Celebrating 1 Year of MinistryForum.ca
One year ago, MinistryForum.ca launched with a mission to connect, resource, and support ministry leaders across Canada. It has been a year filled with growth, encouragement, and connection as we’ve built up this online community - spaning all aspects of ministry work. As we reflect on this milestone, we’re filled with gratitude for the way Ministry Forum has become a space where ministry leaders can find trusted resources, share insights, and celebrate our diverse faith journeys together! THANK YOU Ministry Forum Community!
Here’s a look at what we’ve accomplished in our first year!
150 Web Posts
Since launching, we’ve published 150 blog-style posts on topics that matter deeply to ministry leaders—ranging from pastoral care and preaching to practical ministry tips, trends, and leadership. Every post is created with you in mind, we hope these posts have provided you with inspiration and practical insights for your work. It’s been inspiring to hear from readers who have found guidance, encouragement, and fresh ideas in these articles.
43 Notes of Encouragement from YOU
We’ve received 43 notes of encouragement from the Ministry Forum community sharing how being a part of this community has shaped or impacted their ministry. Whether it’s a simple “thank you” or a story about how a resource, article, or event made a difference, these messages fuel our commitment to serving this community. We’ve kept every note and posted many on our “what people are saying page.”
178 Events Shared
This past year, we’ve promoted 178 events on our events calendar, a place where ministry leaders can find learning opportunities, networking events, and spiritual gatherings across Canada. From webinars and workshops to conferences and retreats, our events page connects leaders with experiences that help foster growth, learning, and community. Got an event other should know about? Send it in and we’ll add it to our calendar.
This course offers practical skills and theoretical insights tailored to the unique challenges of this environment. New students are welcome to join for Module Three without first completing Module One or Two. Sessions will cover topics including strategies for working with residents, engaging family members, collaborating with healthcare teams, and navigating sensitive end-of-life issues.
Richard Topping is coming to Crieff Hills just before Assembly and offering two events: a photography show and sale in Dove House and an education event
Our keynote speaker, Adrian Jacobs, Senior Leader for Indigenous Justice and Reconciliation, will share the story of the 18 year justice journey that is gaining traction in Ontario and Manitoba.
The day will also feature Teresa Howe and Jess Brand from InDwell, exploring faith-based responses to housing challenges, and The Dr. Rev. J. Mark Lewis, sharing how St. Paul’s in Hamilton is transforming lives through affordable housing and community care.
Not only will you hear amazing stories of churches repurposing buildings and seeking to respond tangibly to justice issues but also embracing transformative prayer practices through 24/7 prayer.
Join fellow preachers for an open, encouraging, and collaborative space to reflect on the lectionary texts for next week. These one-hour Zoom gatherings are designed to help you spark ideas, deepen your scriptural engagement, and support one another in the work of sermon preparation.
Spirituality and aging expert Carol Orsborn (PhD) speaks to a new generation coming into age with honesty, passion, and grace. Inspired by her reflections and the wisdom of elders from a spectrum of eras and traditions, she shows us how to grow courageously into a new season of life in a society that undervalues age.
Join us for "We Need To Listen" where participants will find:
- support and encouragement
- accountability and celebration
- ideas and strategies
…and most of all, a community of people passionate about sharing the Good News of Jesus with the world but sometimes feel alone doing it.
Ministry Forum is delighted to host an online space that will strive to be safe as modelled and facilitated by its hosts where ministry leaders will gather with almost no agenda and where everything is on the table and tangents are welcomed.
ONLINE
In this lecture, GK Experience will delve into their long-term relational youth work approach. They will share how they support brilliant young people who face unfair barriers due to poverty, inequality, and injustice in Glasgow. Unpacking their ethos, they will demonstrate how they actively challenge harmful assumptions. Assumptions that disregard, stigmatise, and label young people as no-hopers and troublemakers. Instead, GK envisions these same young people as Scotland’s next generation of leaders.
In these challenging times, finding peace and calm can be difficult—it takes intention, and it takes practice. Strong Roots is a contemplative prayer and practice certificate designed to help you deepen your spiritual life, cultivate focus and resiliency, and draw from both ancient and modern traditions of Christian contemplation.
Now in its seventh iteration, the biennial conference will address such challenging questions as, what conceptions of hope encourage and sustain collective action? How do we recognize the gravity of challenges before humanity while working toward a more positive collective future? What understandings of hope can we draw upon to meet the most pressing demands of our time? These topics will be addressed within the framework of our 2025 theme, Fostering Hope in a Divided World.
Jesus: The Most Interesting Word We Have for the World
What does it mean to bear witness to Jesus in a world hungry for something real?
In an age of skepticism and spiritual searching, how can we share the difference Jesus makes—not just in belief, but in the fabric of everyday life?
Join fellow preachers for an open, encouraging, and collaborative space to reflect on the lectionary texts for next week. These one-hour Zoom gatherings are designed to help you spark ideas, deepen your scriptural engagement, and support one another in the work of sermon preparation.
It is late in the day that the Christian churches have become concerned about the state of the earth. Reparation is one thing, but befriending it is vital, as the earth is a friend of God and a forum of worship older than the Bible. This retreat explores how we respect and sustain our habitat.
Join fellow preachers for an open, encouraging, and collaborative space to reflect on the lectionary texts for next week. These one-hour Zoom gatherings are designed to help you spark ideas, deepen your scriptural engagement, and support one another in the work of sermon preparation.
This course offers practical skills and theoretical insights tailored to the unique challenges of this environment. New students are welcome to join for Module Three without first completing Module One or Two. Sessions will cover topics including strategies for working with residents, engaging family members, collaborating with healthcare teams, and navigating sensitive end-of-life issues.
Our first in a series of webinars made possible by funds from the Lilly Grant Foundation.
Trauma-Informed Practice from TEND Academy
Supporting people with complex needs can be challenging. Providing responsive and compassionate service is only possible when we recognize the pervasive impact that trauma can have on a person’s life and the way they engage with the world. When we reframe our perspective from “what is wrong with you” to “what happened to you,” we help to create an atmosphere of safety, trust, and collaboration.
In this setting, we empower the people we serve, those we work alongside, and ourselves to fully engage with the services we provide.
Rev. Dr. Joni Sancken and celebrated textile artist Thomas Roach for an evening of exploration into how rips and tears—physical and metaphorical—can be opportunities for newness and beauty born of the Holy Spirit.
In a time of polarization and fear, conflict transformation is an essential tool for any leader’s toolbox. It offers a way to take differences, even deep splits, and turn them into constructive solutions that reduce trauma. As in preaching, conflict transformation gives us the chance to turn towards God while grappling with difficult topics.
Some call this is a ‘liminal season’ — a time when individuals and institutions are struggling with surprising forces inside and out, often experiencing disorientation, disengagement, and disenchantment. Leadership in ministry today requires dexterity in navigating the ‘known and the unknown’ of this time.
This 7-week synchronous class beginning on Thursday, October 9, 2025 will meet for 3 hours each week, plus additional time in a cohort group to share case studies. Cohort group and facilitators will coach through strategies for real, on-the-ground situations. Students will complete the class with a greater understanding of systems, processes of change and with a plan to engage in the next steps of ministry.
Mental health is a growing concern in many congregations, yet many ministry leaders feel under-equipped to offer meaningful support. The Church Mental Health Summit is a free, one-day online event designed to provide practical tools and faith-rooted resources for churches engaging with mental health care.
Theology Beer Camp is a unique three-day conference that brings together of theology nerds and craft beer for a blend of intellectual engagement, community building, and fun. Organized by Homebrewed Christianity, this event features a lineup of well-known podcasters, scholars, and theology enthusiasts who come together to "nerd out" on theological topics while enjoying loads of fun activities.
In times of uncertainty, we are invited to see with new eyes.
Look to the Christian contemplative tradition for wisdom to help meet this moment with clarity, courage, and compassion. Join us for ReVision: What Do We Do With Christianity?, a three-day gathering—in-person in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and online—hosted by the Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC).
An invitation to see with new eyes, ReVision is an opportunity to ask honest questions and engage Christianity as a living tradition still unfolding.
Growing Resource Hub
Our resource hub has grown to 81 resources, and we are excited to reach our goal of 200 resources by Spring 2025. Each resource—whether it’s a course, guide, tech tool or podcast — has been chosen to support the diverse needs of ministry leaders. This collection reflects our commitment to curating helpful and accessible resources across a range of topics relevant to ministry today. We’re grateful to everyone who has shared their recommendations and to all who use this library to strengthen their ministries.

Visitors from Coast to Coast and Beyond!
Since our launch in November 2023, we’ve welcomed 7,100 unique visitors who’ve generated over 12,000 page views. We love knowing that ministryforum.ca has been able to reach people across Canada (and beyond), and we hope to see this number grow exponetially in the coming years as we expand our offerings and grow the community.
Looking Ahead
As we celebrate this first year, we’re excited to see how MinistryForum.ca will continue to grow and serve you. We’re committed to expanding our resources, sharing stories that encourage, and building stronger connections within this beautiful community of ministry leaders. In the coming year, we’ll continue to focus on creating content that speaks to the heart of ministry, promoting meaningful events, and adding valuable resources to help you thrive in your calling.
Thank you for being part of MinistryForum.ca. Your engagement, feedback, and support have been such a blessing in shaping this community.
Cheers to another year of growth, connection, and encouragement as we journey together in ministry!