United Church of Canada News

June 19, 2008: United Church Calls for Prayer and Diplomatic Action for Zimbabwe

June 17, 2008: Communication Workshops Help to Keep those Wedding Bells Ringing

June 5, 2008: United Church calls for Unprecedented Public Attention to June 11 Apology

May 26, 2008: United Church of Canada Foundation Announces Seeds of Hope Grants

April 24, 2008: United Church Expresses Deep Concern About Zimbabwe

April 16, 2008: United Church Congregations Encouraged to Go Green

April 15, 2008: Church Members Asked to Consider Giving the Gift of Life

March 3, 2008: Aboriginal and Church Leaders' Tour to Focus on Legacy of Residential Schools

February 15, 2008: Remembering the Children: An Aboriginal and Church Leaders' tour to prepare for Truth and Reconciliation

Thursday, June 19, 2008

United Church Calls for Prayer and Diplomatic Action for Zimbabwe

The United Church of Canada is inviting its congregations to join with churches worldwide in celebrating a day of prayer for Zimbabwe on Sunday, June 22. The invitation was extended by the World Council of Churches in a letter this week to its member churches.

The day of prayer for Zimbabwe, which is an initiative of Christians in the southern African country, is timed to take place shortly before the runoff election for the presidency scheduled for Friday, June 27.

“It is impossible to overstate the importance of this election, its fairness, its outcome and its aftermath,” writes World Council of Churches (WCC) General Secretary the Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia. “Events in the coming weeks will challenge the people of Zimbabwe and the world to find means of overcoming violence in the exercise of democracy, and the results will influence the future of the nation and the region,” he adds.

Writing also to the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, the World Council of Churches expressed continued concern about the situation in Zimbabwe and asked the world body to use its resources to assure an end to pre-election violence in the southern African country and a free and fair election on June 27.

Referring to President Robert Mugabe’s statement last week that he would “go to war” rather than acknowledge an election victory by the opposition, Kobia writes, “This attitude on the part of the president undermines the integrity of elections and belittles the Zimbabwean electorate.”

“Where the Mugabe government fails in its responsibility to protect the Zimbabwean people, the international community must assume that burden; in this endeavour, the United Nations should assume a leading role,” the WCC letter adds.

In a similar initiative, The United Church of Canada has sent letters to the presidents of Zambia and South Africa and to Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, urging the three men to redouble their efforts to ensure that Zimbabwe’s presidential election is free and fair.

Regrettably, the Government of Zimbabwe appears to be refusing to comply with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Guidelines and is turning a blind eye to, if not orchestrating, a campaign of election-related violence across the country.

In a letter to Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, who is also the President of the SADC, the United Church states that some of its partners in Zimbabwe have reported many acts “of politically motivated violence…including the torture, killing, and jailing of opposition party officials and supporters and the withholding of desperately needed food aid to influence people to vote for President Robert Mugabe.” For security reasons these partners cannot be named, but similar reports have been filed by Zimbabwean human rights groups and Amnesty International.

The United Church urges both President Mwanawasa and South African President Thabo Mbeki to use their considerable influence within SADC to ensure that the regional body presses Zimbabwe to abide by the SADC election guidelines. “This would include ensuring freedom of access by all parties to all areas of the country, equal access to the media, and campaigning that is peaceful and free of the violence that prevails at the moment,” the letters state.

SADC can also act to ensure that election results are again posted outside polling stations and that the numbers of SADC election observers are scaled up considerably, the letters add.

“Indeed, we believe that SADC observers should be on the ground in Zimbabwe now to monitor the pre-election environment and that they should stay until the election results have been released,” comments Gary Kenny, The United Church of Canada’s program coordinator for Southern Africa.

In the letter to Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, David Emerson, the church calls on the Government of Canada to use its diplomatic offices to press SADC heads of state to enforce the SADC election guidelines. “If the SADC Guidelines are enforced by SADC members and respected by the Zimbabwean government, there is a good chance that the June 27 presidential election will be free and fair,” the church says. If not, “we fear that the elections will sentence the people of Zimbabwe to yet more economic hardship and misery and the entire region of Southern Africa to growing political instability.”

The United Church’s three letters also draw attention to the Zimbabwean government’s ongoing interference with domestic and international aid organizations that are trying to deliver urgently needed food aid. In Zimbabwe during election time, food is often used as a political weapon.

For more information, please contact:

Mary-Frances Denis
Communications Officer
The United Church of Canada
416-231-7680 ext. 2016 (office)
1-800-268-3781 ext. 2016 (toll-free)
mdenis@united-church.ca

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Communication Workshops Help to Keep those Wedding Bells Ringing

June is often referred to as “wedding month.” Naturally, this means it is also “anniversary month”—an ideal opportunity for couples to celebrate by reinvigorating their relationship as partners.

One way to do this is to register for a United in Marriage Communication Workshop for Couples. These workshops, run independently by trained volunteers, are recommended by The United Church of Canada. They offer couples the opportunity to spend a weekend together in a relaxed and private setting, away from everyday pressures and daily routines. It is a chance to deepen and strengthen their love as a couple.

The weekend workshops are not designed to be counselling sessions for marriages that are in trouble. Instead, couples are invited to work together at enhancing their communication skills and building on relationships that are already stable and committed.

The workshops, although presented from a United Church of Canada perspective, welcome couples from any religious background or with no church affiliation at all. They are suitable for couples who have been married for a few months or for many years. They are also open to committed couples of any marital status, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

United in Marriage offers these workshops in the belief that all couples should be able to attend without regard to their economic ability. A non-refundable $45 registration fee is required to ensure a reservation, but no bill is ever presented to couples for the real cost of the weekend workshop, which is approximately $500 per couple. This includes five meals and lodging for two nights. Instead, couples are simply asked to make a free-will contribution of an amount that is meaningful to them in their circumstances. Couples decide together, in private, the amount of their financial contribution.

There are no group discussions at a United in Marriage workshop. Each participant receives a workbook containing the agenda, session outlines, and resources for use during and after the program. Participants gather as a group in a meeting room and listen to a presentation given by the facilitators. After each presentation, couples are given a question pertaining to their relationship, followed by time for personal reflection and for writing in individual workbooks. Then each couple meets in the privacy of their own room to read their partner’s reflections and talk about what has been written. After a period of time, participants return to the meeting room for another group presentation that builds on the previous one.

A United in Marriage Communication Workshop gives couples time and tools for meaningful communication. While there are opportunities to socialize with others at mealtimes or breaks, couples are meant to spend the time concentrating their attention on their partner. This is definitely a working weekend, and for many couples, it is the most rewarding work they’ve ever done together.

Elaine and Murray Wilson explain, “United in Marriage is important to us because, first of all, at our first communication workshop, we were amazed to find there was so much more to each of us than we originally thought, and that it was such a blessing to be able to communicate those hidden pieces of ourselves to each other.”

For further information about United in Marriage Communication Workshops for Couples, please visit www.unitedinmarriage.org, or phone toll-free 1-877-240-9066.

To arrange media interviews, please contact:

Mary-Frances Denis
Communications Officer
The United Church of Canada
416-231-7680 ext. 2016
1-800-268-3781 ext. 2016
mdenis@united-church.ca

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UNITED CHURCH CALLS FOR UNPRECEDENTEDPUBLIC ATTENTION TO JUNE 11 APOLOGY

The United Church of Canada is calling on its own membership and all Canadians to stop whatever they are doing at 3:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 11, to watch or listen to Prime Minister Stephen Harper deliver Canada’s apology to residential school survivors and their families.

“We know that many First Nations communities are already planning gatherings to mark this historic event. But they should not be alone in recognizing that this is a significant moment in Canadian history,” explains the United Church’s Moderator, the Right Rev. David Giuliano.

Giuliano says the words spoken by the Prime Minister on June 11 will carry far more weight and meaning if Canada’s First Nations peoples can see that other Canadians are standing in solidarity with them on this day.

The church is hoping to encourage a level of public engagement in the event that would be unprecedented, explains the Rev. James Scott, The United Church of Canada’s General Council Officer for Residential Schools.

“Everyone, whether they are a private citizen, or a corporate or civic body, has the capacity to do this—to stop and to listen to the apology,” says Scott. “What we need now is motivation and momentum.”

Scott explains that Canadians who have heard the story of Canada’s residential schools know why this level of public attention is warranted.

“The legacy of residential schools is something for which we are all accountable. It is a legacy for which an apology is sorely needed and long-awaited,” says Scott.

Giuliano adds that the occasion of the June 11 national apology is particularly important because it will focus attention on the need for public engagement in the five-year process of Canada’s recently launched Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

“The June 11 apology offers the opportunity to begin the process of healing, forgiveness, and reconciliation,” says Giuliano.

He adds that the United Church would like this invitation to spark a substantive grass-roots response. The church hopes that millions of Canadians, either individually or collectively, will stop for a moment on June 11 to take stock of our history.

Says Scott, “This is an opportunity for all Canadians to signal their commitment to a renewed relationship of respect, equality, and justice between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples in this country.”

For more information, please contact:

Mary-Frances Denis
Communications Officer
The United Church of Canada
416-231-7680 ext. 2016 (office)
1-800-268-3781 ext. 2016 (toll-free)
416-885-7478 (cell)
416-766-0057 (home)
mdenis@united-church.ca

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UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES SEEDS OF HOPE GRANTS

The United Church of Canada Foundation awarded grants totaling $60,350 to eight organizations in the United Church community across Canada. Grants were made from several funds of the Foundation, including the Living Spirit Endowment Fund, the Peace and Justice Fund, the Brian and Belva Piercy Fund, the Davey Family (Edmonton) Endowment Fund and the Special Granting Fund.

“In our second year of the Seeds of Hope granting initiative, we are very pleased with the potential impact of these programs, and equally delighted to receive the progress reports of last year’s recipients,” said Marion Best, Chair of the Foundation’s Grants Committee. “Four of the 2007 projects are complete and met or exceeded their goals. I am confident that our 2008 recipients will be equally effective at making a difference in the communities they serve.

Grants were awarded to the following organizations to assist them with their projects:

Five Oaks United Church Education and Retreat Centre: The Launch! Project, to immerse young adult leaders in social justice ministry and community living in relationship with God.

Calgary Presbytery: Zambia Youth Exposure Tour, to deepen participants’ understanding of global issues regarding culture, politics and faith, and to track the impact of the trip and their resulting involvement with social justice, information gathering and further education. 

Knox Metropolitan United Church: TheGOproject Resource Book, a downloadable guide to inspire and strengthen youth and young adult ministries through creative, dynamic worship, based on the national tour experience of Chris Giffen and Jessie Negropontes.

Montreal Presbytery: The Green Church Project, to assist United Church congregations and ministry sites in the Montreal area to develop a ministry of ecology in their communities and track the outcomes.

Pathways United Church Mission: SCOOP (Students Creating Opportunities Opening Pathways), to connect United Church youth (under 30) through a web based social networking system that will facilitate faith expression and dialogue about critical issues in society.

St. Paul’s United Church (Edmonton): Innovative Camp Programmes for Disabled Persons, to create instruction/activity modules to provide a more welcoming, inclusive atmosphere for disabled persons at three United Church camps in the region and make the modules available widely through the Internet.

Wesley Youth Housing: Wesley Urban Ministries, to move street-involved and/or homeless youth to safe, affordable housing and provide them with the skills necessary to be independent, self-sufficient  participants in their communities.

Madoc Trinity United Church: Education for All to Promote Health in Body, Mind and Spirit to mount three workshops for health care professionals and community volunteers working with terminally ill persons and their families.

To support projects like these, visit the Foundation’s website www.unitedchurchfoundation.ca or call 1-866-340-8223.

Contact:
Janet Gadeski
President & CEO
jgadeski@united-church.ca
416-231-5931 ext 3410

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Thursday, April 24, 2008

UNITED CHURCH EXPRESSES DEEP CONCERN ABOUT ZIMBABWE

In a statement released today The United Church of Canada expressed deep concern about reports of increasing violence throughout Zimbabwe. The statement also condemns all politically motivated acts of intimidation, physical punishment, torture, and killing of Zimbabweans.

“The United Church of Canada joins the international community in prayer and action for a peaceful resolution of the Zimbabwean people’s struggle for meaningful participation in democratic change in that country,” said Omega Bula, Executive Minister of the United Church’s Justice, Global and Ecumenical Relations Unit.

Adds Bula, “We reiterate the statement of the World Council of Churches’ General Secretary, Samuel Kobia, who said, ‘It is the sovereign right of the people of Zimbabwe to choose their leaders, define the future of their country and insist upon a peaceful transition.’”

Gary Kenny is the United Church’s program coordinator for Southern Africa.

He says reports received by the church indicate that the Zimbabwean military and police as well as war veterans and youth militia mobilized by the Zimbabwean government are terrorizing the countryside with impunity, and are punishing people who voted for the opposition in elections held March 29.

“Apparently they are also trying to intimidate Zimbabweans into voting for ZANU-PF in any parliamentary vote recounts or a presidential run-off vote, should they be held,” comments Kenny.

He says that adding to tensions in the country is the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s long delay in releasing the results of the presidential vote. The delay has prompted allegations from Zimbabwean opposition and civil society groups that the Mugabe government is trying to manipulate the electoral figures to steal the presidential and parliamentary elections, both of which it appears to have lost.

“We call on the Zimbabwean government to immediately end its campaign of violence against the Zimbabwean people,” said Kenny. “We also urge the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, and any party exercising influence over it, to respect the wishes of Zimbabwe’s electorate and release the results of the presidential vote immediately.”

Kenny expressed disappointment that members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), in particular South Africa, had not applied pressure on the Zimbabwean government to live up to its commitment to respect the democratic electoral process.

The Mugabe government has flaunted the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections, which it has endorsed, and SADC has a responsibility to hold any violators accountable, explains Kenny.

“South African President Thabo Mbeki’s comment last week that Zimbabwe is not experiencing an elections-related crisis is insensitive and just wrong,” says Kenny.

He adds, “Zimbabweans are being beaten, murdered, and displaced in a situation of tremendous uncertainty and instability because of attempts by the Mugabe government to hold on to power.”

The United Church is also calling on the Government of Canada to work vigorously through diplomatic channels to pressure SADC members to take their responsibilities toward Zimbabwe much more seriously.

For more information, please contact:

Mary-Frances Denis
Communications Officer
The United Church of Canada
416-231-7680 ext. 2016 (office)
1-800-268-3781 ext. 2016 (toll-free)
mdenis@united-church.ca

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Wednesday, April 16, 2008

United Church Congregations Encouraged to Go Green

Toronto: As Canadians join in the worldwide celebration of Earth Day on April 22, The United Church of Canada is encouraging its congregations to reduce their ecological footprint.

Greening the Church is a recently published how-to guide for United Church congregations that want to make a difference. It suggests ways to make church buildings more energy efficient and ecologically sustainable.

The term "ecological footprint" usually describes the impact of human activity on the environment. Measuring a church building's ecological footprint refers not only to the energy required to heat and cool the building, but also to the use of water, electricity, appliances, equipment, and lighting. A church's ecological footprint can also be measured by the types of products the church uses and the sources of those materials. It includes the land on which the church building and parking lot sit, and extends to church lawns and gardens.

Going green is no small challenge for many congregations, especially if their buildings were constructed in an era when energy costs were lower and few people were aware of the effects of greenhouse gases. And as many churches are historic buildings, significantly altering them-structurally or cosmetically-can be difficult or even impossible.

Greening the Church was commissioned by the United Church's Architectural Resource Group to assist congregations in making wise and informed choices about energy use.

"As a church community we are called to live with respect in creation," explains Michelle Hogman, Program Co-ordinator for Congregations and Community Development. "The guide encourages congregations to take concrete steps to live out this conviction. Each step they take can help to build a more sustainable world for future generations."

Congregations are encouraged to commit to one or more of the suggestions in the guide, including the following:

* reducing "phantom energy" use by unplugging appliances in the church kitchen when they are not needed

* weighing the cost of using an old appliance that's been donated to the church against that of purchasing a new energy-efficient model

* reducing the church's reliance on lawn mowers, pesticides, and herbicides by converting the lawn to a vegetable or fruit garden

* installing solar water-heating panels

* investing in weatherstripping and caulking, and organizing a "Stop Air Leaks" work party

* keeping the inside doors in the entrance vestibule closed to keep cold air out

* if the building is empty several hours a day, setting the thermostat lower

* replacing incandescent exit lights with LED fixtures"To make a difference to our climate we have to live differently," explains Hogman. That's why, she says, the United Church is encouraging congregations to green their buildings as a practical way of demonstrating their faith.

Greening the Church can be ordered for $4.95, plus shipping and handling, through the United Church's Resource Distribution Centre at 1-800-288-7365 or 416-253-5456 or by e-mail at ucrd@united-church.ca.

For further information, or to arrange media interviews, please contact:

Mary-Frances Denis
Communications Officer
The United Church of Canada
416-231-7680 ext. 2016 (office)
1-800-268-3781 ext. 2016 (toll-free)
mdenis@united-church.ca (e-mail)

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April 15, 2008

CHURCH MEMBERS ASKED TO CONSIDER GIVING THE GIFT OF LIFE

Toronto: The Moderator of Canada's largest Protestant denomination, The United Church of Canada, is inviting United Church congregations to participate in National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week between April 20 and 27, 2008.

Congregations are being encouraged to include information inserts in their church bulletins and to share the Moderator's message about why it is so important for individuals to consider signing a donor card.

In his message to the church, the Right Rev. David Giuliano reflects on his trip last year to the Middle East and the surprising connection he discovered between supporting peace in Israel and Palestine and a conference held in Nazareth for transplant recipients, donor families, and surgeons.

Writes Giuliano, "Initially, I wondered what transplant surgery had to do with supporting peace in Israel and Palestine. Then, the penny dropped. The donations were made across ethnic divisions. Israelis received organs donated by Palestinians, and vice versa. The surgeons were there to remind everyone that they can't tell the difference between Palestinians and Israelis in the operating room. By the end of the weekend, those who had previously been sworn enemies were bonded by shared heartache and gratitude. The lines of ethnic hatred disappeared."

The Moderator urges church members to use National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week as an occasion to talk with friends and family about wanting to be a donor.

"I carry a signed donor card in my wallet. I hope it will never be used. However, if there is a moment that, as I leave this wonderful world, some aspect of my physical self can be a gift to another person, I would be glad for it," writes Giuliano.

He adds, "Perhaps knowing that some good came from my death would redeem the suffering of those who love me. My donation might not be a step toward world peace like the Nazareth project, but if it gives someone the gift of savouring this beautiful world, it is one drop in God's ocean of love in which we live."

Copies of the Moderator's message and National Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Week bulletin insert can be found on The United Church of Canada's website (www.united-church.ca).

For further information, please contact:

Mary-Frances Denis
Communications Officer
The United Church of Canada
416-231-7680 ext. 2016 (office)
1-800-268-3781 ext. 2016 (toll-free)
mdenis@united-church.ca

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March 3, 2008

Aboriginal and Church Leaders’ Tour to Focus on Legacy of Residential Schools

 Aboriginal and church leaders gathered on Parliament Hill today as part of a multi-city tour to draw public and media attention to the upcoming work of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

 “The Truth and Reconciliation process is an opportunity for us to hear the truth about, and begin to break, the enduring chains created by Indian Residential Schools,” says the Rt. Rev. Dr. David Giuliano, the Moderator of The United Church of Canada.

 Participating in the tour will be Phil Fontaine, the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations and representatives of the four mainline Christian churches who, along with the federal government, operated Canada’s Indian Residential Schools. The Protestant church leaders include:

ˇ                     The Rt. Rev. Dr. David Giuliano, Moderator, The United Church of Canada

ˇ                     The Most Rev. Fred Hiltz, Primate, the Anglican Church of Canada

ˇ                     The Rev. Dr. J.H. (Hans) Kouwenberg, Moderator, The Presbyterian Church in Canada

ˇ                     The Rt. Rev. Mark MacDonald, National Indigenous Anglican Bishop, the Anglican Church of Canada

“The Assembly of First Nations is pleased to begin work with churches towards reconciliation between our people and all Canadians. We need to work together to write the missing chapter of Canadian history regarding the Indian Residential Schools,” said National Chief Phil Fontaine.

Throughout the tour the Roman Catholic Church will be represented either by local bishops or individual priests and nuns whose religious orders were involved in operating residential schools. 

 The Remembering the Children tour includes stops in Ottawa, Vancouver, Saskatoon and Winnipeg.  In addition to making themselves available for media interviews and speaking engagements in each city, the leaders will also participate in a series of public events that are being planned by local organizing committees in the four cities. One such event was held last evening at the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Ottawa.

Other public events include:

ˇ                     Vancouver: Wednesday, March 5, 2008, a ceremonial walk will start at 7:00 p.m. from the entrance of the Vancouver School of Theology to the Museum of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, where the evening program will begin at 7:30 p.m.

ˇ                     Saskatoon: Sunday, March 9, 2008, Saskatoon Western Development Museum, 3:00 p.m., hosted by the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism.

ˇ                     Winnipeg: Monday, March 10, 2008, The Forks, Market (Food) Court, 7:00 p.m.  

                   Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

 The leaders agreed to participate in the tour because they wanted to highlight the significance of the work to be done by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

 “We want to communicate the historic importance of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission as it seeks to give a voice to residential school survivors and their families. As well, it will surely help the country to learn more about a poorly understood aspect of our nation’s history,” comments the Rev. Dr. J. H. (Hans) Kouwenberg, Moderator of The Presbyterian Church in Canada.

 The Aboriginal and church leaders hope the tour will also raise awareness and help to educate both church members and other Canadians about the legacy of residential schools and the impacts of colonization on Aboriginal people and their communities.

 “My hope is that in the telling and in the receiving of the truth we shall as the Gospel says ‘be made free’ – free to focus more and more on healing and reconciliation, righting the wrongs of the past, honouring Aboriginal history and culture and walking together in the spirit of a renewed national resolve to respect the dignity of every human being,” explains The Most Rev. Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada.

 The church leaders believe that one of the most important aspects of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s work will be as a forum for former residential school students and their families to tell their stories.

 “If we allow the truth to be told and have a heart to hear it, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission will be a doorway to a better Canada for us all.  In fact, at this moment, it is the most important doorway to a liveable future,” adds The Rt. Rev. Mark MacDonald, National Indigenous Anglican Bishop of the Anglican Church of Canada.

For further information about the Aboriginal and Church Leaders’ Tour, please visit:  www.rememberingthechildren.ca

 To arrange media interviews with church or Aboriginal leaders who are taking part in the Remembering the Children tour, please contact: 

Mary-Frances Denis
Communications Officer                                                           
The United Church of Canada                                     
416-231-7680 ext. 2016 (office)                                              
1-800-268-3781 ext. 2016 (toll-free)                                       
416-885-7478 (cell)                                                               
416-766-0057 (home)
mdenis@united-church.ca

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