This Library contains documents from all recent United Church governance meetings, including General Council and its Executive. It will also soon include “Our Beliefs Explained” official policy documents dating back several decades. If you can't find something you think should be included, contact gcbusiness@united-church.ca.
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WHEREAS The United Church of Canada has long critiqued unregulated capitalism which enshrines private gain over public benefit, as evidenced in policy statements dating back to 1950: "The axioms and postulates of laissez-faire are anti-Christian, and lead in the direction, not of democracy, but of managerial dictatorship;"
Over the past five years, members of the Roman Catholic/United Church Dialogue of Canada have been involved in a careful study of the use of the Trinitarian formula in baptism. With the publication of this Report, In Whose Name? The Baptismal Formula in Contemporary Culture, we would like to invite other members of our two churches, ecumenical partners, and theological colleagues to join the dialogue. Some suggestions for study of the Report are outlined in Appendix E. Responses may be sent to either the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Commission for Ecumenism or the United Church’s Committee on Inter-Church and Inter-Faith Relations.
That the Moderator and the General Secretary write to the Parole Board to say that: while we believe in restorative justice, in the church’s recent experience with Mr. Plint in the Port Alberni trial, there was no evidence of remorse or substantial rehabilitation on his part; the church is aware of and supports concerns for the victims of Mr. Plint; and the church urge the Parole Board to deny parole until such time as Mr. Plint has shown genuine remorse and evidence of rehabilitation.
That the Executive of General Council direct the General Secreatry to write a letter on behalf of the General Council to the Hon. Jane Stewart, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, asking for consultation how the Canadian Government and the churches will work together with First Nations People in addressing the need for healing Residential Schools, Healing, Aboriginal, First Nations, Native Indian
That the Executive of General council instruct the church’s counsel that our involvement in the current Alberni Indian Residential School litigation be primarily focussed on: a) settlement negotiations, formal and informal b) determining the measure of damages of the plaintiffs c) negotiating the church’s fair share of liability with the crown Residential Schools, Aboriginal, First Nations, Native Indian
That the Executive of General Council request the Moderator and the General Secretary to renew their attempt to meet with the Prime Minister of Canada to help pursue a means of dealing with the legacies of Residential Schools which does not involve court driven decisions and other related matters. Residential Schools, Aboriginal, First Nations, Native Indian
The United Church of Canada has recently declared its commitment to working towards the elimination of racism. The way in which we begin to put this commitment into action is the subject of this policy statement.
BE IT RESOLVED that the 36th General Council request the Moderator write a letter to: 1) all provincial and territorial governments in Canada, and the Government of Bermuda, urging them to promote tolerance by having their Departments of Education require that all teachers and counsellors take a course of study on issues regarding gay, lesbian, and bi-sexual students.
Whereas climate change has been identified as a priority environmental issue by the 33rd and 34th General Councils of The United Church of Canada and by the World Council of Churches (January 1994 Central Committee); and
Rationale and Faith Base: Paul's advice (Rom. 14:13 TEV): "You should decide never to do anything that would make your brother stumble or fall into sin."
