East Plains United Church

Transcription

1 East Plains United Church Joint Needs Assessment Report Burlington, Ontario January 2018 Submitted to Halton Presbytery

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3 East Plains United Church Mission Statement As a Community in Christ, we celebrate God with us and all Creation, and commit ourselves to sharing the work of the spirit with our families, our neighbours and our world. Community Profile The city of Burlington has been named as the best mid-sized city in Canada for the last five consecutive years by MoneySense Magazine. East Plains United Church is located in West Burlington, commonly known as Aldershot. In the 1950s the area evolved from farming into a community of mostly single family homes. Over the last 15 years we have witnessed thousands of apartments and condominiums built in the core Plains Road area. In the next ten years, we expect more that 1,200 new housing units which will continue to reflect a variety of residential options. Residents actively participate in consultations on the development of the community. Aldershot is a hub for the transportation corridor in the GTA. Residential growth will reflect that priority, continue to attract young couples and professional Millennials ( ) and Generation X ( ). The 2016 age distribution in Aldershot was 28% Baby Boomers ( ), 20% Generation X, and 28% Millennials. The Baby Boomers and Millennials represent 56% of the entire Ward 1 population, of which Aldershot is the southern section. The area is comfortably affluent with 41% of the population earning >$90,000 annually and 73% own their home. In Ward 1, 57% are married, however the marital status distribution of never married and now married indicates a younger cohort predominates. The largest growth is in the widowed population, forecast to be 9% by aldershotbia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/ward-1-baseline-analysis-study.pdf Ministry For 174 years East Plains United Church has been a centre for worship and social interaction. Aldershot has five other churches: West Plains United, St. Matthews on the Plain Anglican, Holy Rosary Catholic, Church of God, and Compass Point Associated Gospel. There is respect and some sharing among these churches. For example, 60 volunteers from four churches have collaborated on a free weekly lunch for seniors, called Out 4 Lunch for over five years. East and West Plains United Churches plan and conduct joint services for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. These two churches have shared the summer services in the past. In 2017 we worshipped at West Plains United in August. In the future, a partnership with East and West Plains might serve both churches well. Although we consider ourselves a community church, our members come from many parts of the city. A few families are multi-generational i.e. grandparents, parents, grandchildren. The grandchildren come for Christmas and Easter with their families. Adolescents come to prepare Advent gifts and cards for shut-ins. Over 174 years the church has been through many phases. Within the membership there are many support/friendship groups who care for each other in exceptional ways when there are medical, emotional or spiritual needs. Twice a year our Communications Ministry produces a church newsletter. This newsletter is distributed by designated church visitors who contact and/or visit every member with follow-ups by the 1

4 Minister if requested. The Minister also does hospital visits and performs a monthly service at a local long term care home, rotating with other ministers. In 2017 under the guidance of a congregational facilitator we engaged in three dialogues on visioning. Over 40 members participated. After much idea sharing and discussion a majority of members prioritized a balance of these three areas: spiritual life care for church members community outreach and social justice A majority of people at our workshops consider the Minister's primary role as a spiritual guide, providing religious direction through worship and prayer. We also value a warm and friendly Minister who is approachable. We would expect a Minister to be a good listener and effective communicator. Members also value a Minister s ability to be supportive during vulnerable times and to visit older and disabled members of the church as whenever possible. Sermons are expected to be relevant to the times, scripture based and as much as possible relating to God s work both in Canada and globally. Varied and joyous music is deeply appreciated. The congregation enjoys having a variety of instruments or soloists to accompany the hymns. Laughter in worship is common and expected. Next to meaningful sermons, music is the most significant attraction to services with a wide range of music styles being appreciated. There is a strong support for more traditional styles of music such as classic hymns and gospel, but there is also openness to experiencing more alternate styles including spirituals. With an aging congregation, many in their 80s and 90s, the caring component is a major focus. The worker bees are primarily in their 70s. The congregation still has an interest in attracting all ages: seniors, young families and singles as a place for companionship. The church would be happy to implement the United Church curriculum for children and youth. We have a myriad of ideas to implement for alternate purposing as our congregational needs and finances evolve (community meals, movie nights, ESL classes, supportive housing initiatives, and/or Messy Church as alternate worship). In terms of social justice, the congregation maintains its commitment to give 13.5% of offerings to M&S and support local and global concerns through United Church channels. Minutes for Mission are presented every month. The weekly bulletin includes activities in the local area. Prayers for the people are important with numerous prayer requests offered for friends, family and the world. We appreciate guest speakers, such as on Peace Sunday. Members identify communication as an important concern for the congregation. There is a need to ensure that appropriate channels are followed for decision making and in particular that the congregation s many and varied ministries contact each other. Overall there is deep appreciation for the many members of the church who volunteer significant amounts of time in every area. While the church has long maintained a full-time Minister, we now recognize the difficulties of the continuing need to access the limited Memorial Fund to offset the annual deficits. Offerings and fundraising fall short of operational costs. There is strong support to move to a half-time Minister position to help the congregation to focus more on ministry to our members and outreach work and less on fundraising. Members of the congregation deeply value the importance of the congregation. They hope it will thrive and remain strong continuing to minister to the community. Moving to a half-time position is generally seen as a way to maintain a stable ministry of the church. We want to ensure that this next stage in the congregation's life is equally strong and vibrant opening up new ways of being faithful to God s call to be a community of faith in Aldershot. 2

5 Our Profile Christian Education and a nursery are available. Vacation Bible School and Christmas Eve Family Service are popular events, but it is challenging to maintain regular participation in Sunday s activities. Many of the young families are involved in shift work or week-end work and all children have the opportunity for enrichment through community-run sports, music and drama programs, which often occur at the same time as church school. The following groups meet for fellowship: Men s Groups include Monday Coffee Hour (weekly), Men s Breakfast with special speakers (monthly) and a very effective Building and Property Ministry which maintains the building well. Some of the women of the church meet weekly creating various hand crafts. A badminton group meets three times per week. The Fellowship and Pastoral Care Ministry includes the Prayer Shawl Ministry which meets bi-weekly, a Card Ministry (75 cards sent in 2017) and a half dozen Good Eggs keep in touch with shut-ins and vulnerable folks on a regular basis. A team of 25 volunteers visit and call congregation members. Drivers provide transportation for Sunday Worship Service for those that need a ride. Welcoming Teams have proven very successful. Members are identified as belonging to a team. The monthly teams welcome, usher, take up the offering and act as coffee hosts for Sunday morning services. Additional fellowship and fundraising events include big band concerts, opera performances, and literary evenings. In the last ten years our church has satisfactorily covered two sabbaticals, a compassionate leave and a restorative leave for various clergy. During the incumbent s recent sabbatical four weeks were covered by lay and retired clergy. In the last five years, visiting Ministers have provided a constructive experience for all. In 2014 the volunteer supervisory team who worked with our intern developed a strategy for addressing pastoral visitation needs. (see Schedule A) The Support Group is a vital group of women who contribute in many ways. They host receptions for anniversaries, birthdays and funerals. The meat pie team makes thousands of pies to generate funds for the church. These pies are part of our ministry to the congregation and the community. The Annual Fundraiser, an Arts and Crafts Show and Sale held in November (2018 will be its 45 th year) is also under the umbrella of the Support Group. This involves most able-bodied persons in the congregation and many from the community. We attract over 1000 folks and it generates about $27,000. The Support Group also organizes Marathon Bridge and a Ladies Golf Group both of which include women from the congregation and the community. The talented Flower Committee ably provides Sunday arrangements and seasonal decor. Our Wider Work Ministry is well-known for its contributions to community and world causes. We support Wesley Centre by preparing and serving dinner there once a year, participating in their June fundraising Case for Kids walk, and taking our turn at staffing the Christmas store. Wider Work working with Kairos, informs us about other social justice and charity causes through special presentations. Themes include Poverty, Amnesty International, Greening of Sacred Spaces, which are discussed and appropriate actions encouraged. The climate change reading group meets four times a year involving the church community and beyond. We support the local food bank and have had representation on its board until very recently. This year we supported a Syrian refugee family of five including a child with multiple disabilities. Various members were involved with health, education, and language working along side members of two other churches. The five year-old child arrived in a stroller and was walking independently by year-end. We held our final Spring Perennial Plant Sale in Over 16 years a total of $71,000 was raised to help fund social justice and charity work. Green Gold! Our spirits were keen, our bodies rebelled. For the last 12 years East Plains has been the host church for a successful Christmas Day Dinner. Our church administrator has been vital to the success of the event, which served 494 people (2017) from near and far. Over the years church members have assisted in this initiative. Our minister initiated a monthly gathering for Benevolent Fund recipients. As the group gelled, the name Agape was given, meaning unconditional love. Five church volunteers coordinate inspirational 3

6 discussions, serve refreshments and distribute food vouchers and bus tickets. An Agape member, planted and maintained a Victory Garden on the church property. Produce was shared by Agape, church members, and the Compassion Society. In seeking to become more welcoming and inclusive, the East Plains congregation amended its marriage policy in 2005 to include same sex marriage. This is consistent with our Mission Statement which is: As a Community in Christ, we celebrate God with us and all creation, and commit ourselves to sharing the work of the spirit with our families, our neighbours and our world. The church has performed same sex marriage. Resources Members At East Plains United Church we have a core of committed people who wish to continue as a community of faith and fellowship with inspired leadership. While we have 305 individuals included in 196 families under Pastoral Care (2016), our average Sunday attendance is 65 (2017). Membership numbers have decreased by 57% over the past 15 years. This appears to mirror the national trend in traditional churches. With the growth of new housing and population that is taking place in the community, we see the opportunity to attract people of all ages. The strength of the congregation is symbolic of our faith and commitment to sharing the work of the spirit with our families, our community and the world, as stated in our mission statement. Financial Through the years we have often run a deficit. However aggressive volunteer fundraising has offset some capital and operating expenses. Further grants will increase the potential for long term rental income for the church. In the past year $45,000 of rental income has greatly helped to reduce the deficit. The purpose of this JNAC is to significantly reduce operating costs with the focus on staff cost reduction. The core proposal for ministry service reduction is for a half-time ministry. Secondary to the serious financial/congregational situation that EPUC is currently experiencing, EPUC reserves the right to consider and pursue all options of half time or less (e.g. Student learning center, Temporary/Volunteer and Lay ministry) until our financial/congregational situation improves to the point that we can afford to support a full time ministry. Volunteers East Plains United Church has a core of 40 active volunteers. Our Christmas Arts and Crafts Show and Sale saw over 50 church and community volunteers contributing to the outstanding success. We sponsor both Guiding and Scouting organizations and provide leaders and space for the groups that meet weekly at the church. The Scouts and Venturers helped make our Christmas bazaar a success by assuming some volunteer roles. Church members volunteer to cover custodial and administrative absences. There are approximately 116 active individuals in the congregation. The church is organized under an Official Board, which includes eight ministries: Fellowship & Pastoral Care, Worship & Sacraments, Christian Education, Wider Work, Finance, Building & Property, Communications, and Ministry & Personnel. Separate from these ministries are: The Board of Trustees, The East Plains Support Group (formerly UCW), and Presbytery Representatives, all of which report directly to the Official Board. 4

7 Facilities East Plains United Church was initially constructed in 1892 and was destroyed by fire then rebuilt in Additions to the initial structure took place in 1956 providing a new sanctuary, a gym and much needed administration and Sunday School rooms. In 1964 the second expansion provided additional Sunday School facilities, a modern auditorium/gym, kitchen, meeting rooms and new office space. In 2005 the original sanctuary was renovated and is now our Gathering Place. The East Plains sanctuary is equipped with permanently installed Audio/Video facilities. The system is used most weeks during the Worship Services to project the hymns, videos, photos of church activities and provides individualized equipment for the hearing impaired. This equipment is also utilized during weddings and funerals for recorded music and photos. An operator is usually required to be in attendance. Audio and video equipment is available for use throughout the church. The sanctuary has an organ and a key board that is used during services. The church also has a key board and two upright pianos. Internet service is accessible as WIFI in most areas. The office areas are connected by a secure network. The VOIP telephone system is equipped with three lines and answering facilities. The administration office has a colour copier and a copier is available for general use in the mailroom. There are three kitchens in the facility: the main one adjoining Peart Hall has a commercial dishwasher, two stoves, dishes and utensils and can accommodate 200 people for a reception. A small kitchen is located near the Library and Gathering Place and is used weekly to serve refreshments following the worship service. A full kitchen is located adjoining Fellowship Hall in the lower level for the convenience of those using the hall. Halton Public Health inspects our facility regularly. Church Utilization East Plains United Church provides an essential central and secure space where over 30 different congregational and community groups meet. The church continues to modernize the facilities to make them more attractive for rentals and community use. We are actively exploring a relationship with a large commercial daycare centre which will be beneficial to the church and community. Congregational and senior groups that meet regularly include: Men s Coffee Hour, Men s Breakfast, Prayer Shawl Ministry, Wider Work (including Climate Change Reading Group and spiritual), Women s Support Group, and Ladies Workshop. The community use includes a 48-year history with a sponsored community Co-op Preschool; sponsored Sparks, Brownies, Guides, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, Venturers groups; youth drama and sport groups; youth after school/evening programs (e.g. Little Kickers); Heart and Stroke CPR instruction courses; Community based Trillium Photography club, the Burlington Amateur Radio Club; a practice facility for The Southern Ontario Lyrical Opera Company; the Orchid Society Dinner; AGAPE (community disenfranchised / indigent spiritual support group); EPUC Badminton Club, Burlington Sailing and Power Squadron, Craison Industries, private celebration parties and movie nights, and community condominium association AGM meetings. EPUC supports important community groups to meet regularly such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. The City of Burlington hosts regular community meetings at EPUC. Commercial organizations also regularly utilize the meeting rooms available within EPUC secondary to the central location. EPUC recently signed a two year lease for the construction company operating across Plains Road to utilize a segment of our parking lot that will benefit both groups. EPUC is enlivened each summer with diverse youth groups including a Vacation Bible School and the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine) Summer Camp. 5

8 Part-time Staff Minister Church Administrator Music Director Custodian Property East Plains United Church is located at; 375 Plains Road East, Burlington, Ontario, L7T 2C7 Phone Home Page: The gross floor area of the building is 27,540 square feet, the property provides parking for 104 cars. East Plains United Church Cemetery is also located on the property beside the church building. The earliest recorded burial took place in Currently only cremation burials are being provided. The city of Burlington administers the cemetery at no cost to the church. Position Description The Minister of East Plains United Church will be expected to provide leadership as an ordered ministry personnel of the United Church of Canada and therefore to respond appropriately to the general range of requests and responsibilities normally expected of a minister. The Minister will also practice self-care. He or she will strengthen the spiritual life of members; inspire them to be faithful followers and disciples of Jesus, and to be active participants in God s mission. The Minister will focus, primarily but not solely, his or her work in two areas. We hope to attract a Minister who supports a theological perspective of social justice and community work with which our congregation is involved. The time allocation is based on one-half time as equivalent to 20 hours per week. Area One: Preparation, planning and leadership of worship: hrs/week The congregation currently holds one Sunday morning service. The Minister provides leadership in insightful and challenging sermons and meaningful prayer, and works with a paid music director to incorporate vibrant music as a key component of worship. Congregational members will be available to participate in leadership in worship including opening parts of worship. It is assumed that approximately hours per week is required for adequate preparation for worship leadership for approximately 45 Sundays, plus Good Friday & Christmas Eve (with five Sundays away for holiday time and three Sundays for continuing education.) Additional Sundays away may be coordinated with the Ministry and Personnel Ministry providing appropriate pulpit exchange can be arranged. The Minister will be supported by the music director, choir and active volunteers who can coordinate Christian Education and refreshments after worship. We hope a part time intentional interim Minister will dedicate some worship time to help the congregation heal, adapt to the evolving needs of our church and provide hope for our future together. 6

9 Area Two: Pastoral Care and Congregational Leadership 8 10 hrs/week The Minister will provide warm and caring pastoral support to the members of the congregation and occasionally to members of the community. The congregation will work with the Minister and with our voluntary pastoral care team to assist in visiting and in coordinating contact with members. The congregation will actively share in responsibility for the spiritual care and nurture of its members, and particularly those who require care in times of illness or loss. A Pastoral Care priority table was created in 2014 as a guide for visitation: (See Schedule A) The Minister may offer leadership in the oversight and planning life of the congregation through the Official Board. The Minister will be in contact with chairs of the other ministries and to provide support and advice as requested. While the Minister will not be an active participant in ministries beyond the Board, the Minister will provide leadership to the congregation in evaluating and updating the governance and leadership processes of the congregation. The Minister will submit an electronic report on his/her activities prior to each board meeting, and discuss it when requested. The Minister will act as a consultant to volunteers working in the community and areas of social justice. Our volunteers are active in the East Plains community, representing the church in caring for the well-being of all and providing a witness to God s desire for the healing of the community e.g. Agape and Out 4 Lunch. We plan to followup with the Conference Oversight Committee for volunteer training in Pastoral Care, developing lay leadership, and becoming a more welcoming congregation. The Minister participates in the wider life of the church such as Presbytery and Conference. Dialogue with the Board and Ministry and Personnel would be constructive before assuming leadership of Presbytery or Conference. East Plains United Church members have identified the following qualifications and responsibilities expected of their Minister. They are prioritized here to provide insight into the hopes of the congregation for their Minister. Qualifications 1. A spiritual leader for the Church 2. Demonstrate exceptional skills for pastoral care 3. Demonstrate strong communication skills with staff and members of the church 4. Demonstrate ability to work effectively with other staff members 5. Be able to deal with constructive criticism 6. Be able to keep the congregation aware of what is going on in the Church 7. Be flexible and energetic 8. Demonstrate the ability to bring a Christian perspective to problem solving, interpersonal skills and life skills 9. Demonstrate ability to create an environment attractive to community youth and young families 10. Be sensitive and respectful to the confidences of individual members of the congregation 11. Encourage music in the service 12. Continue to expand his/her own faith and personal development 13. Possess the creative energy to bring new experiences to our services 14. Understand, appreciate and respond to any diversity within the congregation 7

10 Responsibilities for position a) Provide spiritual leadership for the church b) Deliver dynamic, challenging sermons that are relevant and meaningful to the congregation c) As part of Pastoral Care devote time and energy to the vulnerable, dying, bereaved, and and their families d) Introduce innovative approaches to the liturgy in collaboration with Music and Worship and Sacrament e) Provide a friendly presence in our Church f) Reflect a theological commitment to support social justice in our community and the world g) Be a consultant to volunteers who are developing programs that will attract community youth General The Minister will ensure that the congregation fulfills all Manual requirements expected of a congregation of The United Church of Canada. It is expected that the Minister will monitor time commitments and will balance commitments to ensure that he or she remains grounded in their own personal and spiritual life. The congregation expects that compensatory time will be taken to balance periodic time pressures. The Minister will be expected to consult with the M&P Ministry if compensatory time cannot be accommodated within a one month period. The M&P Ministry will ensure that a quarterly review of time allocation and job feasibility are undertaken. The Minister may explore options for establishing a personal presence in the community. Options include a regular time in the church building and regular time in visitation. Terms and Conditions of Call All terms and conditions of the call will be consistent with the policies established by The United Church of Canada (UCC) including: Salary at 50% approved annual scale and all approved benefits (Cost of Living Group 4) One month vacation time (inclusive of five) Sundays at a time mutually agreeable to a shared congregation) coordinated with the M&P Ministry Three weeks of study leave (inclusive of three Sundays) and Learning Resources at 50% UCC approved annual rate. (50%: $697 in 2018) Housing allowance at 50% of rate approved by Presbytery Telephone and communications costs for work-related business will be negotiated Travel costs reimbursed according to General Council scale (2018: $0.39 per kilometre) East Plains supplies a Minister's office at the church The congregation will make available sufficient administrative support to coordinate the compilation of the worship bulletin, announcements and church activities. The Minister will provide needed bulletin material by Wednesday. The administrative assistant will provide a regular contact point for coordinating church meetings and events, will be responsible for producing the Sunday bulletin, and will provide a key contact point for ensuring the minister is aware of pastoral care needs. 8

11 Recommendation The rationale of this report of the Joint Needs Assessment Committee of East Plains United Church requests that Halton Presbytery change the existing pastoral relationship from a full-time position to a half-time position until we can afford to support a full-time ministry. We are open to exploring various options to meet our Ministerial needs including a part-time intentional interim Minister. In several years we hope our situation will improve to the point that we can afford to support a full-time Minister. Schedule A PASTORAL CARE Application of available resources and frequency Pastoral Care Priority Concern Applied Resources Frequency Highest Priority Termination of Life Clergy Second Priority Severe trauma including loss of family member Clergy Frequent, 1 x per week or as needed Less Frequent, 1 x every other week Third Priority Shut-ins requesting a visit where emotional, physical or mental well-being has been compromised Clergy and Trained Volunteer 1 x every month Fourth Priority Shut-ins requesting a visit Trained Volunteer 1 x every third month Fifth Priority New Members Trained Volunteer 1 x every year Sixth Priority Congregation Members at Large Trained Volunteer 1 x every other year Seventh Priority Eighth Priority Community Members who may drop in Community Outreach Trained Volunteer and Clergy, Church meeting room, with Liaison with Community Social Service on a as may be required basis Planned and Organized by Dedicated Volunteers Frequency Determined Based Upon Need Schedule determined by Congregational Strategic Plan Source: EPUC intern supervisory committee,