85 Sandalwood Parkway East Brampton Ontario L6Z 4S3 (905) 846-7314 Website www.hluc.ca Facebook www.facebook.com/HLUCBrampton Information Package – HLUC Search 2020 OUR LIVING FAITH STORY We deepen our faith each week through worship that is lively, biblically grounded and relevant and through our Sunday School (BLAST) and our Youth Heart Lake United Church Group (SURGE). has identified its mission: Our youth are eager to learn about the faith and to enter into thoughtful To live an active faith connecting God, conversation. We appreciate variety in people and community. worship through different uses of media, different music, a balance of We do this through a four-fold focus: words, silence, conversation and drama. Our sanctuary space allows for such Deepening faith, variety while providing a sense of the Connecting with each other, holy. Connecting with the community and Administration. We use our website to offer a weekly online Bible Study, and prayer This mission focus was developed with suggestions. We have a Book Club that the congregation over a number of reads faith focused books, an annual congregational meetings, Council Spiritual Retreat and an annual discussions and informal meetings. Vacation Bible Camp. With this mission in mind, the We have shared opportunities for congregation of HLUC is looking for a deepening faith with other United minister to help us grow in this active Churches in the area. faith, connecting to our diversified community. Many of our members have lives that are full and fluid. New immigrants from Our mission focus and minister around the world bring their own opportunities: experiences of the Christian faith to our community and everyone is enriched by DEEPENING FAITH the diversity. Finding employment and achieving Canadian academic Deepening people’s faith is an essential qualifications add to the busyness of our goal of any church. People coming to already demanding culture. Social church are seeking a deeper, more media opportunities to deepen faith meaningful relationship with God. Our are important. faith enables us to achieve a balanced and meaningful life and to face the problems life brings. Information Package – HLUC Search 2020 2 We rely on our minister to provide These planned gatherings are Content and guidance for our faith opportunities for us to get to know each development, interaction with the other and each other’s needs. Lots of congregation to identify their interests individual caring happens outside of and needs. Also, to provide worship (in them. The community around us is very partnership with our music director) fluid and new people with very diverse that teaches the bible, inspires hope, backgrounds and needs are coming lifts our spirits and motivates faithful through our doors. action. We need a minister who can relate to We rely on our minister to provide: people of all ages and backgrounds, both those with a mature faith, those A meaningful relationship with God with little faith experience and those Worship that is lively, biblically who are recovering a lost faith. grounded and relevant Variety in worship Our minister needs to be able to support Sermons that are enlightening and refugees and new immigrants and who relevant to our times can lead us in identifying and responding Faith development alternatives to needs such as housing, finances, and Involvement of youth in worship support both within and beyond our Encouragement of youth congregation. participation Delivery of the sacraments of We need someone who can reach out to Communion and Baptism those who attend sporadically, through phone calls, email and visits if CONNECTING WITH EACH OTHER appropriate. We are all part of the human race and as We know that social media, (Facebook, such we need to care for each other. For Instagram and Snapchat) and those of us who are participants at HLUC communication skills will continue to be the church is the focal point of our care. essential to our church. We welcome everyone. We all belong. We are looking for a minister who can: We share each other’s joys and sadness, triumphs and struggles. Be welcoming to a wide range of people We do this as we gather each week for Be understanding of those from worship and through groups such as our diverse backgrounds Book Club, Women’s Night Out, Men’s Relate to people of all ages and Breakfast, Walk and Talk, SURGE (youth) backgrounds activities and other social gatherings. Information Package – HLUC Search 2020 3 Connect and reach out through We need our minister to: social media Contribute a “Message from the Be a visible presence within the Minister” to our weekly email community, connecting with other mailing faith groups and other community Be familiar with social media and groups (e.g. city government, other internet based options to conservation authority, mental expand these options health groups) Help us respond to God’s call to be CONNECTING WITH THE COMMUNITY a leader in our community We believe the gospel of Jesus is worth ADMINISTRATION sharing and worth living and in order to do that we need to connect with people Our administration is simple and outside our church. efficient based on the needs of our people. Our Council, which meets We also know from our online survey monthly, assigns to each member one (2018) that loneliness is a major concern area of ministry for which they are an in our community. When we bring advocate. The council then encourages people in the outer community and supports ministry activities making together, it may result in people in the necessary decisions to enable the outer community coming into our inner mission. community. A part-time secretary and paid cleaning Our Community Engagement Survey and repair help keep the church indicated that the environment, mental functioning on a daily basis. We have health and violence were the most been dependent on a volunteer pressing concerns in our community. property coordinator and a volunteer This work has been done collaboratively treasurer to deal with rental issues. with other United Churches in the area and we value these relationships. We need a minister who: We have a Food Cupboard and a Has experience in supporting and Community Garden. We have facilitated coordinating volunteer groups Neighbour to Neighbour dinners at Provides good leadership which we help people talk about issues Coordinates and communicates relating to mental health. Keeps us on track with our mission goals Our September Community BBQ and Solicits both adult and youth annual Winter Craft Sale also provide involvement in worship and opportunities to the community to administration gather in our space. These activities Will be a contributing member of show we care and want to help. Shining Waters Regional Council Information Package – HLUC Search 2020 4 Community Engagement and Social DEEPENING FAITH and Media Projects CONNECTING WITH EACH Our Council has received $15,000 grant OTHER monies for 2020 from the Shining Waters Regional Council and the Our History National Embracing the Spirit Initiative for Community Engagement and social media projects. Previous grants have allowed us to complete a Community Engagement Survey and act on the results. This led to outreach initiatives on mental health and environmental concerns that included community dinners and The congregation of Heart Lake United discussions, as well as additional Church (HLUC) in the north end of information sharing through social Brampton was founded in the 1980’s by media. a small group of people initially meeting at the local Terry Fox School. These programs have enabled us to partner with other local United This dedicated congregation grew and Churches and non-church goers to grow eventually in 1993 helped in the awareness in the community of these construction of its own place of worship issues. on Sandalwood Parkway. These new funds will allow us an option We have continued to grow and serve to create an additional contract position the community of Heart Lake providing a to continue this work. safe place for worship as well as running an Outreach food bank. Whatever role the minister takes in this program, they are expected to work We also help other Christian closely and collaboratively with this communities to grow by providing our position. worship and building space for their growth. ______________________________ Information Package – HLUC Search 2020 5 Our Congregation The number of children attending can vary depending on their parents’ busy The congregation lives, but they are encouraged to join in reflects the diversified the service and participate with us with community of the songs and the Lord’s Prayer before Brampton Heart Lake having their own time in Sunday school. area which is made up of new families to the The Sunday school program consists of a area, newcomers to BLAST program for younger children and Canada and older a SURGE program for our older children. members who have lived in the Brampton area for some time. Our Children’s Ministry This brings those who may be new, not HLUC has a strong just to the United Church, but to the children’s ministry Christian Faith itself. Those who do that has used a come with a previous Christian variety of programs background, often come from other over the years. Christian traditions. The Bible Learning Due to this diversity of Faith Adventure Stations program (BLAST) is backgrounds, our worship style blends presently used. This is focused on a familiar traditions along with new forms rotational format with Bible stories, of worship. games, crafts and other activities being utilized for each age group. The busy lifestyles of our surrounding community with the challenges that this The Students brings is apparent within our Understanding & congregation. We have many who juggle Reaching God’s busy personal and work lives but who Expectations still regard HLUC as their place to (SURGE) program ground their Faith.