"A caring community where all people belong regardless of age, gender, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, differing abilities, ethnic background or social and economic circumstance."
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 What We Believe
God is creative and self-giving,
   generously moving
   in all the near and distant corners of the universe.
Nothing exists that does not find its source in God.
Our first response to God’s providence is gratitude.
We sing thanksgiving.
 
Finding ourselves in a world of beauty and mystery,
   of living things, diverse and interdependent,
   of complex patterns of growth and evolution,
   of subatomic particles and cosmic swirls,
we sing of God the Creator,
the Maker and Source of all that is.
 
Each part of creation reveals unique aspects of God the Creator,
   who is both in creation and beyond it.
All parts of creation, animate and inanimate, are related.
All creation is good.
We sing of the Creator,
   who made humans to live and move
   and have their being in God.
In and with God,
   we can direct our lives toward right relationship
   with each other and with God.
We can discover our place as one strand in the web of life.
We can grow in wisdom and compassion.
We can recognize all people as kin.
We can accept our mortality and finitude, not as a curse,
   but as a challenge to make our lives and choices matter.

Mission: To be reconciling
Purpose: Make a life-giving difference
Values: Accepting, Connecting, Emerging


The United Church of Canada: As part of the United Church of Canada, we believe that the statement of faith in A New Creed gives expression to our experiences of God and our call to care for all of God’s creation.
A New Creed
We are not alone,
   we live in God's world.
We believe in God:
   who has created and is creating,
   who has come in Jesus,
      the Word made flesh,
   to reconcile and make new,
   who works in us and others
      by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
   to celebrate God's presence,
   to live with respect in Creation,
   to love and serve others,
   to seek justice and resist evil,
   to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
       our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
   God is with us.
We are not alone.
   Thanks be to God

What is the Appreciative Way?

The appreciative way paradigm is a blend of Appreciative Inquiry and Contemplative Spirituality which focuses on what is working; studies the root causes of success; identifies and builds on strengths; discovers how people and communities make a difference; inquires into what people value, and encourages people to do what they love and live on purpose.


Appreciative Way Paradigm
Search for solutions that already exist
Amplify what is working
Focus on life giving forces
What is working well around here?
Learning from what works
Who is to affirm?
Basic Assumption: The Church and people are a mystery to be embraced.
~Adapted from Sue Hammond


At Alberni Valley United Church, we use the Pinch-Crunch Model of Conflict Resolution to help us build collaboration and cooperation, and to  focus on shared values and shared goals.