TrueCity aims to share congregation-based models of involvement in neighbourhoods and the city as a whole. We facilitate shared learning, and collaborative projects so that the churches involved participate more fully and effectively in God’s mission together. We share a calling to authentic involvement in our neighbourhoods and across the city and cultivate real cooperation with other churches on specific projects to be a blessing to Hamilton.
Now, eighteen years into our journey together there are seventeen churches involved. Throughout our journey we have learned a great deal about the art and science of cultivating congregational collaboration in pursuit of collective mission and Church unity. The congregations who have entered into partnership together share a belief that we, the Church, are at our best when we respond to the Spirit’s invitation to join in the Jesus-way-of-life, pursuing justice, peace, compassion and relational holiness.
Each year we hold a conference as a way to share stories, worship, and learn together. We come together to celebrate the ways we see God at work in Hamilton and to tangibly live out scripture’s call to pursue the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
At the heart of our network are these seven core values:
– Congregationally Based
– Neighbourhood Engaged
– Active Cooperation
– Humble Orthodoxy
– Margins at the Centre
– Whole City View
– Growth through Collaboration
Beyond Hamilton
As stories of how churches have come together in Hamilton have traveled there has been an increased interest to hear more about church unity and missional collaboration. We believe that the expertise that has developed in serving and cultivating the TrueCity network has the potential to be used to resource other networks.
By sharing our story more broadly and providing coaching and training, we aim to see healthy networks cooperatively engaged in mission and discipleship taking root in other communities. We help equip churches with discipleship training that enables people to join God in what He is doing or wishes to do in their place. We help churches engage their context — to see what areas God is opening up and how churches may collaborate to have impact there. We help churches embrace each other — to see and find each other and learn to build trust. This program continues to serve the network in Hamilton, while seeking to catalyze networks in other cities.
