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Living the Hope (Fall 2008 - Spring 2009)

In Fall 2008, Emerging Spirit launched a new congregational
training event called "Living the Hope." This two-day event takes the
learnings gathered through the first round of training events and focus
on three areas which have emerged as critical to the work of nurturing
welcoming congregations which are faithful, relevant, and vital:

  • Stream 1: Re-imagining Sunday Morning
  • Stream 2: Building Connections in Community
  • Stream 3: Exploring Leadership

For more information on the workshops offered at each event, please see Living the Hope Plenaries and Workshops. Living the Hope also offers new opportunities to engage the Emerging Spirit research findings.

For an introduction to Living the Hope, please watch this video.

Fall 2008 - Spring 2009 Dates 

Oct. 3-4, 2008            Wesley United Church, Cambridge, ON

Oct. 24-25, 2008        Kirkfield Park United Church, Winnipeg, MB 

Nov. 7-8, 2008           Huntington University, Sudbury, ON

Nov. 14-15, 2008       Rideau Park United Church, Ottawa, ON

Nov. 21-22, 2008       St. Andrew's United Church, Halifax, NS

Dec. 5-6, 2008           Jubilee United Church, Toronto, ON 

Jan. 16-17, 2009        Ryerson United Church, Vancouver, BC

Jan. 30-31, 2009        St. Albert United Church, Edmonton, AB

Feb. 6-7, 2009           Symons Valley United Church, Calgary, AB   

Feb. 20-21, 2009        Eden United Church, Mississauga, ON  

March 6-7, 2009         Eastside United Church, Regina, SK 

March 13-14, 2009      St. Martin's United Church, Saskatoon, SK

March 27-28, 2009      St. Matthew's United Church, Belleville, ON   

April 17-18, 2009        EVENT CANCELLED - Thunder Bay, ON 

April 24-25, 2009        Stone Ridge Inn, London, ON

Postponed                  Wesley Memorial United Church, Moncton, NB

Price: $300 per congregational team of six people, $40 per
additional person. The price for individuals is $75 each. Travel and
accommodation is not included. Childcare will be provided as needed. 
Please indicate your childcare needs on your registration form.

On-line registration is now open.  Please click on the event you're
interested in attending for more information and to register.  Cheques
can be made payable to The United Church of Canada, and brought to the
event. 

Living the Hope Study Streams
Emerging Spirit is about change. The study streams offered at Living
the Hope follow three levels of change that a congregation may
encounter when seeking to increase the effectiveness of its welcoming
ministries:

  • Developmental change focuses of congregational
    "welcoming etiquette," including skills, knowledge, and acts of
    welcoming newcomers.
  • Transitional change focuses on redesigning strategies and programs.
  • Transformational
    change is a change in organizational culture involving an overhaul of
    strategies, systems, behaviours, and mindsets.

The particular focus for a congregation will depend upon its life,
history, and current understanding of its mission. Emerging Spirit's
congregational training events offer congregational teams the tools
they need to guide change and help nurture an environment of welcoming.

A Living the Hope trial event was held in Waterloo, Ontario on May
9-10, 2008 which offered the presenters and writers the invaluable
opportunity of receiving feedback from workshop participants. These
perspectives and insights will continue to hone this exciting new
material.

Living the Hope officially launched in Fall 2008 with a series of
events in locations across Canada. Watch the Emerging Spirit website or
sign up for Emerging Spirit News to keep up to date on the latest
Living the Hope information.

Emerging Spirit also offers stream-lined, one-day versions of Living
the Hope for smaller groups. For more information, please see Living the Hope One Day Events.

(To read about our previous congregational training event, Living the Welcome, click here.)