Emerging Spirit @ The United Church of Canada Emerging Spirit @ The United Church of Canada

Greetings to the Emerging Spirit Team:

I enjoyed reading the recent Emerging Spirit newsletter and it prompted me to share what we have been doing so far in Grand Forks, BC.

Right after the November 7th launch date I spent time the following Sunday talking about wonderCafe/Emerging Spirit at all three of our congregations in Boundary Pastoral Charge. I wanted everyone to be informed immediately after the extensive media coverage from earlier in the week and hear their feedback.

My personal interest was very keen from the beginning. The Grand Forks congregation has responded with enthusiasm and support. We ordered a banner and a few t-shirts in November along with other products. As you know these were delayed but that was not a problem. We just received another order for T-shirts last week, along with our second or third order of cups, coffee, etc. I brought together a few people in January as a wonderCafe team and we spent a couple of hours on a Saturday morning having a conversation. It was positive and exciting.

Three months ago we started placing one of the 22 'welcoming phrases' in our Sunday bulletin each week. These phrases are excellent. They make us think, challenging us to take stock as to just how welcoming we are. About two months ago we began serving coffee before church. This was quite an adjustment for several but is now being received with openness.

The WonderCafe team met again in April. As a result we are moving ahead with making changes to our café area at the back of the sanctuary. Someone said "let's make it look like a café!" Already 3 bistro table and chair sets have arrived. They look great. Plans have been drawn for a 12 foot coffee bar (counter) and this will happen later in the year. This will include a computer terminal at one end. Conversations after the Sunday service will be part of the plan with a different topic each week. The café will be open at least two days during the week for a couple of hours where people can continue the conversations on 'this week's topic'. We are looking at Thursday and Fridays from 9:00 am to 11:00 am. We have enlarged posters of the 6 national ads which will hang in the café and will add other 'artwork', etc. from time to time. We'll soon be be using several of the wonderCafe ads to advertise our coffee and conversation times.

Another idea that I will share includes placing information about every two weeks in our bulletin about wondercafe.ca . We call it: This Week at wondercafe.ca. The content includes listing the Hot Topics, the Just Wondering...poll and the Guest Speaker and her/his subject. And sometimes I will insert a comment or two from one of the on-line discussions. Two reasons for doing this: to help those who are not connected to the internet to have a sense of what is happening on the website, and to whet the appetite of those who are internet users but have yet to check it out.

I have also made myself available to all churches in our presbytery to conduct workshops. I have a real desire to assist and stimulate others with respect to  Emerging Spirit. Some are still apprehensive and unsure of that first step. It is a personal blessing to help others engage this superb initiative that has already brought new life and interest to this United Church of ours.

I look forward to the new Emerging Spirit website coming later in the summer.

Thanks for all you are doing. I cannot imagine what the last few months have been like for Keith and the entire team in Toronto.

God give you strength and wisdom.

Rev. Gerry Foster,
St. John's United Church