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, November 11, 2026
E-ssentials: Remembrance Day Prayer, a Message from the Moderator and more!
Remembrance Day Prayer: Lest We Forget
[Image credit: The United Church of Canada]
Holy One, when our lives are comfortable and we live in relative safety, it can be all too easy to forget that what we enjoy today has come at a great cost. For some, the price was their last breath. For others, it was wounds to body, mind, or spirit. Our inability to resolve conflicts through peaceable means has caused harm beyond measure.
Forgive us for using violence as a way to resolve our differences.
On days like this, we remember those who defend our freedoms, and we say, “Lest we forget.”
Yet, too often we forget that the wounds to mind and spirit can last a lifetime.
Forgive us for not remembering once the poppies have been put away.
Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers,” but we have often focused on what divides us rather than on what can bring us together.
Forgive us for our reluctance to do the hard work of peacemaking.
For all these things, and for those which we name before you now in the silence of our hearts, forgive us…
—contributed by Capt. (Rev.) Nathan Wright; Chaplain, The Royal New Brunswick Regiment (Fredericton, New Brunswick)
The Moderator Calls Us to Move Forward Together
[Video still credit: The United Church of Canada]
The Apostle Paul reminds us that with hope, we can act with great boldness.
Last year, the United Church launched Toward 2035 as an invitation to prayer and a whole-church conversation regarding the future of God’s call to our communities. Through a national survey, you shared your dreams, and also your anxieties, for the United Church of the future.
We know that to bring the vision of a deeply connected, hope-filled church to life, communities need practical tools, new skills, and meaningful support. That’s what the next phase of Toward 2035 is all about.
Between now and the end of 2027, the United Church is preparing new interactive learning opportunities, community conversations, and creative resources for all levels of the church to participate in.
As the Moderator says, “We are called to join God’s healing, liberating, and creating work in the world—trusting God, moving forward together.”
Stay tuned to our channels over the next month for more details to come on all of these exciting next steps.
Candles for COP31: Join the Call for Climate Action
[Image credit: For the Loved of Creation]
As world leaders gather for COP31 (November 9–20), For the Love of Creation invites communities across Canada to host candlelight vigils November 13–15, praying and calling for meaningful climate action.
Interfaith Letter Urges Reconsideration of Anti-Zionism as Antisemitism
[Image credit: Wikimedia/Becker1999]
The United Church of Canada has joined at least 17 human rights, civil society, and interfaith organizations in urging the federal government to reconsider its characterization of anti-Zionism as antisemitism.
In a letter signed by General Secretary Rev. Michael Blair, the coalition emphasizes the importance of distinguishing antisemitism from political criticism of Israel and recognizing the diversity of Jewish perspectives, while protecting freedom of expression and academic freedom.
Read the full news story and view the letter under the downloads section to learn more about the coalition's concerns and recommendations to the Government of Canada.
Standing with Our Hong Kong Neighbours: A Call for Justice
[Image credit: Pexels/Nextvoyage]
Among us, in our congregations and neighbourhoods across Canada, live many people from Hong Kong. They are our neighbours. They worship beside us, their children study alongside ours, and they have come here trusting in a promise Canada made to them.
In 2021, Canada created a special pathway to permanent residence for Hong Kong residents, after the imposition of the national security law in Hong Kong.
Yet, today, that promise is failing them. This is not an administrative delay. It is an injustice.
As a church, we cannot look away. We invite United Church members across the country to take notice, to pray, and to act: learn about the Hong Kong Pathway backlog, speak with your Member of Parliament, and stand with the congregations and networks already raising their voices.
Justice begins with attention—with refusing to let our neighbours wait for answers unseen. Find out more and take action.
Interview with Incoming General Secretary Éric Hébert-Daly about Youth and Evangelical Churches
[Video still credit: The United Church of Canada]
Éric Hébert-Daly, the incoming General Secretary of The United Church of Canada, reflects with us about young peoples' interest in religion, especially Evangelical churches. Progressive churches like United Church can face this challenge with humility, dialogue, and inclusive practices when it is time to answer contemporary spiritual needs. Check out the full video on YouTube with English subtitles.
Fewer than 500 people speak Inuinnaqtun fluently. In Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, the Kitikmeot Heritage Society is working to revitalize the language through immersion programs, learning resources, a free dictionary app, and more.
Through Mission and Service, we help support partners like the Kitikmeot Heritage Society as they preserve language, culture, and knowledge for future generations.
The United Church Bookstore: 2027 Canadian Church Calendar
[Image credit: Robert Lesser | Almonte United Church, Almonte ON]
Bring the church year to life with the 2027 Canadian Church Calendar: Draw the Circle Wide! Featuring colourful photos from United Church communities across Canada, this beautiful bilingual calendar celebrates the people and places that make up our wider church.
With church seasons, special days, and lectionary dates all in one place, it’s a practical and meaningful companion for the year ahead—and a thoughtful gift for your home, office, church, or someone special in your faith community.
Ordering for your church or community? Save more when you order in bulk!
For more inspiring worship ideas and resources, subscribe to GatheringWorship.ca.
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