SAVE THE DATES: ANTIRACISM and the UNITED CHURCH – INTENSIVE WORKSHOP in 2023 Are you interested in furthering your engagement with anti-racism? Save the Dates for this two-session workshop: Tuesdays February 7, 2023 and March 7, 2023 @10:00-11:30 AM EST Feb 7- Part 1: Antiracism Workshop with Selam Debs. March 7- Part 2: Antiracism for the UCC with a UCC BIPOC theologian/racial justice educator. Facilitator TBA. Selam Debs is a Black Ethiopian queer Anti-Racism Coach, Consultant & Trainer...
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Here is the Mission Support Grant application for 2023. The deadline for submitting an application is 12:01 am Tuesday September 6th, 2022. Completed application packages can be sent to Kathy Douglas at KDouglas@united-church.ca Upon receiving your email, Kathy will let you know she has your application. If you have not heard from Kathy within 3 working days, please be in touch with her to ensure she received your email. If you have any questions or concerns as you fill out the application,...
ISARC’s Ontario Election Backgrounders We are pleased to provide four backgrounders for use in the upcoming provincial election. Please use them to encourage civic discussion with neighbours and friends, raise questions with candidates, and inform your participation in community all-candidate events. View Backgrounder PDF During the past two years of pandemic response, many issues of equality, adequacy and human dignity were sidelined. Yet, the dire effects of the pandemic served to further...
The Ontario Grant to Support Anti-Hate Security Measures for Faith-Based and Cultural Organizations is now accepting applications for 2022-23. Organizations that applied for the grant in 2021-22 can apply again for 2022-23. The deadline to apply is August 31, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. EST. As with the previous round of the program, the grant can go towards expenses such as security equipment or training to respond to hate-motivated incidents. Funds must be spent on eligible expenses by March 31,...
COVID POLICIES from the National Office of The United Church of Canada With restrictions easing across the country, the United Church sought the advice of outside legal counsel for communities of faith. Excerpts from the legal opinion are provided below. Please note it is based on policies currently in place and the assessment of them as reasonable. Assuming that the original rule issued by the Church or congregation concerning masking or proof of vaccination status was reasonable, there is...
You Are Invited! Be Bold, Be Brave Praise God in the holy temple! Praise God for mighty deeds! Praise God for bountiful mercies! Praise God who meets our needs! Psalm 150 (from Voices United) It seems like a very long time, since Grant Williams played the Harry Potter theme music for us at the Meridian Centre and the Hogwarts Sorting Hat helped us discern our places on the Regional Council. Just six months later COVID-19 shut us down for in-person events and we had to be bold and brave in how...
In the summer of 2018, Diane Blanchard accepted the invitation to serve as Minister, Pastoral Relations, for Antler River Watershed, Western Ontario Waterways and Horseshoe Falls Regional Councils starting on January 1, 2019. As if the structural change was not enough to manage, the church also chose that date to implement a new search and selection system called ChurchHub. Diane shepherded congregations through the ChurchHub process in the early days and still resources them now. She trained...
Dear siblings in Christ, Ahead of PIE Day 2022 (March 14th), a small group of friends of Horseshoe Falls and Shining Waters Regional Councils came together to talk about the ways Scripture has been used – and misused – to cause harm to 2SLGBTQIA+ people. We talked about ways the United Church perpetuated that harm. We talked about how far we have come as a denomination – and how far we have left to go. We celebrated the progress that has been made and we wondered what we might offer to help...
Tri Regional UCW of Antler River Watershed, Horseshoe Falls and Western Ontario Waterways Regional Councils met on Saturday, February 12th, 2022. Enjoy the video of the event and stay connected. Contact Kathy Douglas for information on future UCW events.
[Photo credit: pedro_wroclaw from Pixabay] Since COVID struck, visits to Canadian food banks have climbed 20 percent. Already, over 33 percent of food bank users are children. In 2022, food prices are predicted to rise another 5 to 7 percent. We can do more to support our friends and neighbours living in Canada. That’s why on February 21―as many provinces celebrate Family Day― we are hoping you will encourage those in your network to support families by giving the gift of a meal through our...
In October of 2021, The United Church of Canada General Council 43 Annual Meeting adopted a Call and Vision for the whole church. This video highlights this new Call, explores the connection to these words in our faith statements, and invites reflection and commitment. https://youtu.be/asZ1m26p-oI
https://youtu.be/OIp2xaKFBno On January 24, 2022, The United Church of Canada launched its Korea Peace Appeal Ten Thousand Signature Campaign declaring, “70 years is enough. It’s time to end the Korean War.” In 2018, the United Church’s 43rd General Council declared that we believe God is calling us to join with partners to work for peace, justice and reunification in the Korean peninsula. The 43rd General Council urged the church to address the suffering of the Korean people, which continues...
YAT Forum 2022YAT ForumCommunity Retreat Ages 19 and Up Long walks to the dining hall… Gracefully launching yourself down the rolling hills…Desperately trying to shake that catchy worship tune… Running into the arms of people you haven't seen in years...or ever...or yesterday! ...Sounds awe-inspiring, fairytale- esque, a utopian dream! But hold up!!! This is not a drill! YAT Forum (Young Adults Together) is coming to a Pearce Williams Christian Center near you (actually its located in Iona...
Do you wish to engage others in your passion for the environment and take actions for climate change. Here is an invitation to Facilitate Climate Conversations with some helpful training. Check out this opportunity. For more information contact Kdouglas@united-church.ca For the Love of Creation will be offering a Facilitator Training Session for the Faithful Climate Conversations Two dates: Saturday, February 12 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm EST...
Conversation Café Bereavement Support Group Trained facilitators lead six (6) consecutive Tuesday evening sessions. The purpose of the group is to provide: A place to meet others who have had a similar grief experience A safe, small, supportive community Information about loss and grief Opportunities to learn new ways of approaching living again A place to encounter new growth and balance after a death loss To learn more and to register contact: Jan Temple-Jones at...
