Tomorrow morning we begin our 2021 Annual Meeting Weekend Online! Here is the link to your weekend itinerary (Make sure to look for individual links, ie. “Morning Gathering” has its own link, ID/password).
This itinerary below will guide you through our weekend together!
This spring we celebrate over 242+ Affirming Ministries who continue to be Public, Intentional and Explicit in the welcome of 2SLGBTQ+ people!
COVID has created much change over the last year for congregations and Affirming faith communities across Canada. We were delighted when ministries who were “in the process” and completed the Affirming Ministry program rose to the challenge of celebrating in the safest ways possible. Many anniversaries, celebrations and P.I.E. Day events moved online to Zoom, Facebook and YouTube. The creativity of these services and all the people involved with making meaningful services, has been inspirational!
Affirm United / S’affirmer Ensemble continues to work with national Regional Councils as they explore what it means to be Affirming in their transitioning entities. We are grateful to all Affirming Ministries for the continued commitment to diversity and inclusion.
The work of Affirm United’s Council continues to grow and we look forward to another Virtual Summer Conference in July, 2021. With thanks we continue to work this year with Ren Ito (General Council Office staff resource to AU/SE) who supports us in many ways.
It is time once again to ask you to please submit your Annual Affirming Ministry Report and your updated contact information to Michele our Communications Coordinator no later than May 31, 2021.
Affirming Ministries Report for 2020: Share what your Affirming Ministry program did in 2020 (events, programs, workshops, etc.), and tell us about your plans for 2021. You can submit the report about your Affirming activities as part of your church’s annual report OR as a standalone report written specifically for Affirm United.
Please send your report electronically if possible. Information received will be shared in a variety of ways, including with ministries that are in the Affirming process and/or looking for ideas or supportive contacts. Email the report to our Communications Coordinator, Michele at communications@ause.ca. If you can only submit your report in hard copy, mail it to: Affirm United / S’affirmer Ensemble, Attn: Annual Report, PO Box 57057, Ottawa, Ontario K1R 1A1.
Contact Info Update: Send your Affirming Ministry’s primary contact name and email address to the Communications Coordinator, Michele. This will help us update our database and website, as well as keep the Affirming Ministries list on the United Church of Canada’s website, up-to-date!
Share Photos and Videos! Photos and videos from workshops, worship, Pride events and more are always welcome. If you have photos and videos to share, please send them to communications@ause.ca.
It is always inspiring to hear what you are doing throughout the year. We will share news and stories received from Affirming Ministries via various communication tools (website, social media, eNewsletter). We encourage you to connect with other Affirming Ministries listed on the website and those ministries in your area that may be considering becoming an Affirming Ministry, to remind ourselves that “We are not alone, we live in God’s world…”
For those who missed our AUSE Summer Conference Worship Service this morning … please enjoy this recorded version:
Enjoy this moving service from our Summer Conference 2020 virtual Worship Service. Many thanks to all of our conference and worship attendees! It was a wonderful weekend! Please share this video with your congregations.
Affirm United/S’affirmer Ensemble
Worship 8th Sunday after Pentecost July 26, 2020
Prepared by Rev. Emma Pipes and Aaron Miechkota
People Involved:
Rev. Emma Pipes & Aaron Miechkota – Worship Leaders Michiko Bown-Kai – Gives the Welcome & Closing Benediction Michele Petick – Scripture Reading Aaron Miechkota – on Ukulele Musician to lead hymns Julian Munro – Children’s Time
Donations to the work at Affirm United / S’affirmer Ensemble can be made at:
A special invitation from Co-Chair Michiko Bown-Kai
Sure, things are a little different this year, these are strange times indeed, but we are carrying on with our Summer Conference!
You are welcome to join us … actually, it wouldn’t be any fun without you, so please come to our first virtual Affirm United / S’affirmer Ensemble Summer Conference, AGM & Worship service.
Here is what you need to know to get quick access to the meetings and events, so save this post! 😀😀😀 And see you this weekend! For Zoom links, copy and paste the meeting url starting with https:// and paste into your browser to access Zoom. Questions? Email Michele at communications@ause.ca
I T I N E R A R Y with Zoom links (times are in EDT)
Saturday July 25th, 2020
10-11am: Gathering
Every year after our Annual Conference, we always hear that people want more opportunities to get to know each other better. Come join us for this opportunity to learn more about this coast-to-coast community of people that are a part of Affirm United/S’affirmer Ensemble. We will be using break out groups as an opportunity for people to get to know each other.Hosted by: Michiko, co-chair of Affirm United
One of the things we love the most about attending conferences is meeting others who we have a shared connection with. Community Circles are designed as spaces where people can gather for more specific conversations about their lived experiences. We are in the process of developing this space and are open to suggestions of groups and are looking for people who would be willing to act as a host for these groups.We realize that some people may belong to more than one of these groups – it’s up to the individual to discern where best they’d like to go.Some of Community Circles planned are:
BIPOC, hosted by Deulita Datus
Clergy, hosted by Michiko Bown-Kai
Allies, hosted by Marly Bown & David Kai
Trans and Non-Binary, hosted by Julian Munro
New to Affirm, hosted by Linda Hutchinson
Bi/Pan§ Ace/Aro
Rural
Hosted by: Michele Petick, Affirm United Communications Coordination, Group hosts will be listed as they are confirmed.
Join us early to greet one another and make sure your tech is working before our AGM.
Members and adherents are welcome to join us for our Annual AGM. If you would like to become a member of Affirm United/S’affirmer Ensemble click here. The agenda for the AGM will be made available online prior to the meeting. We look forward to sharing and celebrating the many accomplishments of Affirming Ministries over the past year!
All are welcome to join us for worship! Feel free to sign on early for a “bring your own drink” coffee hourHosted by: Rev. Emma Pipes and Aaron MiechkotaJoin
Please find below the draft minutes of the AUSE Annual General Meeting held on July 28, 2019 at Hillhurst United Church in Calgary. Please review for discussion our our Annual General Meeting this Saturday July 25th, 2020 virtually via Zoom. Check your emails for meeting Zoom links.
Here is our newest eNewsletter Friday July 17th, 2020 including information about the AGM/Summer Conference, the Annual Report, Nominations Report, Nominee Bios and a special Thank You to Jordan Sullivan and more …
Positions for Co-Chair and Members at Large were advertised via social media, the Affirm United/S’affirmer website, and personal contact. Many thanks to Julian Munro, Council Member, and Jordan Sullivan, GCO staff support, for doing the advertising and collection of data from nominees. Thank you, also, to Michele Petick, Communications Coordinator for AUSE, for composing the short bios for all nominees which are attached to this report.
The slate of Directors for the Board (AUSE Council Members) is listed below. Continuing Council members are shown in lower case format and nominees shown in UPPER CASE FORMAT. According to the By-laws, one term of office is three years and the council should be retiring four members each year. Terms of office are shown in the chart of Council members and nominees.
