Keewatin United Church - Local Renewal (1976-78)

Background Context

The Town of Keewatin was a transplanted town from the Scottish Town of Maybole Scotland at the turn of the last century , when their shoe factory shut down. It was a flower-milling town until the mill burned about ten years before my arrival. Most employable families left when the mill was not replaced, and by the time I had arrived, most retirees had moved to seniors quarters or had died.

The town became a bedroom to Kenora, relying on its Paper Mill and Tourism for its economic base. The Church, however, was demographically identical to the town except for the fact that there was one family under thirty five in a town now made up of 50% under 25. As their had been a Church "fight" prior to my arrival, I focused on cleaning things up and then noticed that newcomers were not staying around after about 6 weeks. This called for some trouble-shooting.

The problem was identified as the inability of two age cohorts to live together in the same organization. The need was for a structure which would enable such a reality.

Approach Used

Initially the trouble was identified through a series of interviews with key informants.

A literature search was conducted as to the current best thought in Church Renewal. Two years were spent pioneering out a rule-set for the new paradigm and field testing it.

Current Status

• An initial agreement for a one-year pilot program was approved.
• A series of initiatives were undertaken
• The financial situation was challenged by the older group.
• There was a complete change over of leadership as the older group pulled back
• I asked for a consideration of whether to continue, which was rejected.
• I had no more to offer the situation, so resigned.
• The Church is still in existence.
• The project is terminated.

Findings To Date

• The ending of this project gave rise to an awareness in me that somehow the literature about Protestant Church Renewal was missing some vital factor, that needed to be identified and addressed.
• We had carried out some successful initiatives, and the younger people were starting to participate. Upon the collapse of the project, they dipersed again.
• There were two major sub-initiatives undertaken, both successful:
  1. 10 days in the life - live in program for youth after demise of Sunday School (1977-78)
  2. Birchwood Seniors Home live-in and ministry -needs assessment project (1978)

  Lateral Connections

  Required for Completion

  The quest for the missing piece of information which I undertook following this project has been completed.

  Dissemination of the results (in some form)is required.

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