The United Church of Canada

Please join us for this important webinar on "Peoples of African Descent and Canadian Churches," Thursday, Nov. 26 at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, 4:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. United Church of Canada General Secretary Michael Blair will be one of the panelists. #UCCan

Worship resources for November 29, First Sunday of Advent http://ow.ly/vjz550ydhXy #UCCan

The Black Clergy Network in The United Church of Canada has offered a prayer of support for the Rev. Michael Blair, as he begins his new role as the General Secretary, General Council. In part, the prayer reads: It is with joy and hopeful anticipation that we, members of the Black Clergy Network of The United Church of Canada, celebrate and welcome you as the new General Secretary, General Council of The United Church of Canada. As you move into this ministry, we bring ...prayers of gratitude and of hope. If we could, we would encircle you, lay on hands and pray a blessing. Even though we cannot do this in person, in the Spirit may you know our presence right there with you. " Read the full prayer: http://ow.ly/nCcP50C9jP5 [Art: The Sankofa bird symbol, arising from the Akan people of Ghana. As the Sankofa goes forward while looking back, Akan wisdom tells us that the past serves as a guide for planning the future. Credit: Logo for the Sankofa Global Project, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons] #UCCan

At this time of year, the olive harvest season in the Holy Land a very special time for many people in the region is underway. Families and community members, young and old, gather in olive groves for days and weeks of hard work. This year, due to the challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, farmers would not have support from international volunteers during the harvest season. Work for a lasting and just peace for Palestinians and Israelis: join the campaign to ensure a #PeacefulHarvest. https://youtu.be/d2Nk3a3DcHo #UCCan #PeacefulHarvest

E-ssentials: - Moderator's Advent Message, Adoption Apology, Gifts With Vision, and more! https://mailchi.mp/united-church/es201124

"O send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling." - Psalm 43:3 #UCCan [Photo by Ronaldo de Oliveira on Unsplash]

As the moon rose high in the sky last night, God of All Creation, I was reminded that we have come to that trinity of days - All Hallows, All Saints, and All So...uls - a trilogy of calls to remember. And so, on this All Hallows Eve, I remember the sacred moments, the holy moments, the moments of tears and laughter from this past year, when your Presence has been felt, deep in my bones. I remember the treats and the tricks that the days have presented, and celebrate the sacred, in the physical distancing, but social connection, in our virtual spaces. On All Saints, I will celebrate with you, the church - the body of Christ - that great communion of his followers, of every age and place, each of whom - like me - have been a mess of contradictions, of days bad and good, of hopes and wonders and mistakes, but one in their desire to live Jesus's Way. For all those who have gone before - Alleluia! For all those living now - Alleluia! For all those yet to come - Alleluia! May we live the commandment to love you, and to love our neighbours as we love ourselves, with all that we are. And then comes All Souls. This year, I pray for all those who have died, people of every land and nation, people of every faith and worldview, remembering, especially, the million and more who have died from a name we didn't know a year ago - SARS-COV-2, the virus of COVID-19. This night I sit with all who are grieving the loss in their lives, because of these people's deaths, even as I am certain that all - living and dead - are embedded in your love - surrounded and held, forever and forever. They are remembered, and in that memory, live. I pray for All the Souls, All the Saints, All the Hallows, in the name of Jesus, carried by the wings of the Holy Spirit, and in the Creator's love - Amen and Amen.

United Church Bookstore: Face Masks, 2021 Calendar, New Advent Resources, and more! - https://mailchi.mp/ucrdstore/united-church-bookstore-201113 #UCCan

Happy All Saints Day #UCCan

Responding in Hope to the Disruption of Pandemic: Activist and scholar Kofi Hope says Canada’s self-image is being challenged by the pain of the pandemic, bringing new realities to view. https://www.united-church.ca//responding-hope-disruption-p #UCCan #UCCanCOVID19

Emmanuel College has recognized the Rev. Dr. Jenny Stephens of General Council Office with the Alumni/ae Service Award this year for her leadership in developing and implementing the Office of Vocation of The United Church of Canada. Congratulations Jenny! https://emmanuel.utoronto.ca//jenny-stephens-receives-alu/ #UCCan

Note from Nora: We are in God’s Presence - https://mailchi.mp/united-church/notefromnora-201030

Note from Nora: The unknowable mystery we call God. - https://mailchi.mp/united-church/notefromnora-200924

We know it's early, but many of us are starting to think about Advent! The United Church of Canada's Advent Unwrapped worship resources offer videos, prayers, family activities, and more ways for you to explore the Christmas story. We invite you to sign up for the #AdventUnwrapped newsletter to receive email messages when our new Advent resources are available: http://ow.ly/r34V50vPwBM Advent is the season to get ready for Christ(mas) and make room for Christ and the radical,... countercultural messages that Christ brings. Take a look at the Advent Unwrapped resources: https://www.united-church.ca/worship-theme/advent-unwrapped #UCCan #AdventUnwrapped #Advent

Over the summer over 6000 Canadians signed a petition calling for Canadian corporations to uphold human rights and protect the environment abroad. Participate in this virtual rally organized by United Church Canadian partner, Canadian Network for Corporate Accountability and support United Church global partners who ask us to ensure that Canadian corporations are held accountable for their actions. Sunday, Oct. 18 at 4:00 p.m. EDT, 1:00 p.m. PDT. at this link: https://tinyurl.com/yxvznpfo #UCCan #open4justice #power2investigate #power2compel #CAN4mHRDD

E-ssentials: Historic Declaration to Become an Anti-Racist Church - https://mailchi.mp/united-church/es201029

Our website, United-Church.ca, has fresh new look! Check it out! https://www.united-church.ca/ #UCCan

St Paul's United Circle of Indigenous Friends and Advocates is hosting a series of reconciliation-themed webinars Sept 25 - Oct 28. Sign up at https://eventbrite.ca/e/indigenous-event-pathways-to-awaren

After decades of nipping around the edges of the issues of systemic racism, the Commissioners of the 43rd General Council voted to declare the denomination to become an anti-racist church on Saturday. October 24, 2020. This doesn’t mean we have achieved this goal, explains the Moderator, the Right Rev. Richard Bott, but we are taking a stand and saying we are publicly committed to eliminating systemic racism from our practices and policies. A key part of the strategy to ...engage in process is the creation of a new Anti-Racism and Equity Officer position in the General Council Office. After an extensive search process, we are pleased to announce that the successful candidate is Adele Halliday, who has already been deeply engaged in related work within the Church in Mission Unit and has worked with the United Church since 2004. Find out more in the full news release. https://www.united-church.ca//church-makes-historic-declar #UCCan #AntiRacistChurch

In support of Mi'kmaq fishers and respecting the Peace and Friendship Treaties, Regional Council 15 and Fundy St. Lawrence Dawning Waters Regional Council of the United Church offer a Statement of Solidarity. #UCCan

Embracing the Spirit: Changing the Narrative of Poverty, EDGE-y Conversations, and more! - https://mailchi.mp/united-church/embracing-the-spirit-201028

Worship resources for November 1, Twenty-second after Pentecost http://ow.ly/MR8Q50ydhsc #UCCan

Worship resources for September 27, Creation Time 3 http://ow.ly/Zy8p50ydgEY #UCCan

"How We Are Re-opening Our Church": Daniel Benson shares that returning to in-person worship with the extended church family is like coming home. http://ow.ly/9E0z50BysXU #UCCan #UCCanCOVID19

E-ssentials: New Congregational Webinars and Online Conversations - https://mailchi.mp/united-church/es201027

Moderator Richard Bott joined a vigil for Guaranteed Livable Income in North Vancouver. #UCCanLivableIncome #guaranteedlivableincome #UCCan

Do you do social media or communications for your United Church of Canada church or community of faith? Do you do online marketing or promotion for your church? Are you the person who runs the church website or writes the newsletter? If so, we invite you to join this Facebook group to share best practices, build consistency of practice, share posts and information, develop guidelines, and most of all, support each other! We look forward to connecting with you. www.facebook.com/groups/563263544474109/ #UCCan

Today's vigil in Winnipeg for a Guaranteed Livable Income program! Report from the Rev. Loraine MacKenzie Shepherd: "We had 21 people today, each masked and standing within their own chalk circles. CTV was there to film it & interview me. Elder David Budd offered a drumming song, Sid Frankl, U of M Prof in Social Work spoke; Rev. Lynda Trono, United Church minister for West Broadway Community Ministry spoke, including some of the United Church statement and her experience in her ministry. Then we had prayersJewish (Dorit Kosm & Rabbie Kliel Rose who blew the shofar), a lay person from a United Church, a Roman Catholic parishioner, and a Muslim woman offering a prayer. #UCCanLivableIncome #guaranteedlivableincome #UCCan

A vigil for Guaranteed Livable Income, Calvin United Church, Pembroke, Ontario! #UCCanLivableIncome #guaranteedlivableincome #UCCan

#UCCanLivableIncome #guaranteedlivableincome #UCCan

Éric Hébert-Daly, Responsable des Ministères en français for The United Church of Canada at the vigil calling for a Guaranteed Livable Income on Parliament Hill in Ottawa today. #UCCanLivableIncome #guaranteedlivableincome #UCCan

Photos from today's vigil for a Guaranteed Livable Income, outside of St. Thomas Wesley United Church in Saskatoon! #UCCanLivableIncome #GuaranteedLivableIncome #UCCan

#UCCanLivableIncome #GuaranteedLivableIncome #UCCan

#UCCanLivableIncome #GuaranteedLivableIncome #UCCan

#UCCanLivableIncome #GuaranteedLivableIncome #UCCan

E-ssentials: United Property Corp. Launch, COVID-19 Appeal Update, and more. - https://mailchi.mp/united-church/es200922

Support for #guaranteedlivableincome from a #UCCan minister. #UCCanLivableIncome

We are joining with the United Church and other Canadians across Canada to support the call for a basic/guaranteed annual living income. #UCCan #UCCanLivableIncome #BasicIncome #Dignity #guaranteedlivableincome