United Heritage Church Sydney, Nova Scotia

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1 United Heritage Church Sydney, Nova Scotia We are a faith family evolving from diverse backgrounds, united by a belief in Jesus Christ. It is our desire to live our faith in our daily lives and in our community, with a commitment to peace and social justice. We cherish our fellowship. We care for one another, in joy and in grief, throughout our lives. We proclaim the Gospel in our church and in our community and strive to be stewards of all creation. In short, we believe, What does the Lord require of you? To do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6 v8 Joint Needs Assessment Committee Report

2 Joint Needs Assessment Committee Members of the United Heritage Church JNAC: Sandy Greig - Chair Bob King Heather MacLean Rev. Emily Duggan Sharon Black Heather Campbell Fred Miles Rev. Willis Henderson Janet MacIsaac Patsy Meade Rev. Gary Burrill - Advisor

3 Profile One: Community Profile The city of Sydney is situated on Cape Breton Island s east coast and it is part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. Founded in 1785 by Col. J.F.W. DesBarres, the first settlers were a group that consisted primarily of English citizens and disbanded soldiers along with United Empire Loyalists who came from New York State after the American Revolution. Within 20 years, the population grew steadily with the arrivals of thousands of immigrants from the Scottish Highlands. In the early 1900s, this area of Cape Breton moved into the industrial age with the consolidation of several coal mines and the establishment of the Sydney Steel Plant located in the north east area of Sydney next to the community of Whitney Pier. These industries attracted a workforce from around the world, and it is the families of those descendants that make up this region s rich cultural diversity. Currently, the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) is the second largest regional municipality in Nova Scotia and boasts a population of approximately With the closure of the steel plant and coal mines in Cape Breton, and the decline of the fisheries on the east coast, the region has seen an out migration of a number of young adults seeking employment opportunities elsewhere. In recent decades, Cape Breton Island has become home to a significant tourism industry. Cape Breton s tourism draw is increasingly linked to its cultural asset as being the urban heart of Cape Breton Island. Its population is a diverse mixture of nationalities which contributes to various Scottish, Acadian, African Canadian and eastern European cultural events being held throughout the year. Nearby attractions such as the Cape Breton Highlands, The Bras D Or Lakes, and the Fortress of Louisbourg have made Cape Breton Island a tourism destination for many years. The port of Sydney has seen recent growth in the cruise ship industry. The Joan Harriss Cruise Pavilion is a modern facility located on Sydney's Government Wharf. Cruise ship passengers are greeted with the sight of a 50-foot high illuminated fiddle which plays Celtic music. Once known and celebrated as the Steel hub, the CBRM made national headlines after the closure of the plant and the environmental mess over a hundred years of steel making left behind. The Tar Ponds have undergone years of remediation and clean up. The end result is the newly opened Open Hearth Park, with walking and biking trails which depict the story of the former steel industry and role this area played in the shaping of the city. In addition the park houses natural and artificial turf fields, basketball courts, kid s playground and canteen facilities. In the past the area depended on three main areas for sustained employment, the steel industry, the coal industry and the fishing industry. However with the decline and often

4 closure of these industries the area needed to re-invent itself and look to other areas for sustained employment opportunities. Today, many of our residents are employed in the tourism sector which provides both year round and seasonal employment opportunities. There is a growing music recording and performing market on the Island. In addition there are several call centres operating in the local area. Some of the other major institutional employers within our municipality include: Cape Breton University; Nova Scotia Community College; Canadian Coast Guard College; Cape Breton District Health Authority; Numerous modern nursing homes; The Canadian Armed Forces and its five Reserve Units based at Sydney Garrison; The Fortress of Louisbourg, a re-creation of an 18 th century fortified town; and Marine Atlantic, which operates the Newfoundland Ferry Terminal in North Sydney. The Cape Breton Regional Municipality has much to offer its residents. It is a community that is generally considered safe, inclusive and caring. The people are considered to be forthright and friendly. Local community development agencies have promoted Cape Breton as a place for expatriates to return to live upon retirement. Sydney has a downtown streetscape that is a pleasant blend of old and new. It varies from the 18 th century buildings in the north end of the city, including Jost House and Cossit House; to Centre 200, a versatile convention, exhibition, sports and entertainment facility and home to the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. On the Esplanade, a street running parallel to the waterfront, there are monuments and plaques commemorating some of the city s famous people and events. The harbour-side boardwalk is a popular meeting place for local residents and visitors. The boardwalk connects downtown to the Sydney Marine Terminal which houses the Joan Harris pavilion and The Big Fiddle. The terminal sees more than seventy cruise ships a year and it serves as a welcome centre, craft market, tourism and marketing hub, as well as a showcase venue for local entertainers. The Whitney Pier Community is a city neighbourhood with an ethnic mixture of many cultures. Many of its residents are descendants of those persons from around the world who came to work in the steel industry many years ago. The community has been nationally designated as a melting pot in recognition of the variety of nationalities living and working together. Cape Breton s First Nations community of Membertou is located within the boundaries of the city of Sydney. It is a growing and thriving community providing new recreational and cultural facilities for its residents and the greater community. Its trade and convention centre and new hotel are striking examples of an integration of culture that is offering new educational and vocational opportunities.

5 Educational and Cultural Opportunities The Cape Breton Regional Municipality has a number of educational and cultural opportunities to offer its residents. Cape Breton University (CBU), which is located about 7 km outside of the City's downtown along the Glace Bay Highway, offers students the opportunity to obtain a number of undergraduate degrees. The university draws its student body from both near and far and boasts a significant number of non-canadian students. In addition, CBU is also home to the Beaton Institution, a repository of written and oral Cape Breton social, political and economic history dating back to its earliest settlement. Early colonial records, diaries, scrapbooks, almanacs, maps, photographs, newspapers and books are there in manuscript or may be accessed on microfilm. The Institute is open to the general public for research. For those persons more technically inclined, the adjacent Nova Scotia Community College, Marconi Campus offers a wide variety of human services, vocational and trade programs. The McConnell Public Library, located in the down town core, has an extensive collection of books and videos, which can be borrowed for research and enjoyment. The library regularly provides educational and recreational programs for participants of all ages. There are a large number of elementary and secondary school facilities located throughout the municipality. Sydney Academy, a local high school located in Sydney offers the International Baccalaureate program, which is most commonly provided throughout the world at private schools and institutions; Riverview Rural High School, located in a neighbouring community of Coxheath, offers the late French immersion program; Centre communautaire Etoile de l'acadie is a francophone school offering an education program in the French Language from Primary to grade 12. The Centre also has a preschool program and afterschool program for francophone children. Cape Breton has a large performing arts population from a Chamber Orchestra to a community band; a large number of all male or female choirs or mixed chorales provides sweet sounding music and performances throughout the year. The Savoy Theatre in Glace Bay has been the center of performing culture in the region featuring a well-marketed line-up of local, national and international performers/and theatre shows throughout the year. In addition, the newly opened Highland Arts Centre, located in the former St Andrews United Church, is now a downtown theater facility offering local theatre and music groups another venue to perform. The Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts, in nearby St. Ann s, Victoria County offers lessons in Gaelic language, Scottish music and dance, and other artistic educational

6 sessions tailored for youth and adult participants. It is also a hub for the Celtic Colours International Festival, a nine-day extravaganza in early-mid October that serves to extend the tourist season by producing a number of Celtic music performances and workshops at venues all over Cape Breton Island. This annual event coincides with the peak of our colourful autumn foliage. Recreational Opportunities There are numerous rinks, walking tracks, baseball diamonds, swimming pools, skating rinks and soccer fields throughout our community which are well used by young and old alike. Most team sports are offered to male and female youth, including basketball, hockey, volleyball, soccer, gymnastics, swimming, figure and speed skating and curling. Many team sports are offered through inter-school programs and community/recreation/club leagues. There are many examples of play at the provincial (or rep-league) level. There are two notable examples of the integration of public resources with fitness activities. The Cape Breton Highlands National Park is the venue of the annual Cabot Trail (24hr) relay run, while the 8-mile long running event known as The Race Through Time takes its participants through the Fortress of Louisbourg. Cape Breton offers an abundance of natural and developed recreational venues. The Bras d Or Lakes are renowned throughout the world for offering excellent sailing, kayaking, diving, and other water sports. Many brooks and rivers, including the Margaree River, are easily accessible for the fishing (both rod and fly) of trout, salmon and other species. Cape Breton is home to some of the best golf courses around offering players a memorable golfing experience. We have eight 18 hole golf courses around the Island including the famous Highland Links course in Ingonish; Bell Bay Course in Baddeck and Cabot Links in Inverness. In addition there are a few smaller nine hole courses around the Island. Downhill skiing and snowboarding are popular at the Ben Eoin ski hill (25km from Sydney), while Ski Cape Smokey at Ingonish has Cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing. Snowmobiling is always a popular winter activity on trails or logging roads. While Sydney is readily accessible to the recreational amenities of Cape Breton, it is relatively isolated from the larger population centers of Nova Scotia's mainland. This enhances the opinion that Cape Breton is unspoiled and that nature lovers regard it as a best-kept secret.

7 For more information on the area and what it has to offer, please check out the following websites:

8 Community of Faith Profile Sydney is predominantly Roman Catholic with an approximate 3 to 1 Catholic/ Protestant ratio. Due to population decline, the Catholic Dioceses has also had to close churches in the area and concentrate their resources. The diversity of our faith community is illustrated by the following: St. Mary s Parish Church (Whitney Pier) was the home of Sydney s Polish community; the church was recently destroyed by fire in December 2014 however, the congregation is still holding services at a local church and is hoping to rebuild; St. Phillips (Whitney Pier) is the only African Orthodox Church in Canada and was originally founded by West Indians who settled in Cape Breton; The Holy Ghost Ukrainian Church (Whitney Pier) is the only one of its kind east of Montreal; Several Anglican congregations have recently amalgamated, with services held at the Church of Christ the King in Sydney; and St. Alban's Church in Whitney Pier; There are several other churches in our community serving other Protestant denominations; The (Hebrew) Temple Sons of Israel is located on Whitney Avenue; There are two mosques serving the Muslim population within the Cape Breton Municipality - one is located in the Whitney Pier Community and the other is on Grand Lake Road in close proximity to the university; A number of nearby United Church congregations including United Protestant Church in Sydney River; and Westmount United draw their members from the surrounding suburban and rural areas; Sydney Presbytery is composed of seventeen charges and it stretches well beyond the boundaries of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, from Cape North to St. Peter's.

9 Profile Two: Pastoral Charge Profile The United Heritage Church is the union of two denominations and the amalgamation of four separate congregations, St. Andrew's United Church, First United Church, Trinity United Church and the United Baptist Church into one united congregation. This unique union came about as a result of increased operational costs and shrinking church attendance among the founding churches. After two years of negotiations amalgamation came to fruition on October 19, 2014 when the four churches officially merged into the United Heritage Church with the signing of the Articles of Union. Our new home at United Heritage Church is the former United Baptist Church in downtown Sydney. The building was built in 1918, and has served the Baptist congregation and our entire community well. With a seating capacity of people it is an ideal size for our new congregation. Easy access is assured with complete elevator service, and a purposed stair lift. A top class sound system was installed from one of our founding churches and a two screen projector screen system has been added to enhance our worship services. Weekly, the United Heritage Church congregation enjoys beautiful music from the refurbished Casavant pipe organ and our large choir. Weekly services attract a core membership of approximately 175, while summer services this past year averaged an attendance of approximately 100. The church is equipped with a full immersion baptismal font as well as the traditional free standing font. Church Organization The United Heritage Church has an Official Board structure, which enables the congregation to carry out its mission. Our Congregation Members of our congregation have offered the following comments as an assessment of United Heritage Church: One that aspires to be warm and friendly, encouraging new members to participate in the activities of the church One that expects to be challenged both in worship and educational programs One that actively supports Sunday School, adult social activities and focuses on learning and fellowship One that encourages the active involvement of youth in all aspects of the life and work of United Heritage Church One that provides pastoral care to its members, adherents, the elderly and shutins

10 Profile Three: Resources The newly formed United Heritage Church has many dedicated members who faithfully support the church spiritually, financially and willingly donate their time to assist Worship Services, Funerals, Baptisms, Visitations, Confirmations and Social Projects. Our human resources are many and varied. We have a core membership that regularly attends weekly worship services and a number of non-attending members who assist the church monetarily when they can. The United Heritage Church also has a very large Pastoral Care responsibility. There are a number of members who assist in regular visitations. The United Heritage Church is fortunate to have a large choir and a part-time organist/choir Director who works in conjunction with the minister(s) on the weekly services. Presently through the efforts of our clergy, we have a Musical Volunteer Group that plays weekly during the services (drums, piano, mandolin, guitar and ukulele). Property and Material Assets The sanctuary of the United Heritage Church has a seating capacity of 400 people. The downstairs hall has a seating capacity of 125 people. The sanctuary contains an organ and a piano. There is a sound system that has a hearing loop which allows individuals with hearing aids to link their devices and enjoy the full benefits of the service. In the hall there is a kitchen, ladies parlour with a piano. Under the stewardship of the former United Baptist Church the hall has been utilized by many community organizations including Narcotics Anonymous, local choirs, music groups, and service groups and the annual Kiwanis Music and Speech Festival. Some of these organizations continue to utilize the facility. We have an active Sunday school consisting of four teachers, one co-ordinator and a small core group of children. The children actively participate in the weekly worship service. We also have a Ladies Fellowship Circle that meets the first Tuesday of each month for the purpose of fellowship and fun. We did have a men's group that could become active again. Secretarial Duties Secretarial support (35 hours a week) will be in place to assist with the office duties. The secretary's office is located downstairs in the church and is equipped with phones, computers, printers, photocopier, answering machine and necessary supplies.

11 Treasurer The position of treasurer, originating from the Committee of Stewards will be paid an honorarium. Janitorial Services The Sanctuary and hall is looked after by a volunteer cleaning committee. Garbage removal, snow removal and lawn care are paid contracted services. Housing There is no manse, however a housing allowance is provided. Budget Financial reports are available upon request.

12 Profile Four: Ministry Personnel Description After two years of transitional ministry, the Joint Needs Assessment Committee feels that the United Heritage Church needs a two person ministerial team to energize the mission of the congregation. We want to assemble a team of ministry personnel who will use their strengths and gifts to move the United Heritage Church into the future. Ideally, the United Heritage Church is seeking two full-time ministry personnel who are strong generalists and can lead/develop a team of lay people. Although the JNAC has named the ideal of a two-person full-time team; there is an openness to consider other ministry configurations that support the following: Pastoral Care; Worship, Congregational Development; and faith Development. United Heritage Church was created from a strong history and continued strength in community outreach. To date an outreach committee has been formed to connect the present church with the wider community. Proactively, we want our ministry team to help: Ensure that United Heritage Church continues to be a faith community that respects and responds to the needs of all ages. Ensure meaningful worship experiences, through preaching, music, and prayer, which are engaging, challenging, and reflective. Provide opportunities to deepen our spiritual roots so that our mission and work grows with our relationship with Christ and love for God. Develop an effective communication system within the congregation. As such, we anticipate that the ministry personnel will contribute to a regular newsletter and assist in the development, in conjunction with website support, of an on-line presence for the church in the community. Anticipated work responsibilities Although we are one in name, we recognize that we have four distinct congregational backgrounds that have shaped who we are. We seek ministry personnel who recognize their talents for bringing people together and can use these skills to build a truly unified United Heritage Church. Based on our heritage, we also seek a team able to address the many roles that the United Heritage Church may have in the future, both for itself and the wider community. We seek a team willing to explore opportunities to utilize the ministry of music and to use

13 this ministry as a way of complementing the worship service and the life of the church through the week. We have presented the principle responsibilities of our Ministry Team in terms of percentages of the total time commitment. It is assumed that each of the following ministries includes all necessary administration and committee support. PASTORAL CARE 30% We strive to be a caring community where each person is able to feel the love of God being shared with one another. In addition, we are aware of our aging congregation with many members requesting an emphasis on pastoral visitation. The Ministry Team s primary responsibility in this area will be to provide scheduled pastoral care as well as emergency or as needed pastoral care to the congregation. Tasks will include: visits to hospitals, those confined to their residences and seniors residences, bereavement and one to one pastoral care. The Team is expected to supplement her or his pastoral care by recruiting, training and supporting lay people who will provide regular pastoral visitations. WORSHIP 30% Our church celebrates the strength and diversity of its worship, with a strong emphasis on involving lay leaders. We seek a Team who can provide us with thought-provoking, meaningful, and well-researched sermons that are applicable to our day-to-day lives. Tasks include: preaching; leadership in worship, using a mix of traditional and contemporary worship styles, scripture and an appreciation of music; collaboration with the music director, choir, readers, ushers, greeters, and Sunday school; officiating at funerals, baptisms and weddings; and being a general worship resource. CONGREGATIONAL DEVELOPMENT 20% We seek a Ministry Team who can inspire and develop our members, with a particular focus on lay leadership. We trust the Team will assist us in welcoming, encouraging, and supporting new members. With limited administrative support staff, the Ministry Team needs to be fairly self-sufficient with correspondence and scheduling. FAITH DEVELOPMENT 20% We want to provide opportunities for all to learn about their faith wherever they are on their personal faith journey. We provide education for children from pre-school to high school, and for adults in several different formats. Tasks include: supporting the church school and youth group leaders; leading Lenten and adult Bible studies; and offering classes for adult membership, premarital and baptism orientation, and teen/adult confirmation, as needed.

14 Profile Five: Skill Requirements Meet all the requirements set forth by the United Church of Canada for Ministry Personnel Have strong interpersonal skills in relating to children, adults and the elderly. Be flexible, patient and possess a good sense of humour. Have an appreciation of music and the role it plays in worship services. Musical skills are an asset but not a requirement. Be a self- motivated individual who is capable of inspiring others A strong commitment and willingness to work within a team environment Good organizational and time management skills. Good listening skills and the ability to provide one to one pastoral care with the insight to refer to appropriate community resources as necessary. As the church is equipped with audio visual equipment which can be utilized during the service, basic computer skills would definitely be beneficial although not necessarily a requirement. Would like candidate to have a willingness to learn same. Be creative in their approach. Profile Six: Terms (per person) Salary: As per the United Church of Canada Policy Vacation: 1 month including 5 Sundays Study Leave: 3 weeks including Sundays Housing Allowance: $ Phone/Internet: Basic TV/Phone/Internet package available Cell Phone: Basic plan package Travel Allowance: As per the United Church Executive General Council Continuing Education/ Learning Resources: $