Thursday, September 11, 2025

E-ssentials: General Council 45 Recall Meeting, A Summer of Welcome, and more!

General Council Recall Meeting

[Image credit: The United Church of Canada]
 

On Septemeber 13, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET, we invite you to join us online for the General Council 45 Recall meeting to take care of unfinished business from General Council 45 in August. 

The Way Forward proposals are posted on the General Council website. Note that the recall meeting will deal with a short list of Way Forward proposals. We invite you to join the livestream on our YouTube channel.

Learn more about the General Council 45 Recall Meeting

Urgent Calls for Gaza Highlight Government Double Standard

[Image credit: © 2025 UNRWA Photo by Ashraf Amra]
 

The United Church of Canada, along with partner organizations, is calling on the Canadian government to end its double standard in responding to humanitarian crises. New open letters highlight a stark contrast: while Canada has welcomed over 129,000 Ukrainians, very few Palestinians have been assisted in reaching safety. The letters also insist that Israel's ethnic cleansing of Gaza is a war crime under international law and that Canada must take decisive action to oppose these violations.

This advocacy is a core part of The United Church of Canada's commitment to supporting justice and a just peace in Palestine and Israel.

Ready to take action?

On the Peace in Palestine and Israel webpage, you can:

  • Send a letter to your MP using our template to demand a guaranteed ceasefire and an end to arms sales to Israel.
  • Learn more about the situation and read the full open letters.
  • Find ways to pray and donate to support the work of our partners on the ground.
Read the News Story
Support Peace in Palestine and Israel

A Summer of Welcome at 100 Tables from Coast to Coast

The Grace United Church 100 Tables at its appearance at Meadow Lake Aquatic Centre.
[Image credit: Courtesy of Grace United Church]

 

Our 100 Tables initiative is flourishing across the country! As a key part of our Centennial celebrations, we asked communities to turn ordinary picnic tables into extraordinary places of welcome. With 109 communities of faith registered and counting, these tables have become vibrant spaces for connection, rooted in justice, compassion, and radical belonging.

From sponsoring a public swim in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, to hosting an international-themed camp in Sarnia, Ontario, churches are creatively reaching out to their neighbours. They are showing that the church's mission extends beyond its walls, bringing people together through conversation, food, and community care. Read more about these communities in the latest news story.

Join us in celebrating these incredible stories and get inspired to create a space of welcome in your own community.

Find a table near you or learn how to host one on our 100 Tables webpage.

Learn More About 100 Tables
Read the News Story

Draw the Line—for People. For Peace. For the Planet.

[Image credit: Draw the Line]
 

The United Church of Canada is a member of several networks who are organizing a National Day of Action on September 20, 2025. The Climate Action Network, Migrant Rights Network and many others invite you to get involved and join an event near you.

On Saturday, September 20, we’re drawing the line— for People. For Peace. For the Planet. From rallies to strikes, marches to gatherings, this September 20, communities will mobilize across the country and demand that Prime Minister Carney and the Canadian government pick a side: injustice, violence, and climate destruction— or a just and safe future for all of us. 

Learn more about Draw the Line

Mission and Service: Supporting 40 Days of Engagement on Anti-Racism

[Image credit: © Serz72 | Dreamstime.com]
 

For 40 days each fall, people from across Canada and beyond, inside and outside The United Church of Canada, move into a journey of learning, faith, and action as part of the 40 Days of Engagement on Anti-Racism program.

Your Mission and Service gifts make this vital work possible, 40 days at a time, and every day in between. Through your generosity, The United Church of Canada continues to deepen its commitment of becoming an anti-racist church, and toward a world where every person is treated with dignity, equity, and love. 

Read the Mission and Service Story
Donate to Anti-Racism Work

New Blog! In Memory of Number 12

[Image credit: © Khwanchai Phanthong | Dreamstime.com]
 

In the poignant new blog "In Memory of Number 12," Rev. Daniel Addai Fobi asks us to remember the victims of ongoing global violence. His words are a stirring reminder that we are called to be peacemakers in all areas of our lives, from international conflicts to the divisions in our own communities. This blog challenges us to let our compassion turn into courage and to act with a fierce, unyielding commitment to justice. Read his full blog on Round the Table.

Read In Memory of Number 12

The United Church Bookstore: Explore Our Anti-Racism Book Collection

[Image credit: One World Publishers| Westminister John Knox Press| InterVarsity Press]
 

As the much-anticipated 40 Days of Engagement on Anti-Racism program approaches this fall, it’s a perfect time to deepen your learning.

Whether you're just beginning your journey or looking to build on what you already know, our curated collection of anti-racism books offers powerful insights and calls to action. Find your next read at the United Church Bookstore.

View the 40 Days of Engagement on Anti-Racism Collection

Indigenous Perspectives on Climate Justice Webinar

[Image credit: The United Church of Canada]
 

Join the global conversation on Indigenous spiritualities, land rights, and climate justice. We invite you to listen and learn from three internationally respected Indigenous leaders in a transformative webinar, Voices of the Land: Indigenous Perspectives on Climate Justice, on Thursday, October 23, 2025, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. ET.

This is more than a webinar—it's a call to action and reflection. You will deepen your understanding of decolonization and be inspired to advocate for Indigenous rights and climate action.

The conversation features leaders from around the globe:

  • Prof. Dr. Anne Pattel-Gray (Bidjara Nation, Australia)
  • Jocabed Solano (Gunadule Nation, Panama)
  • Rev. Shane Goldie (Cree/Métis, Canada)

All of whom contributed to the World Council of Churches publication: World Council of Churches Report: Indigenous Spiritualities, Land Rights and Climate Justice.

Whether you're a climate activist, faith leader, student, or ally, this is your opportunity to listen, learn, and walk in solidarity with Indigenous peoples.

Get the Full Webinar Details

Worship Resources

See our Worship Resources for upcoming Sundays and special celebrations.

Creation Time 1 - September 14, 2025
UN International Day of Peace - September 21, 2025
World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel - September 21, 2025
Creation Time 2 - September 21, 2025
Orange Shirt Sunday - September 28, 2025
Creation Time 3 - September 28, 2025
Creation Time 4 - October 5, 2025
World Communion Sunday - October 5, 2025
Creation Time 5 - October 12,2025
Thanksgiving Sunday - October 12, 2025
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty - October 17, 2025
World Food Sunday - October 19, 2025
Nineteenth after Pentecost - October 19, 2025

For more inspiring worship ideas and resources, subscribe to GatheringWorship.ca.
Important Note: The images included in this newsletter are protected by copyright. While we encourage you to share the newsletter itself, please don't copy or use the images independently. Thanks for your understanding!
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