Welcome Message from The Chair

As I write this winter-weary welcome letter for the 2025 Online Annual Meeting set for Saturday, May 3, I rejoice in the appearance of snowdrops in my front garden and mallard ducks assessing possible nesting grounds in my backyard.  These are two sure signs of spring in the Sault, and another reminder that the promise of Easter is a certainty we can rely on in the ever-changing landscape of the life of the church. 

As your Chair, I have been blessed to serve this Region since being installed in November 2023.  Highlights include presiding at several celebration of ministry services as well as representing the region, along with our Executive Minister Rev. Peter Hartmans, at the Centennial kick-off service in Toronto.  These past 18 months have been filled with regular meetings of the Executive to make decisions on your behalf – faithful decisions that are possible because of the diligent work of our 3 Commissions and our 5 Resource Teams – all the while supported by our dedicated and talented Staff cohort.  In preparation for the meeting on May 3, I encourage you to read the Accountability Reports in the Resource Book.

One decision that the Executive made was to extend my term by an additional year.  As we continue to find our rhythm as a region and a pattern for our annual meetings, it was clear that the election, installation, and celebration of your Chair-elect, Chair, and Past Chair respectively should happen at an in-person meeting, and since the Festival of Faith is not a meeting of the region but a joint event with our sister region, this realization led to the necessity to revisit terms.

I look forward to “seeing” our Regional Representatives (lay and ordered) at our upcoming meeting on May 3 as we tackle, together, the work that will rightfully come before us and the opportunities that will be put in our way to faithfully serve Upon this Rock we call “home”.

Blessings,

Rev. Nancy J. Ferguson, Chair

PDF of Welcome Letter

Meeting Resources and Materials

These items are pending and will be added as they become available

• Resource Book – [pdf |   pages] – Pending (changes may still be made to this document until the day before the meeting)
• Draft Meeting Agenda [pdf | 1 page] – Last updated April 1, 2025
• Consent and Procedural Motions [pdf |   pages] –  pending
• Holy Manners [pdf | 1 page]
• Draft Minutes of Regional Meeting – September 17, 2024  [pdf |   pages] – pending
• Zoom Tip Sheet – includes how to vote during the meeting – [ pdf |  pages ] – pending
• Proposals – None at this time
• Business: Draft Budget – [ pdf |  pages ]  — pending
• Reports: Digest of Actions – [ pdf |  pages ] – pending
• Reports: Regional Council Executive Accountability – [ pdf |  pages ] – pending
• Reports:  Pastoral Relations Commission – [ pdf |  pages ]  – pending
• Reports:  Property Commission – [ pdf |  pages ]
• Reports:  Support to Communities of Faith Commission – [ pdf |  pages ] – pending
• Reports:  Nominations Committee – [pdf |  page] – pending
• Reports:  Nominations Slate of Officers – [pdf |  pages] – pending
• Reports:  Affirming Resource Team – [ pdf |  pages ]  – pending
• Reports:  Right Relations Resource Team – [ pdf |  pages ]  – pending
• Reports:  Mission Support Grants Resource Team – [ pdf |  pages ]  –
• Reports:  GC45 Commissioners – [ pdf |  pages ]  – pending
• Reports: General Council Executive – [ pdf |  pages ] – pendign
• Reports: Social Justice Network of Ontario Regions (SJNOR) – [ pdf | page ] – pending
• Reports: Stewardship – [ pdf |  pages ] – pending
• Reports: United Church Women (UCW) – [ pdf |  page ] – pending
• Reports: Grand River Bookstore – [ pdf | page ] – pending
• Reports: Emmanuel College – [ pdf |  pages ] – pending
• Reports: St. Andrew’s College – [ pdf |  pages ] – pending
• Reports: Atlantic School of Theology – [ pdf |  page ] – pending
• Reports: United Church Rural Ministry Network – [ pdf |  page ] – pending
• Ordinands and Comissionand  – See Festival of Faith 2025
• Jubilands  [pdf | 1 page] – pending
• Retirees – [pdf |  page ] – pending
• In Memoriam – [ pdf |   pages ] – pending