Vision

Informed, engaged, and empowered Anglicans for the good of our communities

Mission

To create and sustain a clear, well crafted, and easy to use online ‘centre’ with training, events, and learning opportunities for Anglicans to share their strengths, grow in faith, and develop their ministries.

Three main pathways for learners

Provided by The Learning Centre for Mission and Formation

These courses offer individual learners or small groups training in ministry roles, explorations of faith, and learning for justice and mission. Registration is easy and requires only a name and an email address. Clergy and lay leaders can also just register themselves and then share the course with a small group over Zoom or projected from their computers.

These are learning opportunities that happen live online or on-site and in-person. They include workshops, seminars, and conferences that are happening throughout the diocese and include multiple parishes. Dismantling Racism seminars, Mission Conference, Centre for Spiritual Renewal events, and Ministry Training days are the kinds of events found here.

This is a partnership with the Vancouver School of Theology to equip leaders with a strong foundation in theological and ministry studies through a 15 credit certificate program in three streams:

  • Homiletics
  • Children, youth, and families
  • Spiritual and Pastoral care

This program prepares leaders for licensed lay ministry in the diocese.

Staff and teachers

The Reverend Jessica Schaap is the director of the Learning Centre. She is Missioner for Christian Formation in the diocese of New Westminster. She works in collaboration with course authors who are mainly local practitioners with on the ground experience and expertise in different areas of ministry. Current course course authors include: Kerry Baisley, Missioner for Indigenous Justice, Reverend Tasha Carrothers, Reverend Harold Munn, and Reverend David Taylor.

The bishop of the diocese, the very Reverend John Stephens will be offering a course about Science and Faith on the Learning Centre in the Fall of 2024.

Other courses in development include:

  • Climate Justice with Reverend Joyce Parry-Moore,
  • Legacy Giving with Reverend Bruce Morris, and
  • Anglican Worship with the Reverend Dr. Richard Leggett.