Reflection- Kamloops United Church, Orange Shirt Day 2018

Reflection: Kamloops United Church, Orange Shirt Day 2018, by Christine Dolson. She explains, “Our Affirming Sunday coincided with Orange Shirt Day. Reconciliation and being Affirming arise from the same Source.

The artists and the Affirming chair. (Left to right) Barb Hollingshead, Heather Mewhort, Christine Dolson, Marie Allen (project’s leader), and Marcia Skaarup.

It is colourful here today isn’t it? Orange shirts, and rainbows. So many colours, so

many symbols. Colours and symbols have power. Colours and symbols can make us feel something. Colours and symbols serve to celebrate and to remind us about things that are important.

Today we are celebrating and remembering.

Today we celebrate a special remembrance that over 22 years ago, this community of faith, Kamloops United Church, committed to being an Affirming congregation, and officially became a member of the national organization, Affirm United.

We are also a community of faith committed to Reconciliation. Today, September 30, is Orange Shirt Day, as part of the ‘Every Child Matters’ campaign. Continue reading “Reflection- Kamloops United Church, Orange Shirt Day 2018”

Intersectional conversations-racism and a kairos moment at General Council

Intersectional conversations: racism and a kairos moment at General Council

(An article from our September 2018 newsletter.) A kairos moment is a door from ordinary, linear, chronos time to sacred and transformative time. Such a moment took place in the closing hours of the 43rd General Council of the United Church of Canada, when the Moderator invited people of colour and Indigenous people to come to the mics and tell their stories as racialized people in the United Church of Canada.

The LGBTQIA+ community in Canada is no more free of White privilege and racism than the rest of the church or the rest of the country is. The sacred place where our diverse genders and sexualities meet diverse racial identities is one we must seek as an Affirming movement. Often it’s a painful place, as well as a growing place, as we saw a couple of years when queer and trans members of Black Lives Matter stopped the Toronto Pride parade in order to have their perspectives and experiences heard.

You are invited to take the time to watch and absorb these two hours of sacred storytelling. Your reflections on what this moment might teach the Affirming movement are most welcome. You can use our contact forms, or our Facebook group to share your thoughts.

AUSE thanks Meewasin Valley United Church for their legacy donation

 

A group of about 20 people receiving their Affirming certificate.
The people of Meewasin Valley UC receiving their certificate at their April 2016 Affirming celebration.

AUSE is deeply humbled and grateful to have received a generous legacy donation from Meewasin Valley United Church, an Affirming ministry in Saskatoon. Thank you to the community of Meewasin Valley United Church for thinking of Affirm United as you journey towards closure. We are honoured that you have blessed us with this opportunity to live out part of your legacy in the areas of education and social justice. We at Affirm United are inspired by Meewasin Valley’s support, which has shown us that there are many ways in which a community of faith can live out a commitment to being an Affirming ministry. (Photo: the people of Meewasin Valley UC receiving their certificate at their April 2016 Affirming celebration.)

Affirming celebration for Inverness-Guysborough Presbytery NS-13 Nov 2018

A celebration to be declared an Affirming Ministry will be held for Inverness-Guysborough Presbytery, Maritime Conference, on Tuesday November 13, 2018 at 7:00PM at: 
St. Mark’s United Church,
504 Bernard Street,
Port Hawkesbury NS
www.inverguyunited.ca

All welcome!

Please send a note of congratulations to Inverness-Guysborough Presbytery through this contact form: 

 

Affirming ministry celebration for Kawartha Highlands Presbytery,19 Sept 2018

A celebration to be declared an Affirming Ministry will be held for Kawartha Highlands Presbytery (Bay of Quinte Conference, Ontario) on Wednesday September 19, 2018 at 7:00PM, at:

Trinity United Church,
44 William Street,
Bobcaygeon ON
http://kawarthahighlands.com

Please send a note of congratulations to Kawartha Highlands Presbytery by filling out this contact form:

 

Affirming celebration for Wesley United Church, Regina SK, 23 Sept 2018

A celebration to be declared an Affirming Ministry for Wesley United Church will be held on Sunday September 23, 2018 at 10:30 AM at:

Wesley United Church,
3913 Hillsdale Street
Regina  SK  S4S 3Y2
Phone: 306-586-5220
http://www.wesleyuc.sk.ca/

Guest preacher Lynn Caldwell BA (Hons), MDIV, MA, PhD. Our God welcomes everyone.  As a community, we acknowledge and give thanks on this day for the gifts of respect, diversity, inclusion and justice.  We proclaim our welcome.

All welcome!

Please send a note of congratulations to Wesley United Church by filling out this contact form:

 

Affirming celebration for Cummer Ave UC, Toronto-21 Oct 2018

A celebration for to be declared an Affirming Ministry will be held for Cummer Avenue United Church on Sunday October 21, 2018 at 10:30 am at:

Cummer Avenue United Church,
53 Cummer Avenue
Toronto  ON   M2M 2E5
Phone:   416-222-5417
www.cummeravenueuc.ca

All welcome!
Please send a note of congratulations
to Cummer Avenue United Church through this contact form:

 

Affirming celebration for Grace UC, Lloydminster AB, 9 Sept 2018

Grace United Church in Lloydminster AB will celebrate their declaration of becoming an Affirming Ministry on Saturday September 8th at 6:00PM in the hall and Sunday September 9th at 10:00AM in the sanctuary, both located at:

4708 50th Avenue
Lloydminster, Alberta
T9V 0W4
Phone: (780) 875-8959
www.graceunitedchurch.ca

All welcome! Please send a note of congratulations to Grace United Church by filling out this contact form:

 

Affirming celebration for Canadian Memorial United Church, Vancouver, 16 Sept 2018

A celebration to be declared an Affirming Ministry will be held for Canadian Memorial United Church on Sunday September 16, 2018 at 10:30 am. All welcome!

Location: Canadian Memorial United Church,
1825 W 16th Ave,
Vancouver, BC, V6J 2M3
Phone:  604-731-3101
www.canadianmemorial.org

Please send a note of congratulations to Canadian Memorial United Church by filling out this contact form: