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
In The United Church of Canada, we see ourselves as a church rooted in justice and equality with a vision of Deep Spirituality, Bold Discipleship, and Daring Justice. Our roots flow from the social gospel tradition of bringing Christian responsibility to public influence. In many ways, we have been a model of equality. We were the first denomination to grant ordination to women and commissioning and ordination to people who are openly 2SLGBTQIA+. United Church ministry personnel come from different walks of life and many cultural backgrounds. And while our history includes the running of Indian Residential Schools, we have apologized, made reparation, and continue to work toward reconciliation.
The Global LGBTQTwoSpirit1 Dialogue, recommended in 2016 by the United Church Partner Council, was held in November 2017 on the shores of Lake Couchiching, on the territory of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation near Orillia, Ont., north of Toronto. About 40 LGBTQ people, Two Spirit people, and straight and cisgender allies from across the church and around the world met for four days. For some, the event was a chance to share personal and institutional stories of overcoming marginalization and promoting inclusion; for others, it was an opportunity to advance efforts to protect the rights of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities in all parts of the world; for everyone, it was a profound spiritual encounter.
That the 42ndGeneral Council (2015): 1. Adopt the Process of a Living Apology as a vehicle for dialogue, story-telling, education and reconciliation with persons who identify as sexual or gender diverse including but not limited to Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transsexual, Transgender, Two-Spirited, Queer (LGBTT2Q) persons;
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;
The 40th General Council that met in Kelowna, British Columbia, in August 2009 approved a motion to add to the Doctrine section currently in the Basis of Union three other doctrinal statements that General Councils of the United Church have approved since 1925. Those three statements are the Statement of Faith (1940), A New Creed (adopted in 1968; revised in 1980 and again in 1994), and A Song of Faith (2006). For this proposed action to take place, the General Council authorized remits, which are votes by presbyteries and, in this case, also by pastoral charges, on whether to add some or all of these three statements to the Doctrine section of the Basis of Union. This background document is intended to help your pastoral charge’s session, church board, or church council as you prepare to vote on whether to include these other doctrinal statements in the Basis of Union.
encourage all congregations of The United Church of Canada to welcome transgender people into membership, ministry, and full participation Keywords: Transgender, human rights, gender identity, sexual orientation
The 37th General Council 2000 of The United Church of Canada approved the report To Seek Justice and Resist Evil: Towards a Global Economy for All God’s People. The report described, analyzed, and denounced “the global reality of systemic economic injustice” (neo-liberal economic globalization) and called the church “to seek justice and resist evil so that together in mission we can build a global economy for all God’s people.” It was both critical of the global economic status quo and its exclusionary tendencies, and filled with hope for the fulfillment of God’s promise of justice for all people and creation.
That the General Secretary, General Council, create resources for people of all ages for the purpose of: • recognizing homophobia • changing our behaviour and establishing just relationships and that attention be given to strategies for intervention and support on behalf of those who are caught in situations of homophobic abuse, In co-operation and consultation with Affirm United/S’affirmer Ensemble. sexuality, gay, lesbian, bisexual
When the 38th General Council-the highest decision-making body of The United Church of Canada-decided in 2003 to ask the federal government to recognize same-sex marriage in the marriage legislation, it was acting on a lengthy history of earlier actions. The purpose of this paper is to describe the United Church's historical and theological understanding of marriage. Our theological understanding of marriage is informed by . people, the very neighbours Jesus has invited us to love . scripture, which grounds our faith and our understanding of the nature and purpose of marriage . history, which affirms the importance of marriage as a social institution · social expectations, which regard marriage as a contractual relationship governed by legal sanctions and customs . marriage as sacred covenant, a means of God's grace not only for the marital partners but also for their offspring and for the wider community
In August 2000, the 37th General Council of The United Church of Canada overturned a policy that had been on its books since 1960 which stated that homosexuality is a sin. It reaffirmed that human sexual orientations and gender identities (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and heterosexual) are gifts from God, calling them “a part of the marvellous diversity of creation.” This resource was developed by the Justice, Global, and Ecumenical Relations Unit of The United Church of Canada, in response to this and other resolutions of the 37th and 38th General Council which called on the church to work for the civil recognition of same-sex partnerships, and to recognize them in church documentation and services of blessing, and for the recognition of them in federal marriage legislation.
