The Body of Christ is made of many parts, and people experience their understanding of God in many different ways. On this blog, we'll consider the beliefs and activities of congregations, denominations and different religions.
Wednesday, June 4, 2025
E-ssentials: Take Action for Pride 2025, Centennial Service Update, Letter to the Prime Minister, and more!
Take Action for Pride 2025!
[Image credit: 42 North, Pexels]
Happy Pride Month 2025! The United Church of Canada is proud to stand in solidarity with 2S and LGBTQIA+ communities, affirming the sacred worth and dignity of every person.
Throughout June, we're inviting you to participate in several key initiatives. Join our Love, Faith and Bold Action letter-writing campaign to urge the Canadian government to uphold and advance the rights of gender-diverse, 2S and LGBTQIA+ people globally.
You can also watch and share the Moderator's 2025 Pride Message, a powerful affirmation from Moderator Carmen Lansdowne about "A Place at the Table" for everyone within our church. Her message highlights our commitment to justice, radical love, and creating a world where absolutely everyone is embraced and celebrated.
Learn more about these important campaigns and how you can get involved by visiting our website. Let's make this Pride Month a time of both celebration and meaningful action!
Centennial Worship Service: Official Bulletin Now Available!
[Image credit: The United Church of Canada]
As The United Church of Canada approaches its momentous 100th anniversary, we are excited to announce that the Official 100th Anniversary Service Bulletin is now available for download! This resource is essential for everyone planning to join the Centennial Service livestream on Sunday, June 8, 2025.
You can access the bulletin and a wealth of other valuable resources on our dedicated Centennial Worship page.
We encourage you to explore these resources and find out if there's a watch party or other Centennial event near you.
Dear Prime Minister: A Few Things You Should Know Before We Meet
[Image credit: Courtesy of DSPR.]
Last week, the 45th Parliament opened, with a new prime minister at the helm of government, and fresh opportunities for faithful Canadians to bring justice priorities to the attention of a new Cabinet.The Moderator, The Right. Rev. Dr. Carmen Lansdowne, and the General Secretary, Rev. Michael Blair, wrote Prime Minister Mark Carney to request an urgent meeting to outline The United Church of Canada’s justice priorities, and urge the government’s action.
Key priorities include:
2S and LGBTQIA+ peoples’ rights
Advancing racial equity
Indigenous Peoples’ right to truth, justice and reparations
Acting for climate justice
Standing for global solidarity, peace, and respect for international law
In a significant move, marking the one-year anniversary of the Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage, the United Church also joined KAIROS Canada and other denominations (representing over four million Canadians) in a collective letter to Prime Minister Carney. This letter calls on Canada to take a principled stand on Gaza by respecting international law, working to end famine, responding to the plausible genocide, and building conditions for a just peace. The United Church Women (UCW) have also supported a petition by Palestinian Christian women on the use of starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza.
World Council of Churches Leader to Preach at United Church Centennial
[Image credit: Courtesy of World Council of Churches]
Rev. Prof. Dr. Jerry Pillay, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, will give the special Centennial address at the in-person service on Sunday, June 8, 2025, at 7 p.m. NT. The service will be held at Gower Street United Church, 99 Queens Rd, St. John's, NL, and livestreamed nationally on The United Church of Canada’s YouTube channel.
“As a fellowship of churches,” he says, “we are not paralyzed by fear but driven by hope as pilgrims on the way toward justice, reconciliation, and unity.”
The Rev. Pillay is the ninth general secretary in the WCC’s history since the fellowship of churches was founded in 1948. He was previously dean of the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of Pretoria. A member of the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa, he is from South Africa.
[Image credit: Chuck Szmurlo, Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0]
June is Indigenous History Month and June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples’ Day. This is a time to celebrate the outstanding achievements, history, cultures, and diversity of Indigenous peoples. This is also the time of summer solstice.
This year, the United Church celebrates National Indigenous Day of Prayer on Sunday, June 15. New worship materials are available on the United Church website. This year’s resources feature an order of service from the perspectives of both Bible and Bundle by the Rev. Agnes Spence of Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, and another marking the 10th anniversary of the release of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Calls to Action from the Rev. Emma Seamone of Carberry, MB.
Mission and Service Stories: Still Called. Still Committed. Still Together.
[Image credit: The United Church of Canada]
A hundred years ago, people of faith across Canada imagined a church united not only in belief, but in bold action. They dreamed of a community that would live out God’s love by reaching out to neighbours, both nearby and across the world.
As we approach 100 years of being church together, we give thanks for the faithful gifts that have sustained and shaped this ministry. And as we look to the future, we invite you to continue this journey with us.
The road ahead will require courage, creativity, and compassion. But we are not alone. With your continued support for Mission and Service, we can keep building a world where love leads, justice thrives, and hope is made real for all.
Gibimishkaadimin: Applications Open for Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Youth Reconciliation Journey
[Image credit: Gibimishkaadimin in 2024]
Gibimishkaadimin is currently accepting applications for its August 2025 journey of reconciliation on Lake Temagami. Gibimishkaadimin, an Anishinaabemowin word meaning “paddling together by boat,” brings together 10 Indigenous youth from across Canada and 10 non-Indigenous youth from southern and eastern Ontario in collaborative and experiential learning through an Indigenous lens. This project of reconciliation seeks to provide youth with the opportunity to develop relationships with each other and with the land on a canoe trip in Lake Temagami.
This year, the trip runs from August 19 to 27. Participants 14 to 18 years old on the first day of the canoe trip. The trip is fully funded and there is no cost to the participants. While the initial application deadline of May 15 has passed, applications are still being accepted. Specific details are provided on the Gibimishkaadimin website.
The United Church Bookstore: Dipping Your Toes, Too
[Image credit: Child's Play Productions]
A follow-up to her 2025 book Dipping Your Toes in Planning Small Group Devotionals, Janet Stobie's Dipping Your Toes, Too, offers forty-six complete services all in one compact, spiral-bound book.
From Bible studies, to a small Sunday worship gathering, to a nursing home services, this book will give you inspiration, practical resources, and leadership tips.
Besides the forty-six complete services, Dipping Your Toes, Too includes information, resources and suggestions about “Land Acknowledgements,” an important new element in our liturgical tradition.
For more inspiring worship ideas and resources, subscribe to GatheringWorship.ca.
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