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
Theological Affirmation We affirm that the Christian conviction that God loves and cares for all people includes persons with AIDS, and we reject the argument made by some that AIDS is God’s punishment for homosexuals. HIV/AIDS, Human Rights
THAT this 31st General Council: 1 INSTRUCT the Investment Committee through the Division of Finance to divest the church of all investments in corporations and companies having direct equity investment* in South Africa until power is shared democratically among all peoples of South Africa; and
WHEREAS the right for all refugee claimants physically in Canada to an oral hearing on the merits of their refugee claims was upheld by the Supreme Court of Canada in 1985; and WHEREAS the recently-proposed Canadian legislation governing refugee determination procedures excluded four groups of refugee claimants from the right to make such a claim after an initial screening by an immigration (not a refugee) officer; and Refugees, Asylum, Rights
WHEREAS we believe in God of love and justice; and WHEREAS our United Church of Canada has a heritage of support for non-violent solutions to political differences; and WHEREAS we believe that the best way to achieve a non-violent solution is through a process of free and honest negotiations;
WHEREAS the 29th General Council, August 1982, agreed to: 1. Acknowledge its lack of persistence of behalf of Japanese Canadians injured through internment; 2. Urge the government of Canada to make speedy restitution and honourable compensation to Japanese Canadians so injured, that justice may be done and be seen to be done, and that this wound in our Canadian life may be healed; and
WHEREAS the recent rash of killing of police officers has resulted in renewed calls for the return of capital punishment in Canada; and WHEREAS we sympathize deeply with the hurt of families and colleagues of the victims of such crime; and WHEREAS we believe that the taking of another life is not a faithful way to respond to that hurt; and WHEREAS we believe that such taking of human life by the state as punishment has a brutalizing effect on society; and
WHEREAS the right to self-determination of the Central American people is threatened by US policy in the region; and WHEREAS the increasing militarization of the region threatens to plunge Central America into a regional war: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
WHEREAS the more than 200,000 Guatemalan refugees living in camps in southern Mexico suffer from a severe lack of material assistance; and WHEREAS there has been very little publicity on this situation and very little international relief for the Guatemalan refugee camps:
WHEREAS the statement of the Minister of Multiculturalism which expresses “regret” over Japanese Canadian injury due to internment and confiscation is inadequate and does not acknowledge wrongdoing; and WHEREAS the recent act of the Minister of Multiculturalism to establish a fund for victims of racism in Canada does not address the specific need for compensation to Japanese Canadians; and
The fighting in Afghanistan has continued for more than four years; and the citizens of Afghanistan and its refugees, as well as the citizens of countries receiving refugees, continue to suffer from the war in Afghanistan; and Soviet troops remain in Afghanistan, despite the condemnation of the United Nations, various governments of the world, and non-governmental organizations, including the United Church of Canada;
