Have You Considered the Church in Your Will?
To ensure that yours is a lasting gift, please include a bequest to the First†Metropolitan United Church Foundation.
What Is It?
The First†Metropolitan United Church Foundation
- holds trust funds
- invests these funds
- makes grants
- assists the work of the church
The Foundation includes: The Memorial Endowment Fund and The Memorial Stabilization Reserve. Both The Memorial Endowment Fund and The Memorial Stabilization Reserve are "endowments" – only the interest is disbursed. Contributions thus become perpetual gifts, or legacies. They enable the church to extend its work beyond the provisions of its general budget. Grants are made for funding initiatives on requests approved by the Directors.
Applying for Grants
Application forms are available from the Foundation. Generally, the earnings of the Memorial Endowment Fund are for initiatives such as:
The earnings of the Memorial Stabilization Reserve are available to offset church deficits.
Contributions
The Foundation receives bequests, memorials, and special gifts and incorporates these resources into a trust.
Contributions may be directed to:
The First†Metropolitan United Church FOUNDATION
932 Balmoral Road
Victoria, BC
V8T 1A8
Additional contact information:
The Strategic Planning Committee, with the support of the Executive Council, developed this plan containing our vision, mission, values and strategic direction of First†Metropolitan. It provides a ten-year roadmap to enhance our journey for spiritual growth and active discipleship. The Council and staff will review progress quarterly and will review and update the plan annually as needed to ensure that we stay on course to 2020 Vision.
Following are Links to the Strategic Plan, as well as the various committees.
Committees Objectives:
A process church uses a bottom-up organizational structure. It is much more intentional about encouraging every member and adherent in the congregation to share their spiritual gifts to enrich the worship and service life of all.
The Ministry Teams seek to draw on people’s spirituality and wisdom to help formulate church policies. To that end, anyone who wishes is invited to make their comments and suggestions known to the Council Executive that meets regularly each month or directly to one of the Ministry teams. One person may have an exciting idea for Sunday evening services, or another wants to encourage more interesting liturgy and a third has a vision of outreach in the neighbourhood. Ideas and concerns may also be brought to the church council which meets six times a year.
Team leaders and ministerial staff can help put flesh and blood on these bare-bones visions and bring together other interested and enthusiastic members of the congregation to make these ideas a reality. Teams are encouraged to be as creative and proactive as possible within the scope defined by the congregation’s mission, values and vision. In this way, we hope there will be a continual “bubbling up” of fresh, new ideas to enliven all aspects of our church life.
Working in the Spirit
We have a partnership among ordered ministers, staff associates, administration staff and volunteer leaders to carry out our mission as a
centre of spiritual growth and active discipleship. The governance of the church, carried out in accordance with
the bylaws of the United Church of Canada has five essential functions:
- Policy development and accountability
- Leadership development
- Spiritual oversight
- Church management
- Property, trusts and investments
These functions are carried out by the teams and committees of the church.
» See also: First†Met Governance Chart (as of March 2008) (PDF/1 pg/34 KB) and First Met Strategic Plan 2011.
The congregation makes decisions on matters of policy. The Council is responsible to the congregation for the administrative functions of the church. The full council meets six times a year. Council executive meets monthly to assist in the day-to-day management of the church. The Executive consists of the chair and vice chair of council, two ministry team chairs, the lead minister, chair of the board of trustees, and the chairs of the finance and administration, property and ministry and personnel committees.
The council leadership for 2012 is:
| Council Executive |
Name |
Telephone |
| Council Chair |
Andrea Swan |
(250) 361-9773 |
| Vice Chair |
|
|
| Recording Secretary |
Ellie Jansen |
(250) 598-3296 |
| Finance & Administration |
Ross Breckon |
(250) 472-3381 |
| Ministry & Personnel – Chair |
David Bray |
(250) 412-7682 |
| Property – Chair |
Larry McGill |
(250) 519-0651 |
| Stewardship – Chair |
Herb Pitts |
(250) 595-9979 |
| Trustees – Chair |
Ken Johnston |
(250) 590-7064 |
| Standing Committees |
| Finance & Administration |
Ross Breckon |
(250) 472-3381 |
| Information Technology |
Jane Louie |
(250) 661-5278 |
| Ministry & Personnel – Chair |
David Bray |
(250) 412-7682 |
| Presbytery Representative |
Rennie Warburton |
(250) 592-9161 |
| Property – Chair |
Larry McGill |
(250) 590-0651 |
| Stewardship – Chair |
Herb Pitts |
(250) 595-9979 |
| Trustees – Chair |
Ken Johnston |
(250) 590-7064 |
| Ministry Committees |
| Archives & Heritage – Leader |
David Chamberlin |
(250) 382-0634 |
| Children, Youth & Family (Advisory) – Chair |
Lynn Brochu |
|
| Communications – Leader |
Joan Mason |
(250) 595-0507 |
| CSD / Worship – Leader |
Marion Denton |
(250) 478-1800 |
| Epiphany Explorations – Leader |
Arlene Galloway Ford |
(250) 384-5403 |
| Health & Wellness / Pastoral Care – Leader |
Tom Attig |
(250) 430-9647 |
| Hospitality – Leader |
Moira Nasim |
(250) 388-0400 |
| IT/Systems – Leader |
Jane Louie |
(250) 661-5278 |
| Library – Chair |
Denise Holmen |
(250) 370-5085 |
| Music – Chair |
Mona McGill |
(250) 519-0651 |
| Newcomers – Chair |
|
|
| Outreach – Chair |
Janet Gray |
(250) 478-5066 |
| U.C.W. – Co-president |
Joan Dowse |
(250) 652-9766 |
| U.C.W. – Co-president |
Marie McKee |
(250) 592-7238 |
| Mission and Service – Chair |
Blain Thierry |
(250) 595-1932 |
