Living into Right Relations: March 2023

Reconciliation and Indigenous Justice News from The United Church of Canada Placing Ourselves in Colonization: Study Session with Elaine Enns and Ched Myers   Staring April 24, join us for a four-session workshop for settlers and newcomers as we explore our histories and stories, and share about our individual family history too. Where do we connect with the forces of colonization? What are our responsibilities in the places where we have “settled” and the people whose lives have been impacted? Where does this lead us in our discipleship? Leadership for this workshop includes Elaine Enns, Ched Myers, Tony Snow, Adele Halliday, and Sara Stratton. Find out more, and register. [image: The United Church of Canada] Join Moose Hide Campaign Day on May 11!   Started along Canada’s infamous Highway of Tears, the Moose Hide Campaign is an Indigenous-led grassroots movement of men, boys and all Canadians who are standing up against violence towards women, girls, and 2S people.   By wearing a moose hide pin and participating in Moose Hide Campaign Day, millions of Canadians are making meaningful progress towards reconciliation and the creation of a country where violence against women and children is no longer allowed to flourish in the shadows.     Indigenous Ministries and Justice urges individuals and communities  of faith to  participate in Moose Hide Campaign Day. Wear and Share the Moose Hide Pin. They are offered free of charge by the Moose Hide campaign and are available in the traditional moose hide or in a non-leather version. Please order your pins as soon as possible, as order volumes and shipping times always increase as we get closer to Moose Hide Campaign Day. Attend the campaign’s free virtual ceremony or one of the live interactive workshops happening on May 11, 2023. Find more information and register here. Registering for the event will grant you full access to the recordings and rich resources for the entire year so you can use whatever parts are helpful when it is most convenient for your group. Remember that the message of the Moose Hide Campaign goes beyond May 11. Look for other opportunities throughout the year to stand up against violence against Indigenous women, girls, and 2S people. [image credit: Moose Hide Campaign] Remit: Self-Determining Indigenous Church   At General Council 44, the National Indigenous Council proposed that the church identify and remove any structural barriers that would prevent the development and sustaining of an autonomous National Indigenous Organization within The United Church of Canada. When any requested change in church structure will alter the Basis of Union of The Manual, as this will, a Category 3 Remit is required. This remit asks if the church will agree to remove these structural barriers so that the Indigenous Church can determine its place and structure within the United Church. To do so acknowledges Indigenous peoples’ rights to their own spiritual identities and to self-determination, and is consistent with the Caretakers of our Indigenous Circle’s Calls to the Church and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The remit requires a vote by every regional council and each pastoral charge’s governing body. Information about the remit, as well as voting cards, were sent to every regional council and each pastoral charge on March 10, either through email or Canada Post. Voting will take place between March 15, 2023, and March 31, 2024. Abstentions are considered a vote against the remit. The results will be reported to the Annual Meeting of the General Council of the United Church in October 2024. [image credit: The United Church of Canada] Facebook Twitter Website Email Instagram YouTube Donate to The United Church of Canada and help fund life changing work around the world!

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