Scarborough

On Monday evening, I met with the pastors of the Scarborough congregation, or as I like to call it, Toronto East. We discussed their current organizational structure, and the efforts they are making to communicate clearly, effectively, and in a modern way. The pastors discussed their six focus areas for ministry. They showed me their audio-video capacity and explained how they are using it to bring ministry. They shared about starting the year off with a baptismal service in which a mother and daughter made a covenant with Christ, and then were confirmed in a separate service. In many ways, they are off to a good start for the year.

The thing that impressed me, however, was not the plans, the graphics, or the org-chart. It was not their proficiency at creating activities or learning opportunities for their members. The thing that impressed me was the energy and enthusiasm with which they spoke about their congregation. It was clear that they are enjoying their church community and their leadership roles within it. It was obvious that their congregation actually is a community of joy for them. Said another way, their congregation is fun! Wouldn't it be great if that were always the case?

There was a second element that I found encouraging in our conversation. As I invariably asked about how the programs could bless the surrounding community, I found that there was a very “can-do” attitude present. No idea was met with a frown that said, “Oh, we couldn’t (or wouldn’t) do that,” in fact quite the opposite was the case. Every suggestion was met with a smile, an enthusiastic nod, and a comment like, “That’s a really interesting idea!” To me, leaders who are open to new ideas are always a cause for celebration.

So here’s to the leadership team in Scarborough. They lift each other up, celebrate the giftedness of their people, encourage each other, and are open to new suggestions. What more could a congregation ask?

Posted by Carman