News
Dear siblings in Christ, Ahead of PIE Day 2022 (March 14th), a small group of friends of Horseshoe Falls and Shining Waters Regional Councils came together to talk about the ways Scripture has been used – and misused – to cause harm to 2SLGBTQIA+ people. We talked about ways the United Church perpetuated that harm. We talked about how far we have come as a denomination – and how far we have left to go. We celebrated the progress that has been made and we wondered what we might offer to help...
Tri Regional UCW of Antler River Watershed, Horseshoe Falls and Western Ontario Waterways Regional Councils met on Saturday, February 12th, 2022. Enjoy the video of the event and stay connected. Contact Kathy Douglas for information on future UCW events.
[Photo credit: pedro_wroclaw from Pixabay] Since COVID struck, visits to Canadian food banks have climbed 20 percent. Already, over 33 percent of food bank users are children. In 2022, food prices are predicted to rise another 5 to 7 percent. We can do more to support our friends and neighbours living in Canada. That’s why on February 21―as many provinces celebrate Family Day― we are hoping you will encourage those in your network to support families by giving the gift of a meal through our...
In October of 2021, The United Church of Canada General Council 43 Annual Meeting adopted a Call and Vision for the whole church. This video highlights this new Call, explores the connection to these words in our faith statements, and invites reflection and commitment. https://youtu.be/asZ1m26p-oI
https://youtu.be/OIp2xaKFBno On January 24, 2022, The United Church of Canada launched its Korea Peace Appeal Ten Thousand Signature Campaign declaring, “70 years is enough. It’s time to end the Korean War.” In 2018, the United Church’s 43rd General Council declared that we believe God is calling us to join with partners to work for peace, justice and reunification in the Korean peninsula. The 43rd General Council urged the church to address the suffering of the Korean people, which continues...
Do you wish to engage others in your passion for the environment and take actions for climate change. Here is an invitation to Facilitate Climate Conversations with some helpful training. Check out this opportunity. For more information contact Kdouglas@united-church.ca For the Love of Creation will be offering a Facilitator Training Session for the Faithful Climate Conversations Two dates: Saturday, February 12 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm EST...
Conversation Café Bereavement Support Group Trained facilitators lead six (6) consecutive Tuesday evening sessions. The purpose of the group is to provide: A place to meet others who have had a similar grief experience A safe, small, supportive community Information about loss and grief Opportunities to learn new ways of approaching living again A place to encounter new growth and balance after a death loss To learn more and to register contact: Jan Temple-Jones at...
YAT Forum 2022YAT ForumCommunity Retreat Ages 19 and Up Long walks to the dining hall… Gracefully launching yourself down the rolling hills…Desperately trying to shake that catchy worship tune… Running into the arms of people you haven't seen in years...or ever...or yesterday! ...Sounds awe-inspiring, fairytale- esque, a utopian dream! But hold up!!! This is not a drill! YAT Forum (Young Adults Together) is coming to a Pearce Williams Christian Center near you (actually its located in Iona...
The Tri-Region Affirm Network has created a resource to help! With gratitude for the work of Network member, Anne Moore, the tri-region Affirming Network is pleased to provide a resource to communities of faith that are discerning and/or have entered into the Affirming Ministries process. Meant to augment the tools made available through Affirm United/S’Affirmer Ensemble, this resource is full of wisdom gleaned by United Church ministries across the country that are living into the call to be...
The Islington United Church Anti-Racism Working Group is pleased to present a free speaker series in January 2022 on Racism in the Church, designed to educate ourselves and help us take action on racism within our church, the community, and the wider Canadian context. We hope you will join us. For more information and to register: islingtonunited.org
The Manual of The United Church of Canada, 2022 edition, comes into effect on January 1, 2022. There are only three editorial, not content, changes to this edition (indicated by the year 2022 in parentheses in the right-hand margin in the PDF): H.6.1: “men and women” has changed to “people” I.2.4: now includes a definition of ordained supply J.10.4: “executive” has changed to “Judicial Committee” The French edition, Le Manuel 2022, is available on the French-language website(opens in a new...
Advent Greetings one and all, I must admit I struggle with Advent sometimes…this season of waiting….I’m excited for Christmas now!! I also struggle with the juxtaposition of waiting and the themes for each Sunday: Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. Waiting to me sounds like a passive word, but we can’t be passive in our search for Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. Our brothers and sisters in BC and Nova Scotia are not feeling hope or love because others are doing nothing. Any hope they are feeling is...
Horseshoe Falls Regional Council is having a Sunday Evenings Discussion Group focusing on Indigenous Justice and Reconciliation as a part of an Anti-Racism series. As the discussion group is online, geography is no longer a barrier to participate in events across The United Church of Canada. Horseshoe Falls President Robert Lawson has invited anyone from Western Ontario Waterways to join in. The discussions are twice a month on Sunday evenings from 7-830pm, starting on Sunday January 16th. For...
Thank you for the care and attention you have given to an ever-evolving situation. It is difficult to face another round of uncertainty with the increase in Covid cases and the spread of the Omicron variant. Some communities of faith are re-examining their policies and re-considering their plans for Advent and Christmas. As a starting point, check with your local health unit. Each health unit sets regulations based on transmission rates in their jurisdiction. Many health units have specific...
photo courtesy of Dan Kiefer via Unsplash The Regional Council Office will be closed December 24th through to January 3rd. Staff will not be responding to email or phone messages during that time. However, should you have an urgent, emergency situation, you can call 1-833-236-0280, ext 2 and leave a message. This voicemailbox will be checked regularly over the Christmas break. Please note that many of the regional council staff are on holiday during the month of December and the first week of...
We’re looking for amazing projects to fund through the second round of the My Main Street Community Activator program! The program, funded by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, supports placemaking projects across southern Ontario in 2022, with reimbursements between $25,000 and $250,000. Learn more by reviewing the application guide and apply by completing and submitting the application form. The deadline to apply is February 1,...
