Church Profile For
All Nations Christian Reformed Church

Part I: Church Information

2.	Search Committee Chairman:	Fred Angus
	e-mail:

3. Classical Church Counselor: Rev. Norman Visser

4.	List all paid staff positions:
	Pastor		Full time	.....X		Part time
	Mentoring Ministry Co-coordinator		Full time			Part time	.....X
	Administrative Assistant (Temporary)		Full time			Part time	.....X
	Position available: Pastor		Date of Vacancy: October 17, 2000

5. Membership:

A) Number of church members (families):	Five years ago	Currently
Professing	79 (34)	75 (41)
Non-professing	43 ( ? )	56 (12)

B) Profile of congregation:

Age (%):

Ages 13-19:	9	Ages 20-29:	12	Ages 30-39:	28
Ages 40-49:	22	Ages 50-59:	12	Ages 60+:	17
Children under 13 years:	54	(total number not %)

Occupation (%):

7	Business	26	Professional	1	Trades
7	Health Care	16	University Student	8	School Student
10	Retired	7	Educator	8	Stay at home parent
10	Other

C) Percentage of members belonging to the congregation:

D) 28% of the congregation is of Dutch origin and brought up in the CRC church. 72% of the congregation have come from a non-CRC background.

6. Worship

A) Time and Average attendance

9:30 am -- 145
7:00 pm -- 15

B) Frequency of communion celebration: 24 per year - First Sunday morning of each month and the third Sunday evening of each month.

C) How are members involved in planning and participation in the liturgy/worship? The worship committee has 8 active members (one elder, pastor, choir director, children's ministry co-ordinator and 3 members-at-large). This committee plans the meetings and uses the gifts of the congregation to incorporate in worship.

D) Style of liturgy used in your worship (e.g. traditional, contemporary, variety):

• blended worship
• variety
• intergenerational
• utilizing the gifts of the congregation

E) Type of music used in worship (e.g. traditional, contemporary, variety):

• blended worship.
• variety
• utilizing the gifts of the congregation

7. Church/Sunday School

1. Average attendance in Church School (under 18 years) -- 50
2. Average attendance in Adult Education (Sunday) -- 35

8. Metro Halifax Community Setting (check as many as apply ):

A.	Location	Function	Growth
	Rural	Industrial	Growing....X
	Small Town	College/University....X	Static
	Metropolitan....X	Agricultural	Declining
	Suburban	Recreational....X
	Inner City....X	Military....X

B. Approximate population of Halifax: 332,000

C. Approximate population of Church Neighbourhood (approximate easy walking distance): 10,500

D. Racial/Ethnic composition of Church Neighbourhood:

• 4% Asian
• 0% Hispanic
• 12% African Canadian
• 82% Caucasian
• 2% Arab

E. Average family income for Halifax $48,015

F. Average Family Income for Church Neighbourhood

• (East) $22,389
• (West) $43,213
• (North) $38,363

9. Program Information (list major boards, committees, and organizations that are part of your church and frequency of meetings - monthly, weekly, etc.)

Name	Purpose of group	# of members	Frequency of meetings	*Leadership role
Council	give spiritual and administrative leadership to the life of the church	11	monthly	2
Elders	meet the spiritual needs of the congregation	6	monthly	1
Deacons	oversee the financial needs and faithful stewardship of the congregation	5	monthly	3
Worship Committee	plan regular and special services	5	monthly	2
Education Committee	plan, implement and monitor the church Adult and children education program	5	monthly	3
Property and Finance	oversee the church properties and finances	6	monthly	3
Fellowship Committee	plan events for church fellowship	7	as required	3
Communications Committee	publications, promotion and the web site	4	as required	3

* Leadership role expected by number:

1. Pastor takes primary initiative and responsibility.
2. Pastor and laity share responsibility.
3. Laity take primary initiative and responsibility.

Part II: Building/Financial Information

10. Present annual budget: $142,000.00 (operating)

• Last year's annual budget: $113,000.00 (operating)
• copy of current budget is attached

11. Percentage of financial obligations met (last complete year reported):

• Budget: 100%
• Ministry Shares: 100%

12. Amount contributed for (last complete year reported):

• Missions - $2,506.00

13. Property owned by church:

A. Describe buildings and property:

1. Manse located at 6237 Charles Street (described in more detail in section d. below)
2. Church property located at 2535 Robie Street (described in more detail in section e. below)
3. Are your buildings adequate for your present program? Yes
4. Is a building program projected? Yes -- Ongoing renovations required for maintenance and improvements.
5. Does the church own a parsonage? Yes -- The Manse is in good condition and located in an excellent location close to all amenities and the church building. It is a two story building consisting of three bedrooms, a study, two bathrooms, livingroom and diningroom, a basement storage area and laundry facilities. There is a deck on the back of the manse and a detached garage.

B. Does the church own its meeting place?

Yes. Our church building is a large brick structure located on a busy street in a residential area but close to the heart of the city. It is approximately one hundred years old. There is a fellowship hall and numerous meeting rooms. The kitchen was recently renovated. This is a large building so our congregation has room to expand. We are wheel-chair accessible and our church building is used by a number of local neighbourhood groups.

14. Office/Study: In church

15. Compensation:

1. The salary range we are prepared to offer our new pastor is:
   $35,000.00 - 40,000.00 (FSC Guidelines) plus allowance and all housing related costs (valued at approximately $20,000.00)
   The average annual increase in income for this position over the past three years is:
   $3,500.00 or 3.0%
2. Housing:
   • Housing allowance (pastor owns house)
   • Parsonage only
   • Either of the above......X

The church owns a parsonage/manse in the neighborhood of the church. If our new pastor expressed a preference to buy this or another house in the community immediately surrounding the church, the church would be open to exploring various options. The church would also be open to examining ways that the present manse could be modified to meet the needs of the pastor and his/her family.

c. Benefits and expenses (*please specify denominational or other)

1. Denomination -- Pension*
2. Denomination -- Medical Insurance*
3. Denomination -- Life Insurance*
4. N/A -- Social Security (amount)
5. $1,000.00 varies by use -- Travel/mileage (amount)
6. $800.00 -- Continuing Education funds (amount)
7. To be negotiated -- Continuing Education annual leave
8. To be negotiated -- Sabbatical leave (policy regarding)
9. $350.00 -- Book Allowance (amount)
10. 4 -- Annual vacation (# weeks )
11. To be discussed -- # of worship services for which pastor is provided relief each month
12. N/A -- Other (please specify)

16. Summary of Assets:

Total assets	$470,000.00	including church building, manse and bank balances
Total liability	$80,000.00	consisting of a mortgage on the manse to be repaid at 10,000.00 per year for 8 years interest free.
Total equity	$390,000.00

Part III: Church Characteristics

17. In what ways does your church participate in ecumenical activities?

1. March for Jesus
2. Dalhousie University faculty bible study
3. Joint services with Cornwallis Street Baptist Church
4. Christian education in the public schools
5. Rainbows (a support program for children grieving because they lost a family member through death or divorce)
6. Youth concerts (with First Congregational Church)
7. Daily Vacation Bible School with St. Matthias Anglican Church
8. "Jesus to the Nations" Mission Fair
9. Metro Pregnancy Centre fundraising events
10. International Student Ministry (IVCF)
11. Pray for Halifax - regular city wide prayer meetings
12. Special community worship services
13. Evangelical Pastors Prayer Group - Our previous pastor was active in this group

18. Describe the strengths of your congregation:

At All Nations we are blessed with members who are gifted and willing to lead the congregation both in worship and service. We have a vibrant Sunday School programme for both children and adults which attract a high participation rate. Our blended worship services are growing in attendance and the weekly Children in Worship services allow our children to participate in worship as well as the adults.

Our congregation welcomes new members and encourages fellowship among the congregation both formally and informally. Over the last ten years there has been a strong sense of unity among the congregation. This has allowed us to undertake a number of major challenges (selling our old manse and purchasing a new manse and church building). This, in turn, has resulted in a significant expansion in our membership and ministry opportunities. It has also allowed us to begin addressing the needs of our local community.

There is a high degree of permission at All Nations to try different forms of worship. We have a reputation in the community as a church that welcomes those who are seeking the Lord. We have visitors at almost every Sunday worship service.

19. List specific problems with which your congregation struggles:

For many years we have been struggling with an effective youth (13-19 years) ministry. We have found that when our children reach their teenage years they begin to drift away from the church . Various attempts to deal with this problem have been tried, with varying degrees of success. We now have a large (54) contingent of children under 13 years so we feel it is critical to meet this challenge now.

All Nations is also weak in the area of deliberate evangelism. We have found that the delivery of our diaconal services had little opportunity to develop meaningful long term relationships with opportunities to share Christ's love. We have hired a Mentoring Ministry Co-ordinator; however, this ministry will require much support and commitment from the congregation and the Church leadership.

It has been noted by Council, that while we are good at welcoming new members, we are sometimes weak at enfolding them in congregational life and ministry. This is particularly true for those who do not immediately fit in to one of the social groupings in the church.

Finally, our church recognizes the importance of establishing small groups among the congregation. A number of attempts have been made with various degrees of success. Perhaps one of the reasons for the limited success is that the core of our church leadership are often over committed. We recognize that it is essential to expand this group to help share the leadership tasks as our congregation continues to grow. These issues are upon us now and we need to address them in the short term.

20. List major goals this congregation has set for itself:

1. Worship: In our worship we strive first of all to please God, proclaiming His word and showing His love to visitors as well as our members . We encourage congregational participation, affirming both variety and tradition.
2. Education: We are committed to teaching all participants in our church community, young and old.
3. Evangelism: We desire to reach out to our community by sharing our faith with our friends and by responding to those in need.
4. Fellowship: We seek to identify members gifts and encourage their use for God's service and for building up community. We desire to take care of one another, pray for each other, and bear each other's burdens.

1. To strengthen small groups ministry in order to enfold, nurture, and foster relationships.
2. To strengthen our ministry to youth.
3. To become more effective and intentional in our diaconal ministries through mentoring. In forming long-term relationships with those in crisis, we will have a more lasting impact.
4. To strengthen our ministry to students through our new Chaplain at Dalhousie University.

21.

1. Has your congregation ever taken disciplinary action against a pastor? No
2. Has there ever been an Article 16 or 17 termination in the history of your church? No
3. Has there ever been an official ecclesiastical complaint against an elder or deacon of your congregation?
   Yes -- In the early 1980s, a member of All Nations Church made an appeal to Classis Eastern Canada protesting our ordaining a woman as Deacon prior to Synod's approval. The outcome was that we accepted Classis' advice not to ordain women, but the woman already ordained as a Deacon served out her term.

In 1982, our congregation was censured by Classis Eastern Canada for inviting the then Roman Catholic Archbishop of Halifax to preach in the annual Epiphany Series.

22. Have you completed a Congregational Master Plan, Mission Statement or Vision Statement?

Yes. Our "Concept of Ministry" was thoroughly revised in 1996 and Council has recently (November 2000) approved an addendum.

The Mission Statement for All Nations is taken from the Concept of Ministry and is as follows:

All Nations, by its nature, composition and mission, seeks to testify to the barrier breaking power of Jesus Christ and to demonstrate that reconciliation, wholeness, and life are found in him. As our concept of ministry puts it,

"We proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord of all nations, ethnic groups, races and ages. We believe that ethnic and cultural differences should not be barriers between people but rather a source of enrichment under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. We are working to affirm this in everyday life and to celebrate our varied gifts in worship of the one true God. (p.3)"

23. Characteristics of our Future Pastor:

Our new pastor must have a strong pulpit ministry, one which can effectively bring the Word of God to a diverse congregation. The Pastor must be dynamic in his/her worship style, open to change and willing to work with Council and the Worship Committee in planning worship services. Our pastor will be expected to work co-operatively with Council in encouraging leadership from the congregation, setting goals and overseeing their implementation. Finally, we expect our Pastor to assist us in maintaining our strengths while dealing effectively with our weaknesses, especially those weaknesses set-out above.