Fall 2021 Regional Meeting

The afternoon session of the SWRC Fall 2021 Regional Meeting, held online on Saturday November 13, 2021. Please see below for all meeting resources and materials.

Letter from the President

Who could have thought, back in March of 2020, that more than a year and a half later we would still be in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, beset by dangerous new variants and the fourth wave? Who could have thought that the greatest public health challenge would not be developing a vaccine against the virus, but persuading enough people to be injected with the scientifically-proven, safe and effective vaccine? Who could have thought that we would be compelled by public health considerations to hold not just one, but two, annual meetings of Shining Waters Regional Council online, rather than in person? Surely, we live in trying times.

But who could have thought that, despite the time of trial, we could pursue and accomplish important purposes – such as the adoption and implementation of an equity action plan; such as the creation of an Intercultural Diversity Commission; such as a Regional priorities exercise to guide our funding support for various ministries, and to clarify primary responsibility within our structure in areas of shared responsibility; such as beginning the move to a new model of long-term financial stability for Shining Waters, by working in partnership with the United Property Resource Corporation to develop certain regionally-owned properties so as to generate ongoing revenues rather than one-time cash proceeds from the sale of the properties; such as gaining comfort with online tools to connect and support clergy and lay leaders, to achieve efficiencies in our administrative and governance activities, and to conduct one, and about to be two, remarkably successful Regional Council meetings.

This meeting of Shining Waters Regional Council will have three main purposes. We will consider a number of proposals addressed to the Regional Council or the General Council. We will consider a draft multi-year budget. And we will receive nominations, and elect new leaders to the governance structure of Shining Waters Regional Council. There is a time for every purpose.

David Leyton-Brown
President, Shining Waters Regional Council

PDF Download of President’s Letter

Proposal Process

A significant portion of the Fall Regional Meeting’s agenda will be considering and voting on proposals intended for action by either the Regional Council, or by the General Council next summer. In anticipation of our Regional Meeting, a video was prepared that outlines the process for submitting proposals.

FOR A COMPREHENSIVE DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSAL PROCESS, PLEASE REFER TO SECTION F.1 of THE MANUAL (2021): https://united-church.ca/sites/default/files/2021-02/the-manual-2021.pdf

The template for proposals can be found on the General Council 44 website. If you have questions or need assistance with the proposal process please contact Peter Hartmans at phartmans@united-church.ca

Deadline

The deadline for submission of proposals to be discussed at the Fall Regional Meeting has now passed. Submitted proposals will be discussed at town halls before the regional meeting. See below for more details on our town hall meetings.