The Arts as a Catalyst to Community

Presenter: Beth Terpstra and John Kirstein

An exploration of how church communities can engage neighbourhoods and create places of belonging through the arts.

Churches as Good Neighbours: Growing Relational Connection with our Neighbourhoods

Presenters: Tammy Heidbuurt and Jessica Brand

What does good relationship between a church and a neighbourhood look like and how do we pursue it—come hear and share stories of how our churches are getting to know and connecting with our neighbourhoods.

Creating Transformational Housing

Presenter: Dr. Cynthia Westfall

How can our churches stand in the gap with those desiring to leave behind damaging lifestyles? Come hear about opportunities for our churches to provide community living opportunities that go beyond transitional toward transformational.

The Demographic Realities of Poverty in Hamilton

Presenter: Clayton Rowe

World Vision has done extensive demographic research in order to strengthen the various local organizations with whom they are partnering. See what they have discovered and explore how it relates to your church.

Growing Missional Leaders

Presenters: Pernell Goodyear and Al Roxburgh

What congregational disciplines can we practice to nourish and equip our people to lead our churches into mission with courage and compassion.

Level 2 session—This session is geared for those from churches already digging into missionality.

Meeting Jesus with Youth on the Margins

Presenters: Al and Karen Craig

God calls us to be the hands and feet of Jesus and shows us more of who he is as we care for those on the margins. Come hear how this happens among youth in Hamilton and explore ways you and your church can live this out.

Missional Church 101

Presenter: Lane Fusilier

What does it mean to be a church shaped by mission? How does this fit into what is happening among congregations involved in TrueCity?

Neighbourhood Health Promotion and the Healing Ministry of the Church

Presenter: Verna Hutchinson

How can our churches engage our neighbourhoods through promoting healthy ways of life and advocating for access to adequate health care?

Partnership in Prayer

Presenters: Abraham Mandrandele and Andrew Zantingh

Hear how churches are finding each other to form partnership in frontline prayer for the city. The story will include how God is leading two congregations deeper in prayer as a result of mission and how mission is pushing them deeper in prayer.

Practicing Welcome: Hospitality and Advocacy Amidst Mental Health Realities

Presenter: Jeff Neven, Steve Rolfe and Lynda Tracy

Homestead Christian Care and First Hamilton CRC are partnering to explore how churches can respond well to mental health realities within the congregation and in the broader community. Come hear their story and explore with them what the broader implications might be.

 

Pursuing Partnership - The Hard work of TrueCity

Presenters: Peter Giokas and Robin Ellis

Partnership is a non-negotiable for good neighbourhood and city engagement, but it is also very challenging. Come explore the realities, benefits and pitfalls of partnership.

Level 2 session - This session is geared for those from churches already engaged in partnerships.

Sabbath on the Journey - Finding Rest and Joy in the Intensity of Mission

Presenter: Michael Hryniuk

Explore how spiritual disciplines such as sabbath and contemplative prayer can be integrated into lives of active engagement in ways that enrich and deepen our walk with Jesus.

Seeking Social Justice through Giving Voice to Those on the Margins - Theory & Practice

Presenters: Winnie Lo, Isaac Yoryor , May Marr, Gary Dumbrill

This two part workshop will begin with an exploration of how churches can use participatory social action in the form of photovoice to seek peace and justice. The second part of the session will be the result of such an initiative exploring the impact of Canadian child welfare policies on refugee parents.

Starting a “Green Team” in Your Church

Presenter: Greg Reader

A discussion of practical steps that we can take to enable our congregations to be more environmentally responsible.

TrueCity and Global Engagement

Presenters: Andy Busa and Kim Loney

Too often there is a disconnect between local and global aspects of mission. We are called to both and they are mutually beneficial. Come explore how local and global mission can be integrated in ways that strengthen both.

Acting Justly in an Ecologically Connected World

Presenter: Crystle Numan

Our decisions affect people in ways we often never think about. Come and explore how our actions, particularly related to how we use God’s creation, impact people both locally and all around the world.

Being a Good Neighbour: Beyond Moving In

Presenters: Mark Vincent and Ian Havercroft

Many in our churches are moving into the neighbourhoods where our churches are engaged—what are the lifestyle disciplines we can practice to connect with and impact our neighbourhoods.

Churches and Refugee Sponsorship: Engaging the Challenge to Care

Presenters: Carolyn Vanderlip

Churches can sponsor refugees. This is an important avenue for deepening our response to the world refugee crisis. We will share the specifics of how this can happen and stories from churches that have done this.

Level 2 session - This session is geared for those from churches already engaged in work with refugees.

Compassion, Empowerment and Poverty

Presenter: Hans Kater and Wayne Porty

How do we equip and motivate our congregations to compassionately respond to poverty in ways that do not diminish those we care for?

Creating Belonging: Hospitality and Integration Amidst Ethnic Diversity

Presenters: Christine Vaughan and Mark Sinke

As our churches begin to welcome different ethnic groups, how do we create an atmosphere of belonging that encourages multi-directional conversations, ministry, and leadership.

Creating Mission Focused Community - Why and How

Presenter: Andrew Zantingh

In our overly individualistic culture how do we encourage experiments in building community. Come hear why and how different churches are encouraging groups to build intentional community.

Discovering Missional Vocation: How Our Work Life Integrates into God’s Mission

Presenters: Lane Fusilier

The members of our congregations spend a huge portion of their time in the work place. How do we come to have a missional perspective as individuals and congregations on our jobs? Come explore the possibilities and implications.

Gospel in Our Urban Context

Presenter: Alan Roxburgh and Pernell Goodyear

We will look at what bringing shalom into a neighbourhood looks like, and how we are to incarnate the life and message of Jesus in this postmodern, urban culture we find ourselves in.

Grace and Reality: Addictions and Our Church Communities

Presenters: Sue Carr

What do we need to know to care well for those suffering addictions? How can a church be a place of welcome and healing?

Motivating Youth to Compassionately Engage Poverty Issues

Presenter: Lance Wright

How can we unleash the passion of youth in our churches for engaging poverty locally and globally? We will share stories of how youth groups are digging into this and consider issues of relevance, sensitivity and safety.

Our Calling to Pursue Racial Justice

Presenters: Gary Dumbrill and Mark Soderquist

How can we wage peace against racism in our society and our churches? Come to hear and share ideas on what must be done and strategies on how to do it.

Level 2 session - This session is geared for those who have begun to delve into the need for racial justice .

Sustaining Missional Momentum

Presenter: Dwayne Cline

As our churches increasingly engage our calling to mission, how do we insure that we can continue for the long-haul? Come hear how one church is wrestling with this issue and share how your congregation is doing so.

Level 2 session - This session is geared for those from churches already digging into missionality.

TrueCity Basics: Why are churches getting involved and what are they doing?

Presenters: Tim Sheridan and Ken Styles

An introduction to why churches are involved in TrueCity and how they are living it out. A good starting place for churches wanting to get more involved.

TrueCity Beyond the Inner City

Presenters: Dallas Friesen

What does it look like for churches that are not in the inner city to be involved in TrueCity? Come hear why and how churches on the Mountain and in other areas of the city are getting involved and explore what that might mean for your congregation.

Your Kingdom Come - Prayer and Justice

Presenter: Chris Jones

We tend to dichotomize prayer and justice when God intends them to fit hand in glove. Come explore how integrating these two leads to deeper prayer and more compassionate, sustainable justice.