This Library contains documents from all recent United Church governance meetings, including General Council and its Executive. It also includes “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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Consistent with the previous report, the Theology and Inter-Church Inter-Faith Committee again seeks a reasoned position that accords with our tradition and views the issues through the lens of the previous report, which emphasizes that a decision for MAID must be the result of a free and informed choice.
With Medical Assistance in Dying now legal in Canada, people participating in United Church of Canada communities of faith are faced with their loved ones choosing such assistance in dying, or considering this option themselves, and with health care professionals in their communities who are discerning their response to this option. How can the church support people challenged with such a decision? How can the church prepare people for end-of-life decision-making?
That the Executive of the General Council: 1. receive the report of the Theology and Inter-Church Inter-Faith Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying 2. adopt the report as an official statement of the United Church on the subject of Medical Assistance in Dying.
That the 42nd General Council adopt that on behalf of The United Church of Canada, the Moderator and the General Secretary promote the adoption of a national Child Well-being Index. This can be achieved by writing to the Prime Minister, the leaders of the opposition parties, federally and provincially, each Premier, the whole church and the national media demanding immediate action for children and encourage members of United Church congregations to do the same.
The current phase of the theological dialogue between the Anglican Church of Canada and the United Church of Canada resumed in January 2012 with a shared mandate to discern “whether God is calling us into a new stage in our common life.”The 2010 General Synod of the Anglican Church specifically asked the dialogue to focus its work on “an examination of the doctrinal identities of the two churches and the implications of this for the lives of the churches, including understandings of sacraments and orders of ministry.” Meeting once annually, the members of the dialogue have rediscovered the degree to which our two churches share a common faith, context, history, geography, and commitment to carrying out God’s mission in the world. We have spent considerable time examining the theological positions and practices related to orders of ministry, sacraments, and creeds.
The original motion was amended to first receive the report, then approve the recommendations.
That the 41st General Council 2012 direct the Executive of the General Council to develop strategies to enable all members and adherents of The United Church of Canada to take action in collaboration with all levels of government, the business community and the community of non-profit organizations and partners to address child poverty in Canada.
produce appropriate study material (such as for Lent or Advent or through Mandate magazine) that addresses the issue of poverty, homelessness and economic disparity in this country Keywords: poverty, homelessness, social security
1) recognise the emergence of new social movements, which specifically challenge the neo liberal Empire; 2) direct the Executive of the General Council to mobilise the people of The United Church of Canada (at every level) to embody prophetic and liberating values; and 3) direct the General Secretary, General Council to call upon The United Church of Canada’s ecumenical and other partners to mobilise in a similar fashion.
That the 41st General Council 2012 call upon the Government of Canada to reverse their decision to make age 67 the minimum age for application for Old Age Security (OAS) and Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) benefits and direct the General Secretary, General Council to communicate this stance. Old Age Security, OAS, Guaranteed Income Supplement, GIS, minimum age for application for Old Age Security
