Chair of Executive Message

The funeral of a beloved matriarch had just concluded; a woman who had been a blessing in several congregations throughout our Region had died.  As I was standing at the open door with colleague Rev. Lawrence Muvunzi and greeting friends as they began to depart the small, country church, I noticed big water droplets falling from the roof’s edge.  The sun was shining, the weather was balmy, Spring visibly on its way.  And I chuckled to myself.  “Remember your Baptism, and be thankful”, I whispered, “because you’re going to be covered in waterdrops when you walk through that door!”  There is no better time or place to remember why we are here and what gives us hope than a funeral; no better place to recognize that the Hard Places in our lives are also Holy Ground.

As a people of the Canadian Shield Regional Council, we are getting ready for our 2026 Hybrid Annual Meeting taking place in and broadcast from the Quattro Hotel in Sault Ste. Marie from June 5-7.  And the theme for the next 2 years is “Hard Places.  Holy Ground.”  Our thanks to Donna Rutz for designing the logo, the Agenda and Business Team for putting together an exciting schedule to frame our days, and the Local Arrangements Team for ensuring our stay is both accessible and enjoyable.  We are blessed to have with us our 45^th Moderator the Rt. Rev. Dr. Kimberly Heath to inspire and feed us, as well as the Director of Growth and Ministry Development Cameron Fraser to guide us through Toward 2035 and offer a lens on the future.

Each time we consider a theme, we are always drawn back to the unique landscape of our Region.  A hard, rocky place filled with abundant life.  One might suggest that the Parable of the Sower found in all three synoptic gospels inspired us.  In part, it did.  The wild abandon of the sower who cast his seed without regard to where it might land gives us hope as a Region!  But resistance and stubbornness, a hardening of the heart and a growing tiredness can create a climate of despair in our soil.  Yet even here, in the cracks and fissures, we see evidence all across our Region of the Holy nurturing seeds of hope.

In preparation for our Annual Meeting, I invite you to take the time to read the Accountability Report.  And as you do, give thanks for those who have stepped up to serve in leadership roles in the Region:  for the faithful work of our three Commissions and five Resource Teams, our Staff team, and all the Regional Representatives elected from faith communities across the Canadian Shield.  And then take a moment to read the Digest of Actions to learn of the diligent work of your Executive since we last met as a full region.  Yes, our Region may be the size of a mustard seed in comparison, but our foundation is sure.

A special highlight at this Annual Meeting will be the installation of your new Chair, the Rev. Bill Jones, at the Celebration of Ministries service on Sunday, June 7.  As Bill begins his 2-year term at the rise of this meeting, I will be stepping down.  It has been a blessing to serve this Region for the past 3 years and I thank you for all your support! 

Until June …

Rev. Nancy J. Ferguson
Chair, CSRC Executive

Join Us Online in Zoom

Unable to join us in person? Not to worry, we are offering a hybrid meeting this year. Simply register for the online option for the meeting and we will make sure you have the necessary Zoom link to gather together virtually. Many of us are very comfortable with Zoom, but if you’re a bit rusty please review our Zoom tip sheet below.

Special Guest Speakers

The Right Rev. Dr. Kimberly Heath is the 45th Moderator of The United Church of Canada (UCC). The Moderator serves as spiritual leader of the denomination, quickening a sense of God as revealed in Christ in the hearts of the people, and heartening and strengthening the whole United Church. She visits throughout the whole of the church, and serves as its primary spokesperson and representative.

The Moderator was installed in her role in August 2025, at the 45th General Council of The United Church of Canada in Calgary, Alberta and will serve until 2028. The Moderator was born in Lusaka, Zambia, and has served in ministry for nearly three decades. She’s deeply passionate about transformation in church life, and strengthening the path of connection in a divided world.

Kyle Pugh

Proposal Process

A portion of the 2026 Regional Meeting agenda will be considering and voting on proposals intended for action by the Regional Council.  The deadline for submitting proposals for the 2026 Regional Meeting is May 25, 2026.

FOR A COMPREHENSIVE DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSAL PROCESS, PLEASE REFER TO SECTION F.1 of THE MANUAL (2026):
https://united-church.ca/sites/default/files/2026-01/the-manual-2026.pdf

Proposal Template – [Word]

If you have questions or need assistance with the proposal process please contact Peter Hartmans at phartmans@united-church.ca or Susan Whitehead at swhitehead@united-church.ca

Deadline

The deadline for submission is Monday, May 25, 2026. Proposals should be sent to Susan Whitehead at swhitehead@united-church.ca.

Meeting Resources and Materials

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

• Resource Book – [pdf |  pages] –  (changes may still be made to this document until the day before the meeting) – pending
• Draft Meeting Agenda [pdf | 3 pages]
• Consent and Procedural Motions [pdf | 3 pages]
• Holy Manners – [pdf | 1 page]
• Draft Minutes of Regional Meeting –  [pdf | 6 pages]
• Zoom Tip Sheet – includes how to vote during the meeting – pending
• Proposals – pending
• Business: Draft Budget – [ pdf | 3 pages ]
• Reports: Digest of Actions – [ pdf | 7 pages ]
• Reports: Regional Council Executive Accountability – [ pdf | 6 pages ]
• Reports:  Pastoral Relations Commission – [ pdf | 8 pages ]
• Reports:  Support to Communities of Faith Commission – [ pdf | 2 pages ]
• Reports:  Property Commission – [ pdf | 2 pages ]
• Reports:  Nominations Committee – [ pdf |   pages ] – pending
• Reports:  Finance Committee – [ pdf |    pages ] – pending
• Reports:  Affirming Resource Team – [ pdf | 2 pages ]
• Reports:  Right Relations Resource Team – [ pdf | 2 pages ]
• Reports:  Mission Support Grants Resource Team – [ pdf | 4 pages ]
• Reports:  GC45 Commissioners – [ pdf |  pages ]
• Reports: General Council Executive – [ pdf |  pages ] – pending
• Reports: Stewardship – [ pdf | 1 page ]
• 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 – There are no Ordinands, etc. in 2026
• Jubilands – [pdf | 1 page]
• Retirees – There are no retirees in 2026
• In Memoriam – [ pdf | 3 pages ]