Affirming celebration for Mark Street United Church!

All are welcome to a celebration of becoming an Affirming Ministry for Mark Street United Church

Date:             Sunday April 21, 2024    

Time:            10 am

Location:    90 Hunter Street, Peterborough ON K9H 1G5    At the present time, we only use Zoom with the link available from the office.

Website:     https://www.markstreetunited.ca/

Phone:         705-742-2682

Email for sending congratulations (church office) markstreetunitedchurch@cogeco.net 

Affirming celebration for Central United Church!

All are welcome to a celebration of becoming an Affirming Ministry for Central United Church

Date:             Sunday April 28, 2024

Time:            10 am

Location:    12 Young Street  Welland ON  L3B 4C4   Join us on Zoom through the link on our Facebook page.

Website:     www.centralunitedchurch.org

Phone:         905-735-2333   

Email for sending congratulations (church office) centralunitedwelland@bellnet.ca

Affirming celebration for Lakeshore United Church!

All are welcome to a celebration of becoming an Affirming Ministry for Lakeshore United Church!

Date:             Sunday April 14, 2024

Time:            10:30 a.m.

Location:     56 North Street   Godrich  ON N7A 2T4  The service be live-streamed on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@lakeshoreunitedchurch6836  

Website:    https://www.lakeshoreuc.org/

Phone:         519-524-2103        

Email for sending congratulations (church email):    office@lakeshoreuc.org

Affirming celebration for Mayfair United Church!

All are welcome to a celebration of becoming an Affirming Ministry for Mayfair United Church

Address:       902 33rd Street West, Saskatoon  SK S7L 0W6

Date:              Sunday, April 14th

Time:             From 1-3:30 pm – Presentation at 2 pm

Location: 902 33rd Street West, Saskatoon  SK S7L 0W6

Website: mayfairunitedchurch.org 

Phone: 306-382-6446 

Email for sending congratulations (church office) mayfairunitedchurch@gmail.com  

Letter sent to Regional Council Executives

Attention: Regional Executive 

February 14, 2024

Re: Collective and urgent response to the legislated hatred of trans youth

To our partners in faith, justice, and advocacy,

In our shared work of advocacy and support to individuals and communities of faith in Alberta and across Canada, Affirm United/S’affimer Ensemble and Affirming Connections are writing to you as representatives of your Regional Council. The rights of trans youth are being attacked, and local congregations need your support. While we are doing what we can to connect and collaborate, local and regional responses are critical at this time. It is our hope that each of you will carry this message to your Regional Council and then take action together.

The proposed ‘parental rights’ legislation in Alberta, as well as other passed and proposed bills across the country, present a serious and urgent threat to the safety and wellbeing of trans youth in Canada. Such legislation will see trans youth stripped of their dignity and autonomy, and will put them at increased risk of serious social oppression and self-harm. Experts such as the Canadian Paediatric Society agree that this kind of legislation is incredibly dangerous. For more context on the damaging implications, click here. 

Those that support such legislation are organized and well-funded, and have been working for years to see these bills introduced. As people of faith, we have a collective responsibility to challenge this hatred, not just reactively, but proactively. We need to build a comprehensive, national strategy that considers both short and long term actions and goals. 

We want you to join us, and be Public, Intentional and Explicit in the public square. We have developed the following Calls to Action, and request that each Region answer these calls:

  • PUBLICLY show up in your communities and encourage your communities of faith to do the same, by:
    • Encouraging communities of faith to be involved in PIE Day 
    • Attending local activism events (eg. rallies, protests) as representatives of your Regional Council and local community of faith
    • Supporting organizations such as Egale, who are raising funds for legal efforts to challenge the hateful legislation
  • INTENTIONALLY support your communities of faith by:
    • Providing region-specific options to support advocacy and activism work, such as letter writing campaigns or public rallies. Some examples can be found here
    • Providing pastoral care during this challenging time, such as holding space for queer folks to gather and connect. Encourage your staff and clergy to join AU/SE’s proposed Care Circle program, to provide pastoral support to those in need. You can also host virtual vigils and meditations for folks in your region
    • Creating or deepening your strategy for specific support and care of queer (and allied) clergy in your region
    • Providing faith communities with accurate information. Resources can be found here.  
  • EXPLICITLY designate an Affirming Ministries contact for your region by:
    • Designating one or more person to be responsible for this work, and ensuring they have the resources and support to be effective in supporting the Affirming movement locally and regionally
    • Supporting your staff to attend training that supports them in this work, such as this one with Rose-Ingrid Benjamin being hosted by Affirming Connections on February 22. 
    • Providing Affirm United/S’affirmer Ensemble and Affirming Connections with the contact(s) name, title, and email, of your Regional Affirming representative(s) and ensure to update if there is turnover in the role
    • Sending your Regional Affirming representative(s) to the national strategy meeting on February 27 at 9amPT/12pmET, to meet with other regional representatives

We know that each of you are working hard for justice in your regions, and that there is always more work than time. We recognize your efforts, and hope that by providing a framework and opportunity for collaboration, a faithful and concentrated response to this hatred from your Region will be possible. 

In solidarity,

Alix Dolson, Executive Director of Affirm United/S’affirmer Ensemble  

Pam Rocker, Director of Affirming Connections 

Affirming celebration for Seagrave United Church!

All are welcome to a celebration of becoming an Affirming Ministry for Seagrave United Church

Date:             Saturday March 23, 2024

Time:            1:30 pm

Location:    15 Coryell Street    Seagrave  ON   L0C 1G0  The service be live-streamed livestreamed via YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/live/UPYLc94tz3E?si=UQxnZTF2P5e0CwCr

Website:                 https://seagrave-church.com

Phone:                     905-985-2429         

Email for sending congratulations (church office)

            Seagrave-church01@gmail.com

Affirming celebration for Westminster United Church!

All are welcome to a celebration of becoming an Affirming Ministry for Westminster United Church

Date:             Sunday March 17, 2024.      Also livestreamed on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/westminsterunitedhumboldt

Time:            2:00 pm

Location:     708 13th Avenue   Humboldt SK   S0K 2A0

Website:     https://www.wuchumboldt.com/

Phone:         306-682-2779

Email for sending congratulations: westminsteruc@sasktel.net

Affirming celebration for Grace United Church!

All are welcome to a celebration of becoming an Affirming Ministry for Grace United Church

Date:             Sunday March 10, 2024

Time:             10:30 am

Location:     310 12th Street, Hanover ON     The service will be live-streamed.  Please find details at:  https://www.youtube.com/@graceunitedchurchhanover/streams

Website    www.graceunitedhanover.ca

Phone:         519-364-3550        

Email for sending congratulations (church office)      graceuc@wightman.ca

Affirming celebration for First United Church!

All are welcome to a celebration of becoming an Affirming Ministry for First United Church

Date:             Sunday February 18, 2024

Time:            10:30 am (PT) followed by Community potluck

Location:    636 6th Avenue West, Prince Rupert BC.  V8J 1Z8.

The service be live-streamed through Zoom.  Join   https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2126659242?omn=81672489393                                   Meeting ID:  212 665 9242   

Website:     http://www.firstunitedpr.com

Phone:         250-624-2087 

Email for sending congratulations (church office) united@citywest.ca