1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity
3. catholicism

BC 400 MPSR
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THE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
L’EGLISE UNIE DU CANADA
BC CONFERENCE
Ministry Profile and Search Report (BC 400 MPSR)
for
Fernie Pastoral Charge
Knox
Kootenay Presbytery
British Columbia Conference
May 10 2015
201 2nd Ave
Fernie BC
V0B1M0
Recommendation:
We request the BC Conference approve a call for up to a three year, 50% part-time solo
ministry position to be filled through call, appointment or settlement.
Report prepared by the Knox Ministry Profile and Search Committee:
Judy Harrold (Chair), Ev Cutts, Adele Jakubec, Leslie Siska, Bruce Elson (sec)
Supporting Documents follow:
1. Demographic, Financial and Community Profile
2. Ministry and Mission Profile
3. Ministry Position Description
Appendix A: Fernie Community Profile
Appendix B: Knox Resources Profile
Appendix C: Recent Pastoral Charge History
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THE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
L’EGLISE UNIE DU CANADA
BC CONFERENCE
Demographic, Financial, and Community Profile
Note: For guidelines and strategies, please consult the BC Conference Ministry Profile and Search
Resource Package.
PART A: ABOUT OUR PEOPLE:
(Multi-point Local Ministry Units will complete Part A, B and C for each congregation)
! Number of congregations:
“X” 1 € 2
€3
€ NA (e.g. for Outreach Ministries)
Congregation A
________ Knox __________
(Name of Congregation)
We think of ourselves MAINLY as:
( # on roll)
€ Rural € Remote
€ Urban
Most of us live (check only one):
___22______
“X” Small town
€ Inner City
€ In apartments
_20-25___________
(Avg. Sunday attendance)
€ Suburban
€ Other ________________
“X” In single-family homes
€ In retirement homes € In long-term care homes
€ On working farms
€ On rural retirement properties
€ Other ________________
The rest of us live (check all that apply):
€ In apartments
€ In single-family homes
€ In retirement homes € In long-term care homes
€ On working farms
€ On rural retirement properties
“X” Other __Condo’s______________
Our congregation includes (these numbers don’t need to be exact, rather it should give an approximation)
Infants and pre-school _3________
Young adults (20-30) __6_______
Children (5-12)
Adults - (35-50)
Young retirees (51-64)_6_______
Older Retirees (65-70) _1____
Most of us…: (choose one)
_______
_1_______
Teens (13-19)
_________
Adults- (51+) _18_______
Seniors (over 70) _12_____
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€ Grew up in this area
€ Moved to this area for work
€ Moved here to be close to family or other resources
“X” Moved here for other reasons
Many of us work (or used to work) in the following industries or sectors: (check all that apply)
“X” Health or social services
“X” Education € Manufacturing
€ Agriculture and food production
“X” Tourism/Hospitality
“X” Environment
Technology
“X” Mining/Forestry
“X” Government
“X” Other: Engineering:
€ Transportation
“X” Retail
€ Information
Our congregation is like: (choose one that best applies)
“X” A big family where we all know each other;
€ A medium sized church where we recognize each other but may not know each other well;
€ A big church with lots of staff, where small groups of people are close to one another based on
common interests.
€ Other description:
Our heritage as a local ministry unit : (check one that best applies):
“X” Has its roots as a Methodist/Congregationalist/Presbyterian/Local Union/Aboriginal congregation
prior to Union in 1925;
OR, Began
 between 1925 and 1945.  between 1945 and 1965.  between 1965 and 2000.  After 2000.
We think of our local ministry unit as in the following way: (choose one that best applies):
€ We have a new vision and are really excited; still working out how to live into that vision
€ We are clear about our vision and purpose and have/are developing the skills and gifts to bring it about;
we are excited and optimistic about our vision.
“X” Our congregation is changing and it is clear that we can no longer continue as we have been. We
have some anxiety and either have a rough idea or don’t know how to go forward. We believe that we
have a future but can’t quite see it.
€ We see that the ministry within this community is probably winding down after many positive and
productive years of faithful ministry, mission and service; we want to celebrate what we have been as we
intentionally and graciously end this ministry.
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PART B: ABOUT OUR TANGIBLE ASSETS
Governance structure:
How many people are on your Governing Body?
___10__ (Plus committee members)_______
How many are typically present at a meeting of your Governing Body? ___9-10__________
Our Church Building(s): (include information for each building if more than one)
 We don’t have a church building. (if you check this one, please comment briefly on where you worship
and what other spaces you use for your ministry.)
Or
“X” We have _1___ (how many) building(s).
Our church building(s) are mostly: (choose one that best applies):
€ Newly built in the last 10 years.
€ Significantly renovated and .
€ Is doing pretty well given that it has served us for many years. Some repairs may need to be done, but
nothing major.
“X” Is in need of significant work or repairs in order to be used in the coming years.
Sanctuary holds _200+_ people
Are there meeting rooms?
€ Yes
“X” No
€ Yes
“X”No
What are they used for?
Is there a nursery?
Are the nursery toys/furniture compliant with current safety standards?
€ Yes
(there is a play table, child chairs& books etc at the front of the sanctuary)
“X”€ No
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Are there Sunday Schools rooms?
“X”Yes
€ No
How many? ___1____ Are they also multipurpose use? “X” Yes
Are there activity rooms? (ie quilting, gym, library)
€ No
“X” Yes
€ No
Brief descriptions: The lower level (basement) is a large multi use space with a separate approved
kitchen, two washrooms and separate storage rooms. There is a balcony in the sanctuary which is also
used for various functions.
Where is the office located for the minister? Front left of sanctuary beside choir loft.
Describe it: A room 3.4m x 3.7m with a closet for storage. It contains a desk, 3 file cabinets, laptop
computer, printer, modem, landline phone/answering machine and wall mounted bookshelves. The
projector and supplies are stored in the closet. A space heater is also supplied.
Is the building used by outside groups as well as ministry activities?
“X” Yes
€ No
Brief descriptions (tenants, occasional rentals, frequency of use): 1) Girl Guides – Monday to Thursday
evenings except summer; 2) Mom’s & Tots - Monday mornings; 3) Active Meditation – Tuesday mornings
& Friday afternoons – ending in May; 4) Dynamic life drawing - Wednesday evenings, ending in May; 5)
Meditation – 6 weeks; 6) Special events – Art shows, Choir performances, theatre performances.
Is there a photocopier in the church?
“X” Yes
€ No
Is internet provided at the church?
Dial-up
“X” Yes
€ No
Is the church accessible (including for those with disabilities)?
if yes
€ Yes Tell us how:
(There is a stair climber for limited access to the sanctuary)
Administrative Support:
Is there support for administrative tasks (e.g. bulletin, scheduling, reception)?
€ Yes
“X”€ No (volunteers can be arranged to help)
If yes, how many hours per week? _______
“X”High Speed
“X” No
€
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If yes, is this € paid
or
€ volunteer
or
€ other (please specify)?
Ministry and Personnel Committee:
How many members? __3_____
How often does the committee meet? __4 times/year and as needed_______
Has one or more of the committee members attended a M&P Committee Training event in the last three
years? “X” Yes
€ No
Who takes the service when your minister is away on holidays or study leave? Volunteers & guest
speakers
PART C: ABOUT OUR FINANCES
The word or phrase that best describes our current financial situation is:
 Abundant
 Adequate
 Not meeting expenses but optimistic
“X” Not meeting expenses and relying on bequests and reserves to fund operating budget.
 Other (describe)
Our Revenue Sources are (please indicate approximate percentage of your current operating budget that
comes from each source:
Congregational givings ___66________
Congregational Fundraising Activities _9__________
Rental of building/services __7______
Bequests/Reserves/Investments __18___________
Other (please briefly describe):
Our Financial Reserves:
We have sufficient reserves in the bank that we could cover three months of expenses if we had an
emergency. “X” Yes  No
Our Financial Accountability:
Our financial statements are reviewed by an external person each year:
“X” Yes: a formal third-party review.
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 No: (describe)
Our financial statements from the last three years are available upon request.
“X” Yes
 No, but available on our website
 No
Our Statistics from the last five years of submissions to the United Church of Canada show:
Line # in Current
the
year 2015
Yearbook
20
20-25
One year
ago 2014
Two years
ago 2013
Four years
ago 2011
Five
years ago
2010
25
# attending Sunday
20
23
22
worship
# of regular givers
18
30
35
30
47
58
$ expended for
40
55,008
71,935
49,254
54,508
pastoral charge
operations
# households under
5
36
36
64
65
62
pastoral care
Note: Year 2012 is “MIA” hence year 2010 has been provided. In January 2014, Knox became a one
point charge separating from Grasmere, so financials reflect that change. We also went to 50% part
time ministry. Households under pastoral care in 2013 and earlier were actually total individuals
attending periodically not households.
PART D: ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY
This is what we love about our community. This is what makes it unique.
Nestled in the Rocky Mountains, Fernie is an outdoor paradise for locals and tourists from all over the
world. Many people live in Fernie for the quality of life that we have here. With nature all around us,
clean air and water, all the amenities most people need and the ability to walk just about anywhere you
need to go appeals to many.
The friendliness of the people and the sense of community they have is an added bonus for all!
An international ski destination mountain (Fernie Alpine Resort) is 10 minutes from the down town. The
Elk River flowing through the town is an international trout fly fishery. Additional winter sports such as
Nordic skiing, cat skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, skating and hockey are basically out the backdoor.
Additional summer activities include golfing, swimming, tennis, mountain bike/hiking trail systems
throughout the valley, boating on Lake Koocanusa 35 minutes away, and camping. Hunting is also very
popular as the valley is full of wildlife including big game.
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The City has a very active arts & culture community with an art co-op, art station (a converted train
station from the early 1900’s).Visiting musicians come through on a regular basis along with our own
home grown talent. There are many special events throughout the year including the Wapiti weekend
musical festival held in August.
There are many fine restaurants offering a variety of international cuisine, an excellent aquatic center, a
2 screen movie theatre offering the latest releases, hockey and curling arenas and community centre. The
community clubs are very active including the Rotary and Lions clubs.
The USA border is only a 30 minute drive providing a gateway to many more opportunities for shopping,
sporting activities and arts and entertainment.
Fernie’s climate is classified as that of an “interior rain forest” hence the abundance of snow in the
winter and rain in the “shoulder seasons”. The vegetation is abundant with old growth cedar forests
minutes away. The summers are spectacular. There is a Fernie expression – “people come for the winter
but stay for the summers”. The current population of Fernie itself is about 4500. There is a large
population of young people/families who live here for the life style. A comment around town is there is a
“pregnancy epidemic” which has persisted for many years! The younger population in particular grows
significantly in the winter with the influx of youth from around Canada and the world.
The three economic, demographic or political challenges or characteristics facing our area are:
-Coal mining is the highest employment industry in our area. Depending on the price the coal is selling
at, the amount needed by other countries and the cost effectiveness of extracting our coal in relation to
other competing countries all dictate the number of people employed in the area mines.
-The amount of snow we receive in the winter has a huge impact on our renowned local ski hill and the
economy of the businesses in our town. If the snow is good the town is filled with tourists who spend
money at local businesses. If the snow is minimal, we have less tourists. Our main tourist base comes
from Alberta so the Alberta economy affects us in a huge way. Many of the Albertans have second homes
here. There are also many tourists from all over Canada and the world including pretty much every
country in Europe, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and even some from the Middle East and Asia and of
course the USA.
-The proportion of people who live here on a full time basis compared to the amount of part time
vacationers who own property in our town. Although the vacationers or non-residents are welcome to
our town and keep it vibrant, the cost of housing is driven by the non resident market, making affordable
housing very difficult for those that work here. A lot of the non residents do participate in the community;
however, in some areas of the city there are a lot of empty houses during the week or “shoulder” seasons.
Here are two or three websites that offer detailed information about our community:
1)
2)
3)
4)
City of Fernie website. www.fernie.ca
Fernie Chamber of Commerce. www.ferniechamber.com
Fernie Tourism. www.tourismfernie.com
Fernie Alpine Resort. www.skifernie.com
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Other faith communities represented in our community/region are:
United Church of Canada-Knox United
Catholic Church
Anglican Church
Lutheran Church
Mountainside Community Church ( Baptist)
Trinity Pentecostal
Salvation Army
Jehovah's Witnesses
Good News Congregational Church
We have close ties with the following faith communities:
Anglican Church. In addition our minister participates in the Ministerial association that meets once a
month representing the Anglican Church, Mountainside Community Church (Baptist), Trinity
Pentecostal, Salvation Army, Catholic, Congregational.
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Ministry and Mission Profile
Website Address of Local Ministry Unit: www.knoxunitedferniebc.ca
Brief Description of Local Ministry: Small but an active mature congregation. We hold several
significant annul community events at the church as well as individuals participate in/support many
community activities.
Our Worship Style !The congregation at Knox enjoys a variety of Worship styles leaning more towards
contemporary. We tend to be “an older” congregation so we also enjoy some traditions (for example
Christmas Carols during Advent, Communion once a month). We are an open congregation and don’t
mind stepping out of our comfort zone at times.
Vision and Mission Statement: “Open to the Spirit, love and justice, united in our diversity, we live our
faith serving each other and the wider community.”
Category Title
Community
Outreach and
Social Justice
This is who we are as a Local Ministry Unit:
We are currently doing the following in community outreach and
social justice: help with the Salvation Army Kettle and Christmas
hamper program, guest speakers from community helping groups,
provide hot chocolate for the CPR Christmas Train event
 We have a specific goal related to community outreach and social
justice as follows:
“X” We do not have a specific goal related to community outreach
Church
Community
and
Neighbourhood
and social justice.
We are currently doing the following in the church community and
neighbourhood:
 We have a specific goal related to the church community and
neighbourhood as follows:
“X”We do not have a specific goal related to the church community
Faith
Formation and
Christian
Education
and neighbourhood.
We are currently doing the following in faith formation and
Christian education:
 We have a specific goal related to faith formation and Christian
education as follows:
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“X” We do not have a specific goal related to faith formation and
Leadership
Christian education.
We are currently doing the following in Leadership:
 We have a specific goal related to Leadership as follows:
“X” We do not have a specific goal related to Leadership.
Pastoral Care
We are currently doing the following in pastoral care:
 We have a specific goal related to pastoral care as follows:
“X” We do not have a specific goal related to pastoral care. We have
Spirituality
and Self-Care
within your
Local Ministry
Unit
established a Pastoral Care committee recently
We are currently doing the following in Spirituality and Self Care:
 We have a specific goal related to Spirituality and Self Care as
follows:
“X” We do not have a specific goal related Spirituality and Self Care.
Worship
We are currently doing the following in Worship:
 We have a specific goal related to Worship as follows:
“X” We do not have a specific goal related to Worship. We do strive
for weekly services Sept to May and bi weekly” gatherings” over the
summer The latter coordinated by lay folk.
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Ministry Position Description
Closing Date: June 30, 2015
OR,  There is no closing date.
Position Title: Minister
Position Profile:
Full-time “X”Part-time: 28hrs/week from Sept 07/15 to May 22/16
corresponding to 50% of full time for a year; Benefits and salary spread over 12 months;
vacation and study leave prorated at 50% of full time. On call for funerals of members in off
months (time will be compensated).
“X”Solo
Team ministry (# of other Ministry Personnel): __
Position Summary:
Provide congregational spiritual leadership; work with the Knox leadership to help develop
programs and services to attract/interest/walk alongside with, unaffiliated young families and
adults in their spiritual quest, be invested in the future of Knox and its sustainability, help lead
us through how we become sustainable and fulfill our mission statement, develop and extend our
pastoral care program.
Accountable to:
This position is accountable to the governing body of Knox United Church, through the Ministry
and Personnel Committee. This position is accountable to BC Conference for oversight and
discipline. This position has a relationship of support and collegiality with the members of their
presbytery.
Administration:
Work with the Knox Board and all the committees and groups of the Church; attend church
meetings as required; minimize administration and associated costs.
Community Outreach and Social Justice:
Be visible and active in the social and spiritual community of Fernie representing and promoting
Knox; conduct services periodically at Rocky Mountain Village (senior’s home).
Continuing Education:
Participate in the local. regional and provincial courts of the United Church as required
representing Knox; undertake studies/research to learn programs and approaches to present to
the congregation for worship and study.
Church Community and Neighbourhood:
Work with the congregation to help fulfil our Mission Statement, providing leadership and
assistance as required. Help us in our search for sustainability, to be open to change and
responsive to the Holy Spirit as we transition to the future.
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Faith Formation and Christian Education:
Develop programs, activities, events, studies and opportunities for the entire congregation, both
present and future and all ages, including children, to explore their relationship with the Holy
Spirit.
Assist in developing lay leadership.
Leadership:
Provide an enthusiastic, caring, joyful, thoughtful, participatory presence, working with the
Knox congregation and the courts of the Church
Pastoral Care:
Work with, help train and develop members of the congregation for serving on the Pastoral Care
committee in fulfilling its mandate. Maintain contact with the individuals of the congregation
whether they are in crisis or not, and all the spiritual activities related to caring for the people of
the congregation.
Self Care:
Look after yourself! Consult with M & P and/ or the Board to explore ways of dealing with the
work load as it fluctuates throughout the year. Observe the allotted vacation and study leave. We
want to help and assist.
Worship:
Surveys of our congregation have indicated the Sunday worship services are very important as
well as the extra services on the Christian calendar. Encourage the music program and the use
of instruments, be innovative but maintain a sense of traditional services & ritual on special
occasions, use the projector and computer, involve the congregation and encourage lay
leadership participation.
Other Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Be invested in the future of the Knox congregation, proactive, innovative, and sensitive to the
history of the congregation, as we seek to grow and reach out to the larger community,
particularly the younger generation.
Other “Preferred” Assets:
Musically inclined, outgoing, compassionate, and flexible.
Terms of Employment:
•
The United Church Manual, The United Church Employment Guidelines, the original
Call/Appointment Form, and any relevant Provincial Legislation shall be used as terms of
employment for this position.
•
Increments of salary and benefits, consistent with national United Church schedules, are to
be determined by the Council, in consultation with the minister and the M&P Committee.
•
The distribution of the part time hours is negotiable.
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•
Ordained/Diaconal/ Designated Lay Ministers are welcome to apply.
•
Required vacation and study leave is prorated at 50% as this is a 50% part time position (full
time being 40 hours/week- 2080 hours per year). Vacation and study leave to be taken
during the actual work period currently set at Sept 07/15 to May 22/16. Salary and benefits
will be allocated over 12 months.
•
It is anticipated this will be a three year position with extension subject to circumstances at
the time.
•
Moving costs and expenses incurred in performing the work of the Church will be
reimbursed in accordance with the requirements of the United Church of Canada
•
Estimated breakdown of work week hours:
o Worship planning, preparation, & delivery = 14 hours
o Administration and meetings = 2.5 hours
o Pastoral care = 5 hours
o Christian Education = 4.5 hours
o Community, Presbytery, & conference ministry = 2 hours
APPENDIX A
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FERNIE COMMUNITY PROFILE
The!City!of!Fernie!is!nestled!in!the!South!East!corner!of!British!Columbia,!surrounded!by!the!
majestic!Rocky!Mountains.!!Fernie!has!become!an!outdoor!paradise!for!both!tourists!and!locals.!!
It!has!a!population!of!approximately!4500!people,!which!can!double!in!the!winter!months.!!
There!is!also!a!population!of!roughly!2500!in!the!immediate!surrounding!area.!
Five!kilometers!south!of!Fernie,!is!the!world!renowned!Fernie!Alpine!Resort.!!Fernie!receives!up#
to!37!feet!of!snow!in!a!season,!and!attracts!a!wide!range!of!skiers!and!riders!from!around!the!
globe.!Delivering!over!2500!acres!of!skiable!terrain,!142!named!runs,!5!alpine!bowls,!state!of!
the!art!snowmaking!and!grooming!equipment,!and!an!exceptional!beginner’s!area,!Fernie!is!a!
true!winter!playground!for!skiers!and!riders!of!all!levels.!Also!now!featuring!the!most!snow,!
most!ski!runs,!and!biggest!vertical!in!the!Rockies! If!you!aren’t!afraid!of!heights!you!may!want!
to!attempt!the!aerial!park!and!zip!line!located!up!at!the!ski!hill.!In!addition!to!the!ski!hill,!Fernie!
has!many!walking!and!biking!paths.!It!is!a!natural!place!for!hunting,!fishing,!and!hiking.!Camping!
at!the!lakes!is!a!half!to!three!quarters!of!an!hour!drive!away!from!Fernie!and!affords!the!
ultimate!in!relaxation!and!fun.!!Fernie!has!an!indoor!swimming!pool,!ice!arena,!curling!arena,!
community!centre,!tennis!courts,!and!several!parks.!!The!Fernie!Golf!Course!provides!a!
challenging!course!and!has!absolutely!stunning!panoramic!views!of!the!surrounding!mountains.!
There!is!also!a!dirt!bike!and!skateboard!park,!as!well!as!a!climbing!wall!available!for!those!
interested.!
!
The!swimming!pool!offers!many!courses!for!both!children!and!adults.!!There!is!a!wading!pool,!
hot!pool,!swim!lanes!and!sauna!that!are!available!for!public!use.!!The!pool!is!the!home!of!the!
Elk!Valley!Dolphin!Swim!Club.!!!A!new!water!park!has!been!completed!which!young!children!are!
able!to!enjoy.!
!
The!ice!arena!is!a!busy!place!during!the!winter.!!It!hosts!both!hockey!and!figure!skating!clubs.!
Also!based!out!of!this!arena!is!the!Fernie!Ghostriders,!a!Junior!“B”!hockey!team!that!plays!in!an!
international!league.!!During!the!summer!the!arena!hosts!other!activities!like!dry!land!training,!
trade!fairs,!and!both!hockey!and!basketball!camps.!!
!
Mining,!forestry,!healthcare,!social!services,!tourism!and!small!business!help!support!the!
economy!of!this!area.!!!A!memorial!to!Fernie’s!mining!history!can!be!found!in!front!of!City!Hall!
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in!the!form!of!a!small!walkway!and!garden.!!Small!town!life!with!easy!access!to!the!natural!
surroundings!allow!for!friendship!and!great!lifestyle.!
!
Fernie!is!pleased!to!offer!a!satellite!campus!of!the!College!of!the!Rockies!that!has!an!assortment!
of!day!and!evening!courses,!both!for!general!interest!and!credits.!For!general!schooling!there!is!
one!elementary,!one!secondary!school!as!well!as!a!private!school.!
!
Our!Elk!Valley!Hospital!is!open!seven!days!a!week!with!a!full!time!emergency!department.!Our!
doctors,!dentists,!chiropractors,!physiotherapists,!acupuncturists!as!well!as!alternative!
medicines,!will!provide!you!with!excellent!service.!!Our!East!Kootenay!Regional!hospital!is!
located!in!Cranbrook,!only!an!hour!away.!Cranbrook!health!services!also!supplies!many!more!
back!up!services!to!the!Fernie!area!in!terms!of!community!services.!!!We!also!have!the!benefit!
of!“STARS”!out!of!Calgary,!which!services!the!Elk!Valley.!
Art!and!culture!are!very!important!here,!with!the!local!Arts!Council!being!very!active.!!The!Arts!
Council!is!housed!in!the!old!CPR!train!station!and!holds!many!events!such!as!plays,!symphonies,!
singers,!and!writers!conferences.!!There!is!always!a!feature!display!at!the!Arts!Station,!showing!
painting,!pottery,!or!quilts.!!Artists!can!apply!to!become!members!of!a!storefront!artists!co\op.!!
The!Fernie!Museum!has!found!a!new!home!in!the!downtown!area!and!is!very!popular!with!
locals!and!tourists.!
The!Rotary,!Lions,!Elks,!Legion!and!the!local!3300!Club!are!examples!of!some!of!the!active!
service!clubs!in!town.!
!
The!shopping!in!Fernie!is!better!than!in!the!average!small!town.!!We!have!everything!from!
building!supply!stores,!groceries,!gear!and!equipment!shops!to!several!specialty!shops!that!
appeal!to!tourists!and!locals!alike.!Many!people!live!in!Fernie!for!the!quality!of!life.!!With!nature!
at!our!back!doorstep,!clean!air!and!water,!all!the!amenities!most!people!need,!the!ability!to!
walk!to!just!about!anything!you!require!appeals!to!many.!The!people!who!live!here!on!a!
permanent!basis!feel!like!they!are!really!blessed!and!those!who!visit!dream!of!the!day!they!can!
call!Fernie!home.!!The!friendliness!of!the!people!and!the!sense!of!community!they!have!is!an!
added!bonus.!
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BC 400 MPSR
Page 17 of 18
January 2014
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APPENDIX#B#
KNOX#RESOURCES#PROFILE#
Knox!United!Church!is!a!heritage!building!near!the!centre!of!Fernie’s!historic!downtown.!We!
own!the!building!and!the!land!on!which!it!sits.!Our!Church!building!has!undergone!many!
improvements!and!upgrades!over!the!past!few!years.!Our!front!doors!were!replaced!with!
historic!replicas!to!help!make!our!church!welcoming!and!warmer.!The!kitchen!has!been!
upgraded!to!a!health!certified!standard!making!it!suitable!for!rent!by!community!groups.!The!
roof!has!been!replaced!and!the!sanctuary!has!undergone!a!renovation!and!redecorating.!New!
furnaces!have!just!been!installed!and!will!contribute!to!the!warmth!and!comfort!of!all!areas!of!
the!church.!
!
There!is!an!office!adjacent!to!the!sanctuary!and!a!mezzanine!above!the!sanctuary!currently!
houses!many!historical!photos!and!artefacts.!The!kitchen!is!located!in!the!lower!hall.!Our!lower!
hall!is!used!by!the!Girl!Guides!several!nights!a!week.!!It!is!also!used!by!our!congregation!for!our!
fund!raising!events,!and!is!available!to!other!community!groups!for!playgroups,!meetings,!etc.!
!
We!currently!have!a!paid!custodian!whose!expenses!are!supported!by!our!UCW.!Two!volunteer!
pianists!provide!wonderful!music!to!both!our!congregation!and!dedicated!choir.!Knox!United!
Church!has!many!dedicated,!long\term!members!who!provide!a!consistent!financial!base,!as!
well!as!time,!energy!and!commitment!to!the!work!of!the!Church.!!The!support!of!volunteers!in!
all!aspects!of!our!life!is!one!of!the!strengths!of!our!Church.!
!
Our!financial!contributions!are!received!by!PAR,!envelopes,!loose!offerings,!donations!and!
building!rentals.!We!have!two!main!fund!raising!events!each!year!and!we!are!always!interested!
in!other!fund!raising!opportunities.!!
We!spend!the!majority!of!our!money!on!wages!for!the!Minister!and!upkeep!of!our!Church!
building.!!
!
!
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BC 400 MPSR
Page 18 of 18
January 2014
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APPENDIX#C#
RECENT#PASTORAL#CHARGE#HISTORY#
Prior!to!2014!Knox!was!part!of!a!2\point!charge!called!the!“Elk!Valley!Pastoral!Charge”.!The!
second!point!was!Grasmere!United!Church!in!a!very!small!rural!community!about!65!kilometres!
west!and!south!of!Fernie.!!It!was!mutually!agreed!that!it!would!be!in!the!best!interests!of!each!
congregation!if!the!Elk!Valley!Pastoral!Charge!was!dissolved!and!each!congregation!functioned!
on!its!own.!This!was!approved!by!Presbytery!and!was!implemented!for!2014.!However,!both!
congregations!were!interested!in!maintaining!a!relationship;!consequently,!Knox!continued!to!
supply!ministerial!services!9!Sundays!a!year!plus!pastoral!care!as!needed.!In!exchange!
Grasmere!continued!to!contribute!towards!the!cost!of!this!service.!!The!congregation!at!
Grasmere!was!about!8.!The!congregation!continues!to!dwindle!and!they!have!decided!to!wait!
and!see!how!things!are!going!for!them!as!to!whether!they!will!ask!for!support!from!Knox!in!the!
immediate!future.!
!
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