2021 RC15 Self Assessment Form for Communities of Faith

Self Assessment

A new requirement for Communities of Faith is the Annual Self-Assessment. This replaces the Triennial Visit under the Presbytery System, and provides a chance every year for local Communities of Faith to tell the Region how you are doing. This year, the Self-Assessment comes in a form that was generated by the Divisions and Committees of Region 15, who were asked, “What one question would you like to ask the Communities of Faith, to help you with your work?” The information you give us will be collated and given to the Divisions and Committees, with specific questions or concerns passed on to the relevant Committee. This will help us figure out what we need to do to help you. Thank you for the time you are taking to respond.

Name of Community of Faith*

Name of Person Completing this Assessment*

First Last

Email*

Questions about Your Community

#1 Do this exercise with your CoFs Council or governing body. Ask the members to brainstorm one word that describes your faith community. That list can be as long as you like. List up to five from that discussion that best describes the state of your community in the past year.

(Click on the "+" at the end of the row to add another row.)

#2 - In what ways is your community adapting today to the Covid pandemic? (check all that apply in your congregation today)

Tick all that apply:

Other

#3 - To sustain your core volunteer leadership on councils and committees, which of these regional resources would be helpful?

Tick all that apply:

Prepared worship services
Consultation with Regional staff about your particular challenges
Education seminars about the new church structure
Consultation with Regional staff about social justice ministry
Networking with other Communities of Faith who share our context
Education and support around volunteer burnout
Retreat opportunities
Other(s)

Other

#4a - Is your Community of Faith:

Growing?
Stable?
Declining?

#4b - What obstacles to growth are in your way?

Tick all that apply:

Declining revenues
Not enough volunteers
Neighbourhood / community no longer supports Community of Faith
Conflict within the Community of Faith makes it hard to get things done
Lack of vision / mission
Other(s)

Other

#4c - What hope do you see on the horizon?

Tick any that apply:

New leadership emerging
New participants coming into the Community of Faith
Covid brought us together to work in new ways
Our sense of mission is increasing
Online worship and work connected us with a wider congregation
Other(s)

Other

#5 - What justice-seeking or outreach activities has your Community of Faith engaged in this past year?

Tick any that apply:

Anti-poverty work (included the guaranteed livable income campaign)
Anti-racism work
Creation care / ecological justice
Indigenous concerns and reconciliation
Just peace for Palestine and Israel
Other(s)

Other

Questions about Financial Matters

#6 - How much is your property insured for?

Replacement value
Clean up only
No insurance

#7 - What percentage of your operating revenues in 2020 came from congregational givings?

#8 - Do you have a financial plan that will address your financial situation over the next five years?ed

Yes
No

If not, why not?

Questions about Your Connection with the Wider United Church

#9a) What year did you most recently update your Living Faith Story or JNAC report?

#9b) How is your Community of Faith living into its Faith Story this year?

#10a - Besides the record books currently in use in your Community of Faith, do you hold records that could be archived in the Sackville, NB archives?

Yes
No

#10b - What would make it easier to transfer records to the Archives?

#11 - Have you elected your Community of Faith’s members of the Region?

Yes, we have a full slate of one member per 100 CoF members, up to the limit of four
Yes, we have elected members, but we don’t have a full slate
No, we have no Regional members elected from our Community of Faith

Have you given their names and contact information to the Regional Office?

Yes
No

Last Thoughts

Is there anything else you want to tell us about your Community of Faith that these questions don’t address?

Phone

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

2021 RC15 Self Assessment Form for Communities of Faith