Fairlawn's Next Chapter

Our Starting Point:
Key Assumptions

The United Church of Canada requires us to review our 2022 Community of Faith Profile before beginning a search for a new minister.

We appreciate that Fairlawn went through a comprehensive consultation initiative in 2022’s Fairlawn Forward process, culminating in a Community of Faith Profile that reflected who we were at that time. We also know that while many of the things that we do and have passion to continue doing remain unchanged, we have also learned, changed and grown in the last four years.

Rather than reconsidering all our options as we did in 2022, Governing Council proposes that we use the following key assumptions as our starting point:

1. Fairlawn wants to continue as a stand-alone community of faith for at least the next five years and for the foreseeable future.
2. Fairlawn will call/invite a minister to enable what we see as our mission and vision, and to explore with us what might grow out of that vision.
3. The Community of Faith Profile documents approved by the congregation in 2022 are still largely valid. We will be refreshing these existing documents and clarifying our Vision in preparation for a new ministerial search process. These updates will reflect the changes, learning and growth that we have experienced since 2022.
4. Our Enhanced Affirm and Seniors’ Ministries, which enhance both our Experience Belonging and Embrace Action ministries by focusing on community needs and outreach, are a key part of our Vision going forward and offer seeds for new growth and relevancy.
5. Fairlawn is in alignment with both the overarching vision & goals of the United Church of Canada’s Toward 2035 strategy, and its key parameters for successful Communities of Faith as inspired, resilient and diverse communities of disciples embodying Christ’s presence in the world.