Celebrating Sara Traficante: A Year of Listening, Leading, and Lifting Voices
Sara has been a deeply thoughtful and grounding presence in our community. She brings a combination of professionalism, warmth, and spiritual depth to everything she’s been a part of here at Ministry Forum. Sara really cares about people and working alongside her has been a constant reminder that faithful ministry is always relational at its core
Creative Ways: Insights from our Interns
As the academic year concludes, we’ve asked Sara and Rachel, our Ministry Forum interns to share their reflections and take aways from Creative Ways 2025.
Celebrating Rachel Kennedy-Proctor: Hope and Bold Leadership for the Future Church
Whether preaching, podcasting, or mentoring youth, Rachel models the kind of leadership that listens deeply and speaks prophetically—never shying away from the tough questions but always pointing us toward hope. We’ve been encouraged by her wisdom, challenged by her insights, and inspired by her heart for the Church’s future.
General Assembly 2025: Reflections and Take Aways
We celebrated the PCC’s 150th General Assembly with gratitude and hope. Key highlights included the “Narratives of Hope and Possibility,” new calls to prayer and action, and a renewed commitment to communication and change.
Recap: Creative Ways 2025
On Sunday, June 1st we hosted Creative Ways 2025 as a space for ministry leaders to explore how the Church can respond faithfully and creatively to today’s complex needs. This year’s gathering focused on justice, housing, reconciliation, and prayer—rooted in real stories and courageous leadership.
Interview with The Rev. Dr. Paul Scott
In November 2024, The Rev. John Borthwick, Director of the Centre for Lifelong Learning and Curator of Ministry Forum took the opportunity while on retreat at Sumac Centre with some clergy colleagues to interview The Rev. Dr. Paul Scott, Sumac’s resident director. Paul recently celebrated his 60th anniversary of graduation from Knox College at the College’s 40+ Alumni Luncheon held last month. Unfortunately, the audio recording of this interview was corrupted (“Not surprisingly”, we imagine Paul would say!) and we weren’t able to turn it into an episode of The Ministry Forum Podcast. So instead, we’ve salvaged some of the nuggets of the conversation and we’re sharing them here with you!
What I learned at the Ministry Mental Health Summit
Heather Robinson, a recent MTS graduate, shares her reflections from attending the Ministry Mental Health Summit, sponsored in part by Ministry Forum. Drawing on Dr. Hillary McBride’s keynote on embodiment and sustainable care in ministry, Heather unpacks how spiritual trauma—what McBride calls "Holy Hurt"—can be addressed through a holistic understanding of the body and healing. Her insights are a heartfelt reminder that ministry leaders are not alone in their journey toward mental and spiritual restoration.
The Sanctuary Course: Bring Mental Health Ministry to Your Congregation
With endorsements from Ministry Forum members and a flexible, accessible design, The Sanctuary Course offers churches a meaningful way to support mental wellness through small groups, staff discussions, or formation programs.
Resources for LGBTQI+ Inclusion
As we continue through Pride Month, we reaffirm our commitment to fostering inclusive, welcoming spaces within our faith communities. The Ministry Forum Resource Hub offers a curated selection of resources designed to support churches in their journey toward greater LGBTQI2S+ inclusion. These resources aim to equip ministry leaders with the tools and insights necessary to create environments where all individuals feel seen, valued, and loved.
Resource Hub 2025
The Resource Hub has one simple goal: to equip ministry leaders with tools that are practical, diverse, and accessible. Whether your focus is pastoral care, youth work, administration, or preaching we want the Resource Hub to meet you where you are.
Why We Love Ministry Forum
As we mark this season of growth and look ahead with gratitude and anticipation, we wanted to pause and reflect on what this work has meant to us. The reflections that follow come from members of the Ministry Forum team - each offering a glimpse into why this work continues to matter and what they have seen take root through it.
A Year of Transformational Growth
Our comprehensive Year in Review has been presented to the Knox College Faculty, staff, and Board of Governors, showcasing how our little start-up has quickly taken shape into a thriving institutional cornerstone. This growth positions us to fully realize our mission: empowering ministry leaders to flourish in their callings knowing that they are not alone as they do so.
Losing Our Religion? Digging into Canada’s Spiritual Landscape
Exploring insights from Statistics Canada’s podcast episode “Losing Our Religion? It’s Not That Simple.” Despite rising religious disaffiliation, Canadians are still engaging with spirituality in diverse and personal ways. We reflect on how ministry leaders can respond to these shifting patterns—not with fear, but with imagination, compassion, and renewed hope in the gospel. The Church may be changing, but God is still at work.
What the Data Is Telling Us About Ministry in 2025
We’re reflecting on the growing sense of fatigue, isolation, and spiritual disconnection among pastoral leaders—confirmed by research from Barna, Pew, ATS, and others. We explore how shifting congregational motivation, declining spiritual practices, and gaps in theological education are shaping today’s ministry landscape. But we also offer a word of hope rooted in the gospel: God is still at work. With prayer, honest connection, and renewed practices, there is a path toward resilience. You are not alone.
Thank You Stuart! A tribute to a career of service and insights.
We, at Ministry Forum, are paying tribute to the upcoming retirement of The Rev. Dr. Stuart Macdonald, Professor of Church and Society, with a few tidbits we expect would be right up his alley—no, not about witches—DATA about faith and religion in North America.
If You Weren’t in Ministry Tomorrow… What Would Be Left of Your Faith?
“If I wasn’t in ministry tomorrow, what would be left of my faith?”
Carey Nieuwhof (church leader, author and coach) has asked this questions many times through his platform. It names a truth that too many of us are afraid to admit: ministry can become a substitute for relationship. When that happens, our souls grow dry. Our calling becomes a job. Our prayers lose their power. Jesus never called you to produce for Him. He called you to abide in Him.
Spotlight: Greater Ontario House of Prayer
this week, we want to highlight a place—and a movement—that reminds us all of the power and necessity of prayer: the Greater Ontario House of Prayer (GOHOP).
Resources for Prayer
This week, we want to speak not just to your ministry role, but to you. Because prayer isn’t just something we do for our congregations. It’s the very place where God meets us, renews us, and roots us in the work of the gospel.
For the Work of Chaplaincy: Resources to Support You
As conversations about the role of chaplains grow—particularly in light of recent reflections on the evolving landscape of spiritual care—we want to offer something practical: a growing list of resources to sustain and inspire you.
Ministry and Mental Health: Preaching, Presence, and People
Mental health is certainly not a new topic of interest here at Ministry Forum.
We often advocate for the mental well-being of ministry leaders—encouraging rhythms of rest, retreat, and inter-mission. We've shared resources on burnout, hosted conversations about clergy wellness, and supported events that remind us: you can't pour from an empty cup.
But there’s a deeper layer to this conversation that we want to explore more intentionally:
How does mental health shape your preaching?
Your pastoral care?
Your leadership?
Are you engaging these realities from the pulpit and in your ministry practices?