Joyce Madsen and I attended the Banff Men's Conference this year. It is the annual gathering of United Church men for a weekend of spirituality, workshops, and time away from it all in a great setting, the Banff Centre.
We got to thinking about the role of men in the church. Church staff are increasingly female. Of the 219 staff listed in the 2003 United Church Yearbook for Alberta & NW Conference, 47% are women, and this percentage will increase dramatically in the coming years.
The number of women in ministry is not bad. In fact, we all feel it is something to be celebrated. There is an incredible amount of gifted leadership that has been added to the church.
The challenge is the shifting role of men in the church. We are conscious as we work with congregations that fewer men are involved in key leadership roles. On the other hand, we notice there are few occasions in ordinary congregational life when men have an opportunity to deal with spiritual issues and this changing role.
We need a place where men are really comfortable sharing their spiritual experience and their faith. The gift of Banff is that it provides that. Some 300 men heard Gordon Oaks talk about his journey with God, and were able in small groups and on walks to talk about their own faith. It was great.
It is time for the church to give full support to conferences like the one at Banff. Men deserve it. It is a great experience, and a great gift to the church.
Congregational Life Newsletter. Nov. 2004. Vol. 11 No. 2.