Ten Years of Listening. A Few Convictions.
By Cathie Ostapchuk
As Gather approaches its tenth year, we have been reflecting on what we have learned from listening to women across Canada.
Women have trusted us with their stories. They have shared experiences from church hallways and boardrooms, kitchen tables and conference rooms, seasons of flourishing and seasons of disappointment. They have spoken honestly about leadership, discipleship, calling, faith, belonging, courage, loss, and hope.
Listening to those stories has shaped us.
It has also led us to a few convictions.
We believe listening is an act of stewardship.
We believe every person bears the image of God and carries gifts intended for the good of the Church and the world.
We believe discipleship is about becoming whole in Christ.
We believe leadership begins with formation.
We believe who we are becoming matters as much as what we accomplish.
We believe the Church is strongest when people are encouraged to grow into the fullness of their God-given calling.
We believe women are not a niche audience within the Church. They comprise more than half of our congregations and carry significant responsibility for the spiritual, relational, and missional life of our communities.
We believe the Church has much to gain from the wisdom, leadership, creativity, experience, and faithfulness of women.
We believe younger generations need visible examples of women and men serving together with humility, courage, generosity, and mutual respect.
We believe women flourish when they are rooted in Christ, connected in community, and equipped to live and lead from wholeness.
And we believe the future health of the Church depends on how faithfully we steward the people God has already entrusted to us.
This is not the whole conversation.
It is simply where we begin.
Over the coming months, we will continue to explore these convictions and invite others into the conversation.
Curious about Gather's approach to formation and leadership development?
Join us for A Taste of The Studio on Tuesday June 23 at 7pm ET.
Not as another leadership program to consume— but as a space to be formed.