• A potluck and discussion led by Kate Rowbotham for those aged 30 - 45: members, adherents and friends of our congregation.
• A Saturday/Sunday weekend with Rev. Ross Lockhart, minister of St. Matthew's United in Belleville (Wayne's previous charge). Saturday afternoon workshop followed by a pot luck supper and informal worship service. Sunday service led by Rev. Ross. He is active in the UCC's Emerging Spirit ministry and is a designer and leader of the Emerging Spirit workshops being held across the country.

At the August meeting, the General Council gave overwhelming support to an initiative to establish and nurture a relationship between The United Church of Canada and Canadians aged 30 - 45 who are not currently involved with another faith community. This goal will be accomplished through several means, including advertising, a website component and initiatives at the congregational level. During its year of development, the project was called Emerging Spirit. You may have heard of it through the Emerging Spirit website or kept abreast of developments through the newletter.

We'd like to introduce you to a new expression: WonderCafe.

The simplest way to explain WonderCafe is this: it is the public face of Emerging Spirit. It shares the same goal - to connect with Canadians aged 30 - 45 who don't currently attend any church on a regular basis - and will use the same online and congregational means to achieve these goals.

The research firm Environics found that up to 77% of Canadians between 30 and 45 who aren't already part of a faith community would be interested in hearing more about a church like the United Church. They are interested in a church that is provocative and reaches out to others. Among those 30 - 45 year olds who have heard of the United Church, there is a postive, but vague, impression of it as being less judgmental and more in touch with important social issues.

WonderCafe is more than Emerging Spirit renamed; it is the internal church initiative brought to life in a way that the world outside the church can embrace. Or, to put it another way, WonderCafe will provide a meeting place for Canadians we hope to attract to our church, and a fresh, relevant, inviting way for them to connect with each other and with congregations.

WonderCafe reflects all the attributes that can draw Canadians to our church. It invites people to explore their spirituality and beliefs in an open-minded, relevant environment. It respects individual opinion while also allowing the church to contribute to discussions from a Christian perspective. It is a friendly, inviting place. And, in reflecting all these unique attributes, it provides an authentic and powerful witness of our church.

WonderCafe was launched on November 7 as a major media event. It can be found online - at WonderCafe.ca - as well as in many incarnations in congregations across Canada.

A few highlights on this website.

• Read what others are saying about some of life's big questions; make your own contribution to the discussion groups.
• Watch the talked-about EZ Answer Squirrel video - it's about a minute long.
• See a poll on a weekly question - send in your own answer to the weekly question.
• Listen to a "weekly" speaker on a topical topic.
• Find your nearest church - hopefully our's (just as soon as I get a password).
• Extend your study of our faith beyond Sunday mornings - visit the site!