SWRC Review of

Ministry and Funding Priorities

Greetings from Shining Waters Regional Council!

At our regional meeting in June 2024, the Executive was directed to create an ad hoc committee to conduct a region-wide consultation about regional ministry and funding priorities. We are reaching out to communities of faith, grant recipients, commissions and committees, Toronto United Church Council (TUCC) and Presbyteries of Toronto Conference Corporatioin (PTCC) for your feedback.

Below you will see 11 priority ministry areas. Each community or organization has 11 points that you may assign to the 11 priorities in whatever manner you choose. For example, you could give all 11 points to one priority; or one point to each priority; or you could divide the points between several of the priorities. Your feedback will help us to determine which priorities to recommend for funding to the regional council in October 2025. At the end of the document is an opportunity for you to give more specific input into the process.

You are encouraged to discuss these priorities in your governing body or more broadly in your community. You can then submit your response using the online form below.

If you are unable to access the online form, you may also submit your response in writing to:

Shining Waters Regional Council
59 Line 4 N, Oro-Medonte, ON, L0L 2L0

Here is a printable PDF version of the Regional Ministry and Funding Priorities Form for you to submit in writing if you prefer.

The deadline to submit your response is January 30, 2025.

If you have questions about this process, please contact Jody Maltby: jmaltby@united-church.ca or Kathleen Jones: kijones@united-church.ca.

The ad hoc committee has prepared this consultation document with input from the following:

Communities of Faith Commission
Pastoral Relations Commission
Intercultural Diversity Commission
Social and Ecological Justice Commission
Grants & Mission Support Committee
Finance Committee
PTCC (Presbyteries of Toronto Conference Corporation)
TUCC (Toronto United Church Council)
The General Council Growth and Ministry Development Department

Sarah Lough, Daniel Reed, Allyce Mutungi, Gloria Tozek
Ad Hoc Committee, Shining Waters Regional Council

Staff Support: Jody Maltby and Kathleen Jones

MISSION OF SHINING WATERS REGIONAL COUNCIL

The mission of Shining Waters Regional Council is “Encouraging and Connecting Communities of Faith.”

To fulfil this mission, the Regional Council and the Regional Council Executive will encourage and engage in:

1) living in right relations with Indigenous peoples, and responding positively and meaningfully to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action and the Caretakers of Our Indigenous Circle Calls to the Church;

2) becoming an anti-racist church (declaration of the Commissioners of the 43rd General Council, October 24, 2020);

3) welcoming people of all ages, abilities, races, sexual orientations and gender identities, and any other forms of marginalization into, and removing barriers to, the life, work and leadership of the Region and our communities of faith.

These objectives are in addition to those declared in The Manual (6.3.4) as the mission and ministry for every Regional Council: Encouraging and engaging in:

4) joining our collective hearts, voices, and resources to witness to the gospel and vision of Jesus for a compassionate and just society, both in Canada and around the world;

5) local, regional, national and global initiatives and partnerships (community, ecumenical and interfaith) for ministry, mission and justice work;

6) ministry with children, youth and young adults;

7) honouring and living into intercultural mission and ministry; and

8) living in covenant with Mother Earth and All My Relations in the Earth community

These objectives are in addition to those declared in The Manual (6.3.4) as the mission and ministry for every Regional Council: Encouraging and engaging in:

4) joining our collective hearts, voices, and resources to witness to the gospel and vision of Jesus for a compassionate and just society, both in Canada and around the world;

5) local, regional, national and global initiatives and partnerships (community, ecumenical and interfaith) for ministry, mission and justice work;

6) ministry with children, youth and young adults;

7) honouring and living into intercultural mission and ministry; and

8) living in covenant with Mother Earth and All My Relations in the Earth community

SWRC Review of Ministry Priorities

Name

First Last

Position of Person Submitting Form

Please let us know what position you hold in your community of faith.

Name of Community of Faith/Ministry/Other organization

(please include your location – ie Trinity, Gravenhurst):

1. Ensure sufficient funds for regional needs and grants program

a. Increase cap on Regional Fund

b. Ensure funds invested properly

c. Have funds available to pay approved grants, resume transferring funds to PTCC to extend granting capacity

d. Framework for funding rooted in regional mission and support to existing ministries

e. Open application process for short-term, smaller program grants

f. Ensure adequate funds available for robust grant program

2. Live within our means

a. Reduce expenses and determine potential income for five-year plan

b. Long-term strategic goals for self-sustaining, well-funded and growth driven region

c. Supporting effectiveness of regional volunteers including training and education

3. Funding Community Ministries, Missions, Outreach Ministries

a. Maintain core funding for community ministries through $10M Fund

4. Support to Migrant and Diaspora Communities

a. Strengthening invitation to Migrant and Diaspora Communities of faith

b. Outreach to individual new immigrants through existing communities of faith

c. Supporting ethnocultural groups through a microgrant initiative

d. Accompany missions and help to integrate them more fully into regional council

5. Support to New Ministries

a. Embracing new possibilities for what a community of faith might look like

b. Supporting emerging new ministries

6. Becoming an Intercultural Church

a. Fostering intercultural education and participation

b. Supporting access of church polity through translation work

c. Engaging in Inter-Church Relations (for example with the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea – PROK)

d. Developing relations across cultural groups, sponsoring, supporting intercultural celebrations and cross-generational conversations

e. Becoming an Intercultural Church with explicit commitment to minority ethnic cultural communities, 2SLGBTQ communities, economically disadvantaged communities

f. Funding Ecumenical and Interfaith Chaplaincies

7. Working toward right relations with, and justice for, Indigenous Peoples

8. Support to Communities of Faith

a. Encouraging growth in existing Communities of Faith

b. Deepening Connection, Encouraging Transformation, Renewing and Supporting Leadership Connect and support rural ministries

c. Support financial viability of congregations to ensure strong United Church presence

d. Support congregations in transition

e. Equitable Sharing of Resources, including: disbursement of assets from property sales & proceeds from building use, joint property usage between congregations, space availability for new communities of faith, reparations

f. Making decisions that support healthy and viable communities of faith

g. Adequate property management

h. Having a broad geographic presence

9. Support to Ministry Personnel

a. Encouraging and supporting health, joy and excellence in ministry personnel

b. Equity for Ministry Personnel in Pastoral Relationships

10. Engaging Children, Youth, and Young Adults

a. Support overnight camping

b. Programs for children, youth and young adults

11. Animating communities of faith around justice issues, through networks, creative use of online communications including social media and AI communications

a. Homelessness and Poverty/Income Inequality (includes Guaranteed Livable Income and refugees)

b. Ecological Justice - i. Decreasing Carbon Emissions

c. Anti-Racism

d. Israel/Palestine

Your Total Points

This number should not exceed 11 points. If you have more than 11 points please see your answers above and adjust your points accordingly.

How might Shining Waters Regional Council support congregations, communities of faith and other ministries to live into our mission?

Staff Support

If you have any questions, please contact:

JODY MALTBY

Regional Staff Lead; Finance and Property Minister

Phone: 416-231-7680 | 1-800-268-3781
Extension: 6226
Direct Line: 249-489-2002
Email: jmaltby@united-church.ca

Serves in: Shining Waters Regional Council

Location: Teleworks and works from the Guthrie Main Office

Role: Jody coordinates the support to communities of faith, including coordinating the work of regional staff.

Contact Jody about: Conflict Resolution; Community Ministries; Congregational Finance; Covenants; Governance; Grants; Property Renovation or Sale; Transitions – amalgamations, collaboration, closures.

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KATHLEEN JONES

Administrative Support

Phone: 416-231-7680 | 1-800-268-3781
Extension: 2059
Email: kijones@united-church.ca

Serves in: Shining Waters Regional Council and Canadian Shield Regional Council

Location: Teleworks from her home.

Role: Kathleen provides administrative support to Shining Waters and Canadian Shield Regional Councils.