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

During this session, we will hear from various representatives of Hamilton churches who are using the arts to build community in unique ways. They will share stories of how they are using the arts to engage their neighbourhoods, build a sense of unity in the midst of division and diversity, and bridge social and generational divides in churches and neighbourhoods.

There will be opportunity for conversation and discussion about how to continue using the arts in Hamilton for the good of the city. Bring ideas and stories of ways that you have been engaging the city or your church community through the arts.

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.

How do churches begin to “be present” in their neighbourhood and have a lasting impact? In this session you will be provide with resources and ideas to begin your church’s journey to being a renewing presence in the neighbourhood. Come hear stories of neighbourhoods that have been impacted by “servant churches.” Come hear stories of churches impacted by serving their neighbourhoods. And, come share your story of your church and your neighbourhood. This interactive workshop is for those beginning the journey of serving in their community.

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.

One alternative for effective transformational housing involves faith-based long-term housing, where hurting people heal in community.   This session will describe how Hamilton stands in a particularly strong position to benefit from transformational housing.  Hamilton has an acute need combined with a proactive community culture and a heart for the city in the churches which is fostered by TrueCity.  This session will impart the vision for transformational housing, describing briefly both the history and success of transformational housing that is based on principles and unique distinctives that include church relationship, live-in staff, counseling and long-term residency.  The session will show how the residents are further assisted a number of other support ministries such as community welcome centers, recovery groups, special needs support groups and daily prayer groups.  You will hear of opportunities for church involvment or participation in transformational housing that range from urban churches having their own homes, to very practical involvment in the programs and structures that are in place.  The final two components of the session are the importance of commitment on the part of house directors to networking with other support organizations and joining in together in prayers sessions as God moves in this vital area.

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.

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.

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.

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

Purpose:

•  To become more aware of what/why changes are currently happening in our city and culture
• To become more aware of how God can use us to model missional change
• To improve congregational awareness of God’s activity
• To improve our own self-awareness

Definition of Missional:

Roxburgh/Romanuk:  God is about a big purpose in and for the whole of creation.  The church has been called into life to be both the means of this mission and a foretaste of where God is inviting all creation to go.  Just as its Lord is a mission-shaped God, so the community of God’s people exists, not for themselves but for the sake of the work. Mission is not therefore a program or project some people in the church do from time to time (as in “mission trip,” “mission budget,” and so on); the church’s very nature is to be God’s
missionary people.  We use the word missional to mark this big difference.  Mission is not about a project or a budget, or a one-off event somewhere; it’s not even about sending missionaries.  A missional church is a community of God’s people who live into the imagination that they are, by their very nature, God’s missionary people living as a demonstratin of what God plans to do in and for all of creation in Jesus Christ.

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

Come explore how health ministries can enable us as true prophets in the true city. Health ministries provide an infrastructure within which the church may take its place as a centre for healing in the city. Health ministry is experiential, participatory, missional, and communal. In other words, health ministries are incarnational. Using the story of Job as a model, let’s explore the importance of physical health and well being to faith, family, and community. Healing takes place in community. Admonished by Jeremiah, let us learn how to regard the seriousness of our neighbour’s wounds. We will examine the components of a health ministry considering the role of the Pastor, the Health Ministries Board, and the Parish Nurse. In this session, we will look at the competencies required for each role. We will consider how and where to achieve these competencies. Health ministries offers an infrastructure for invitation, access, response, participation and proclamation. Like Elisha declared to the King of Israel, let’s not be afraid that we do not have the power to minister healing to the sick, the afflicted, and the wounded. Let’s consider how designing, implementing and maintaining a health ministry can equip us to bear witness with POWER – PASSION AND PEACE.

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.

There is a common phrase in Latin that often captures the essence of the Christian life “ora et labora” which means “pray and work.”  In the Christian tradition and even in our city, churches and movements seem to be typified by one or the other, but rarely both. In the workshop, we will explore how prayer for city revival and work for city renewal can be fully integrated in the life of the church.  We will also share the story of how two different pastors characterized by these two different emphasis are enriching each other lives and growing in a life of prayer that works.  We will also include time for you to share your stories in this journey and to spend time in prayer for our city.  Finally, there will be opportunities following the conference to join these two pastors as they continue to grow in the life of prayer together.

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.

Churches are meant to be places of welcome and belonging. Sometimes they can present challenges to persons with Mental Health issues as they work to remain or become members of the community. Stigma and discrimination remain barriers to allowing people to participate fully in the Church community. The partnership between Homestead Christian Care and First Hamilton Christian Reformed Church will be used to facilitate discussion that will assist your church with becoming a place of welcome.

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.

Although we commonly affirm that the the body of Christ is one, our actual behaviour as churches is often better described by a line from a children’s chorus, “You in your small corner, and I in mine.” Partnership between and among churches is a way to overcome the “small corner” mentality and not only accomplish more, but also witness to our unity. In this workshop we will look at what partnership (and what it isn’t) and discuss ways of building partnerships that last, and accomplish the tasks for which they are formed.

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.

The practice of Sabbath is a deep and essential part of Jewish and Christian tradition and yet many of us in ministry and Christian leadership continue to struggle with pathological busyness in our lives. Jesus gives the invitation to us: “Come to me all you are weary and heavily burdened and I will give you rest” (Mt. 10:28) but so many of us are still exhausted! We seem to have lost our capacity for simply stopping and resting in God’s presence . We don’t have time or energy to enjoy the fruits of our labours.

In this session, we will take time to reflect first on the root sources of our hyperactivity. Why are we so busy in our lives? What are the forces that are driving us to become what Henri Nouwen called “compulsive ministers?” Second, we will briefly revisit the biblical and theological meaning of Sabbath and ask how it relates to our contemporary context. How is the practice of Sabbath part of God’s saving plan for His people in the midst of a fast-paced world? How is this practice an invitation to prophetic witness and spiritual transformation in our lives? Finally, we will explore some simple practical ways of recovering rest, renewal and balance in our day. How do we build periods of rest, prayer and joy into our daily schedule so that our spirits are renewed and our ministry is vibrant and sustainable? Our ultimate aim is to recover the meaning of Sabbath not only as a biblical practice but as a whole way of life in which there is a rhythm of rest and work that leads to joy and fruitfulness in service of the Gospel.

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.

Christians must, “seek justice, encourage the oppressed” (Isaiah 1:17) and “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves” (Proverbs 31:8). This session explores how to do this through social action, which is a means of not only speaking “for” the oppressed, but helping them to speak for themselves. We briefly describe the theory of social action as well as its biblical basis, and we examine two ways of approaching this work, “Participatory Action Research” and “Photovoice.” We show how these methods can be used by churches and we give a practical example of a project in which Hamilton refugees came together to tell in photographs and words how Canadian child welfare policy impact their children and families. We show how the refugees who participated in this project have consolidated their stories into messages that are now being delivered to child welfare policy makers and social workers.  This workshop runs alongside a Photovoice exhibit that explains the social justice issues raised by refugees.

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

Working in a team is always better than trying to go it alone. But how do we go about forming a team of people who can influence the congregation to act with greater care and respect toward God’s creation? Who should be on the team? How many? How should it relate to congregational leadership? To the congregation as a whole? What kinds of things should the team try to do? How can it connect with teams from other churches?

In this session Greg will present some initial, practical steps for forming an environmental team. We will then hear from the experience of several churches, some who are just beginning and others with a couple of years experience under their belts.
The time seems ripe for more teams to form, and to benefit from doing more in cooperation with each other. Churches are being increasingly recognized as communities of people who can make a significant difference in the quality of urban life through the choices we make in relation to environmental concern. This is an extremely hands-on way of “working together for the good of the city” – so come prepared to help us put flesh on the vision!

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.

How will the church in Hamilton seek the good of the city and not abandon its global mandate? How are local and global mission interconnected, or are they interconnected? Is it possible for local and global mission to influence one another? How? Is integration possible?

These are some of the questions we will begin to explore together while bearing in mind the changing face of missions including the growth of the church in the global south and the advancement of missionaries to Canada from other countries. Andy and Kim will offer varied perspectives—a Filipino pastor now living and serving in Hamilton, and a Canadian who has lived and served for 18 years in Europe but has now returned to urban ministry here in Canada.

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.

We’ll explore some Bible passages to hear God’s heart for justice, and begin discussions about where injustice plays a part in our own actions, especially with connections to the creation.

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 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.

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

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.

In the context of a diversifying community in Hamilton, many of us feel ill-equipped to create a real sense of hospitality and welcome to newcomers who attend our churches.  We’ll look at hospitality that goes beyond simply being friendly and moves towards building meaningful relationships with newcomers by exploring fears, boundaries and power issues that arise.  We’ll also discuss what it means to integrate people from different backgrounds and experiences into the very fabric of our churches, so that all aspects of church life are shared and enriched by the mutual blessing of diverse populations.

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.

In the Hamilton context, there is a surprising number of Christian people clustering together with the expressed intentions of cultivating community that engages its culture with the gospel.  But moving such communities beyond intentions to reality can prove to be quite challenging.  In this TrueCity workshop, a group from First CRC will share its on-going reflections about a year long commitment they have made to cultivating missional living.  This will provide the context for other groups to share their reflections on the same enterprise.  What we are intending to create is an atmosphere where those in the city that area seeking to discern missional vocation through communal living can find each other and learn from each other. Come and participate and help this workshop move beyond good intention towards a communal reality.

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.

How should the Church think about ministry in the marketplace?  If we are made to work, then how does our work in the marketplace relate to our ministry in life? Many church leaders believe that their job is to refocus volunteers on the needs of the congregation.  A missional worldview sees the church as a body of believers focused on impact in the marketplace.  This tension will be the focus of our interaction.

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.

How do we communicate the gospel message in our current culture? In this session we will explore what is happening in our urban culture and in the church in recent years. We will look at what bringing shalom into a neighbourhood looks like, and how incarnation is the most powerful way of communicating the good news of who Jesus is and what his intentions are.

Pernell will share his own story and that of the Freeway church community he has started as part of this session.

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

We will begin with an overview of what addiction, addictive behaviours, and non-substance addictions are about. We will examine our own biases and preconceptions about addictions, and explore what resources are available in the community. All of this will culminate in an effort to work out what God is calling our Church families to in the midst of the mess of addictions.

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.

Youth ministry is so much more than games, sessions, and discussions. The call to follow Christ is a call to action and youth are uniquely poised for action. So how do we get youth suited up and ready for kingdom action? What are the pitfalls? What are the possibilities? This session explores the place of Christ-centred social action in youth ministry by evaluating the strengths and weakness of different youth outreach approaches. Youth really can be filled with dreams and visions that change the world and our hopes for young people can be realized as we walk along side them and help them express their heart for the marginalized and poor in their cities and in their world.

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 .

How can we wage peace against racism in our society and our churches? This session examines how we take the next step beyond racial reconciliation at a personal level to seek racial righteousness at a broader level in our churches and in society. How can we as Christians individually and collectively disrupt the way racism plays out at a systemic level in our churches and society? Come to hear and share ideas on what must be done and strategies on how to do it.

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.

Missionality generates an excitement that moves people from the peripheral of your church to its center.  Once a church moves from maintaining its existence to engaging in God’s call of incarnational care there are limitless opportunities in every neighborhood and community to express our Christian faith.  As God alters our priorities from being about meetings and committees to being about building His Kingdom through relationships there is a seemingly endless supply of energy available to us.  That energy however can quickly dissipate as the mess of engaging broken lives, political circles and fragile communities overwhelmingly greets us each day.  Suddenly the often meaningless and unproductive committee meetings are appealing again and pressure can exist for the church to revert to its maintenance mentality.  If God, however, has called His church to incarnational care then He must have provided a way for us to live spiritually healthy lives while relationally building His Kingdom.  This session is going to explore how you sustain the missional momentum as you care for your community.

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.

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.

This session will require participation from everyone as we come together to explore what TrueCity might look like for those who are not located in downtown Hamilton. TrueCity started with a few downtown churches coming together for the good of the city. But over the last while churches in other parts of the city have started to ask what would it look like for our church to engage in TrueCity or, at least, in “the TrueCity way.” In this session, we will hear stories from churches beyond the inner city that are finding ways to engage the needs around them. We will also try to explore what God is up to and what are the questions we should be asking. Of course once we start asking the questions we also want to explore where we might go from here.

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.

In these sessions we will explore the great commandment and the great commission and see how obedience to one results in action in the other. We will also take some of the great mystic and monastic leaders and examine their lives for the meeting of these two passionate exercises, prayer and justice.

Lastly, we will look at practical options for us as we move forward and attempt to be the prayer that we pray.