Visioning 2023
We’re coming together as our new congregation.
Already we have so much to celebrate!
Our amalgamation journey continues to unfold.
Let's share in shaping what lies ahead for us.
Who are we as Hope Springs United Church?
What are we all about?
Join the conversation as together we discern our future directions.
Mission Priorities
December 2023
On December 3 the congregation met and agreed to these mission priorities:
Reimagine worship to democratize the space. Invite people to share stories of faith. Create space for conversation with one another as part of worship. Welcome increased participation.
Bring fellowship time upstairs to nurture community building and conversation.
Focus on serving families to offer community in a time of uncertainty & loneliness.
Hire a minister with a focus on serving families.
Rebuild the sanctuary to be more flexible and welcoming.
Next Steps
December 2023
The congregation directed the Search Team to develop position description(s) for permanent minister(s) that reflect the congregation's vision priorities, and present these position description(s) to the congregation for its approval.
And we directed the Official Board to create a team that will develop a plan for rebuilding the sanctuary. This plan will reflect the congregation's vision priorities, and include potential layouts, work to be done, a budget and potential funding sources. The plan will be presented to the congregation for its approval.
Vision & Priorities Report
November 2023
On November 5 the congregation received and began considering God’s Call for Hope Springs: Vision and Priorities Report.
Discernment Questions
Summer 2023
Our discernment is shaped around some key questions that have emerged from Hope Springs’ conversations (see the Revised Interim Report). You can click on the image to download a printable version.
Interim Report
May 2023
On May 28 we shared an Interim Report.
This was crafted from 13 Community Listening Group conversations we had in April-May. More than 60 people from Hope Springs UC took part. Separate conversations happened with our mission committee, stewardship committee, ministry & personnel committee, and staff. People from 2 ‘sister congregation’ who have recently gone through amalgamations were interviewed too!
After the congregation met to talk about it, we made some changes to better reflect what we heard.
Talks & Meetings
Spring 2023
April 16 Betty Pries from Credence & Co was with us for the first time. During worship she talked with us about “New Wineskins.”
April 16 After worship, Betty led us in an interactive workshop on the theme “Thriving Congregations in an Age of Anxiety.”
May 28 Betty was with us again, speaking on the theme “Wrestling with Angels, Learning from Jacob” After worship we’ll gather to hear the Interim Report from Credence & Co.
May 28 Betty After worship, Betty shared with us the Interim Report (see above). It led us into exciting conversations.
June 11 Both our worship time and after-worship gathering focused on the “Season of Prayer” we’re practicing June-September.
June 25 We worshipped at the Alma Community Hall and Wallace Cumming Park, and experienced praying in different ways.
Our Team
Winter 2023
To help us with this important work, we’re drawing on the extensive experience and wisdom of Credence & Co.
Based in Waterloo, Credence & Co is an innovative leader in organizational health, conflict transformation, and change management. It works with church congregations and denominational bodies, not-for-profit organizations, education institutions, and many types of businesses.
Credence & Co is helping us ask questions we’d otherwise never think to ask, offering insights about our congregation from an ‘outside’ vantage-point, and giving us information and tools we need. It’s doing all this from a faith-filled and spiritually-attuned Christian perspective.
Reference Group: This team of people from Hope Springs works with Credence & Co, helping shape the conversations and activities to fit who we are. The team members are: Christine Grose, Phil Irish, Deb Noble and Greg Smith-Young.
Betty Pries (senior consultant): Betty has extensive experience and wisdom from working with congregations in a variety of faith traditions. Betty has a Ph.D. from the Free University Amsterdam on the topic of conflict transformation, is a regular instructor at the University of Waterloo, and recently wrote The Space Between Us: Conversations about transforming conflict. Betty is part of Waterloo North Mennonite Church. [read more about Betty]
Karen Eade (consultant assistant): Karen’s background is in congregational ministry and psychotherapy. She has worked in rural and urban, solo, and team ministry, and is a voluntary associate minister with Port Nelson United Church in Burlington. [read more about Karen]