Master of Psychospiritual Studies at Knox College
The Master of Psychospiritual Studies at Knox is a growing program with more and more students (of all ages) entering each year. We’ve had the pleasure of partnering with those who lead this program at Knox and in we though the week was the perfect time to highlight this program to you. Thinking about going back to school? Feeling called to Ministry? Know someone who is? Check out the MPS program at Knox.
Empowering Research in Spirituality: Reflections from Sara Traficante
Sara Traficante, our returning intern with Ministry Forum and a final-year Master of Psychospiritual Studies student at Knox College, recently attended the one-day "Empowering Research in Spirituality" conference, co-hosted by Ministry Forum and the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care (CASC/ACSS) on October 3rd.
Young People Are *Returning to Church.
As younger adults—especially Gen Z and Millennials—begin returning to church, it's tempting to celebrate this as a sign of spiritual renewal. But as Dr. James Tyler Robertson points out in a recent Ministry Forum Podcast episode, we should be cautious before drawing conclusions. New research from Barna reveals a complex picture: the increase is driven primarily by young men, while young women, particularly single mothers, are disengaging. This shift calls for deeper reflection. Rather than rushing to capitalize on attendance trends, ministry leaders are invited to listen well, consider who’s not in the room, and faithfully discern what the Spirit might be doing in this moment. This is not just a resurgence—it’s a realignment. And it demands our careful, curious attention.
First Nations Version: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament
Released in 2021 and led by Terry M. Wildman (Ojibwe and Yaqui), the First Nations Version: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament is exactly what its name suggests—Scripture translated by Native North Americans, shaped by Indigenous storytelling traditions, and offered in English for both Native and non-Native readers.
The FNV is an invitation to listen differently.
Spiritual Practices That Carry Me Through
Everyday for the last decade or more, I get up before everyone else in my home. Over the years, the practices themselves have evolved. It started initially with a meditation practice that transformed my quite unhinged life at the time (if I’m honest).
It started with a minute or two and grew and grew and grew to an average of 20 minutes a day.
Ministry Forum is Thankful for YOU!
Ministry Forum was born into this digital space in 2023 with the hope that it could be a place of encouragement, dialogue, and practical support for leaders across the Canadian church. We didn’t know how it would unfold, but we knew we wanted ministry leaders to feel connected, supported and that they were not alone in their calling.
Now, two years later, as we come out of Thanksgiving weekend, we’re full of gratitude—for you.
Social Media as a Window for Ministry
Social media can feel like an endless scroll of noise, distraction, comparison and negativity.
Yet, for those of us in ministry, it also offers a window into the lives of the people we serve. A peek into the questions they’re asking, the struggles they’re carrying, the stories they’re sharing.
Social channels can also be into your church. Your feed can be a place where your mission, values, and hospitality are experienced before someone ever walks through your doors.
STUCK: Revisiting the Conversation with Dr. Todd Ferguson
Earlier this year, Ministry Forum hosted a timely and impactful gathering: Are You Stuck? — an immersive and small group event at Crieff Hills Retreat Centre with Dr. Todd Ferguson, sociologist, pastor, and co-author of Stuck: Why Clergy Are Alienated from Their Calling, Congregation, and Career. For many who attended, it was a clarifying, even healing experience. One that named the unspoken tensions ministry leaders have carried in silence for far too long.
Today we’re sharing with you a part of that experience through our Podcast feed.
Are We Even Making A Difference?
Ever since I left congregational ministry to take on my role at the Centre for Lifelong Learning - and honestly, even as I discerned whether I would say YES to the invitation to serve in this new way, there has been something inside that has questioned my place in the world.
As I reflect on it, that niggling has always been around. Challenging me on my purpose, my effectiveness - ultimately on whether how I was spending my time mattered amidst the tossing and turning of this world around us. I don’t know if this has been true for you too.
I mean, am I doing life well enough if I spend my weeks writing content and sending it into the ether like this one?
Truth & Reconciliation 2025
May we continue to educate ourselves, reflect, and be spurred to action as we pursue justice and healing for Indigenous peoples in Canada.
Resources for Learning, Truth & Reconciliation
Today we pause to reflect, lament, and recommit ourselves to the work of healing and justice. At Ministry Forum, we’re marking this week by weaving threads of reconciliation through everything we do—our podcast, blog, social media, and resource hub. Today, we offer you a curated roundup of past posts and a few fresh resources to support your own learning and leadership in the work of reconciliation.
New Course: The History of Indigenous-Settler Relations in Canada
Taking this course won’t fix the past.
But it will help you understand it better.
And that’s an important part of the work we are all called to do.
Who Cares for the Caregivers?
The loneliness epidemic isn't going away, and AI companions aren't the solution. But we have something irreplaceable to offer: the ministry of genuine human presence in the name of Jesus.
In an age of artificial everything, authentic ministry matters more than ever. Yours, Ministry Leader, is the work of connection.
Season Four Is Here — And We’re Starting with a Story About Darkness
Season Four of the Ministry Forum Podcast is officially underway, and we’re excited to share it with you! We’re beginning this season with someone many of you will know already—Laura Alary—a writer, educator, and someone who has a real gift for noticing the sacred in ordinary things.
The Preaching Collective Weekly is back - Sept. 18th
If you’ve ever found yourself staring at a blank page, wondering how to begin, or wished you had someone to talk through a tricky passage with, you’re not alone. The Preaching Collective Weekly is here for exactly that reason.
Meet the Ministry Forum Interns ‘25-‘26
We are delighted to announce our Ministry Forum Interns for 2025-26. Our deep gratitude to those generous donors to the College over its history who have provided monies for Student Support which funds many things including our Intern program. You will see a returning face for some continuity - Welcome back, Sara Traficante who is almost finished her MPS! And a new face, Rosanne Purnwasie who is in her final year in the M.Div. programme.
My Summer Bookclub Bingo Reads 2026
The College community also held its Summer Bookclub Bingo again this year—organized with care and creativity by our Caven Library staff. We’re so grateful for their leadership in creating a fun, reflective, and community-building reading challenge each summer!
Let’s Talk: How Do YOU feel about Technology & Ministry?
We’re starting this dialogue now and continuing it throughout the year. What we gather will shape how we think, what resources we highlight, and how we support each other. So whether you’re experimenting with AI or resisting it altogether, we want to hear from you. Because ministry is not about keeping up with what’s new—it’s about staying connected to what’s real: the people you serve, the calling you’ve received, and the Gospel you proclaim!
Is AI Taking Over?
It seems that AI is everywhere these days. Lots of it without me even asking for it. And the Church is talking about it too.