Wholeness and flourishing across Northern Alberta

What does shalom look like where you live?

The Diocese of Athabasca is seeking to transform Northern Alberta, sharing the love of Christ with each other and with all residents so they may experience shalom: health, wholeness, wellness, prosperity, peace, completeness, full relationship with each other and with God, creating communities filled with healthy and vibrant individuals following the Way of Christ.

We are the church in action: empowered by the Holy Spirit, embracing all. This questionnaire is to assist in discerning wholeness and flourishing across Northern Alberta.

Before SynodPlease complete this anonymously before you come to Synod. You may submit your answers here, or fill out a paper copy and hand it to the Diocesan Administrative Assistant when you register. You may also email your answers to dioath@telusplanet.net. Email may identify you to the recipient.

Do not include names or details that could identify other people. Each question is optional; submit at least one answer. Your responses are saved without asking for your name or email address.

Life in your community

Describe what flourishing looks like from where you live.

1. Flourishing in your communityThink about your local town or community. When people are genuinely doing well together, flourishing and being healthy, what does that look like? Please give examples without naming names.

2. How an outsider might see thingsWhat might an outsider possibly misunderstand about what ‘doing well’ means in your community?

Looking beneath the surface

Follow a possible cause through several deeper layers. It is fine to leave a layer blank.

3. Children and church — first causeTrying for a quick root-cause analysis (three layers deep), what do you think is the cause that many of our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren do not attend church?

3a. A deeper reasonConsidering your answer to 3, is there a further underlying reason? If so, what do you think it may be?

3b. A further reasonConsidering your answer to 3a, is there a further underlying reason? If so, what do you think it may be?

3c. Another underlying reasonConsidering your answer to 3b, is there a further underlying reason? If so, what do you think it may be?

Wholeness in your experience

Share only what you feel comfortable sharing.

4. Wholeness in a difficult timeThink of a time when your life was difficult, but your life still felt deeply whole or right. What in that time made you still feel whole or right?

5. Something important missingThink of a time when things appeared good to those around you, but something important was missing. What was the important thing that was missing?

Fruit of the Spirit

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5:22

6a. Fruit of the Spirit in your lifeDescribe any fruits of the Spirit that you are missing or don’t have enough of.

6b. Fruit of the Spirit in your communityDescribe any fruits of the Spirit that your community is missing or doesn’t have enough of.

Shalom

“Health, wholeness, wellness, prosperity, peace, completeness, full relationship with each other and with God.”

7a. Shalom in your lifeDescribe the aspects of Shalom that you are missing or don’t have enough of.

7b. Shalom in your communityDescribe the aspects of Shalom that your community is missing or doesn’t have enough of.

Thank you. May the Shalom of Christ be with you.