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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Many United Church communities of faith observe Orange Shirt Day, also known as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, but it is not designated as a “Special Sunday” in The United Church of Canada.
Church adopts social justice principles and addresses designated lay ministry at annual meeting.
Having heard Petition 37, it is MOVED that the 33rd General Council: Designate and establish one Sunday per year as an AIDS Awareness Sunday; and Direct DMC to give publicity to the British Columbia Kit of Worship Resources for AIDS Awareness.
WHEREAS the Nuremberg Tribunal identified a war of aggression as a crime against humanity, calling it “the supreme international crime, differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole,” and in so doing specifically rejected arguments designed to justify a pre-emptive military attack;
That the 31st General Council endorse the work presently being done by the (church) in urging all levels of government to redirect cutbacks so that programs designed to help the poor and underprivileged both in Canada and abroad are not subject to funding cuts or closure and encourage the (church) to continue this work on our behalf.
The Remit and Proposals process was designed to allow for democratic input from the appropriate groups within the denomination so that the decision-making process is upheld with integrity to ensure our identity as a conciliar church and to give voice to all. We have recently witnessed “legal loopholes” allow for prior Remits to be circumvented using the Proposal process.
At the 45th General Council 2025, the General Council approved a change to the Basis of Union regarding the composition of the Regional Council to allow Regional Councils to elect additional lay members; and retired designated lay ministers to hold membership in their respective Regional Councils; and authorized a Category 2 remit (including information and study materials) to test the will of the church concerning this change.
We believe God/Jesus Christ/the Holy Spirit is calling the church to recognize the lifelong call to ministry and faithful service in response to that call of many current Designated Lay Ministers. While their practice of ministry is indistinguishable from that of ordered ministers in the eyes of many church members, DLMs have been frustrated, hurt and disappointed at continuing to be limited to appointments and not eligible for call, paid at lower minimum salary schedule than ordered ministers, and retaining no status as ministry personnel between appointments and in retirement in many regional councils.
