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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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.
The Theology and Inter-Church Inter-Faith Committee was asked by the Executive of General Council in November 2013 to develop a theology of disability,[1] which could include concepts such as healing, cure, sin, and normalcy. From the beginning, we wrestled with the notion of developing a theology of disability because the category “disability” is not neatly defined or clear. With this principle in mind, we invited people living with disabilities, and allies, to tell their own stories. The italicized sections of this report represent a small selection of the 35 submissions received in writing, video performance, and artistic work which we received in answer to our invitation to tell the church a story over a cup of coffee about living with a disability, or being an ally with a person with a disability. We have been honoured to be entrusted with these stories, some painful and some joyful, that have enriched the development of this report.
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 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.
That the 41st General Council 2012 direct the General Secretary, General Council to 1) request the federal Department of Health and the provincial and territorial ministries of health to increase funding to provide adequate mental health services for children, youth and adults; 2) request the provincial and territorial ministries of education and local school boards to include education on mental health issues and inclusiveness of students living with mental health issues as part of the curriculum; and
Since establishment in 1975, the Roman Catholic Church/United Church of Canada Dialogue has discussed, and issued reports on, a number of topics. In 2004, following contrary briefs by their two churches to the Supreme Court of Canada on same-sex marriage, the Dialogue after deep reflection decided on Marriage as its next topic. Praying for the guidance of the Spirit, the Dialogue has wrestled the subject joyfully, and is now reporting consensually under the headings of Social Context, Theology of Marriage, Christian Wedding, Pastoral Care and Marriage in Society, as well as Conclusions and Recommendations. Appendix A contains a selected bibliography; and Appendix B the chronological list of persons involved in the dialogue on this subject from 2004 until 2012.
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
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel used to tell the story that when God, the Holy One, gets up in the morning, God gathers the angels of heaven around and asks this simple question: "Where does my creation need mending today?" And then Rabbi Heschel would continue, "Theology consists of worrying about what God worries about when God gets up in the morning."
In winter 2003, twelve persons named by The Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) and The United Church of Canada (UCC) met in Vancouver to consider their new mandate to explore the relationship between our two churches. It was clear to us from the outset that we were not commissioned to prepare plans for a new “church union,” a successor to the failed project of the 1970s. What we should make our task was initially less obvious.
