GC38 Apology to United Church Deaconesses and Ordained Women Clergy (B130)

Having heard Petition 66, therefore be it resolved that the 38th General Council find a way, on our behalf, to express our sincere regret to these women and express our sorrow for the loss of their leadership to the church.

WHEREAS the policy of The United Church of Canada formerly mandated that deaconesses and ordained women clergy relinquish their rights to practice ministry if and when they married; and

WHEREAS we now hear and acknowledge the pain of these stories and the denial of gifts in the cases of these women; and

WHEREAS our evolving consciousness as a church has recognized the injustice of former policies in relation to other groups, such as our Native Peoples and Japanese Canadians and have issued formal apologies; and

WHEREAS we as a church have historically committed ourselves to the goals of the Ecumenical Decade of Churches in Solidarity with Women, The Decade to Overcome Violence and have sought through our creed to “seek justice and resist evil”, even the evil of sexism.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the 38th General Council find a way on our behalf to formally apologize to these women and express our sorrow for the loss of their leadership to the church.

GC38 2003 ROP, p. 481