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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Today is a time of spiritual dislocation for many Christians. A secular and consumerist spirit pervades public life. The shopping mall can be as much a Sunday morning destination as is church. Many people identify themselves as “spiritual” but not “religious”. They choose not to identify themselves with any of the traditional churches of Canada. Greater knowledge of the richness of the world’s religions, together with the arrival of immigrants and refugees from all corners of the earth, has brought Canada greater cultural and religious diversity than earlier generations might ever have imagined. This is true not only in Toronto and Vancouver, but in Lac la Biche, Alberta and Shediac, New Brunswick. The proximity of people of other faiths has served to break down stereotypes about other faith communities. We may even feel challenged by the spiritual and moral integrity of some of our newer neighbours. These developments have raised the question of how to relate the historic teachings of the church about Jesus Christ to the present pluralistic moment. As Christian people we want to witness faithfully to the salvation, wholeness and challenge we have experienced through the gospel of Jesus Christ. At the same time, and precisely because we know Jesus as God’s Word made flesh, we want to treat all our neighbours ethically. We want to acknowledge the value we see in them and in their own expressions of faith.
That the General Council urge formally constituted groups of the United Church of Canada to avoid applying for or using funds generated from lotteries, casinos, or other activities in the gaming industry.
The 34th General Council commends the Division of Mission in Canada for its action to date [on conscientious objectors and redirection of taxes for non-military purposes] and encourages its continued action in this regard and requests that it work in conjunction with Project Ploughshares and the Canadian Council of Churches in its overtures to government.
Whereas there is a shortage of affordable and suitable housing; and Whereas children are adversely affected by housing that is not suitable; and Whereas a disproportionate number of Canadian living in inadequate and unsuitable housing are women and children (89%); and Whereas waiting lists for suitable housing are already excessively long and the waiting time up to two years; and
That the 34th General Council 1. Call upon the Government of Canada to use its influence in and with the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank, to support alternatives and proposals from developing countries which could so alter structural adjustment programs that priority would be given to responding to human needs rather than debt repayment; 2. Encourage congregations and individual United Church members to make similar representations to their elected political representatives.
That the 34th General Council write to the Secretary of State for External Affairs, expressing its concern that Overseas Development Aid to the Third World has been reduced at this time of even greater need.
From October 1989 to the end of 1990, the United Church was involved in the study of the document The Authority and Interpretation of Scripture (referred to as the Study Document in this report). As the statistics show, in terms of the sheer numbers of persons involved and responses received, it has been one of the most extensive church studies. People came to the study with different levels of energy and spiritual expressions and with a variety of expectations and assumptions. A participant in one Conference event spoke for many involved in the study when she said, “People came…looking for a garden ready to harvest but were given dirt and tools.” It is a good metaphorical description; what we offer as a report reflects the labour of many Christian people, at home and abroad, who were not afraid to plough in with hope of a good harvest.
the country is entering into a new phase of negotiations to secure a trade agreement with the United States and Mexico Keywords: Trade, Trade Agreement, Free Trade, Economic Justice
The 33rd General Council again asks the Government of Canada to give urgent attention to, and provide leadership in the development of a food distribution system without food aid or banks, that would guarantee all people an adequate affordable food supply, while at the same time ensuring food producers a fair income. WHEREAS the 32nd General Council called for governments and farm organizations to develop a long term comprehensive national Agriculture and Food policy which would ensure an adequate and stable financial return to the basic food producer and an adequate and dependable supply of nutritious foods for all Canadians at reasonable prices; and
support food aid for emergency needs but remain very cautious about supporting the use of food aid for other purposes, relying upon the wisdom of our partners in such instances, insuring that the root causes of under-development will be addressed and that the food aid will not have adverse consequences for long-term agricultural productivity Keywords: Economic security, Social Assistance Systems, Social Programs, Foreign Aid, Food Aid, Emergency Aid, Food Security
