Leading Together: a Conference for Lay Leaders & Their Ministry Personnel

Come and be encouraged, empowered and equipped for your lay leadership, in your community of faith!

 
 

Friday, September 19-Saturday, September 20

the united commons: a centre for community, faith and the arts, victoria BC

In-Person Only

Join Pacific Mountain Regional Ministers and the Lay Leadership Support Team for worship, community and workshops on recruitment, emerging models of congregational governance, best practices, Manual roles and responsibilities and more. Come gain some knowledge and skills, build relationships with other lay leaders, and reconnect to why you care about and give your time, energy and commitment to your community of faith!

Click to Register

Retreat Overview

Friday, September 19:

7:00 - 9:00pm: Worship, Keynote Speaker: Ryan Baxter, United Church Foundation Board of Directors

Saturday, September 20:

9:00 - 10:00am: Worship & Reflection

10:00am - 12:15pm: Morning Workshops A, B, C or D (choose 1):

  • A key aspect of strategic ministry planning is knowing your context and your neighbourhood. In this workshop we will look at what data is available to your community of faith from the Canadian Census and Environics PRIZM Analysis. We’ll talk about how to access it, how to use it in your planning as well as other tools you can use to learn about your neighbourhood. with Kathy Davies

  • Did you know that there are three mandatory positions on a church board?  Ever wonder what these roles do (or are responsible for)? Great! Let's discuss what these positions can look like from the traditional to the innovative. with Shauna Getz

  • Start to unlock the power of a purpose-driven board to lead with vision and impact! In this workshop, church leaders will explore how to align ministry goals with strategic planning, ensuring that every decision supports your congregation’s purpose and call. Through practical exercises and real-world examples, you will learn how to integrate ministry planning into board operations, creating a roadmap for success that balances faith and effective governance. Whether you're seeking to refine your current practices or implement new strategies, this session will equip you with the tools to guide your church's future with purpose and intention.

    with Victoria Andrews

  • "May our words be friends." - Julia Cameron

    I bet you wished that church was the one place you could go where everyone all got along, no matter what. The reality though is that "whenever two or more are gathered" and spend enough time together, the diversity of our differences can lead us into times of disagreement. Fortunately, we can create church cultures that recognize and facilitate conflict as opportunities for learning, growth, and even healing. In this workshop we'll look at conflict through both spiritual and pragmatic lenses, identify common dynamics that cause it to emerge, and learn practical techniques that we can use to respond to it more effectively.

12:30 - 2:00pm: Lunch (provided) and Break

2:00 - 4:15pm: Afternoon Workshops E, F, G or H (choose 1):

  • How do you move from Discussion to Decision? Learn about various decision-making models and how they might serve your governing body and community of faith. We’ll discuss the UCC Manual outline for decision making, Bourinot’s Rules (Canadian Parliamentary Rules), as well as alterative models such as Consensus decision-making and hybrid models. with Kathy Davies

  • Have you ever wondered: How do you recruit new board members when people lead busy lives and have limited time? What happens when a board member resigns? How do you succession plan to maintain board membership?  These are some of the questions we will discuss in this session, to prepare you to leave with tools to support board recruitment., with Shauna Getz

  • Church governance is not one-size-fits-all. This session will open the discovery of various types of boards and alternative structures that can help your congregation thrive. Learn about the key responsibilities of governing bodies, including legal obligations, accountability to the wider church, and regional oversight. This workshop will also delve into the legal responsibilities that come with leadership, providing clear guidance on how to ensure your church operates within its legal and ethical frameworks. Ideal for church leaders looking to deepen their understanding of governance structures, this session will help you shape a board that works best for your community’s unique needs. with Victoria Andrews

  • Does doing "the work of the church" feel more like being at work, than being at church? It doesn't have to! In this workshop, we'll discover ways to work more worshipfully so that our church meetings (yes, even Board or Council) can become places where we encounter, and are guided by, the presence of the Spirit. When we deepen our experience of community, we increase our capacity for collective discernment, make better decisions, and achieve greater effectiveness and satisfaction in our work together.

4:15 - 5:00pm: Closing

This Retreat Is About:

  • Being together in person, for lay leaders who are missing presbytery and that experience of community

  • Creating and rebuilding relationships with other lay leaders in your community of faith and nearby areas

  • Great worship and singing

  • Being reminded of why we offer our gifts to the church as a form of discipleship, of why we love our communities of faith and want to see them flourish

Workshop Leadership

Kathy Davies

Regional Minister, Pastoral Relations & Community of Faith Support (Pacific Mountain Regional Council, Okanagan & Kootenays)

Kathy is a settler living on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded tm̓xʷúlaʔxʷ (land) of the Syilx / Okanagan people in the village of Naramata (Southern Okanagan). As one of your Regional Ministers, she is dedicated to supporting vibrant communities of faith and health pastoral relationships across the Southern Interior of British Columbia, which encompasses the diverse regions of Okanagan, Kamloops, Shuswap, Columbia, and Kootenays. She has a particular interest in guiding group process and supporting communities of faith as they plan for the future - fostering ministry innovation, rejuvenation, and organizational restructuring, empowering communities of faith and ministers to thrive.

  • Leading workshops A. Who Are the people in Your Neighbourhood, and E. Decision Making Practices

Shauna Getz

Regional Minister, Pastoral Relations & Community of Faith Support (Pacific Mountain Regional Council, Lower Mainland West)

Shauna is a newcomer to British Columbia. Still relatively new to the Regional Minister role, she is discovering a passion for supporting the relationships of Communities of Faith and ministers. Finding new and innovative ways for the church to function in today’s world.  Shauna supports the Communities of Faith of the Lower Mainland - West and continues to meet and build relationship in this area.

  • Leading workshops B. Board Roles and Responsibilities, and F. Recruitment and Orientation

 

Rev. Victoria Andrews

Regional Minister, Pastoral Relations & Community of Faith Support (Pacific Mountain Regional Council, Northern BC)

Rev. Victoria M. Andrews has dedicated nearly two decades to church ministry and governance. A graduate of Queen’s Theological School, she has served in five conferences across the church, including ten years with PMRC. Her work supporting and resourcing non-profit boards reflects her passion for creating church systems that align with ministry goals to foster healthy, resilient communities. Victoria brings a uniquely enthusiastic and knowledgeable approach to governance. A proud Newfoundlander and governance enthusiast, she draws on her Modern Board and BoardSource Governance Consultant certifications, as well as governance and policy training at Carleton and Mount Royal universities, to support the work of many congregations, PMRC, and the UCC. She enjoys collaborating with church leaders to strategically integrate ministry and governance, building purpose-driven congregations equipped to thrive over the long-term.

  • Leading workshops C. Purpose Driven Boards, and G. Types of Boards and Alternative Structures

Marc coulombe

Regional Minister, Pastoral Relations & Community of Faith Support (Pacific Mountain Regional Council, Lower Mainland East)

Marc loves to provide coaching, training, and facilitation to individuals, groups, and organizations that are yearning to thrive through change.    He holds an Undergraduate degree in Physics and Philosophy from the University of Guelph, a diploma in Adult Education from the Vancouver School Board, a Certificate in Advanced Facilitation and Conflict Resolution from the Justice Institute of BC, is a Certified Life Coach, and a trained facilitator in the Art of Hosting.    

  • Leading workshops D. What Did You Say?, and H. The Word at Work

Investment & Hospitality

Online Registration

  • This is a free offering. Advance registration is required

Registration Closes Thursday, September 11, 2025.

Meals

  • Saturday Lunch and refreshments are included.

Accommodation

  • Accommodation is not included.

Click to Register

In Partnership

with Pacific Mountain Regional Council’s Regional Ministers for Pastoral Relations & Community of Faith Support, and the Lay Leadership Support Team.