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.
Helpful topics
That the 42nd General Council (2015) direct the Executive of the General Council to review the policy on Palestine/Israel in consultation with partners in the region by: 1. affirming the right of self-determination for Palestinians and Israelis so that any choice regarding statehood be made by the people living in Palestine/Israel; and 2. re-affirming the right of Israelis and Palestinians to live peacefully within internationally recognized borders.
That the 42nd General Council (2015) direct the General Secretary, General Council to: a. Call upon the Government of Canada to: i. Conduct a full Public Inquiry into the more than 1200 cases of missing or murdered Indigenous women and girls in Canada; ii. Support and continue to support the struggle against the devaluation of women by conducting this inquiry;
That the 42nd General Council (2015) direct the General Secretary, General Council to: 1. send letters of support and solidarity to the Progressive Evangelical congregations in Canada and the United States who have made supportive statements of inclusion and welcome to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people;
That the 42nd General Council (2015): Direct the Executive of the General Council to promote existing resources for congregations and other ministries to understand alternatives to the “first past the post” electoral system in Canada.
That the 42nd General Council 2015: 1. Support a long-term global emission reduction goal consistent with the Paris agreement; 2. Recognize that a major portion of the Canadian economy produces products that generate carbon emissions such as electricity, transportation, manufacturing, mining, and production of oil and gas; carbon emission, global emission, economy of Canada, renewable energy, energy efficiency, Reducing Carbon Emissions
That the 42nd General Council (2015) direct the General Secretary of the General Council to work on developing a resource listing organizations both in Canada and in Israel/Palestine that foster the building of relationships of trust between: • The United Church of Canada and the Canadian Jewish community, • The United Church of Canada and Canadian Palestinian groups, • between Palestinian and Jewish groups in Canada, and • between Palestinians and Israelis in Israel/Palestine (Identify groups within Israel and Palestine doing this kind of trust-building work, to facilitate possible partnerships between these groups and United Church bodies such as congregations, special interest groups or presbyteries.) Canadian Jewish community, Palestinian, Palestine, Jewish, Israel, Israelis, relationship-building
That the 42nd General Council (2015) direct the General Secretary, General Council to: Focus the current strategies and actions approved at the 41st General Council to address the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories by the state of Israel by also: 1. initiating and developing a program of education and advocacy, in cooperation with our partners, related to divestment from and economic sanctions against all corporations and institutions complicit in or benefitting from the illegal occupation. This would include education about tourism which bolsters the oppression of Palestinians;
The 42nd General Council (2015) direct the General Secretary, General Council to: a) contact the Prime Minister, the party leaders and appropriate ministers calling on them to eliminate solitary confinement; b) contact the Prime Minister, the party leaders and appropriate ministers calling on them to: • Provide better training of staff regarding mental health issues of offenders; • Schedule mental health assessments and development of treatment strategies; • Ensure transfer of inmates prone to injuring themselves to treatment centres; • Ensure that there is adequate oversight of prison conditions. • Work more closely with the John Howard Society, the Elizabeth Fry Society, and the Canadian Mental Health Association in developing better strategies for treatment and training. • Work more closely with the interfaith chaplaincies.
That the 42nd General Council 2015, responding to the ethical imperative of our faith as expressed in the social policies of The United Church of Canada, and commitments to partnership and right relations including support for free, prior and informed consent, instructs the General Secretary to communicate to The United Church of Canada Pension Board (UCCPB) that the will of the church is to divest of its shares in Goldcorp and make public that divestment.
In 2012 the General Secretary, the General Council was asked by the Executive to do a consultation with the French Ministries constituency. The consultation resulted in a restructuring of the structure of Ministries in French (MiF). A couple of the issues raised by the consultation were the issue of the bilingual nature of the church and issues of translation.
