GM 2023 Highlights and Evaluation Link

This post is a copy of the MailChimp campaign sent to Annual General Meeting attendees on June 26, 2023.

Dear Friend,

You are receiving this email as a registered attendee of the Pacific Mountain Regional Council’s June 2023 AGM.

Highlights and information within are shared by members of GM2023’s organizing committees, regional ministry areas, and executive leadership —  specifically for the purpose of providing some information that you may wish to share to your own settings and networks (now, or even come the fall as a way to connect to the life of the regional council as part of your congregational energizers)!

May this email be received with understanding and gratitude for the many hours of extensive work that general meeting’s require of volunteers and staff. 

Included in this full and inspiring email:

and

  1. President’s Message
  2. Online Engagement Overview
  3. Community Time
  4. Youth Council Update
  5. Proposal – Actions Overview
  6. Elections – Results
  7. Children’s Program Highlights
  8. Blessing New Ministers
  9. The Staying Power of Jacqui Lewis

Note: GM2023 Draft Minutes will be circulated at a later date (draft minutes remain as Draft until passed as Approved Minutes at the following general meeting).

Thank you for taking some time to read this important news! May you enjoy revisiting some of the experiences and actions offered and shared under the 5th Annual General Meeting of the Pacific Mountain Regional Council’s motivating theme, Refining fire. Living stones.

Warmly,
Tressa Brotsky
PMRC Communications Specialist

GM2023 Online Evaluation:
https://form.jotform.com/MauricioUCC/pmrc-gm-2023-evaluation

1. President’s Message

Friends

It was wonderful to meet many of you at the 2023 Annual meeting. This was my first meeting as President and I can only say ‘What an experience!’. When you do something for the first time it is always a bit intimidating. However, your smiling faces, words of encouragement and support throughout the meeting were held closely, much appreciated and made me know that ‘all is well’.

We were blessed in abundance by the fellowship of a community coming together in person and online, enriched by beautiful and thought-provoking theological reflections, and a dynamic series of sessions by our keynote speaker Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis. I am one of those persons who finds church music calming, reflective, rousing and always speaking to my soul. As such, the music provided by our worship team spoke to my soul throughout the weekend.

It was my joy and privilege to preside over the ordination and commissioning of the Celebrands, and to see their own joy, expressed exuberantly, reflectively and quietly throughout the service and yet lighting up the face of all three. Blessings to Derry Bott, Frances Kitson and John Helps as they start their ministry. Our Region is blessed by your engagement and leadership in this work of living out our Discipleship in these times and into the future.

I look forward to seeing many of you, and to meeting new Council members, in 2024 when we meet again.

Deborah Richards
President, Pacific Mountain Regional Council (2022-2024)

2. Online Engagement Overview

There were 313 attendees at the GM, with 76 participating online-only. Both in-person and online participants used the Whova platform fully!

  • Community Board hosted 456 posted messages,
  • 10 in-person meet-ups organized,
  • 50 photos posted,
  • 26 questions asked of the organizers
  • 510 private messages were sent among you,
  • and Heidi Koschzeck led the Leaderboard with the most posts – and won two books!

Thanks to Rev Michelle Slater (LeaderSHIFT) and Kathy Davies (Regional Minister) for hosting online.

3. Community Time!

The regional meeting’s gathered community got up to MANY fabulous and meaningful experiences together, and apart. Click for more on The First Ever AGM Multi-Generational Silent Disco! Network & Clusters Displays! Friday Afternoon’s Workshop Offerings! PMR Retirees and Candidates!

4. Rocking the Church – Youth Council Update from PMRC AGM 2023

Pacific Mountain Youth Council, joined by guests from the Chinook Winds Youth Council, participated in 2023 Pacific Mountain Regional Gathering in Abbotsford June 1 – 4. Since this past February, Youth Council members have been debating and preparing motions for their respective Regional Gatherings, and we were so excited to see the results of that hard work.

Youth Council introduced two motions: Motion 1: Supporting the Leadership of Adolescents and Youth (SLAY) which called for the Region to have at least 5% of the voting members at regional meetings be under the age of 25 in order to pass motions for decision and Motion 2: Getting Rid Of Greenhouse Gases (GROGG) which called on the Region to complete an emissions audit of the Regions ministries, and encouraged PMR Communities of Faith to submit their own audits. The SLAY motion was defeated and the GROGG motion was referred to the PMR Executive in accordance with requirements concerning proposals with budget implications over $2000.

For many on Youth Council, this was their first experience of the Region’s governance process. They presented their motions passionately and articulately, and listened deeply to the feedback and discussion from the Court.

Youth Council members also immersed themselves in the work of the Gathering and participated in discussions and decisions in all the business of the court. Two of our Youth Council members will also be involved in the work of Executive, one as a member of the Regional Executive and one as a corresponding member.

As Animators we could not be more inspired and grateful for the leadership that the Youth Council has shown at the regional meeting. Look out for more Youth Council news to come, as we reflect on our experiences this year, and look ahead to the next!Lindsay Veenstra & Chris Mah PoyAnimators, First Third Ministry

First Published in June 16 First Third Ministry e-News

5. Proposals – Actions

General Council 44 Remit

  • Remit 1: Autonomous Indigenous Organization – Carried (the motion was “Do we agree with establishing an autonomous national indigenous organization within The United Church of Canada?”).

Proposals to Regional Council

  • 23-01: Supporting Leadership of Adolescents & Youth (SLAY) – Defeated. A new, related motion was brought to the floor by a different mover and seconder, and passed.
  • 23-02: Get Rid of Greenhouse Gases (GROGG): referred to the Executive as submitted with feedback from the session
  • 23-03: A Regional Staff Position for Senior’s Ministry: Referred to the Executive as submitted with feedback from the session
  • 23-04: Sabbatical Fund Relief: Carried, with the decision that no action be taken. It was recommended that the proposer bring forward a future proposal to the General Council to reconsider the sabbatical leave policy at the national level.

As the meeting was unable to complete action on all proposals in the time available, the following proposals were referred to the Regional Executive for consideration: 23-05 – Unsettling Hewlett Packard and 23-06 – Advocacy & Action for Guaranteed Livable Income.  

To view the above Proposals as submitted to Regional Council Executive, go to: PacificMountain.ca/Proposals-Received-GM2023.

6. Elections – Results

President-Elect

  • The Rev. Dr. Simon LeSieur (pictured) was elected President-Elect, 2023-2024 [President 2024-2026; Past President 2026-2027].

Regional Council Executive

  • Joseph Kyser and Johannes VanKessel-Crozier (Under 30) were elected.
  • Ibi Chuan was re-appointed.
  • Additionally, Claire Joy (under 30) will join the Executive as a corresponding member.

7. The Children’s Program – PMRC AGM

We were at the Children’s Program at the AGM in Abbotsford. 7 children with 4 leaders enjoy activities, games, a visit to a park, where we enjoyed a picnic and a splash park. We also visited a Farm, where we pet cows and kettles, and learn about the milking process with a robot and how poo (yes poo) becomes energy after a process done there.

We also came to the worships with all the participants at the AGM and enjoyed lunches and dinners with them.

We finally participated on the service on Sunday where some of us read and others gave out gifts. We look forward to the next children’s program at the AGM!

Special thanks to Gabrielle McLarty and Jen Cunnings, for their leadership and support of the children’s program at the meeting.

8. Blessing New Ministers

Celebration of Ministry Service where 2 candidates were Ordained and 1 candidate was Commissioned, at which Rev. Beth Hayward preached a kick *** sermon. Click the photo to (re)watch the June 4, 2023 service. Thanks to Grinke Creative for his photography services!

9. The Staying Power of Jacqui Lewis

This is what we heard back when we asked a few people, ‘What stuck to you from our gathering in Abbotsford?’ and, ‘What’s something from the gathering to highlight for someone who wasn’t there (either online or in person)?’:

“What struck me the most was something the theme speaker, Jacqui Lewis, said.  To paraphrase:  ‘Free Jesus from the chains of empire!'” – Blair Galston, PMRC Archivist

“Invigorate! (to give fresh strength or energy to someone or something). I have already been asked by someone who was not able to attend the regional meeting if the recordings are available of the theme speaker Jacqui Lewis.  One of the things that gladdened my heart at the meeting was to watch colleagues and attendees be invigorated by Jacqui’s theme presentations. June marks a time of depletion in the life of ministry and lay leaders in the church.  Often inspiration is low or there is fatigue from the year of meetings, events, preaching and the general demands of church and faith life.  I saw (and heard) Jacquie reminds us of what we already knew in the life of faith AND reframe to inspire us to think differently.  For me personally, the regional gatherings allow me to have face to face conversations about technical or OV questions but mostly to put a human face to ministers I serve and to be a human face behind the Office of Vocation. And finally, I am always aware how excited the council is to meet candidates for ministry at various stages and feel the invigoration of God’s call and new leadership emerging.” – Rev Brenda Fawkes, Office of Vocation Minister

“What struck me from our gathering in Abbotsford was all the different ways concern for social justice was evident — the presentations by Jacqui Lewis, the proposals (GLI, carbon emissions, Hewlett-Packard), the indigenous church remit, the Affirming rainbows, the sale of Zatoun products, and so much more. As a justice-seeking church, we are taking important steps!”  – Jane Dawson, Regional Minister for Justice

“What stuck to me, is the kindness and caring for the other that you feel in the room. It is a great time to connect with people form our region. There is some time to make meaningful connections that can lead to great results and/or projects. The theme speaker and the workshops during the AGM are very enlightening, there is time to enjoy, to be thoughtful, to think about social work. I have never regretted coming to the AGM and I am always looking forward to the next AGM the following year.” – Natalia Caberera, Administrator & Animator First Third Ministry

And the people said, Amen!

GM2023 Online Evaluation:
https://form.jotform.com/MauricioUCC/pmrc-gm-2023-evaluation

MailChimp Campaign June 26, 2023

https://mailchi.mp/6ed26986726f/gm2023-abbotsford-highlights-evaluation?e=[UNIQID]

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