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.
Tuesday, October 28, 2025
E-ssentials: Gaza Prayer Circle, Tools for an Anti-Racist Church, and more!
Pray, Fast, Act: Stand with Gaza—Final October Gathering for Peace
[Image credit: The United Church of Canada]
This Wednesday, October 29, is the final weekly gathering for prayer, fasting, and advocacy focused on Palestinians in Gaza.
Join the Right Rev. Moderator Kimberly Heath on Zoom at 11:00 a.m. ET for a 30-minute prayer circle. This last gathering focuses entirely on Peace and Remembrance.
This commitment includes:
Praying for healing and hope.
Fasting in solidarity with those who hunger.
Acting through meaningful advocacy.
Lighting a candle for peace (please have one ready!).
Prayer makes an impact. We will share specific, actionable steps—from contacting an MP to supporting vital aid through Mission and Service—so your commitment can translate into tangible, real-world change.
40 Days Live: Becoming an Intercultural Church—Oct. 29 at 6:00 p.m. ET
[Image credit: Dreamstime]
Please join us online for Becoming an Intercultural Church: Why It Matters and How to Live It Out, led by Hyuk Cho.
Why should the church be intercultural and anti-racist? And how do we begin—practically and faithfully—in our own congregations? This session will offer both theological grounding and practical tools for congregations seeking to live into God’s vision of justice, mutuality, and belonging across cultural difference.
Every week of the 40 Days features 1-minute and 3-minute videos, each with an accompanying prayer. This week, consider exploring these videos:
In Where Are You Really From? Bob Fillier shares a moment at a church meeting that revealed how subtle racism can show up—even in well-meaning spaces.
In God’s Beloved, Daniel Addai Fobi shares how some of the racism that he and others have faced in Canada often comes in the forms of whispers, looks, silence, and small actions—but the wounds still run deep.
From November 10–21, The United Church of Canada will be part of the KAIROS delegation at the COP30 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Brazil. As world leaders gather, we invite your community to host a candlelight vigil on the weekend of November 14–16. Join us to pray, witness, and demand that Canada stop subsidizing fossil fuels and provide fair climate financing for the Global South. Find resources, vigil locations, and the Jubilee 2025 petition. Learn more, and host a vigil.
Legacy Gifts Can and Will Strengthen Your Congregation!
[Video credit: The United Church of Canada]
"The way that legacy giving impacts what we are able to do as a faith community is to continue to serve,” says former Foundation Investment Committee Chair Jackie Carter. “Whether that is through the food bank, inviting people into the building, giving support physically and emotionally, helping with the refugee support programs, these gifts benefit the day to day work that we do."
The free resources available through the Centennial Legacy Campaign will help your community of faith build a strong legacy giving program in your congregation.
Cultivating community is nothing new, but when it comes to digital spaces it can feel disorienting. In this webinar we will explore the ways community can grow on Sundays and all week long, for people sitting in a pew, at home and on the go.
We’ll explore practical ideas and spiritual insights for weaving connection through everything you do online:
from Sunday worship to weekday conversations
from livestreams to group chats
from algorithms to actual community.
We’ll learn more about digital campfires, different ways to engage community around Sunday morning, and various platforms we can use to help people stay connected all week long.
Mission and Service Stories: Faith, Farming, and Friendship
[Image credit: Courtesy of Asian Rural Institute]
For the first time in human history, more people live in cities than in rural areas, and that shift has brought new challenges, especially in caring for the Earth. In Japan, your Mission and Service gifts support a partner that’s responding with vision and hope: the Asian Rural Institute (ARI).
Founded in 1973 by Rev. Dr. Toshihiro Takami, ARI trains rural leaders from the Global South in servant leadership, sustainable agriculture, and community building. Each year, participants from around the world come together for nine months of hands-on learning, studying, farming, cooking, and cleaning side by side. The farm provides almost all of the food they eat, and the surplus supports their neighbours.
This year, your support through Mission and Service helped purchase a used minibus for ARI and provided scholarships for six participants: Arun from Sri Lanka, Robert from Liberia, Lily from Zambia, Lukogo from Congo, Sarmo from Indonesia, and Bob from Kenya.
The United Church Bookstore: Get Your 2026 Canadian Church Calendar!
[Image credit: The United Church of Canada]
Celebrate United Churches across Canada! Focusing on the theme of "A New Heaven and a New Earth" this bilingual 2026 Canadian Church calendar features colourful photos from communities of faith across the country plus all the special days, church seasons, and lectionary dates.
For more inspiring worship ideas and resources, subscribe to GatheringWorship.ca.
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