With the theme Seeding Hope, the Chinook Regional Council Gathering took place online from May 7-9 with more than 185 people registered. The Annual gathering brings together community of faith elected regional representatives, ministry personnel and others.

Presiding Officer is Vicki McPhee with Executive Minister Treena Duncan. Worship was led by Rev. Joanne Anquist and a team of worship leaders. The Theme Speaker was Jeff Chu of the Evolving Faith Podcast.

Below are recordings of each of the sessions with summaries below each.

Further below are the business documents for the meeting and bio of Theme Speaker Jeff Chu

Above: Sunday, May 9 Regional Worship Service led by Rev. Joanne Anquist, Presiding Officer Vicki McPhee and Guest Preacher Jeff Chu.

Above: Saturday, May 8 Afternoon Session. The Session included:

First Third Ministry presentation on the partnership with Chinook Winds to further resource children, youth and family ministries with Pamela Evans, Chris Mah Poy and Mary Nichol
Video from Retiring Ministry Personnel — Debbie Stockdale
Interview with Executive Minister Treena Duncan by Alwin Maben
Business included two proposals
(i) A proposal from Ralph Connor Memorial United and the Being Good Relations Network/Circle of Chinook Winds Region and Northern Spirit Region to inform the Government of Alberta that the new Kindergarten to Grade 6 Social Studies Curriculum violates the agreement made with Alberta and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on April 14, 2014.
(ii) A Proposal to the United Church’s General Council to initiate further ecumenical dialogue and relationships
Theme Speaker: Jeff Chu, Evolving Faith Podcast

Above: Saturday May 8 Morning Session. The Session included:

Worship led by Rev. Joanne Anquist and the worship leadership team.
Videos from Retiring Ministry Personnel — Tom Melvin and Eva Stanley
Mission Conversation — led by John Pentland in conversation with Nancy Nourse, Northminster, Calgary; Trevor Potter, McKillop United, Lethbridge; Greg Wooley, Ralph Connor Memorial United, Canmore.
Affirming Conversation led by Keith Murray and opportunities to break into small groups
Brenda Fawkes – Office of Vocation
Vicki Nelson — Stewardship
St. Andrew’s College, Saskatoon – video presentation
Being Good Relations – Christmas Program Thank You

Above: Friday, May 7 Afternoon Session. The Session included:

Break out coffee rooms
Gathering with music
Retiree Videos Lee Spice and Edna Janice Walls/Beaudry
Introduction to the Business
Executive Council Accountability Report
Affirming: Becoming an Affirming Region Conversation — Pam Rocker and Tracy Robertson
Address from Michael Blair, General Secretary, United Church of Canada
Adjournment

Above: Friday, May 7 Morning Session. The Session Included:

Icebreakers via menti.com
Opening Meeting
Land Acknowledgement – Tony Snow
Message from United Church of Canada Moderator Richard Bott
Worship led by the very creative Rev. Joanne Anquist and her gifted worship leadership team.
Introduction to the meeting process and agenda, planning team, Chinook Winds Staff
Presider Vicki McPhee’s address to the court
Retiree video Barbara Zimmerman
Theme Speaker: Jeff Chu

Background Documents for Registrants to the 2021 Chinook Winds Regional Council

You’ll find all relevant forms, Agenda and Reports Book on this page.

AGENDA: Sessions were held Friday and Saturday with morning and afternoon sessions. The meeting culminated with Sunday morning worship. Download the detailed agenda HERE (updated May 11, 2021 — includes St. Andrew’s College Report)

1. AGENDA AND REPORTS BOOK. Please download the PDF Book HERE (updated May 6, 2021 2:30 pm)

2. PROPOSALS:

• Proposal – Perspective on Indigenous Curriculum
• Proposal to General Council 44 – Initiating Dialogue on Church Union

3. FINANCIAL REPORTS AND FINANCIAL PRESENTATION RECORDING:

• • Full Chinook Winds Financial Statement
• • Condensed Chinook Winds Financial Statement

FINANCIAL UPDATE HELD ON TUESDAY, MAY 4, 2021: RECORDING AVAILABLE: An Update of the Chinook Winds Finances was provided by Treasurer John Den Hoed and Executive Minister Treena Duncan via Zoom on Tuesday, May 4 @ 11 am. A recording is available on the Chinook Winds YouTube Channel

4. OTHER BUSINESS DOCUMENTS:

• CWR Executive Policy Draft
• CWR General Meeting Minutes – September 2020

5. PROPOSALS TO GENERAL COUNCIL 44
Proposals intended for the Online General Council 44 in July 2022 must come before the Regional General Meeting in May 2021.

• Proposal Form HERE

6. COMMISSIONERS TO GENERAL COUNCIL 44
Commissioners will also be elected at our MAY meeting. Nominations for Commissioners are received HERE

7. ELECTION OF EXECUTIVE MEMBERS: We will be electing two new members to the Chinook Regional Council Executive. Executive Nominations Form is HERE

HONOURING MINISTRY PERSONNEL WHO ARE RETIRING: During our Friday and Saturday sessions, we will be honouring six ministry personnel who are moving into retirement through short video interviews. These Ministry Personnel are Lee Spice, Thomas G. Melvin, Eva Stanley, Edna Janice Walls/Beaudry, Barbara Zimmerman and Debbie Stockdale.

SUNDAY MORNING REGIONAL WORSHIP SERVICE 10:30 am ONLINE on MAY 9. We’ll wrap up our weekend together with worship led by Rev. Joanne Anquist, McDougall United Church, Calgary, and Vicki McPhee, Presiding Officer, Chinook Winds Region. Guest Preacher will be our Theme Speaker Jeff Chu. You can participate in the worship service on this webpage or on the Chinook Winds Region’s YouTube Channel. or the Chinook Winds Facebook Page. Sunday’s worship will not be on Zoom.

Questions? Please email the Chinook Winds Office.

SEEDING HOPE THEME SPEAKER: JEFF CHU

Through COVID-19, Chinook Winds church leaders have been Seeding Hope in your communities with tenacious courage. You have continued to seed possibility and innovation even in times when despair was tempting.

Our theme speaker, Jeff Chu, is also one who persists in Seeding Hope. He’s a journalist, editor, ordination candidate with the Reformed Church in America, Evolving Faith podcast host and author of Does Jesus Really Love Me? A Gay Christian’s Pilgrimage in Search of God in America. When the theme planning committee spoke to Jeff in March, he was already digging his garden – though he knew more snow would come before seeding time. He believes we all need a robust theology of the compost.

“The more time I spend at the compost pile,” says Jeff, “the more I see that death never gets the last word and the more I ask: Isn’t the story of compost really just the story of God, turning fear to courage, sorrow to joy, death to life?”

We are seeding the hope of God’s Promise