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The number one reason for the lack of change is that a group has not articulated a goal to pursue into the future. This page will provide: a sense of the greater visions and goals of the Church, processes for discerning and articulating goals and visions, as well as the experiences of congregations in doing this themselves.

The 1989 Vision Statement of the Presbyterian Church In Canada: This statement was adopted by the General Assembly in 1989. It paints a picture of the kind of life we hope to evolve into as a denomination. For this to happen, congregations need to reflect on their corporate lives to see where their growing edge is for change. Find here the statement and some suggestions for its use in your church. Included is an outline for a four session workshop day for your session.

The 1995 Mission Statement of the Presbyterian Church in Canada: This statement was adopted by the General Assembly in 1995. A mission statement talks about who we are and what we are about.

Goal-Oriented Planning Checklist: this is a simple scheme to ensure you cover all the bases when you plan for a task. It applies for goals which are big and small. I've included both the blank checklist and an example of its use. It is in a Microsoft Word format so you can put the document in your word processor and fill it out with your own plans.

Help Your Committee Renew It's Life: This is a simple tool designed for a Committee, a Board or Session. 30 - 45 minutes of each regular meeting for five meetings are given over to the task of stating the committee's mandate, the values held by the committee, to evaluate the current tasks of the committee, to determine future priorities, and to reflect on the growing edges of the committee's life.

"The Practicing Congregation: Imagining a New Old Church": (Posted 1 November 2006). Diana Butler Bass has written an excellent book that helps us see how the Mainline Church is discovering new meaning and vitality by becoming highly intentional about their lives. Read this book review by Peter Coutts. A highly recommended book that can help you capture an idea of what kind of congregation your church might become. (New article posted 1 November 2006).

What We can Learn from the New Large Church: (Posted 1 November 2006). Through the 80's and 90's, 83% of the total membership loss from The Presbyterian Church in Canada came from congregations with memberships of more than 250. And yet in that same period of time there has emerged in Canada a new kind of large church that has grown remarkably. This paper is actually the talking notes for Peter Coutts' presentation to our denomination's first Large Church Conference (May 2005). It is a summary of learnings from Calgary's 10 largest congregations... to which 10% of all Christian worshippers in Calgary go each Sunday. It is not so much a study the modern large church as it is a study of what many Canadian Christians are looking for... and choosing in these large churches.

Called to Covenant: (Posted 1 November 2006). This two-volume work was designed to strengthen the relationships between congregations and presbyteries. In response to numerous requests for help in recent years, the project engaged the church in research and consultation about pastoral oversight, congregational planning and crisis intervention. It offers the church theological reflection and discussion on these areas of its life, as well as tools and processes that have been found to be helpful in parts of the church. Both volumes can be found here in PDF format.

Congregational Awareness Studies: (Posted 1 November 2006). This resource contains 4 self-directed studies for congregational leaders to use to better understand their current life and future mission. The topics covered are: leadership, church health, congregational mission and vision, and evangelism. This is in a PDF format.

Congregational Fitness: Building the Health and Capacity of Your Church: (Posted 1 November 2006). This 23 page PDF document is a work book that helps the user think through the various aspects of congregational life using the analogy of the human body.