
Here are the vows that I took that day:
1. Do you believe in God the Father, made known in his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom the Holy Spirit witnesses in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments?
2. Do you accept the subordinate standards of this Church, promising to uphold its doctrine under the continual illumination and correction of the Holy Spirit speaking in Scriptures?
3. Do you accept the government of this Church by sessions, presbyteries, synods and general assemblies, and do you promise to share in and submit yourself to all lawful oversight therein, and to follow no divisive course but to seek the peace and unity of Christ among your people and throughout the Holy, Catholic Church?
4. Do you promise in the strength and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ to conduct yourself in your private and public life as becomes his gospel, and do you give yourself diligently and cheerfully to the service of Christ’s Word, sacraments and discipline, for the furtherance of his reconciling mission in the world?
5. When the time comes, are you willing to sign the formula, giving your assent to the preamble and questions required of those being ordained to the ministry of Word and Sacraments?
As I reflect on these vows now, I understand how challenging they are to uphold. Vow #1 is the easiest one to uphold, but that doesn’t mean that I haven’t experienced times of doubt, especially during the pandemic. Vows #2 and #3 have been particularly challenging for someone who been known to rebel from time to time. And vow #4…oh, how I have failed at this one!!
Thankfully, the Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. (Psalm 103:8) Even though I have failed on many occasions to uphold my vows, I know that I am still loved by the Creator of the Universe and forgiven by Jesus Christ, my Lord and Saviour. The Holy Spirit continues to guide my path in faith, love, and hope.
And for that, I am eternally grateful.
As I seek to uphold these vows in my new ministry, I remember the words of the Apostle Paul from his first letter to Timothy:
Rather, train yourself to be godly.
For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things,
holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance.
That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God,
who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.
Command and teach these things. 1 Timothy 4:7-11
Blessings, Rev. Emma
General Presbyter
- The Halo Effect
How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! Psalm 84:1
Flourishing Congregations is a Canadian organization based out of Ambrose University in Calgary that supports pastors, denominational leaders, and lay leaders with Canadian data on Canadian congregations. They are an interdisciplinary and ecumenical research centre. If you have never heard of them, they are worth checking out!
I recently watched one of their free webinars called The Halo Effect, presented by Mike Wood Daly, Director of Research for Relèven, President of Sphaera Research, and Research Director for the Halo Canada Project.
What is the Halo Effect?
It is a way of measuring how congregations influence their local communities from a socio-economic point of view. It helps us answer the question – who would miss us if our congregation closed?
Halo Canada did an economic impact survey of 120 congregations in Toronto. Each congregation was evaluated based on 50 different categories, including:
- Open space (outdoor space for public use)
- Direct spending
- Education (childcare, adult education, music education for the wider community)
- Magnet Effect (attractive force of the congregation. When people travel more than 10 km to get to church, they spend on average $20 per visit on gas, food, etc.)
- Social Safety Net (measure of senior programs, families, addiction, refugee and immigration programs, out of the cold programs, etc.)
- Social Capital and Care (measures how we share our buildings with the community. Also factors in volunteer hours.)
Their research also acknowledges decline of religious organizations across the country, especially in the post-pandemic world. Some studies predict that 1/3 of congregations will close in the next decade. The impact of these closures will also have a profound socio-economic effect on communities, with municipalities having to pick up the slack.
Revelen is an organization that works with churches in Canada and the US to help them preserve, restore, and repurpose under-utilized faith properties into community hubs and affordable housing.
Here are some helpful links if you are interested in learning more about repurposing a church building:
- Halo Project – https://haloproject.ca/
- Ministry Forum (Knox College) – https://ministryforum.ca/resource-hub
- Partners for Sacred Spaces (US based but good free content) – https://sacredplaces.org/
- Presbyterian Church Building Corporation (PCBC) – https://presbyterian.ca/pcbc/
- St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, Hamilton
https://www.stpaulshamilton.ca/copy-of-home
https://ministryforum.ca/posts/asking-better-questions-highlighting-st-pauls-in-hamilton?rq=lewis
Blessings, Emma