By Emma Prestwich

In November 2022, The United Church of Canada came out with a strategic plan to guide its work for the subsequent three years. The plan included promises to reimagine ministry education,reduce carbon emissions and take bold action on social justice, but most eye-catching was the pledge to create 100 new communities of faith, with a particular focus on churches that serve migrant communities. Amid ongoing membership decline, this was an ambitious goal. “We’re going to lead with a growth perspective,” general secretary Rev. Michael Blair said at the time. 

But since, the denomination hasn’t been especially forward in emphasizing that figure. In an interview from our January/February issue, the church’s director of growth and ministry development, Cameron Fraser, called 100 a “good, bold and aspirational number.” 

And the 2023 report on the strategic plan’s progress didn’t refer to 100 at all; the section dedicated to growth profiles a new ministry that the report calls “one of 40 possible new communities of faith among migrant, diasporic, and francophone communities being explored through the Growth initiative.” The report also emphasized other parts of the strategic plan, which include renewing existing communities of faith and strengthening invitation to the United Church. 

Almost all of Canada’s population growth is coming from immigration, and some United churches for specific cultural groups already exist. Last year, a United church for Francophone African migrants also generated an offshoot ministry in Longueuil, Que.

But as Christopher White writes in the latest Question Box column, no new communities of faith have been started quite yet. A page on the church’s website notes “excellent” progress on new migrant and intercultural communities, but as White notes, where the money will actually come from to start new churches is uncertain. You can read more here. 

What do you think: Do you see signs of growth in your community or congregation? Should the church even be concerned about growing at all? Let me know at e.prestwich@broadview.org.