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The following Church Development Discussion Papers and other Resources present independent ideas, observations, and guidelines intended to encourage discussion and comment among church leaders in local congregations and in the Presbyteries.
The papers and resources cover a wide range of topics including:
BEING A WELCOMING CONGREGATION
Discussion Papers
Affiliates - There's Work to be Done - Meeting and responding to people who call the United Church their church home.
User-Friendly Worship - What are our words and rituals saying to newcomers?
In Praise of the Rhythm Method - Do the songs we sing and the music we play "soothe the soul"?
Facing the Challenge of Inclusive Worship - Welcoming people with significant developmental and other challenges.
Interaction with People with Disabilities - Tips on communicating a welcome to people with a disability.
Parking Angel - What happens outside your building can make lasting impressions.
Welcoming Strangers - Being sensitive to and effective with visitors and strangers.
Stepping Outside Your Cultural Niche - Bring cultures together can be a complex and demanding task.
Keeping People Long-Term - Small Group Ministries - Why a small group ministry is important in welcoming and retaining people.
Guide for Small Group Ministry - Providing structure and support to personal growth opportunities.
Clarity or Clutter - How we care for our church home tells the tale.
Resources
NEW Become a More Welcoming Congregation - The North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church has prepared an excellent step-by-step guide for your use.
NEW United Church Population in Toronto - A City of Toronto census tract map showing United Church population both in numbers and percentage of population.
WORKING WITH CHILDREN AND YOUTH
Discussion Papers
The Nursery - Gateway for Families - For new families with infants, the nursery is key.
Nursery Safety - A First Priority - Is your nursery safe?
Guidelines for a Safe Nursery - A helpful guide for a safe and clean nursery.
Building Safe Sanctuaries for Youth - Recruiting, screening, and training workers with children and youth.
Establishing Your Child Protection Policy - A sample policy outline.
Effective Screening Procedures - Developing a screening policy for those caring for children and youth.
MANAGING YOUR CHURCH PROPERTY
Discussion Papers
God's House or Clubhouse - How we use our building tells the community who we are.
How Accessible is Your Church? - Are you ready to greet everyone?
Accessibility and Historic Buildings - How do we make our older historic buildings accessible?
Lending Your Church Facilities - A guide for being a prudent landlord.
Resources
NEW Facilities and Equipment Use Agreement - Sample forms to use when sharing your church's space.
NEW Financing Repairs, Renovations and Retrofits - How Toronto United Church Council can help finance your congregation's capital requirements.
REDEVELOPING CONGREGATIONS FOR EFFECTIVE MINISTRY
Discussion Papers
Church Redevelopment - Seeking a Plan - How do you grapple with a concept like church redevelopment?
Church Redevelopment - Asking the Right Questions - What is a valid and creative redevelopment proposal?
The Regional Church - New, Creative, Effective - Developing regional churches is an important option for renewal in the United Church.
The Demise of the Middle-Sized Church - Are middle-sized churches faced with the choice of growing smaller or growing larger in order to survive?
Multi-Congregational Churches Becoming the Trend - Adding worship services to reach different groups of people.
Church Multiplies Ministry Through Multiple Sites - Does everything need to happen in one location?
Church Relocation May Be Only Option - A new vision may mean a new location.
New Immigrants - Meeting People Halfway - Building ministry relationships
The Small Church Primer - The challenges and gifts of small membership churches.
Growing Organic Ministry in Rural New Zealand - Can the changing shape of the church in New Zealand help us here?
United Church at a Crossroads for Mission - Is the United Church ready for the future?
NEW Church Development Guidelines - Development and funding guidelines for church redevelopment.
Resources
NEW Partnerships: A Fresh Look At Mission - Using fresh eyes to look at what we mean by mission for the local congregation.
NEW Growing Large Regional Congregations - Kennon Callahan shares 12 ways large regional churches can develop (seminar notes from event held for The Uniting Church of Australia).
CREATING AND BUILDING NEW CONGREGATIONS
Discussion Papers
Choose Life - The United Church faces stark choices - choose life or face death.
The Greenbelt - How and Where Communities Will Grow - What are the planning challenges facing our region?
The Church on the Urban-Rural Fringe of Greater Toronto - Is the United Church really ready for the new suburbs?
Church Planting in a Postmodern Culture - What is the church growth strategy for our culture context?
16 Ways of Starting New Congregations - One model doesn't fit all situations.
New Congregations Can Grow Within Shadow of the Old - What do you do when congregations ignore the needs of their neighbours?
A New Church Development Plan for a Presbytery - A guide for approaching the task of starting new churches.
NEW Church Development Guidelines - Development and funding guidelines for establishing new congregations.
Resources
NEW Expanding, Empowering, Equipping, Evaluating - A variety of excellent resources from The Reformed Church in America.
NEW Writing a New Church Ministry Plan - A very helpful workbook from The United Church of Christ.
NEW New Church Development as a Mission Priority - First published in 1998, this article is still a valuable resource in evaluating new church development as a mission priority in the context of the church's current life.
BECOMING EFFECTIVE CHURCH LEADERS
Discussion Papers
Guardians or Traders? - Have we lost touch with the entrepreneurial trading spirit?
Affirming Church Volunteers - A guide on maintaining an excellent and well-integrated volunteer program.
Volunteer Staff - Obligations and Rights - A code of practice for churches with both paid and volunteer staff.
Reflections on Leadership - It's never good to be ambivalent about leadership.
Leadership and Management - Neither is Optional - Church leaders need a balance of the two.
The Leadership of Change - Having a vision primarily oriented to the future.
Transforming Congregational Culture - Mobilizing people for the challenges ahead of them.
STEWARDSHIP AND OUR ROLE AS STEWARDS
Resources
NEW Stewardship Bible Studies - Six Bible Studies from Luke and Acts for small group use.
NEW Congregational Stewardship Resources - The Ecumenical Stewardship Centre is a great source of stewardship resources and educational programs.
NEW Stewardship Toolkit - A stewardship toolkit for congregations from the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa.
NEW Grow Your Congregation's Giving - Helpful guides from The United Church of Christ.
HOUSING AND THE CHURCH
Discussion Papers
Housing and the Church - Responding to the crisis of homelessness.
Resources
NEW CMHC Affordable Housing Centre - Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation research and financing information.
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