My name is Susie Cochran and I am a member of our steering committee. Over the past couple of months I have also coordinated the governance subcommittee, which has been exploring potential changes to Elevation’s governance model, and I am joining you virtually this morning to share an update on behalf of the team. As a reminder, if you would like to learn more about the subcommittee’s purpose and scope of work, you can refer to this document on Elevation’s website.
We are in the final stretch of our data collection and analysis phase, and will begin report writing this coming week. The report will then be presented to the steering committee in mid-June. Following presentation and discussion at the SC level, we will be organizing focus group calls to hear from you on the report and its recommendations. Your input will inform the steering committee’s discussions and ultimate recommendation to you as the congregation.Once this phase of consultation and discussion is complete, the steering committee will then present a motion to the congregation for affirmation of governance changes.
We have selected this approach and timing for consultation with you to facilitate a more focused, meaningful conversation around the report recommendations- gathering your thoughts, concerns and questions on the report as opposed to seeking input on governance more broadly. While we are planning for this more formal consultation step, we also continue to invite and welcome your input and questions anytime throughout this process.
A huge thank you for the time, insights, and expertise of everyone on the core and support teams of this subcommittee- Patricia, Paul, Katie, Annette, Brandon and Fanis- and thank you to everyone who has shared input and questions with us along the way.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us anytime- you can contact me via email. Stay tuned for further updates from us in the coming weeks!
June 6, 2021
Governance Subcommittee July Update
The report was shared with the steering committee in mid-June by the governance subcommittee team, and the steering committee is now in the process of review and discussion of the recommendations before sharing a proposed set of next steps with our church community.
I would like to reiterate my thanks to the core and support teams of the governance subcommittee for the incredible amount of work that went into this report- we are so grateful for the time, energy, and expertise that you shared with us!
As noted in my last update, following this review process at the SC level, we plan to hold focus group calls to hear from you on the recommendations and next steps. Your input will inform the steering committee’s discussions and ultimate recommendation to you as the congregation. Once this phase of consultation and discussion is complete, the steering committee will then present a motion to the congregation membership for affirmation of governance changes.
As a heads up, if any of the changes require a formal vote (for example, bylaw changes), such votes will include Elevation members only. As we continue in this process, if you would like to engage by voting, feel free to head to the “Resources” tab on the Elevation website and click on “An Introduction to Membership with Elevation” to learn more about becoming a member.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the steering committee with any questions anytime- you can use our team email address at sc@elevationwaterloo.org. As we head into the summer months, work will progress at a slower clip, but please know that the SC is continuing this work and will keep you updated along the way. Stay tuned for more from us in the coming weeks!
As we head into the Summer of 2021, our Pastoral Team is making plans to help our Elevation community balance the limitations of pandemic life with some creative opportunities to start connecting in person. Take a look at the schedule below and mark your calendars!
Everything here is subject to change based on local guidelines and provincial restrictions, and more details will be provided in our regular weekly email updates.
July 4 – Long Weekend (no online service—connect with your Neighbours! group, either virtually or in-person)
July 11 – Elevation Livestream and Neighbours! groups
July 18 – Elevation Livestream (plus outdoor Communion at 22 Willow @ 11:30) – No Neighbours! groups
July 25 – Elevation Livestream and Neighbours! groups
August 1 – Long Weekend (no online service or Neighbours! groups —distanced in-person bring-your-own-picnic at 22 Willow 11:30-1:00)
August 8 – Elevation Livestream and Neighbours! groups
August 15 – Elevation Livestream (plus outdoor Communion at 22 Willow @ 11:30) – No Neighbours! groups
August 22 – Elevation Livestream and Neighbours! groups
August 29 – Elevation Livestream and Neighbours! groups
September 5 – Long Weekend (no online service or Neighbours! groups —distanced in-person bring-your-own-picnic at 22 Willow 11:30-1:00)
Our tentative plan is to offer in-person worship alongside our Livestream starting on Sunday, September 12. More details to come!
During this short series in the month of June, we’re looking at How to Read the Bible. Author Pete Enns uses three words to describe the way the Bible ‘works’: that it is ancient, ambiguous and diverse.
Throughout the series, we’ll be updating this page with suggested readings and other resources to help you as you dive into this topic personally, and discuss with your neighbours’ group.
We recognize that there are many valuable resources available on the topic of Anti-Racism, and this list is far from comprehensive! However, for those who are looking for a place to dig deeper into this topic, some of the resources we would recommend are listed below.
As an Elevation community, we are continuing to explore this topic at a more systemic level as well, and we look forward to inviting our community to engage in that process over the next months.
Racial Justice Course:
We are excited about an opportunity our community has to take part in a course this spring called Racial Justice and Equity Practices for Faith & Spirituality-based Institutions: An Introductory Course for Community Members. This course will introduce members of our Elevation community to racial justice teachings and principles. You can find out more and register here.
“This eye-opening book challenges you to do the essential work of unpacking your biases, and helps white people take action and dismantle the privilege within themselves so that you can stop (often unconsciously) inflicting damage on people of color, and in turn, help other white people do better, too.”
