West Hill - The Idea

West Hill has been about adaptation and change over the whole course of its history. Some of that change has been in response to things happening in the wider world, like when Scarborough first began to pave its roads and build whole subdivisions and we decided to create a congregation. Some of it has been because we were ready to do something different, like the reconception of our building and the construction of two new wings. And some change happened because we were ready to do something better, like becoming an Affirming congregation. 

Change happens. But when it does, we want to be its drivers. Join us for our conversations about "West Hill - The Idea." Saturday, January 24th, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Sunday, February 1st, from just after the Visitors' and Travellers' lunch to 2:30 p.m. 

Many of you completed the survey which will form the basis for the conversations we will have on January 24th. Thank you for doing that. The more information we have, the better able we will be to decipher our way forward. 

The Process

The work we do together will be overseen by the Board and facilitated by Rollin Cormier whose professional life involved just this sort of analysis and planning in large corporations. We are delighted and honoured that he is sharing his wisdom with us.

The data from the survey will be compiled and several statements about the church will surface, each related to something at West Hill which currently seems to be creating a challenge or preventing its mission. These will be engaged at the meeting on January 24th and you will have an opportunity to speak to each of the issues. The responses to each issue will also be recorded and further analyzed.

Following the Visitors' and Travellers' lunch on Sunday, February 1st, we will remain for another hour or so as the results of the information gatherer are shared in the form of a work plan for the congregation. Each person who has been involved in the process will see the cumulative input of the group reflected in the plan as it evolves. 

We have been blunt about our current situation and have needed to be. Our volunteer leadership resources and our financial resources are at a very critical state. The strategic plan that guided our operations over the last few years was a growth plan built upon the significant increase in attendance we had witnessed over previous years. But the reversal of that trend over the same year in which we increased our staffing - all part of the strategic plan - has depleted our resources. Heading into 2015, our budget currently exhausts our financial reserves within a few months. And this time have no cushion to fall back upon. 

Plelase make it a priority to join us for these two workshops, Saturday, January 24th from 10 to 3 and Sunday, February 1, from after lunch to 2:30. Together, we will drive the change, working with the idea of what West Hill is and can be.