Report from the Visioning Team

December 11, 2025

The third gathering of the Forest Hill and Trinity United Church congregations occurred on Sunday, November 30th after the church service. Despite a snowy weekend, almost 50 people enjoyed a light lunch and took part in group discussions.

Information discussed:

1. the ‘Respectful Communication Guidelines’ were reviewed, groups of 4-5 were formed           

2. A ‘warm-up’ discussion centred around T2035 strategic direction questions:

   •  Are you clear about your ‘why?’

   • Do you have a good understanding of your current neighbours?

   • Have you created an invitation plan?

   • Are you connected to other nearby churches?

   • Do you know how you spend your time?

   • Do you have relationships with migrant/newcomer communities and young people?

3. The small groups were asked to name and place current activities, practices under the four goal headings (Stability, Shared Leadership, Spiritual Nourishment, Beloved Community) eg. Spiritual Nourishment: UCW, Suddenly One, Spirit Circle, choir, Monthly Men’s breakfast…)

4. The third question asked the group members to ponder, discuss and record ideas for the future - “What are the visions for the future church? Where do we want to be in the future?
   Many ideas were shared.

5. Information about next steps was then shared:

   • each congregation will meet on January 18th after church service to:

     • vote on moving forward with amalgamation; if passed, then

     • vote to approve the search committee member

     • vote to approve ministerial priorities and job description to give us a

     • starting place to prepare for the Search process

 **Response to the third questionnaire question:

“Do you have any questions that would prevent you from answering the question “Are you ready to proceed with amalgamation? If yes, What specific questions or concerns would have to be answered before you would be able to move forward with amalgamation? Name all and be specific.”

**The collective response was almost unanimously positive.
(FHUC 26 no concern; 1 question;    TUC 11 no concern)

 Summary and what’s next:

AMALGAMATION COMMUNICATION TIMELINE

(on screen during December Sunday services)

 June 25, 2025                         FORMATION

                                                Two teams-The ‘Visioning Team’ and the ‘Process Team’ were formed and brought together with representation from both congregations. They met separately and together as one to plan upcoming surveys, workshops and to receive feedback as the process unfolded.

 October 5, 2025                     VALUES

                                                Congregational survey  and collective workshop #1 to examine values, hopes, fears and anxieties held by members throughout the history of both congregations

 November 2, 2025                 GIFTS

                                                Congregational survey and collective workshop #2 to examine gifts, ministries and passions supporting the work of each congregation as well as behaviours, ministries and cultural norms that get in the way.

 November 30, 2025               QUALMS

                                                Congregational survey and collective workshop #3 to explore and address remaining hesitancies as well as to chart next steps.

 January 18, 2026*                  VOTE

                                                Each congregation votes independently on whether to continue the process of amalgamation.

                                                Result of the votes will dictate our path forward.

4 Four Core Values:

 Stability:  We are anchored in accountable governance, thoughtful planning, a well-maintained sacred space, sound financial stewardship and mutual trust and respect so that we can reach outward, grow and embrace new possibilities.

 Beloved Community:  We walk together through every age and stage of life (including times of conflict) and we cherish the deep bonds we share. We strive to reach out to others, within and beyond our church walls, to offer love, support, advocacy and a sense of belonging to all.

 Spiritual nourishment:  We are inspired by the varied opportunities we have to pray, sing, study the Bible, participate in communion and praise God together. We strive to offer transformative Sunday worship services that feature beautiful music and thought-provoking messages.

 Shared Leadership:  Our leadership is not top-down-it’s side-by-side. Clergy and lay, seasoned and new, we listen for the Spirit’s whisper together to discern the path forward and lead with courage and conviction.

Visioning Team Report

November 2025

1. The “Gifts” Questionnaire #2

The focus of the second questionnaire was to check back with the congregation to see if the 4 core values that were determined after the first questionnaire and congregational meeting seemed right. (Stability, Beloved Community, Spiritual Nourishment, Shared Leadership)

• FHUC respondents - 74% said yes; 9% said no

• TUC respondents - 100% said yes

• Only about 27 questionnaires were submitted; lower than for the first survey

2. Congregational Visioning Meeting #2, November 2nd, 11:30-1:00

Here are a few points:

• led very capably by Jen Spaulding (thank you Jen, for all your work on this!)

• thank you also to the ‘food crew’ who managed the lunch

• the group gathered altogether at first and then broke into smaller groups

• Visioning and Process Team members spread between groups to act as note keepers and facilitators

• the discussion revolved around three questions:

a)     Based on the comments from the questionnaire, would your group suggest any tweaks to our list of shared core values?

b)     What excites you most about the gifts the other congregation brings? What makes you say that?

c)     What will we need to watch out for so that our community can thrive? What steps might we take to overcome these obstacles? (Consider for each value

• the participation was focused, the discussions were robust and the notes that were submitted were recorded for the Joint Vision/Process Team meeting held on November 4th.

3.  Joint Vision/Process Team meeting, November 4th

The joint team reviewed the discussion notes. The themes that emerged were the following:

• identified core values seem appropriate and describe a relevant and workable foundation

• ‘outreach’, ‘connections with community beyond the church community’, ‘choral music’ need to be elevated within the core values

• concerns about pace need to be considered (though some think we should just get on with it, some want change but in slower, more incremental steps)

• concerns about communication need to be considered (giving people who are reluctant to participate a more anonymous way to voice their thoughts; the need to remind people that communication is a two-way street…information can be made available in many different ways, but people need to pay attention and engage with the information)

Current methods of communication include “Amalgamation Corner” on the bulletin board in the Fireside Room and on the FHUC website. There is a feedback mechanism on the FHUC website for people to share their thoughts, ideas, worries and questions.

4.  Planning for the Questionnaire and Visioning Meeting #3, November 30th

Planning is now underway.

• Holy Currencies will be used as the framework to connect to our gifts, our goals, our values and the action plans that will be developed.

• Questions will follow the framework:

a)     Are you prepared to move the amalgamation process forward?

b)     What outstanding questions do you have?

c)     What other information do you require?

• We originally planned to make ‘Mission’ a focus for this third questionnaire and discussion; it will be worked into this as well.

5.  The Process Team

The Process Team is currently working on reviewing information available from Stats Canada, mapping members of the congregation by postal code and gathering information to help with the creation of a robust Community of Faith narrative needed for the Minister search and recruitment process.

Step 1 Done; Now Step 2

October 16, 2025

Greetings Friends,

Thank you so much for your work in filling out the first questionnaire and for attending the event following worship on October 5th.

The results from those efforts are in the second questionnaire which we offer you today. We ask that you complete and send/hand them in by October 28th so that the results can be part of the second discernment event on November 2nd following worship. As we did last time, we are offering you a light lunch. Childcare will be provided, and we promise to have you on your way home by 1:00pm.  We had approximately 70 participants at our first event, let's try to increase that number to celebrate how we will share our gifts in the new congregation.

Please check the website for your congregation to hear about more updates from the Vision and Process Teams.

God Bless, Rev. Gary

Please, take a few moments to complete the

Discovering Our Gifts Questionnaire

If you know someone who would like to complete the questionnaire on
paper, then press the button below to download a paper version to print

Exploring Our Values Responses

Follow this link to view feedback from the strengths and challenges identified in the survey.

And follow this link to view hopes and fears identified in the survey

Envision the Future

Sponsored by the Visioning Team

Values Questionnaire

The Visioning Team

A team has been created to develop an understanding of the Forest Hill and Trinity congregations’ vision for the future. They are ready for you to reach out to them so they can hear your comments and answer your questions.

• Jen Spaulding,

• Linda Nelson,

• Bruce Hannah,

• Donna Dechert,

• Katherine Bitzer,

• Mark Breathwaite
  Plus: Lynne Green, Rev. Gary Clark, Bill Cruse

Reach out to Visioning Team

The Visioning Team, comprised of leadership from Forest Hill United Church and Trinity United Church, would like to invite you to join us in visioning this fall. As we look ahead to calling a new minister next year and as we pursue the possibility of amalgamating two churches into one, your input and participation in crafting a shared vision for our two congregations is crucial.

The first way you can get involved is by completing the first of three questionnaires that will be sent to you over the Fall. This first questionnaire asks you to reflect on and share your thoughts related to what you value about your church experience, past and present. You will also be asked to ponder and share your thoughts and hopes for the future. This online questionnaire should take about 20 minutes to complete and can be done individually and anonymously, or can be completed by a household. If you would prefer to share your responses in person or by phone, reach out to a member of the Visioning team to arrange an opportunity to do so. We ask that all questionnaires be completed by September 30th.

The Team also hopes that you will be able to attend our first of 3 congregational Visioning workshops. The first is planned for Sunday, October 5th after the service. It will be led by Rev. Bill Cruse from the Kaleidoscope Institute, who has been working with the Visioning Team over the last few months. You will be invited to examine the questionnaire responses and participate in small group discussions about the values that are illuminated in the responses. A light lunch and childcare will be provided. We will end the workshop by 1 PM.

The visioning workshop on Sunday, October 5th and the Values questionnaire provide us opportunities to explore and ponder our histories and values together. Your thoughts, ideas and feedback are important and will provide the foundation of a new vision for the future.

Sincerely
The Visioning Team

“Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you calling in the night. I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart.”

Amalgamation Teams Photo Directory

The Visioning Team

From left to right:

Jen Spaulding,
Linda Nelson,
Bruce Hannah,
Donna Dechert,
Katherine Bitzer,
Mark Breathwaite

Missing: Lynne Green, Tammy Rowe, Rev. Gary Clark

The Process Team

From left to right:

Scott Davis,
John Fraser,
Ellen Bayton-Walker,
Elaine Struthers

Missing: Rev. Gary Clark

Amalgamation Process Report 1

Progress Update from John Fraser

The Amalgamation Process Team (APT) met twice since the kickoff with Rev Fickling on May 25th.

Key messages for the two Congregations:
a) Diverse skills and experience within APT. We have not identified any significant gaps.
b) Team norms developing (collaboration, use of common language, respect, agendas,
minutes prepared, reviewed and approved, etc.)
c) Recognition within the team that timely communication of consistent messages is important.
 
Communication will be: 
a) pushed
i.  verbal (Minute for Amalgama􀆟on during church services), email (eblasts)

b) pulled
i.  “Amalgama􀆟on Corner” (Fireside Room) and through FHUC and TUC websites

c) two way
i.  we’ll develop a feedback capability on the websites so people can ask questions
ii. Listening Circles in the fall to provide a forum for discussion.
iii. One on one via pastoral care
iv. Phone calls / email into the office

d) Creation of the project 􀆟meline via a “bottoms up” process
a. Review all available sources of information for relevant tasks
b. Supplement with tasks specific to each congregation and the nesting arrangement
c. Allocate each task to a project phase (before the vote, the vote, a er vote and before amalgama on date, post malgama on.
d. For each task, determine what needs to be done, how long it will take and dependencies
e. Build a schedule

e) Some aspects of this amalgamation initiative will be easier than most because    Trinity divested its building and chattels in 2018. The only Trinity employee is Adam Cresswell, and that relationship ends December 31. All other services are provided to Trinity by contractors (Pastoral Care, Webmaster, choral scholars). Some of the “dating awkwardness” has been resolved with the nesting relationship in place since February 2024.
This doesn’t mean It will be easy.

f) WOW Region formally notified that due diligence on a possible amalgamation on is underway.

g) No hurdles identified that require intervention on by Amalgamation Steering or leadership teams within each congregation.

h) Strong commitment to transparency in communication within teams, between teams, with Steering and indeed,
with all stakeholders.

i)  Agreement that while amalgamation is likely and there are some who say ‘Just get on with it” the due diligence process needs to be respected so the congregations vote with eyes wide open.

j) There is a sense of urgency within the team but also recognition that there are several stakeholders (United Church, WOW Region, Canada Revenue, financial institutions, etc.) that may not share the urgency)

k) Rev Gary’s participation in both the Process and Vision teams is useful to facilitate knowledge transfer.

l) Holy Currencies – we keep the concepts in mind during our discussions

m) Technology
a. Set up “Amalgamation Corner” within the FHUC and TUC websites and an intake process for questions
b. Sharepoint site to store documents of record (store once, use everywhere)
c. E-blast will be able to link to documents
d. Consider the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) I to process discussions, Vision sessions, minutes, amalgama on doc to see what insight might emerge. Creating a vision statement and crafting a new name will be a challenge – AI might provide a useful starting point.
 
Questions 
a) While the nesting experience has been positive, how do we encourage more meaningful
conversations between the congregations?
b) Would it be worthwhile to post pictures of Trinity leadership in the foyer?
 
Future meetings 
a) 27 August (Process Team)
b) 3 September (joint meeting with Vision team to review scope and mandates)
c) Joint meeting of Trustees (not yet scheduled)
 
 
 
Relevant sources identified to date 
a) Notes from Rev Fickling kickoff (25 May)
b) WOW – Covenant Commission – Amalgamation – Steps for Beginning Well
c) UCC – Ensuring proper amalgamation of your Church from a compliance perspective
d) UCC – Ensuring proper close out of your Church from a compliance perspective
e) TUCC – Amalgamations and Mergers – last gasp or new ministry?
f) WOW – Proposed Agreement of Amalgamation
g) WOW – Congregational Property Transactions
h) UCC – Manual
i) Trustees Handbook

Start Thinking Amalgamation

The Steering Committee was originally formed, last year, to oversee the Nesting Process. This year, when our two congregations authorized an Amalgamation  Process, the Steering Committee was asked to support the work of the Visioning  Team and the Process Team and to hold both teams to a tight timeline. 

The members of the Steering Committee, the Amalgamation Process and the Visioning Process are listed at the end of this update. Feel free to approach any of them with your input or questions. 

Members of the two processes have each met twice since the initial "kick off" presentation to them on May 25th by Rev. Chris Fickling about his congregation's experience with amalgamation. Both processes or teams are making good progress on defining their role and the scope of their responsibilities. They are planning congregational consultations for the early Fall 2025. In addition, ongoing updates at Sunday services, a bulletin board in the Fireside Room and a website presence are being arranged to keep everyone informed at a more detailed level.

Graham Brown
Chair, Trinity Board

The Steering Committee:

• Rev. Gary Clark,

• Diane Dunseith,

• Rob Steele,

• John Fraser,

• Lynne Green,

• Barb Hill,

• Graham Brown
  

The Amalgamation Process Team:

• Rev. Gary Clark,

• John Fraser,

• Ellen Bayton-Walker,

• Scott Davis,

• Elaine Struthers
  

The Visioning Process Team:

• Rev. Gary Clark, 

• Bruce Hannah,

• Donna Dechert,

• Jen Spaulding,

• Katherine Bitzer,

• Linda Nelson,

• Lynne Green,

• Mark Breathwaite,

• Tammy Rowe