Statement of Global, Ecumenical, and Interfaith Partners to the 45th General Council 2025 in Calgary, Alberta, August 2025

Greetings in the name of the One who calls us to love, justice, and solidarity,

As Global, Ecumenical, and Interfaith partners of The United Church of Canada, we extend our heartfelt greetings to General Council 45: Visions and Dreams. We celebrate your commitment to faithful action and collective transformation under the theme "We Are One" and affirm the sub-themes guiding your discernment. Together, we stand in solidarity, inspired by your courage, conviction and partnership. As we have learned, discussed and reflected with you, we are encouraged to see the Holy Spirit at work amongst us.

Embolden Justice

We witness and journey together in the sacred struggle for justice—challenging systems of oppression, advocating for the marginalized, and amplifying prophetic voices. We affirm your work to continue to confront colonialism, racism, poverty, and inequality, both locally and globally, as we seek God’s justice together.

The catastrophic humanitarian suffering in Gaza, along with the intensifying violence and systemic oppression in the West Bank and Jerusalem, demands that the global church raise its voice with unwavering conviction. As General Council 45 gathers, we do so amid a crisis that is not only humanitarian—but profoundly moral. As people of faith, including you who are committed to following Jesus in the way of justice, compassion, and reconciliation, we cannot be silent in the face of ethnic cleansing, collective punishment, and the mass suffering of the Palestinian people. The cries from Gaza are a call to our conscience and to our commitment to live out the Gospel in action. We also encourage The United Church of Canada to strengthen relationships with Jewish and Muslim partner organizations who share these commitments.

These cries are echoed and amplified by the suffering in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ukraine, Haiti and many other places around our hurting world.

Grounded in international law, ethical imperatives, and our shared humanity, we must speak and act boldly—not only in solidarity, but in relentless pursuit of a just peace. The church’s witness must be clear: oppression and dehumanization can never be normalized. In this moment, faith compels us to stand with the oppressed, challenge systems of violence, and affirm the sacred dignity of all people.

Even as we affirm your work, realizing the challenges these issues present around the world, we encourage you to work to educate, inspire and develop greater awareness and engagement in your communities of faith and regional councils on these issues. In the words of Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, how can you help communities of faith get out of the pews and into the streets?

Listening to the voices and experiences of the newcomers arriving to your churches, we invite you to receive our siblings, to care for their dreams, to be safe harbors and sanctuaries. Migration has a cost to our countries even higher than we can imagine, we lose invaluable pieces of our future with each person that leaves, and nobody leaves if there is still a sliver of hope that the future could be better than today’s horrors.

Nurture the Common Good

In a fractured world, your commitment to community, mutual care, and equity reflects Christ’s love. We stand with you in building bridges across differences, fostering interfaith collaboration, and prioritizing the well-being of all Creation. In a fractured world we invite you to care, to continue sustaining and staying with the wounded and forgotten, the small and the tender, sharing in times of scarcity and in times of abundance, multiplying the gifts of mutual radical accompaniment. Because in a fractured world, the only truly vital thing to do is to care. We affirm your great care to ensure equity in spaces and decisions across the life of the church. Your vigilance is a light to us all. Even in the hard places and spaces, maintain your resolve to ensure compassion and equity for all. In a fractured world, compassion is revolutionary and healing.

Deepen Climate Integrity

The climate crisis demands an urgent, faithful response that recognizes its impacts and damage do not stop at our borders, that challenges nationalities, ethnicities or economic conditions. It is a necessity to centre the climate in the way we do our work, and call for deeper solidarity with frontline communities—especially those in the Global South—as we work toward ecological healing and sustainable futures.

Acknowledging the colonial roots of the climate crisis calls on us all to decolonize our practices within the world as much as within the church. A bold and daring United Church of Canada will challenge climate racism, neocolonial extractivism, and indifference in the face of the pain in the world. Our mutual accompaniment can make the difference in this challenging time.

Growth – Strengthen Invitation

The church thrives when it embraces radical hospitality. We rejoice in your efforts to welcome, include, and journey with newcomers, ensuring that the church reflects the vibrant diversity of God’s people. Even as we celebrate growth, we know that true growth comes when we show the world what Jesus teaches us: to love our neighbour and realize justice and equity for all. In your work to dismantle oppressive systems, ensure access to resources to meet human needs, and stand for the human dignity of all, you bear witness to the good news. From this prophetic work, the growth comes. From the light of this fire, others will be called to approach. From your warmth and solidarity, new generations will flourish.

And sometimes, growth needs space, roots need room to stretch, sometimes we have to make room and prepare the place for others to come and fill the rows and feed the dreams we have not yet dreamed. As pointed out by your moderator-elect, sometimes we need to allow space for the dandelions.

Journeying Indigenous Pathways

We affirm the steps taken towards reconciliation, and decolonization towards our indigenous siblings, honoring their wisdom, rights, and self-determination, as you seek right relations. Having heard the powerful apology you have offered to indigenous peoples on behalf of your church, we hold you in prayer as you act to establish justice and dignity for all.

We appreciate your commitment to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as uplifted by the Public Issues task force. We encourage you to give the same attention to the Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

Your partners around the world stand with you as you work to decolonize your society and your church. The impact of colonization has left its mark across the world, and we join you in working to dismantle the oppressive systems that are vestiges of the presence of settler powers. We all pray for the courage and wisdom to hear the truth and act to establish justice.

Youth Action Across the Strategic Plan

The energy, vision, and leadership of young people are essential to the church’s future and their contribution in reimagining ministry, and leading transformative action. Yet too often, their voices remain on the margins rather than at the center of decision-making. We urge the church to deepen its commitment to young leaders: not only by creating space for their participation, but by actively investing in their development, amplifying their perspectives, and entrusting them with meaningful leadership roles.

We applaud the dreams and challenges lifted up by the youth at this GC45 as a sign of the returns your investments in youth leadership have and will continue to make.

Commit to Global Ecumenical and Interfaith Partnership and Solidarity

The challenges facing our world—climate crisis, forced migration, economic injustice, violent conflict, growing inequality, growing polarization, and social fragmentation—transcend borders, cultures, and faith traditions. In such a time, deep commitment to global, ecumenical, and interfaith partnership is not optional; it is essential to our shared witness.

We honour your faithful history of standing with partners across every region of the world, journeying together in prayer, advocacy, service, and prophetic action. We urge you to continue equipping local communities of faith and their ministers to value and embody the ecumenical character of their faith, and to cherish global solidarity with their siblings in Christ. Encourage them to stand for peace, and uphold international human rights agreements that safeguard the dignity of all people.

A church that is only local and inward-looking risks becoming provincial and narrow-minded. The oneness of the global church—and indeed of all humanity—is not merely an aspiration; it is a foundational article of faith.

Conclusion

In embracing the next 100 years we celebrate our mutual accompaniment, solidarity and teachings of love and justice that is possible and of justice that is due.

Moving towards 2035, leadership rooted in deep spirituality, bold discipleship and daring justice is vital in these times. It is a challenge and a necessity to cultivate diverse, inclusive, and Spirit-led leaders—especially women, youth, and Indigenous siblings—who will guide the church toward bold and compassionate action.

The Global Ecumenical Community needs leadership rooted in bold justice and deep solidarity, in the type of leadership that is diverse, equitable and affirming in a world that is increasingly autocratic, dominant and fascist.

We pray that you will be a bold prophetic voice across Canada as well as the world, sharing the vision we all share of God’s justice for the world.

We give thanks to God for your continued partnership with all of your global, ecumenical and interfaith partners. We will continue to hold you in prayers as we know you will continue to hold us in yours.