Affirming celebration for Atherley UC, ON- 28 Oct 2018

A celebration to be declared an Affirming Ministry will be held for Atherley United Church on Sunday October 28, 2018 at 4:00PM at:

Atherley United Church
46 Balsam Road
Atherley ON  L3V 6H7
www.brechinatherleyunitedchurches.com

All welcome!

Please send a note of congratulations to Atherley United Church through this contact form:

 

Celebration for Sackville United Church, Sackville NB, Sept 30 2018

Sackville United Church in Sackville NB will celebrate their declaration of becoming an Affirming Ministry on Sunday September 30, 2018 at 11:00 AM at:

Sackville United Church,
110 Main Street
Sackville, NB E4L 1A1
https://sackvillepastoralcharge.com

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

 

Affirming celebration for Gladwin Heights UC, Abbotsford BC, 28 Oct 2018

A celebration to be declared an Affirming Ministry will be held for Gladwin Heights United Church on Sunday October 28, 2018 at 2:00 pm at:

3474 Gladwin Road,
Abbotsford, BC, V2S 7B4
www.gladwinheightsunitedchurch.org
Phone: 604-852-3984

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

 

Affirming celebration for Central UC, Brandon MB, 16 Sept 2018

A celebration to be declared an Affirming Ministry will be held for Central United Church, Brandon MB, on Sunday September 16, 2018 at 11:00AM at:
Central United Church,
327 8th Street,
Brandon, MB R7A 3X5
http://brandonunitedchurch.ca/

All welcome!

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

 

Affirming celebration for St Paul’s UC Orillia ON, 28 Oct 2018

A celebration to be declared an Affirming Ministry will be held for St. Paul’s United Church on Sunday October 28, 2018 at 10:30AM at:

St. Paul’s United Church,
62 Peter Street North
Orillia, ON, L3V 4Z1
Phone:  705-326-7351
www.stpaulscentre.ca

All welcome! Please send a note of congratulations to St Paul’s United Church through this secure contact form:

 

Affirming celebration for Dunsford United Church, ON Sept 16 2018

A celebration to be declared an Affirming Ministry will be held for Dunsford United Church, ON on Sunday September 16, 2018 at 10:00AM at:

Dunsford United Church,
1981 Sturgeon Road
Dunsford ON
(705) 793-2511
http://dunsfordunitedchurch.com

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

 

AUSE annual conference 2018 reflections

By Julie McGonegal. Check our Facebook album for some photos!

A big maple tree hung with rainbow ribbons and a quilt, with people sitting under it talking.
The Rainbow Tree: a lovely old maple, made into a rainbow space by Susie Henderson as the heat inside the church grew more intense.

Many Voices–One Song. That was the theme of Affirm United/ S’affirmer Ensemble’s Annual Meeting and National Conference. It encapsulated the vibrant diversity of the

over 85 participants who gathered together from July 13–15, united by a Spirit-led call to end discrimination against LGBTQ+ people in the church and wider society.

We may be in different places on the Affirming journey and we each arrived at the meeting, held at Royal York Road United Church in Toronto, from different locations; participants hailed from all corners of the country and represented a colourful rainbow of experiences and identities. Yet we came together to sing a heart song that heals, uplifts, and supports all gender and sexual identities in our church.  As always, people of all identities were welcome to join our weekend-long community.

The diversity of our perspectives, and the common cause that unites our vision for the future, was evident during the business portion of the meeting. Often the mandated annual general meeting is a minor part of the weekend. However, this year our usual sharing of Affirming stories from across the church was preceded by intense discussion about the changes currently facing the United Church, and how these changes affect the Affirming movement. Continue reading “AUSE annual conference 2018 reflections”

Deep gratitude for annual conference 2018 hosts and planners

The planning team and hosts!

Enormous gratitude to the beautiful planning team and hosts of our just-finished annual conference at Royal York Road United Church in Toronto. Your welcome was warm, your creativity so cool, and your commitment to loving and Spirt-ed community so clear.

May the Spirit bless you as you’ve blessed our gathered Affirming community this past weekend, friends.

And may you have a long nap in a cool space very soon.

Look for a report some time in August. Have a look at our photo album in progress for photos and a taste of what 100 of us shared in: worship, workshops, speakers, and public pop up event at Dundas Square in downtown Toronto.

 

2018 conference registration deadline June 30

Friends, we close registration for our 2018 annual conference on June 30!

Join us July 13-15 at our lovely host, Royal York Road United Church in Toronto, on Dish with One Spoon Treaty territory. Register here.

The planning committee has been labouring over a hot workshop list, confirming amazing speakers, and planning a public worship at Dundas Square in the heart of downtown Toronto. From stained glass creations to allyship with LGBTQIA youth, from supporting LGBTQIA asylum seekers to becoming Affirming in your context, we’ll have it all.

Subsidies and billets available. Allies and all identities welcome and needed. Bring your good energy, ideas, and spirit to our growing nationwide movement. Be inspired, and help Affirm United/ S’affirmer Ensemble continue to grow and transform.