What this good table can offer
We believe that listening is a profoundly spiritual, co-creative and generative act. Through-out 2023, a diverse group of leaders representing different traditions and organizations have gathered around tables, listening to the needs and hopes of pastors, ministry leaders and faith communities across Canada. As we hold a continued posture of ongoing communal discernment, we’re beginning to sense what the Spirit is inviting us into. As a result of this listening and discerning, we’re offering—humbly and with vulnerability—the following ways of feasting together at the Good Table.
Friendship & Connection
If you’re looking to foster friendship, community and conversation partners with like-minded leaders who are trying to follow in this way of Jesus, welcome! Through regional gatherings, co-hort and online engagement opportunities, we desire to help cultivate community and connection around tables of fellowship together. Our hope is to offer a non-anxious. permission-giving environment for connections, imagination and experimentation.
Care & Relational Support
If you’re weary and wounded—from recent denominational experiences or other church-related hurts—and we want to support your pathway to healing. We are cultivating community care and peer-to-peer support for Spirit-led transformation and solidarity. The community gathered around The Good Table wants to help support safe spaces for healing, restoration and wholeness for leaders and Jesus followers across Canada.
Resources for Leaders
With a continued posture of listening and discerning, we’re beginning to craft courageous, creative, and distinctly Canadian resources for existing churches and new worshipping communities and experiments. We’re also curating a list of resources already created. Leading with vulnerability, conviction, and a non-anxious presence in our post-Christian culture is no small task. There are no experts, only fellow travellers who want to encourage and support one another.
Prayer
We believe the Spirit is doing something beautiful in this land, at this time. We are committed to praying for everyone who senses likewise. It would be our honour to pray together in community and to support you. Prayer has been and will continue to be central to this movement.
Ordination
If you have lost your ordination due to being removed from your denomination for becoming affirming or inclusive (for example), we can help. At the present time, we are working with other ordaining bodies to help you get back your license to marry.
CRA Compliance
If you have lost your charitable status due to being removed from your denomination for becoming affirming or inclusive (for example), we can help. We have a small group of pastoral consultants who can offer guidance on your path forward.
For Churches & Faith Groups
If you represent a church or faith community, these offerings may be most relevant to you. We are continuing to adapt and evolve these offerings as we hear of needs and find resources to help serve. You can help us by getting involved or donating today.
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Currently, we rely on other churches and organizations to assist pastors obtaining ordination licenses. We are working towards our own Canada-wide ordination authority, so we can provide this service directly.
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We hope to develop some best practices to support churches in Canada operate at the highest standards of ethics and do more than “protect the brand”.
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Genuine professional guidance and support for those in ministry roles.
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How do we follow Jesus faithfully in the 21st century, in a pluralistic society that mistrusts the church (often for valid reasons)? We are developing a training hub of resources and materials to support your church’s journey.
For Individuals
You don’t have to be a pastor or spiritual leader to engage with us, we welcome any individuals who share our convictions and interests to co-create together. The following offerings may be most relevant to you. You can also help us by getting involved or donating today.
Coming soon.