Using Technology for God’s Mission: Leading and Learning Together
Did your parish receive a technology Reach Grant in the last three years? Do you wonder how you might do ministry better with your online congregations? Are you asking what’s next? Join fellow Anglicans in “Using Technology for God’s Mission: Leading & Learning Together,” a series of four online evening (7 pm) sessions to discuss the many ways churches are using technology.
We have identified four broad ways churches are using technology. Through the program we will explore these and more.
Watch the Video: Technology and Worship Modalities – Where do you fit?
What opportunities will this program offer? You will…
- Find connections and discover you are not alone in this new ministry effort.
- Identify successes and learnings, celebrate the progress that has been made.
- Explore the capability of technology for liturgy and worship (Sunday and weekdays); Christian education and spiritual growth; stewardship; and governance and decision making.
- Identify your successes and learnings, celebrate the progress that you have made and build a plan for sustainability.
- Build a plan for sustainability.
- Provide feedback on the outcomes of the grant process and its role in facilitating a hybrid ministry approach within a healthy church.
Who should attend?
One or two representatives from your parish would be ideal. They could be your cleric and/or lay people, if your parish received a Tech Reach Grant in 2020-2023 in response to the call for online ministry.
This program will be of most interest to the current tech champion who holds that vision to build a spiritual and community experience within their parish, especially if your cleric or team has changed since you received your Reach Grant.
How & when will this program be offered?
Using technology (Zoom) this program will run as four two-hour sessions in the evenings from 7-9 p.m. on the last Tuesday of the month beginning February 28.
Session 1 – Building a Shared Understanding of using Technology for God’s Mission: A Dialogue
Tuesday, February 28th
This will be an opportunity to network with other parishes who share similar objectives to understand what is possible, build effective practices, and develop a shared language to communicate what we are doing and learning in this new and innovative ministry.
Session 2 – Technology as the Enabler: Giving focus to Liturgy & Worship, Christian Education & Spiritual Growth, Stewardship and Governance & Decision Making
Tuesday, March 28th
Giving focus to liturgy & worship (Sunday and weekdays), Christian Education & spiritual growth, stewardship, and governance & decision making. We will work together to further the understanding of the use of innovative technology through these lenses.
Session 3 – Casting the Net to Build Forward
Tuesday, April 25th
You will be invited into a deeper discussion on the future of online church. What’s next? How do we stretch to embrace the opportunities and overcome the challenges?
Session 4 – From Engagement to Efficacy: A Healthy Congregation
Tuesday, May 30th
Healthy, sustainable hybrid congregations are the focus of our final session. You will learn ways to create a sustained plan which is self-supported and guided by the identification and monitoring of key metrics for a successful ministry plan.
Questions?
Contact Cynthia Majewski at cyn.majewski@gmail.com.
Planning & Facilitation Team
Cynthia Majewski
As diocesan volunteer, Cynthia participates on the Project Enabling and Monitoring Group (PEMG), Reach Grant panel and the Bishop’s Committee on Healing Ministries and is a facilitator for Cast the Net. In a 2021 contract with the Innovative Ministry Centre, she co-created with an advisory group an assessment tool and accompanying guide for evaluation of innovative ministry now in adaptation for Anglican grants. Her leadership background in health care has brought a passion for growth, change management and evaluation to her efforts with the Diocese. She is a member of St. Timothy, North Toronto.
Elizabeth McCaffrey
Elizabeth McCaffrey, Volunteer Resources Consultant, joined the Diocese 14 years ago, and is responsible for the Diocesan Volunteer Corps, after a life as a Foreign Service spouse lucky enough to be employed in Canadian missions in eight countries overseas. She has worked at Decima Research and Global Affairs HQ as a Survey Research Analyst and Consultant, has been an editor, speech writer and held many positions overseas with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, whilst volunteering as a Church School teacher, youth leader and superintendent, churchwarden, and Mum-in-the-pews, listening while her three now-grown kids sing in the choir. Covid catapulted Elizabeth and our volunteer coaches and facilitators into Zoom-land. Her role as Reach Grant staff liaison further pushed her into the techno-verse. She lives near the cathedral with her African Grey Parrot, Monty.
David Paradis, ODT
David Paradis, ODT is a diocesan tech volunteer. He has helped several parishes launch and enhance their online presence. He also provides advice on Reach Grant preparation. David has also been an audio/visual tech at St. Margaret of Scotland in Barrie. He led St. Margaret’s initial online presence in 2018, which evolved into a regular live streaming of worship and congregational connection during the pandemic. He has been a member of St. Margaret’s for the past 29 years.
Tim Ralph, ODT
Tim is a member of the diocesan Parish Selection Committee volunteer corps and a group facilitator. As a retired school principal, Tim’s last position with his school board was as the district’s Lead for Innovation and Innovative Learning. Specializing in the integration of technology and learning, Tim brings knowledge of how technology can enhance collaboration and learning while keeping social connectedness at the fore. Tim is currently a people’s Churchwarden and leader of the Digital Vergers at All Saints, Whitby.
Laurie Robertson
Laurie is a member of the Diocesan Remote Tech Volunteers group and a lay reader at St. John the Evangelist, Port Hope. She is a speaker and presenter who takes a leadership role in her parish to develop and facilitate learning opportunities for parishioners. Her passion is to “spark people up” in their faith so as to live out their baptismal promises of serving others and seeing Christ in all people. Laurie’s career in accounting software and finance is where she developed her gifts in technology and in finding “out of the box” ways of using whatever is available to resolve atypical business problems.
More ways to reach
Reach Grants provide funds up to $5,000 for creative mission and ministry. Along with missional Reach Grants, you can now apply for funds to support an innovative project to help your congregation reengage during the time of COVID-19.
No matter what sort of initiative you envision, the ministry must be local (taking place in the church or the neighbourhoods and community around the church) and innovative (doing ministry in new ways).
This granting stream funds only new and approved expenditures. Purchases made before the panel (allocations committee) meets to deliberate on your project won’t be reimbursed.
Missional Church Reach Grants
Available for ministries, events, or projects that missionally reach folks to share the Gospel with those not currently part of your church.
Attractional Church Reach Grants
Available for ministries, events or projects that help congregations adapt to new ways of being together, to rebuild and grow during and after the COVID-19 restrictions.
Do you have ideas for local ministries that will help your church begin to gather and rebuild as the COVID-19 lockdown eases? This program provides one-time grants for missional and attractional initiatives that will help us reconnect with each other and with our neighbours.
How do we successfully apply?
Prepare a proposal of no more than three pages using the following checklist as a guide:
- We have described our project.
- We have outlined how we will address the needs and/or opportunities we have identified.
- We have identified who will lead this initiative.
- We have listed the resources we will need to be successful (attach a one-page budget summary as an appendix to your application).
- We have clearly identified what resources our congregation will contribute.
- We have set out how we will measure the success of our project. (If successful, where do we wish the ministry to be in one year?)
- We have the support of our parish leadership (lay and clergy).
- We have the support of our bishop.
- Before applying, contact your bishop for their approval. The bishop’s office will send an approval email to reach@toronto.anglican.ca. We need to receive that email before the Reach Panel will consider your application.
- Email your application, the Reach Grant Form and your budget summary to reach@toronto.anglican.ca. For questions, advice and support, contact Elizabeth McCaffrey by email at emccaffrey@toronto.anglican.ca.
- Prepare for a virtual (via Zoom) or in-person 10-minute pitch to the Reach Panel and be ready for 10 extra minutes of questions, feedback, encouragement and advice. We’ll contact you with appointment options once we receive your application.
The small print
Reach Grant applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
Reach Grants are administered by the Congregational Development and Mission department.
A congregation may apply for only one Reach Grant in any given calendar year.
Reach Grants fund new initiatives only. The Diocese won’t reimburse costs for projects that have already been through the approval and pitch process.
Reach Grants can’t be used to pay for salaries or honoraria, or to defray capital costs. Program and equipment costs will be considered. Applications that seek to reboot or recalibrate existing programs to meet changing neighbourhood or parish needs are permitted.
Congregations must be in compliance with all diocesan policies, including Screening in Faith.
All grants require a follow up report to the Congregational Development department within one year of the grant.