The Report of the Creative Ministry Committee to the Synod of Southwest Ontario
October 2021

Greetings to the congregations of the Synod and to Elders representing them at this virtual Synod meeting.
The CMC thanks the Synod for another fruitful year of ministry on behalf of the Church.  This year the Committee consisted of Rev. Martin Wehrmann (convener), Rev. Anne Yee-Hibbs (secretary), Rev. Rebecca Roushorne-Lau, Elizabeth MacLeod, Rev. Ernie Naylor – recently replaced with Rev. Lisa Dolson by their presbytery, Nancy Wehrmann (WMS Synodical rep.) and Bonnie Arbour (also a WMS Synodical rep.). The Synod's Nominating Task Force names 5 members as the committee and the WMS Synodical names 2 member-reps. to this committee. The Committee thanks the Rev. Ernie Naylor of Listowell for his years of service on the CMC.
As requested last year by the Synod Exec., congregations/presbyteries have been informed that the cut-off date for grants from the Creative Ministry Fund, which the Committee administers,  is September 1. New applications are considered for the following year once the current Synod adjourns. Following the meeting of the 2020 Synod two pending grants were given to St. Giles church, Sarnia and to Cheyne church, Hamilton. 
A total of $34,700. was granted from the CMFund since last Synod. We have honoured the Synod Finance committee's request that we keep the responses to applications around this number. We have also made it clear to Synod-member-churches/presbyteries that excessively large requests cannot be considered in order to enable more congregations that need assistance to be able to receive funds for creative, new ministry ideas. The CMF priorities and terms of grants are on the CMC website, which has been regularly monitored and updated. It can easily be found by going to the Synod's web page first. All ministries having received grants in 2021 are shown there.
The CMC also reminds everyone that a $1000. one-time grant is available to any presbytery that undertakes a new refugee sponsorship within its bounds. (See CMC web page forms.)
The CMC also receives reports throughout the year from the Huron Feathers ministry at Sauble Beach – which reports to Synod under our umbrella.  Also, the two University chaplaincies at St. Catharines and Hamilton; McMaster and Brock respectively, report to Synod through the CMC.
The following are the congregations that received grants from the CMFund in 2021:
St. Giles, Sarnia                     $1000.                  Porch ministry
Cheyne, Stoney Creek           $3000.                  On-line ministry and a co-ordinator
Central, Hamilton                  $4,000.                 Live-streaming equipment
Atwood PC                            $5,000.                 Streaming equipment
St. Mary's PC                         $5,000.                 Streaming technology
McNab, Hamilton                  $5,000.                 Kids' ministry program
Dorchester PC                        $5,000.                 Expansion of a connectional ministry
Erskine, Hamilton                  $4,000.                 On-line pastor, outreach & campus min.         
Heritage Green Family ch,  Stoney Creek    $2,700.   Big God educational curric. Project

The Synod also granted Huron Feathers ministry  $20,000. The two university chaplaincies received  $5,000. each. These grants were recommended to the court by the CMC.

As we prepared for this Synod an in depth conversation was held within the Synod executive committee regarding the CM Fund; its resources and maintenance, as the entire Standing Orders were  discussed. This year's CMC budget reflects the COVID crisis within churches both in terms of their needs and ability to meet their dues. The committee's mandate and the terms of the fund are found in sections 36-38 of the Standing Orders.
It was also shared that the members of this Synod and all its people might appreciate knowing the variety of ministries that were new and creative in past years and were assisted (not usually fully funded)  by the CM Fund of this Synod. These ranged from a new multi-generational church curriculum, a children's choir/music program, equipment and leadership for on-line & podcast ministries, a cross-country Kids' program (on-line), a porch ministry/outreach program, a messy church workshop (held back due to COVID), family ministry program/young adult pastor, midweek 'life' program/outreach dinners, a community garden, an 'alternative' mid-week service program, mission to women, a VBS program …   All reports of  current successful applicants to the fund are posted on the CMC web-page and have been posted every year since the page was first launched.
Happy reading!

Recommendations
1. For 2022 the CMC recommends Huron Feathers ministry receive  $15,000. as requested by their Board.
2. For 2022 the CMC recommends  $5,000. to each university chaplaincy, as recommended last year.
3.For  2022  the CMC again recommends a budget of $2,000. for a workshop that has been held off  because of COVID 19
4.For 2022 the CMC recommends a committee budget of $400. for miscellaneous expenses and/or travel for an in-person meeting.

Respectfully submitted, Rev. Martin Wehrmann    CMC convener