Comprehensive Feasibility Study Set to Begin

This fall will see the launch of a feasibility study in the Diocese of Niagara to determine the level of support for a parish-focused capital campaign.

“The whole campaign is designed to support local ministry. The health, well-being, confidence, and mission-driven life of our parishes and missions is the goal of all we do as a diocese,” said Bishop Susan Bell. “This campaign presents an important opportunity to resource our local mission action plans.”

Representatives from the Steier Group, a church development and fundraising firm, will be conducting interviews across the diocese to gain feedback on a variety of potential campaign elements.

The primary aim of the proposed campaign is to provide resources for mission in the next season of the church’s ministry, drawing on locally discerned mission action plans. In addition, the campaign would create a new leadership endowment to support differentiated curacies as well as the ministries of missioners and church planters. Together, these two campaign goals seek to equip our ministries to flourish by resourcing missional initiatives and investing in the future leadership of the dioceses parishes and missions.

“It’s important that our clergy and lay leaders hear without any doubt that this is all designed to support them and their local missional goals,” said Bishop Bell. The campaign would also provide an impactful one-time gift to the Anglican Church of Canada’s Healing Fund, or to support the emerging Indigenous Anglican Church in Canada. It would also provide major one-time gifts to support the ministries of St. Matthew’s House, Canterbury Hills endowment, and Christ’s Church Cathedral.

“Bishop Susan wants to hear from as many people as possible, so we can gauge their interest in addressing these urgent needs,” said the Reverend Canon Dr.Drew MacDonald, diocesan stewardship and campaign advisor.

During the 13-week study, slated to begin September 25, parishioners will have a variety of ways to give their opinions. While some will be personally interviewed, others will have the option to complete surveys or attend a town hall meeting in their region. Participants will be given a fact sheet that outlines each of the needs and how the diocese would like to address them. As of now, the proposed campaign is estimated to be $20 million. The information collected during the study is confidential and will help diocesan leadership discern how to best proceed with a campaign centered on building up the parishes and missions of the diocese.