The Soul of Fairfield United Church
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me, watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.”
(Matthew 11:28-30, The Message)
This is a project where we discern what it means to be Fairfield United Church. This is the Soul of Fairfield.
Continuing to Discern the Soul of Fairfield United
In 2022-2023, Rev. Keith Howard led us in an effort to discern the Soul of Fairfield (sometimes referred to as the Liminality Project) with a series of participative Sunday gatherings. This program was broadened and deepened by a variety of other worship services led by Rev. Beth Walker, including weekly discernment practice about our own spiritual journey, during Lent of a God who "Continues to speak to Us" and a series of immersive Adventures in Faith over the summer and modifications to our gatherings this fall (Our Taize worship services, and Open Sky Church).
For more resources on the ‘Soul of Fairfield’ project, click the buttons below!
Check out our recent Soul Service and Report back video to see how we’re still continuing the Soul of Fairfield work
Wonder What People Are Saying?
Where did this start? The congregations of Oak Bay United Church and Fairfield United Church each faced significant decisions. The Discerning the Soul project as to assist both congregations to move from survival strategies to long-term health and vitality based on communal discernment that leads to action. Below is the documentation of the process that we went through.
Want to know more about the original project?
Check out, Rev Keith Howard thoughts in this 3:30-minute video
We will be using a tool developed by noted church consultant Susan Beaumont, "Moving From Decision-Making to Discernment". The aim is to discover the ministry areas that promote greater effectiveness and joy in the ministry work of staff and congregations.
Keith will be engaging this work in a personal way, click on the button below to follow his journey.
Stepping through a doorway involves at least three stages: separation - we step from something over a threshold and into a new space. The transition can require multiple layers of decisions, but each contains a spiritual dimension. 'Richard Rohr, the Franciscan spiritual writer, maintains that the most significant spiritual growth comes during the initial movement when we step from a situation, when we have to decide what to leave behind.
Separation
Preachers are fond of saying God is calling us into a new reality.
Small wonder parts of us are less than enthused when entering the new usually involves leaving the comfort and familiarity of the old.
Downsizing, streamlining, trimming, paring, condensing - call it what you will, but conflicting emotions embed the process.
However, there might be more to discover in the story than just whining and grief on the second Sunday of Advent of which the traditional theme is Peace.
Question:
1) As you reflect upon a time of transition, what were two of the hardest things to leave behind?.
Moments that Define Us
What lies ahead now that we have passed through the season of merriment (Merry Christmas!) and happiness (Happy New Year!)?
The voices of many others echo that of the Prime Minister. “2023 will be a tough year!” Yet, as Christians, we are prisoners of hope. How will our faith live during these times?
So, welcome to this time of wonder and wonderment. As a congregation, part of our work this year will be grappling with how our faith might live in this new time.
We will take stock of some moments that have defined our life and begin to wonder about new moments
defined by joy.
Why Come to Church?
The community of Fairfield United Church is growing, spiritually and as a community. We have begun to be more intentional about our direction, roles, and responsibilities.
We explored an ‘Elevator Speech’ (an elevator speech, is a few words to describe what Fairfield United Church is about, if you were traveling on an elevator from the first to the fourth floor.)
We wonder, does this statement ring true for you?
Based on your feedback, we have a new elevator speech for you to consider. What do you think???
Check out our full service as well!
Everyone Has Faith
In this part of the ‘Soul of Fairfield’ project, we reflect on how spirituality has had an increase in our culture. Most people don’t define themselves as religious, and we dive into what that means to our community.
Conclusion… almost!
In this part of the ‘Soul of Fairfield’ project, we reflect on where we are in this stage of the journey. So as we drift off to our summer slow down, we invite you to dream about the future ministry of Fairfield United Church.
Stage of the Journey
The image of a pilgrim people is very familiar to Fairfield United Church. The story in Genesis 12:1-9 of a family being uprooted from their home, with the promise of a new land and way of being, feels almost too familiar. Perhaps the wisdom of this old, foundational story is not found in the general theme but in the details that arise in each chapter of the journey. And so we wonder as a people of God…..
We are excited to discern our next steps of how to live fully in our neighborhood. To try a few things and discern what God is calling us to next!