Creative Ways: Embodying the Church in the Community
What if the Church’s future was found not in reclaiming the past, but in re-rooting ourselves more deeply in the communities we’ve been called to serve?
Across the country, congregations are asking courageous questions about what it means to be the Church where people are - that’s what we’re discussing this week. They are moving from hoping people will come to them, to going out to meet people with curiosity, compassion, and creativity. This is not about trend-chasing or novelty—it’s about faithfulness. It’s about aligning with the Spirit’s movement in neighbourhoods, in housing projects, in addiction recovery centres, and in prayer-walked streets.
This is the heart behind Creative Ways: Being Church Today.
On Sunday, June 1, ministry leaders, lay people, and visionaries will gather in Hamilton, Ontario—and online—for a one-day event (just before General Assembly) to explore how the Church can be reimagined as a living, breathing centre of community presence and justice.
From a congregation that gave up asking “How do we grow our numbers?” and started asking, “who is suffering in our neighbourhood?” to an Indigenous leader who has spent decades walking alongside churches on a path of justice and reconciliation, the stories at Creative Ways are not abstract models or theories of ministry - they are lived testimonies of transformation.
You’ll hear from:
Adrian Jacobs, who invites churches into a covenant of land justice grounded in Indigenous wisdom and spiritual integrity.
Teresa Howe and Jess Brand from Indwell, sharing how housing becomes holy when churches open their buildings and hearts to those without shelter.
Rev. Dr. J. Mark Lewis, who guided a dwindling congregation toward becoming a hub for refugee children, harm reduction work, and community renewal.
Randell Neudorf, who will take us into the city’s streets through stories and sketches of prayer walking, offering a visual theology of presence.
These are not just good ideas. They are faithful responses to Christ’s call to love neighbour, pursue justice, and welcome the stranger.
Creative Ways is an invitation to pause, listen, and imagine alongside others who are on similar journeys. It’s a space where you don’t need to have all the answers—but you’ll leave with stories, tools, and encouragement for the road ahead.
So… it’s probably time you signed up!
Important Details:
Date: June 1, 2025
Location: St. Cuthbert’s Presbyterian Church, Hamilton + Online Option
Tickets: In Person $60/person with lunch | In Person $50/person without lunch | Online Tickets: $25/person
Your church doesn’t need to become a community centre to be faithful. But maybe the Spirit is whispering that your call is bigger than just Sunday mornings. Maybe it’s time to open the doors wider, share the building more freely, and be present more deeply.
Join us at Creative Ways and discover what it might look like to follow Jesus into the heart of your neighbourhood—not to fix it, but to love it well.