Fort Nelson: Hillcrest Pastoral Charge Profile - For For Hillcrest United Church Fort Nelson, British Columbia - April 2021
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Fort Nelson: Hillcrest Pastoral Charge Profile For For Hillcrest United Church Fort Nelson, British Columbia April 2021
Table of Contents Page Background …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….3 The Community ………………………………………………………………………………………………………4 Fort Nelson: Hillcrest Pastoral Charge……………………………………………………………………. 8 Resources …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….12 Hillcrest United: Our Church Building …………………………………………………………………..12 Hillcrest United: Manse ……………………………………………………………………………………….13 Financial Profile …………………………………………………………………………………………………..14 Position Profile …………………………………………………………………………………………………...17 Position Requirements …………………………………………………………………………….17 Skills requirements ………………………………………………………………………………….18 Terms ………………………………………………………………………………………………………20 Testimonial …………………………………………………………………………………………………………21 Hillcrest United Church 5108 Sunset Drive, PO Box 687 Fort Nelson, BC V0C 1R0 (250) 321-1605 office@hillcrestunitedchurch.org www.hillcrestunitedchurch.org Page | 2
Background Hillcrest United Church is located in Fort Nelson, BC in the Northern Spirit Region of the United Church of Canada. A brief story of Hillcrest United can be seen in the document “The Story of Hillcrest United Church, 1961 – 2021”. Our church building was moved from the airport, where it had been an Airbase Chapel, in 1961. The first service was held in Hillcrest United church on December 10th, 1961. In the past fourteen years Hillcrest United has had five (5) ministers. Each brought their own skills, passions, and ideals to be shared with the congregation. Figure 1 Moving Church from Airport to Present Site in 1961 Page | 3
The Community Introduction Fort Nelson is located in the Northern Rockies Regional Municipality (NRRM) situated in the northeast corner of British Columbia, on Mile 300 of the Alaska Highway. The Municipality covers approximately 10% of the province – larger than Nova Scotia or Austria. Incorporated in 2009, the NRRM is the first and only Regional Municipality in BC. It combined the former entities of the Town of Fort Nelson and the Northern Rockies Regional District. This makes the NRRM the only single tier government in BC. The intent of the incorporation was to establish a more effective and less cumbersome form of local government that reflected the unique characteristics of the community and the region. Location Fort Nelson is a somewhat remote community in the northeast corner of BC on the Alaska Highway, 380 kilometres north of Fort St. John, our nearest neighbouring community. Fort St. John, a city of approximately 20,000, is growing as a result of oil & gas, forestry, regional hospital, tourism, and the construction of the nearby Site C Hydro Dam. Fort Nelson is established at Mile 300 of the world-famous Alaska Highway, near the confluence of the Nelson, Muskwa, and Prophet Rivers. Fort Nelson has a population of approximately 3,500. There are various smaller communities such as Toad River, Muncho Lake and Liard located to the north of Fort Nelson along the Alaska Highway. Much of the rural area is sparsely populated and supports various resource-based industries and businesses with the tourism sector expected to grow in Figure 2 Aerial View of Fort Nelson importance over time. Economy Fort Nelson is a very resilient resource community that has been very dependent on natural gas, forestry, and tourism. The NRRM contains some of the largest shale gas reserves in North America as well as a huge underutilized mixed forest resource of aspen, spruce, and pine. Fort Nelson serves as the key service centre to industry within the region. Fort Nelson has struggled economically since the closure of our two forest industry mills (PolarBoard OSB and Tackama Plywood) in 2008. There has also been a downturn in the natural gas sector over the last seven years. This has put severe pressure on local businesses and families. Residents have left and are leaving the community to pursue work elsewhere. All this has been highly acerbated by the Covid- 19 pandemic. Page | 4
Recently, there has been positive news with regard to forestry. The province approved the Fort Nelson Community Forest in July 2019. This is a partnership involving Fort Nelson First nation and the NRRM. This is the largest community forest in BC in both volume (185,000 m 3) and area. In addition, the allowable annual cut (AAC) for the Fort Nelson Timber Supply Area (FN TSA) was increased by 59% to 2,582,350 m3 on July 16, 2019. Our forests are healthy and green. This is the only TSA in BC to receive an increase in AAC over the last few years. The community has worked extremely hard to promote and encourage both of these announcements. These are two very important building blocks for forestry in Fort Nelson. The official Fort Nelson Community Forest agreement was signed by the Ministry in June 2020. There is serious investment interest from Peak Renewables to build the largest pellet plant in Canada (600,000 tonnes) here in Fort Nelson. Pellets will be exported to Japan for power production that is replacing nuclear power. Fort Nelson has also been seeing serious interest from a number of up-highway Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) suppliers. One of these, Cryopeak, is building a mini-LNG facility just south of Fort Nelson near BC Hydro and North River Midstream. The plant should be operational in Q2-2021. At least two other mini-LNG players will likely do the same. These mini-LNG plants will supply mining and power customers in the Yukon and Northwest Territories. Amenities Many amenities and services are located in Fort Nelson. Transportation Central Mountain Air provides air transportation to Prince George in a twice weekly service. The Alaska Highway (Highway 97) is very well-maintained year-round with destinations north to Whitehorse and beyond or south to Fort St. Fohn, Grande Prairie and Prince George. Northwestel provides high speed internet and cable services. Recreation There are first class recreational facilities and opportunities in Fort Nelson. Our state-of- the-art Recreation Centre has two ice surfaces, curling club, community hall, swimming pool, walking / running track, climbing wall, and Visitor information Centre. There are groomed cross-country ski trails in the Demonstration Forest, 9-hole golf course with grass greens, snowmobile trails, 150 seat Phoenix Theatre, Library, and Figure 3 Recreation Centre the Rotary Water Spray Park. In addition, Fort Nelson has a paved, 3m wide, community walking trail which circles much of the town and is suitable for walking, cycling, and jogging. Many local clubs and organizations utilize these services, and work to provide countless programs available for all ages and interests. Page | 5
Tourism The world-famous Alaska Highway, Fort Nelson’s main street, provides transportation to thousands of tourists enjoying the beautiful Northern Rocky Mountains, sublime wilderness opportunities provided by the Muskwa-Kechika Wilderness Area, unbelievable hot springs at Liard River, and un- paralleled opportunities to see wildlife including elk, black bears, deer, boreal caribou and moose. Figure 4 Northern Lights Housing There are many good housing choices at the moment due to the downturn in the economy. Hillcrest United Church does provide a manse for ministers. Public Education School District #81 delivers “Kindergarten through Grade 12 (K-12) education through a secondary school, a middle school and two primary schools in Fort Nelson proper, and a K-12, one-room school in Toad River. Fort Nelson First Nation operates Chalo School, a successful K-12 institution which, in addition to delivering the provincial curriculum, offers students access to training in pre-trades and trades instruction. The local campus of Northern Lights College (NLC) currently provides a full-range of industry- oriented training and ticketing as required. In the past, for example, it offered instruction in Power Engineering and Welding, by special arrangement with industry. The College has also offered local training in Heavy Equipment Operation. NLC has also cooperated with the University of Northern British Columbia and Simon Fraser University to allow students to proceed to degrees in a variety of academic and professional disciplines. Public Healthcare The Fort Nelson General Hospital is a 25-bed facility which is equipped to provide general care, emergency care, and stabilization, basic laboratory and radiology services and long-term care. Maternity services are limited to care to within two weeks of baby delivery since these services are linked to the availability of qualified specialist physicians. The local Airport Way Medical Clinic is staffed by five (5) general practitioners with a range of sub-specialties. The community also provides access to a variety of mental health and addiction counselling services locally. Residents have access to two private dental clinics as well as an integrated, primary care model (public health and home and community care). Page | 6
Summary The spirit of Fort Nelson is vibrant and tangible despite the economic downturn and the pandemic. The community is a long way from larger centers, so people reach out to create familial relationships. People living here enjoy the lifestyle that Fort Nelson has to offer and always welcome a challenge. Page | 7
Fort Nelson: Hillcrest Pastoral Charge Mission Statement “Hillcrest United Church is a welcoming family of faith united and guided by our belief in God, revealed in the Holy Scriptures and in the life of Jesus Christ. Accepting everyone with grace, we come together to worship God. Empowered and led by the Holy Spirit, we journey, sharing music. love, laughter, and tears, as we meet the challenges within ourselves, our community, and our world.” Hillcrest United celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2011. It is a small, mature, dynamic congregation. We are adventurous, and willing to take on new challenges. We feel called to be in pastoral care, and to be of service to the community and God’s world. Our congregation currently consists of approximately 20 – 25 adults and at time as many as 8 children. We continue to seek ways to increase family membership and our presence in the community. Like most churches, the pandemic has caused us to look at new ways to worship. We went from an in-person worship service in March 2020 to Zoom services. At time of writing this we are still meeting through the Zoom format. In June of 2019 the congregation met in five, “cluster groups” to discern what Hillcrest is and what it might become. We started with looking at “Who We Are? What matters to us? and Where we are going?” This is summarized in a PowerPoint presentation and three reports all located on our website (www.hillcrestunitedchurch.org). Figure 5 Cluster Group Dotmocracy Our vision in the congregation is lived out by ministering to each other through: ❖ Worship and music including traditional and contemporary music; ❖ Fellowship before and after our Zoom worship services; ❖ An active “Faith Journey” study group that meets weekly at certain times of the year. In the past we have looked at “Living the Questions” Parts 1 to 3). ❖ Alternative times for services. For the past few years, we changed our traditional, summer Sunday services to Wednesday evenings. These services were more relaxed and took on themes such as The Parables or Paul’s writings. In an area where quality summertime is limited, it provided the congregation with a wonderful opportunity to experience God’s world outside of a Sunday morning spent inside church walls. ❖ Sunday and special services such as an early morning Easter sunrise service at the Fort Nelson Cemetery. Figure 6 Easter SonRise Service Page | 8
Our vision in the community is lived out through congregational leadership in: Active involvement in Hospice; Hospital worship and Christmas Hampers through the Ministerial Association; Various community activities including Remembrance Day, and volunteer activities around organizations such as Lamplighters; Annual Community Christmas Dinner on the Saturday closest to Christmas Day; and Community Choir leadership. Our vision in the world is lived out through involvement in: Figure 6 Sunday School Volunteers ❖ Fundraising for M&S. We have consistently met or exceeded our “stretch” M&S Annual Budgets; ❖ Hosting the Texas 4000 Riders for Cancer Awareness that have come through our community and been hosted by Hillcrest for six (6) years; The riders are offered a place to sleep in our local high school and a reception dinner followed by a hearty breakfast the next day for the 30 riders; ❖ Awareness of the broader United church of Canada issues through involvement with the Northern Spirit Regional Council; Our “vision” for future growth and nurture of the congregation includes: Grow the sense of community through: ❖ Bible/book/movie study groups both as a church and in small group settings; ❖ Coffee/discussion groups with focus on scripture; ❖ social events outside of Sunday. Figure 7 Texas 4000 Riders Grow the church through programs for young families and children; ❖ strong children/youth programs both on Sunday and weekdays – where children and youth can learn about who we are as a faith community. Continued focus on opportunities for Local Outreach; ❖ Help more with Food Bank; Page | 9
❖ Community involvement – known in the community as “safe, helpful, and good” not forcing Christianity on the community, e.g. parade involvement, sponsor movie, free swim – keep a positive image in the community; ❖ Continue to identify ourselves in the community through things like signage; ❖ To become a more visible church in the community. Continue to be relevant. The Cluster Group discussions decided on a second combined Vision and Mission Strategy according to the following: Vision and Mission: Micah 6:8 “What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” How does it work? The intent was that doing Justice, Loving Kindness, and Walking Humbly would become the three lenses through which we would act in our community and in the world. “Doing Justice” would become the frame for our community activism work. “Loving Kindness” would serve as the frame for our congregational/community outreach work. “Walking Humbly” would help direct our spiritual renewal, small groups, and personal development programs. Page | 10
Figure 8 Allen & Lisa's Wedding Page | 11
Resources Hillcrest United: Our Church Building Hillcrest United is one of five Christian churches in Fort Nelson. The others are as follows: Alliance Church (no minister at present); Anglican Church; Pentecostal Tabernacle; Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church. Located in a residential area on a double lot with a picturesque view from its front doors; Wood frame structure (2,160 Sq. Ft.); Bult for the U.S. Army in the 1940’s and moved from the airport to its present location in 1961; Basement area (with kitchen facility) that is used for meetings and social gatherings; Roof was replaced in the summer of 2015 and the vestibule re-insulated with new drywall in 2016; Comfortably accommodates 70 – 80 people; Includes office, complete with modern computer system, high speed bandwidth internet, copier and large, wall-mounted TV; Sound system is installed for electronic media usage; Very warm interior with all the natural wood that has been used. Figure 9 Beautiful Hillcrest United Page | 12
Hillcrest United: Manse Three-bedroom home; Panoramic view of the entire community and distant mountains; Basement bedroom, bathroom and meeting room completed in 2014/2015; Large double lot close to all amenities in a quiet, friendly part of town; Less than 10-minute walk to church; Large, fenced yard with developed garden space; Enclosed carport with deck above. Deck and railings replaced in 2009; Basement has a private, outside entrance; Livingroom and kitchen have a bright, southern exposure; Understood, that due to the size of the manse it may not be suitable for everyone. Alternate arrangements or a housing allowance could be considered. Figure 10 The Manse 2015 Page | 13
Financial Profile A presentation of our 2020 financials and performance to budget and the proposed 2021 budget are shown on the next three pages. Hillcrest United is proud of the fact that we have met or exceeded our target for “Mission & Service” donations on a regular basis. In 2021, Hillcrest sent over $9,000 to the UCC M&S Fund. When Hillcrest has had a fulltime minister, we had been receiving a Mission & Service Grant from the UCC. In 2020 the grant was for $25,000. Hillcrest has reduced its dependence on this grant in the past but ultimately the grant returned to the $25,000 level. In 2021, our balance sheet looks healthy and due to the lack of a fulltime minister the M&S Grant will only be received for Q1. In 2020, Hillcrest took advantage of the Federal Wage Subsidy Program. The pandemic has hurt our ability to fund raise. In spite of this we have maintained our bottle recycling fund raiser which has contributed over $4,000 in 2020. Figure 11 Bottle/Can Recycling Volunteers Page | 14
Hillcrest United Church 2021 Budget 2020 Actuals 2020 Budget 2021 Budget Revenue Mission Support Grant 25,000.00 25,000.00 6,250.00 Local Offerings 33,170.00 PAR Local Offerings 3,000.00 Loose Offerings 175.85 Donations in Kind 288.60 Total Local Offerings 36,634.45 45,600.00 30,000.00 M&S Offerings 8,760.00 PAR M&S Offerings 275.00 Total M&S Offerings 9,035.00 7,500.00 7,500.00 Misc. Revenue 1,088.38 Local Outreach 875.00 Celebration Jar Proceeds 236.60 Bottle Recycling 4,759.60 Total Fundraising Revenue 4,759.60 6,000.00 5,000.00 Bank Interest 1.96 School District Revenue 750.00 750.00 750.00 Sunday School Donations -8.19 CEWS - Canada Emergcency Wage Subsidy 16,281.60 4,000.00 TOTAL REVENUE 94,654.40 84,850.00 53,500.00 EXPENSE Payroll Expenses Wages & Salaries 40,775.50 40,839.00 9,357.30 Continuing Education 1,092.66 1,500.00 Remote Manse Allowance 2,550.00 2,599.00 Travel Expense 1,200.00 EI Expense 1,281.30 1,290.00 CPP Expense 2,099.22 2,083.00 Group Pension Pak 8,960.77 8,645.00 ADP Payroll Service 254.30 300.00 40.00 Total Payroll Expense 57,013.75 58,456.00 9,397.30 General & Admin. Expenses Advertising 350.00 350.00 Northern Spirit Assessment 1,395.00 1,395.00 1,395.00 Page | 15
Internet 2,563.92 1,430.00 2,500.00 Northern Spirit Rep Expense 2,000.00 2,000.00 Office Expense 1,062.86 500.00 1,100.00 Photocopy Expense 250.00 In Kind Office Expense 47.58 Church Web Maintenance 500.00 500.00 2020 Actuals 2020 Budget 2021 Budget Accounting 800.00 800.00 Bank Charges & Interest 41.50 36.00 40.00 *M&S Payments* 7,500.00 7,500.00 Local Outreach - Pastoral 1,000.00 1,000.00 Ministerial Events 200.00 Observer 129.75 360.00 130.00 Insurance-Church & Manse 4,634.00 3,564.00 4,634.00 Taxes-Church 2,075.72 2110 Taxes-Manse 1,749.09 1965 Total Taxes 3,824.81 4,075.00 3,834.00 Repairs - Church 1000 Repairs - Manse 1000 Total Repairs 2,000.00 5,000.00 BC Hydro-Church 645.88 636 BC Hydro-Manse 653.03 500 Fortis BC-Church 1,839.35 2000 Fortis BC-Manse 1,290.20 1000 Water&Sewer-Church 225.00 300 Water&Sewer-Manse 720.00 720 Total Utilities 5,373.46 5,156.00 5,156.00 Worship & Nurture 1,200.00 1,200.00 Honorariums 900.00 7,370.00 Ministerial Association 200.00 Misc. Expense 601.00 GST Expense 16.49 Total General & Admin. Expenses 19,690.37 33,416.00 44,509.00 TOTAL EXPENSE 76,704.12 91,872.00 53,906.30 NET INCOME 17,950.28 -7,022.00 -406.30 Generated On: 02/15/2021 Page | 16
Position Profile Hillcrest United Pastoral Charge is seeking a fulltime Minister who will lead our congregation forward during this time of uncertainty due to the pandemic as well as uncertainty in our community, our church, and the wider United Church of Canada. The community has benefitted from Hillcrest’s presence in it. The foundation of our church is stable and overall, in harmony. This is or strength but obviously our weakness too. We believe that we can attract new members. The United Church offers the kind of liberal worship that resonates with those who call themselves spiritual but not religious. Hillcrest needs the critical mass necessary to be a key part of the spiritual life of our Community and avoid the current members being “burnt out”. Hillcrest sees our new Minister working with us to develop a plan and strategy that will lead to modest growth in our numbers into the future. We obviously need to see the end of the pandemic and get back into our church building. Having said this, though, Hillcrest will incorporate our Zoom learnings into our renewed church presence. The United church can have a significant “chaplaincy” role in Fort Nelson. Figure 12Unique Signage Position Requirements Applicants for this position at Hillcrest United should expect to: Continue to move Hillcrest forward through the Cluster Group “Dotmocracy” decisions. We know who we are and where we would like to be in the future. Hillcrest needs to relentlessly pursue these goals. Provide inspired leadership and be involved in the Ministerial Association and the Community. Provide continuing effective, dynamic, meaningful, and relevant worship services. Link scripture to issues relevant to us today. A monthly communion service is very important to the congregation. Be cognizant of, and in tune with, the UCC’s recognition that we are in a time of change if there is to be a future for the United Church. Page | 17
Continue with Faith Journey, Christian education opportunities. There has been an interest in this and the resulting fellowship is widely appreciated. It is important that our journey of faith be supported, encouraged, and enlightened. Continue with as well as promote our tradition of lay involvement in worship services. Continue to support our sense of community. Both Fort Nelson and Hillcrest United have unique “northern” inspiring histories. There is a need to be reminded of this as we grow both our community and our church. Skills Requirements Hillcrest United is seeking an Ordained Minister. The congregation was involved in determining the specific skills that it is felt Hillcrest requires. The following is a summary of suggested skills for ministry with us at this time on our journey of faith: Personal Skills • Possess strong organizational skills and be self-motivated and self-directed. • Be a transformational leader. • Heart centered and flexible. • Effective interpersonal skills. • Ability to empower, encourage and identify and bring out the best in each other. • Passionate about the United Church presence in our Community. • Computer skills including Word, PowerPoint, and familiarization with electronic media. • Awareness of the necessity of self-care. The Minister must have the ability to maintain a healthy balance between work and personal life. Fort Nelson and surrounding area has much to offer with regard to personal and spiritual renewal and we also encourage on- going education and study. • “Independent people” and “northern spirit” are synonymous with people in Fort Nelson. Teamwork Skills • Practice a collaborative and supportive style of leadership when working with the Board and Worship and Nurture Committees and support the outcomes. • Important to support and enhance the strengths of the congregation. • Welcome congregants who may not regularly attend Sunday service but participate in Bible Study or fellowship (for example potlucks and manse work). • Enthusiastically challenge and support our community of faith, and work with us to fulfill our hopes, expectations, and dreams for Hillcrest United Church. • Maintain our commitments and continue to inspire us to want to do more community outreach and involvement. Page | 18
• Think outside the box in order to have creative Ministry. Continue to participate and provide leadership in Northern Spirit Region activities. This may include travel in the area to provide Ministry support. Worship Service • Provide a variety of expressions of worship such as special seasonal services, music (contemporary and traditional), as well as the use of resources provided by electronic media such as YouTube. • Encourage family participation, specifically children’s time and guiding young parents to introduce United Christian upbringing values. • Lead the journey to discover a deeper spirituality both within and beyond the church. Figure 13 Daffodil Adorned Easter Cross Special Note: Please look carefully at the pictures of our congregational work in our report – they speak clearly, far more than words could ever describe, of who we are and what we value. Page | 19
Terms The employment terms for the ministerial position at Hillcrest United are as follows: Annual Salary: Minimum Salaries & Reimbursements for Ministry Personnel (2021) Housing: A manse can be provided. In addition, heating costs over $800 per year will be covered. Remote Manse Allowance: For 2021, $2,656 Moving Expenses: Reasonable moving expenses for a family of four plus household effects will be covered by the congregation. Continuing Educational and Learning Resources: Up to $1,500 per year Travel Allowance: UCC guidelines (presently $0.41 per kilometer) Medical Allowance: BC medical premium - equivalent to single coverage cost. Telephone: Basic telephone cost, excluding long distance - to be discussed with congregation –could be basic cell phone cost. Vacation: One month each pastoral year (including five (5) Sundays): negotiable time. One week off following Christmas. Study Leave: Three weeks (21 days), including three (3) Sundays within each pastoral year and an additional two days of travel time for a total of 23 days. Secretarial Support: Volunteers are available for church bulletins, newsletters, and other help as needed. Expectations • Discussion regarding how congregational and community members will access Minister’s service. • Vacation, study leave and other time off as per the United Church Guidelines will be requested from the Ministry and Personnel Committee who then will bring information forward for final approval from the Board (We are a very flexible congregation around holidays and required time-off). • M&P committee will meet at least semi-annually with the Minister to review any issues or opportunities that are preventing us (both parties) from being successful on our Page | 20
collective journey of faith. If issues are identified there may be further discussion with the Board. Testimonial “To the serious applicant for the position of Minister at Hillcrest United Church, greetings. Should you find yourself being called by God to consider serving with Hillcrest United Church, I offer you my sincerest congratulations. The congregation, for the most part, is very welcoming, open, compassionate, and participatory. They aim to be a caring community of faith, and they do a remarkable job of reaching their goal. They are very intentional about being a church family. They enjoy each other’s company. About half the congregation has participated, as time allowed, in various Christian Educational activities. Hillcrest is “mission-alive”, supporting both Mission and Service enthusiastically, as well as engaging in local service and mission activities. With a very few exceptions, the Hillcrest congregation is quite flexible about most matters concerning worship, worship space, and liturgical tradition. That being said, whatever they do, they try to do as well as possible. The committee structures are in place and functioning. Leadership is collegial. Fort Nelson is a very active and pleasing community in which to live. In short, if I were a few years younger, you would not be receiving this testimonial”. Yours in Christ, Jim Patterson, Minister (February 2014 – June 2016) Page | 21
Figure 14 Sunrise at Hillcrest United Page | 22
Figure 15 Hillcrest Kids Page | 23
Figure 16 Easter SonRise Service Page | 24
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