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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In July 2013, about 55 self-identified people with disabilities, and their allies, gathered for a twoday consultation to share stories, ideas, dreams, and hopes about what would enable The United Church of Canada to better live into its recent commitment to becoming an “open, accessible, and barrier-free church, where there is full participation of persons with disabilities in the church’s ministry and mission.”
Our commitment to becoming an intercultural church is grounded in commitments that the United Church has already made; it is another step in the continuing journey to be a transformative, justice-seeking, equitable church where there is the full participation of all. Our intercultural commitment is also rooted theologically and biblically in what it means to be the church – to be the church is to be an intercultural community that honours difference.
Ministries with persons with disabilities are not a new phenomenon in The United Church of Canada. For example, since the inception of the Ecumenical Disabilities Advocates Network in 1998—a program of the World Council of Churches—the United Church has offered financial and logistical support for this member of our global partner community. More locally in Canada, the Executive of General Council of The United Church of Canada recently formed a Task Group on Disability Policies and Procedures to review the current provisions of The Manual concerning disability for ministry personnel. The review will clarify the obligations of ministry personnel and, where applicable, their pastoral charges when ministry personnel are eligible for the restorative care plan or long term disability.
The Permanent Committee, Programs for Mission and Ministry proposes that the Executive of General Council: 1) Receive the report “Intercultural Ministries: Living into Transformation”; 2) Forward it and the following proposal to the 41st General Council for decision.
In 2006, The United Church of Canada committed itself to becoming an intercultural1 church. In “A Transformative Vision for The United Church of Canada,” approved at the 39th General Council, the church declared that intercultural dimensions of ministries [will] be a denominational priority in living out its commitment to racial justice, where there is mutually respectful diversity and full and equitable participation of all Aboriginal, francophone, ethnic minority, and ethnic majority constituencies in the total life, mission, and practices of the whole church.” The church affirmed that this commitment will be a process — a prayerful journey of transformation — affecting all areas of the church’s life. The Executive of General Council, in 2007, reaffirmed intercultural ministries as a denominational priority for the church. The vision of an intercultural church calls all to move toward becoming mutually welcoming and racially just communities, and calls all people to be changed.
In the company of God and one another, our community can be transformative. Ethnic Ministries believes that God is calling us to transformation as individuals, as communities, and as church, with all the life-giving traditions, faiths, and cultures we have been gifted with for Godsmission
