We sing of a church
seeking to continue the story of Jesus
by embodying Christ’s presence in the world.We are called together by Christ
as a community of broken but hopeful believers,
loving what he loved,
living what he taught,
striving to be faithful servants of God
in our time and place.
What is Toward 2035? A Call to Prayer and Conversation
Toward 2035 is an invitation to prayer and a whole-church conversation about the future of God’s call to The United Church of Canada.
When we say whole church, we mean all of us—communities of faith, clusters, regional councils, and the General Council. But whole church does not mean one-size-fits-all. Context matters. Connexion matters.
This is about weaving together the unique voices and visions of our church:
- Communities of faith discerning what it means to live as Beloved Community for the sake of our neighbours where we call home.
- Regional councils offering visionary leadership, drawing conversations together with a view of ministry across the whole region.
- The General Council providing support and resources needed at every level.
Individual conversations become connected—forming a shared vision for the next decade and beyond. Together, we seek to imagine and embody God’s future for the United Church as we move toward 2035.
Toward 2035 Calls Us to Imagine…
In The United Church of Canada, inspired, resilient, and diverse contextual communities of disciples seek to continue the story of Jesus by embodying Christ’s presence in the world. The church is present and deeply connected coast-to-coast-to-coast in rural and urban settings, and in ecumenical and global relationships. Guided by hope-filled, adaptive and effective ministry leaders, the denomination is increasingly multigenerational, multiracial, and intercultural.
One hundred years ago, [The United Church of Canada] began with faithful people seeing the possibility God guided them into, right there in the place they called home. We are convinced that God still calls, and that we can respond —we are not alone.
—The Rev. Michael Blair, General Secretary, The United Church of Canada
Toward 2035: Envisioning a Future of Hope
Toward 2035 was born from projected data for 2025 to 2035 (see downloads), showing a steep decline in membership and participation in the United Church. However, it is not the whole story, only a part of it. Toward 2035 is about imagining what God is calling us to become—not bemoaning decline.
It is about possibility. It is about hope.
Engaging Toward 2035 within your Community of Faith
- Learn about the current trends in the church, and where we’re headed if we don’t make changes by using the Community Conversation Session 1 resource under downloads.
- Pray as a community for your neighbours and neighbourhoods, and listen and notice for God at work amongst you. Check out the prayer resources under downloads.
- Gather with communities of faith in your area to pray and discuss being a faithful presence in your communities.
United in Prayer
Take 30 minutes every Thursday to give thanks to God for all the Spirit is doing among us. Join other community members in praying for strength and guidance for The United Church of Canada. Offer up prayers for the neighbours we serve from coast to coast to coast.
Join United Church staff Thursday at 12 p.m. ET for a weekly prayer time on Zoom. Request the link or let us know how we can pray for your community of faith via .
Latest Updates
Toward 2035 Invites Communities of Faith to a Hope-Filled, Bolder Future
Toward 2035: General Council Executive approves strategic direction as whole-church strategy continues to unfold; new tools available soon to help… continue reading
United Church of Canada Invites Conversation Toward 2035
Toward 2035 aims to honor the legacy of past generations while charting a bold path for the future.Downloads
- Toward 2035 Congregational Conversation Facilitator's Guide (707.42 KB) (PDF)
- Toward 2035 - Congregational Conversation Presentation (262.11 KB) (PowerPoint)
- Toward 2035 - Prayer Practices - A Listening Prayer (211.96 KB) (Word)
- Toward 2035 - Prayer Practices - Prayer Walk (209.98 KB) (Word)
- Toward 2035 11x17 Two-pager (358.08 KB) (PDF)
- Toward 2035 Infographic (346.73 KB) (PDF)