By Helen Reed, Chair, Chinook Winds Regional Commission
Chinook Winds Regional Commission met online on February 8, 2019. During our two hours together we caught up on many different pieces that are coming together for the Region. We continue to build our new structure with working committees and staff. In the meantime, our Executive Minister and Staff are working together to make timely decisions for your needs.
Pastoral Relations Rev. Lee Spice, currently part-time as Chinook Winds Pastoral Relations Minister, moves to full time on March 1. She is working on filling positions on the pastoral relations working committees.
Please consider if you can offer your time and experience to any of the following: Pastoral Relations Council; Pastoral Relations Working Group; Ministry Support Working Group; Lay Ministry Support Working Group
Please fill in an application form. You’ll find that form HERE
Your turn to share: Electing Regional Representatives from Communities of Faith
Just as you used to elect Presbytery Representatives, each Community of Faith must now elect a Lay Regional Representative. These people will commit to keeping up on the Regional news and information and will attend the General Meeting (June 7-8, 2019 in Lethbridge). An Online form will be available shortly for Communities of Faith to fill out to so we will know the Regional Representative(s) you have elected and can keep in contact with them.
Chinook Winds Region, First General Meeting, June 7, 8, 2019. Lethbridge
Your Minister and your Regional Representative(s) will be part of this General Meeting. More information about registration and accommodation will be coming soon. In the meantime, Commission Member Bob Wallace has written a good overview of the event HERE.
We also looked at some questions we have received — thank you for asking!
What do we do with Annual Reports?
Each Community of Faith should send a paper copy of their Annual Report to the archives. UCC Provincial Archives of Alberta 8555 Roper Road NW. Edmonton, Ab. T6E 5W1
You do not need to send a copy to the Region. If staff find that they need one they will ask for it.
We used to have a representative on the Presbytery Executive so that we knew what was happening…how do we know what the Region is doing?
As you are aware the number of folk on the Region Executive is much smaller than the combined numbers of Presbytery Executives would be. We are aware that this means we need to be very good at sharing information.
• Please sign up for our E-Newsletter. This goes out as often as it is needed and we are trying to fill it with answers to your concerns. You also can submit information to be shared such as events, obituaries.
• Follow us on Facebook. The Chinook Winds Facebook page is another good place to keep up-to-date.
• Website We have a new website at https://chinookwindsregion.ca that serves as the information place for Chinook Winds.
• Meeting face-to-face: Part of our discussion included thinking about providing opportunities for groups to meet with us and offer reports to keep us informed about their activities. We will continue to explore this.
Does the Region have a prayer chain? Some Presbyteries were used to having a prayer chain provided to lift up their member churches. As a Region, we do not currently have the resources to do this, but would certainly share such a thing created by someone else. We also thought that the United Church has a prayer chain available.
Presbytery used to appoint a representative on our board… how will the Region do that? Each of these circumstances will be different. Instead of appointing we may be asking if Regional Representatives would volunteer. We may also realize that this role is no longer needed. Email us so that we can work with you to decide what is best for you.
Next Commission Meeting:
Our next meeting will be on February 19, 2019, at the Okotoks Regional Office.
Commissioners: Helen Reed (chair), Tammy Allan, Bob Wallace, Ray Goodship, Sue Brodrick, Kathy Yamashita, Russel Burns, Darrel Beaver.