Our Story
We started in 2016 with a desire to support Canadian pastors, denominational leaders, and lay leaders with Canadian data on Canadian congregations.
We are an interdisciplinary, ecumenical research centre, currently housed at Ambrose University. We collaborate with scholars and practitioners from diverse disciplinary and theological traditions and institutions, across Canadian regions.
Our logo with the upward leaf reflects our interest in congregational flourishing. Throughout Scripture, the leaf represents humanity’s connection to the beauty and order of God’s creation, shelter and protection, healing and restoration, and nourishment and growth depicted in blue and green in our logo.
Canadian Research
We research the Canadian Church.
Data Sharing
We interpret and share data with church leaders across the country, assisting leaders toward data-informed ministry practices.
Local Ministry
We partner with church practitioners to identify ways that Institute-led research could positively impact local ministry.
Our Leadership Team
Our Director and Associate Directors work to vision, strategize, plan, and execute Institute initiatives in collaboration with one another.
Founding Members
Bill McAlpine and Keith Walker, together with Joel Thiessen and Arch Wong, partnered together in 2016 to create the Flourishing Congregations Institute.
Born to TEAM missionary parents in Chad Africa, Bill grew up in a pastor's home after his parents' return to Toronto.
He has pastored for just under 16 years in Alliance Churches in Ontario and Saskatchewan and served for 26 years as Professor of Pastoral Theology at Ambrose University in Calgary, Alberta. He retired as Professor Emeritus of Practical Theology in June of 2019.
Bill McAlpine, PhD
Professor Emeritus Practical Theology, Ambrose University
Dr. Walker is a Professor of Educational Administration at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada. Keith’s university work consists of research and scholarly writing, teaching with colleagues in the Department of Educational Administration, and service to university and field-based partners. Keith has been a senior faculty consultant with the Saskatchewan Educational Leadership Unit (S.E.L.U.), at the University of Saskatchewan, for nearly 30 years.
Keith Walker, PhD
Professor of Educational Administration, University of Saskatchewan
Institute Fellows
Institute fellows are scholars or practitioners who pursue empirical research, theological reflection, and/or practical application as experts regarding some aspect of Christian congregational life in Canada. For more information and to apply to become an Institute Fellow, click here.
In addition to joining the Flourishing Congregation’s Institute as a Research Fellow, Mike serves as Community Engagement and Research Associate at the Trinity Centres Foundation. He is President of Sphaera Research, Research Director for the Halo Canada Project.
A resourceful communicator, educator, and community developer, Mike has more than 35 years brokering conversations between individuals, community non-profits, religious congregations, denominational leaders, and municipalities to help faith communities reimagine their buildings and properties as social assets.
Mike Wood Daly, DMin
President of Sphaera Research, Research Director for the Halo Canada Project, and Community Engagement and Research Associate at the Trinity Centres Foundation
Partnership Council
The Partnership Council is made up of church, denominational, and academic leaders from across theological traditions and Canadian regions. They provide feedback and advice to our leadership team on a variety of Institute projects.
The Rev. Canon Lisa G. Vaughn (Chair)
Director of Mission and Ministry Development - Diocese of Nova Scotia & Prince Edward Island
Reverend Wilbert Chin Jon is one of the two Vicars General in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary and the Moderator of the Curia.
The Reverend Wilbert Chin Jon
Vicar General, Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary
David Eagle received his PhD in sociology at Duke University studying the social organization of congregations in North America. He is presently a researcher with Duke Divinity School's Clergy Health Initiative where he is part of the largest data collection ever done with clergy, a 10-year project to understand the challenges that United Methodist pastors face in terms of their mental and physical health.
David Eagle
Research Associate at Duke University
Bronwyn worked with a congregation in Hamilton before beginning her work in Ministry Recruitment with the Ministry and Employment unit, and then new ministry development with EDGE, at the General Council Office for The United Church of Canada.
Bronwyn now works within the newly formed Growth Department in the Organizational Development and Strategy Unit at The United Church of Canada.
The Reverend Bronwyn Corlett
Rural and New Ministries Coordinator, Growth and Ministry Development, The United Church of Canada
Terrel Joseph
Divine Renovation Leadership Coach
Robb is married to Lois and together they have three amazing daughters. Living in Ottawa, Robb and Lois lead Global Leadership Network Canada. Together, they work with churches and leaders across the country to provide leadership resources that equip Christians by building their skill and inspiring their faith.
Robb Warren
Co-Executive Director of Global Leadership Network Canada
Past and Current Partners
This fresh research by the Flourishing Congregations Institute offers all of us in the Canadian Church new inspiration as we discern our future mission and ministry in this rapidly changing world.
We are heavily influenced by the questions we ask; by asking positive questions about what is working, and where God is moving in our midst … the Flourishing Congregations Institute invites us to explore a future for our congregations where there’s more life, more vitality, and more flourishing.
