Dear Canadians,
Toward Canada (TC) has faced a year of both challenge and encouragement. From the conversations leading up to Synod 2025, through the vote to remain a bi-country denomination, TC has remained firm in the belief that the Holy Spirit has inspired our journey. Submitting to his leading helped organize the November Summit where the 150+ participants experienced an outpouring of love, grace and hope. We are now building on the foundations laid at that Summit (visit our website.)
As we said in the previous newsletter, next steps are happening. There is a quickening of hopes across the country desiring to see the manifestation of the expansive love of God (as articulated in the draft Working Groups’ Final Report) embodied in the churches in Canada. In fact, on the heels of the Summit, a face-to-face meeting will be held in western Canada (in the St. Albert, AB church, “the green city just above Edmonton” ...well, it’ll be in January…it’ll be white).
The purpose of the Saturday, January 17 meeting, is to share the amazing work that God has been doing in the Canadian churches from coast to coast. But this meeting will focus specifically on the west. Several western leaders (Amy, Gord, Michelle) will describe their roles in TC, and the journey the Lord has taken them on in the past several years. A couple of leaders from the eastern part of Canada (Everett and Peter) will also be present, telling of their own journeys. But more importantly, they will speak about what the November Summit actually said and did; will speak of the momentum being experienced across Canada, of how various churches are discussing stepping up to leadership positions; of the next steps that are coming out of the Summit.
The Western Canadian Gathering will run from 1:00-4:00 pm (come early! Coffee, snacks and sandwiches will be ready at noon!). During the time together, you’ll be able to catch up with what’s going on. This meeting will also be available on zoom. All your questions (written in the chat, or after the presentations at the meeting itself) will be answered. Complimentary child-care will be provided during the whole event. Handouts will be provided, giving information on the TC movement today, and ways to move yourself and your council forward.
We invite you to fill in this registration form, so we can plan our meeting well. We want to ensure that you are not left with unanswered questions; that you have the information you need to help make your decisions about your church’s future. Grace for the mission. That’s where we’re going.
It’s a new year. Do come along.
Many Blessings,
Peter Bulthuis
