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Dear Friend,
Blessings of remembrance, peace and solidarity to you and your community this Remembrance Day. The armistice of World War I was the impetus for creating this day: to remember those whose lives were fractured, and those that were lost by the catastrophe of war. As we remember those who have lost their lives to conflict, we must also remember those who continue to survive against all odd. We must also acknowledge that Remembrance Day is not only a time of nostalgic memory reaching back to generations past, it is a reminder of the atrocities of war that continue today in places all across the world, and in ways which Canada is complicit through military action, the arms industry, and political alliance.
Jesus the Christ preached a culture of peace, his earthly life centred on calling human beings toward the peace and justice of God; not just for some, but for all. Jesus continues to call on us all to do this work of nurturing His peace, and of standing against the evils of empire, bloodshed, and the destruction of creation (both human and non-human). The armistice was the time, the day and the hour when weapons were laid down and the fighting was to cease. This November, I pray that we would become armistice people: calling for weapons to be laid down, calling for the ceasing of weapons production and proliferation, calling for the peace that means we all have what we need and nobody is deprived for the sake of another. Jesus calls us to abandon the systems that perpetuate war, and to build communities of care that hold life rather than destroy it.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God
Matthew 5:9
In this newsletter you will find information about the White Poppy Campaign, a movement started in the United Kingdom, wherein white poppies of peace accompany red poppies of remembrance. This movement names the call of Christ: remembrance is not enough, we must make peace as well. I would invite you, after honouring our remembrance ceremonies of today, to consider how peacemaking might be a central focus of prayer, worship, community outreach and justice work for you and for your Community of Faith leading into Advent and the Christmas season. There are many ideas and campaigns already out there waiting to inspire you and call you in to this holy work.
November 15th is Palestine’s Independence Day, a beautiful opportunity to be reminded of the important and urgent nature of our peacemaking and peacebuilding work. Look for opportunities and initiatives in your community that you might join, hold a film screening and discussion, a letter writing campaign for the Apartheid Free Communities movement or the Arms Embargo Now campaign, and/or build bridges with other community groups who also stand in solidarity with Palestine. For more info on events of this kind, you can access UNJPPI’s newsletter here.
In solidarity,
Kendra Mitchell-Foster
Regional Minister: Justice, Pacific Mountain Regional Council
KMitchellFoster@united-church.ca
1-800-934-0434 (within BC) or +1-604-431-0434
Lheidli T’enneh Territory
Prince George, BC
PacificMountain.ca/Justice-Network
White Poppy Campaign
White Poppies is an initiative for a more broadly focused Remembrance Day in Canada.
We want to encourage Canadians to broaden their Remembrance Day focus to include the civilians who now make up 90% of conflict victims; to challenge the beliefs, values and institutions that make war seem inevitable; and to urge our government to promote and fund effective non-military means of dispute resolution. Wearing both red and white poppies is a way of saying “Remember the fallen, including civilians, and work for peace”. We have had many meaningful conversations with strangers that started with “What’s the white poppy for?”
This Year Wear a White Poppy…
- to commemorate all victims of war
- to mourn the environmental devastation it causes
- to reject war as a tool for social change
- to call for dialog and peaceful conflict resolution
- to show your commitment to building a better future
White Poppy Campaign Website
Solidarity With Palestine
Book LaunchJoin editors John Munayer & Samuel Munayer and contributors Azmera Hammouri-Davis & Shadia Qubti at the launch of this anticipated book.
Eight Palestinian Christian theologians wrestle with urgent questions: How do we keep faith and hope alive in times of genocide? How can we bear witness to suffering and imagine a different world? From lived theology to contemporary co-resistance, this groundbreaking collection offers crucial perspectives on liberation, reconciliation, and divine imagination—written from the heart of suffering.
REGISTER HERE
Book available at the UCC Bookstore: The Cross & The Olive Tree
ONLINE EVENT
Apartheid-Free Communities Dialogue Evening with Shadia Qubti
November 26, 2025
6:00 – 7:15 pm PT
At the June 2025 AGM, The Pacific Mountain Region of the United Church of Canada took the Apartheid-Free Communities Pledge to further bolster our commitment to Solidarity with Palestine. Join Shadia Qubti and Kendra Mitchell-Foster for an evening of dialogue exploring what the Apartheid-Free Communities movement is, why it is important, and what we can do to live into this pledge through the Advent and Christmas Seasons.
Registration for this zoom evening is required, please register here:
AFC Dialogue with Shadia Qubti
November is a great month to begin conversations in your community, circle of friends, or Community of Faith to learn more about the movement, learn more about Israeli Apartheid imposed on Palestinians, and to consider your readiness to join in taking actions to support the dismantling of apartheid in Palestine.
From reports, graphics, videos, campaign materials, and letter writing tools, there is something there for all stages of actions. Learning more is so very important!
APARTHEID-FREE COMMUNITIES ACTIONS
WATCH
Fifth Estate: Funding the Occupation
“On the one hand, Canada respects international legality while on the other hand, the Canadian charities are breaking the law by funding and boosting Israeli settlements”
-Nasser Nawaj’ah
This documentary by the CBC’s Fifth Estate, released Oct 16th, explores how Canadian charities are funding organizations perpetrating atrocities in Palestine. As the United Church of Canada, we are called to name complicity and to stand in the way of those enabling the genocide in Palestine. This short documentary gives some insight into how we, as Canadians, have some dismantling to do here in our own country to nurture peace on a global level, and to support a free Palestine.
A CBC article explains:
Despite [CRA] restrictions, CBC’s investigation reveals Canadian donations continue to fund organizations, including the Israeli military, that support the ever-expanding settlements in the West Bank.
“We are financing war criminality through our charitable system,” said Miles Howe, an academic researcher in Ontario who studies pro-Israeli charities in Canada.
The overall value of donations to the West Bank is difficult to gauge. In recent years, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has revoked the charitable status of multiple charities that sent tens of millions to Israel over decades, according to CRA tax filings.
Documentary Link Here
ACTION
Arms Embargo Now: No More Loopholes
On Friday September 19th Member of Parliament Jenny Kwan introduced the No More Loopholes Bill to close dangerous gaps in Canada’s arms export laws that allow Canadian-made weapons parts to be shipped through the U.S. and on to Israel or other conflict zones without oversight. The only way this bill will pass and become law is if our movements organize to push our MPs to vote for it.
Arms Embargo Now has a letter writing tool, several graphics for sharing and an information campaign to support this action. MP Jenny Kwan’s bill has gone through the first reading, and is awaiting the second reading. There is still time to put pressure on our government to close these arms trade loopholes.
ARMS EMBARGO NOW WEBSITE
Affirming Ministry
Affirming Leaders Day
Saturday, November 15, 9am-3:30pm MT
Online Event
Affirming Leaders Day is our annual professional development event for leaders, on emerging issues in 2SLGBTQIA+ and faith intersections.
Every person doing 2SLGBTQIA+ Affirming work is a leader — whether you’re an expert or beginner, staff, a volunteer, ally, or queer-identified.
This online conference is your chance to learn, connect, and recharge! You’ll hear from inspiring guests, including:
✨ Lucas Wilson – author, editor, post-doctoral fellow
✨ Tyler Babiy – queer content creator, social media strategist
✨ Rev. Michiko Bown-Kai – minister, activist
✨ Ben Dobyns – musician, Sanctuary program organizer
Tickets
We want everyone to be able to join us, regardless of financial circumstances. If cost is a barrier to your attendance, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here and we will make sure you are taken care of.
*Brought to you in partnership with Affirming Connections and the Pacific Mountain Region of the United Church of Canada and the Chinook Winds Region of the United Church of Canada.
Transgender Day of Remembrance Worship
Sunday, November 16, 3:00 pm PT
Online Event
Led by Rev. Dr. Kendra Mitchell-Foster
Join us for our quarterly Affirming Worship live stream for Trans Day of Remembrance 2025. This service will remember the names of our Trans siblings who we have lost to violence since November 17th, 2024. Connect to the live stream as an individual, or invite your Community of Faith to join as an additional Sunday worship.
Guaranteed Livable Income
ONLINE REGIONAL MEETING
Sen. Kim Pate’s office issued a news release on November 7th, 2025, regarding Bill S-206 “National Framework for a Guaranteed Livable Basic Income Act”. The Canadian Senate has voted in favour of a study of Bill S-206, and so the bill has passed into the next phase required in the process that carries it forward. This is hopeful, and we now have much work to do.
Our next PMR Regional GLI monthly meeting, is Tuesday, November 18th at 9:15 am PT, with the National GLI monthly meeting following that at 10:00 am.
Please join us as we connect and continue to organize actions for this next phase of work.
ZOOM LINK
ACTION: Provincial / Territorial GLI Letter Writing Campaign
PMR Justice Letter to the Hon. Sheila Malcomson
Rev. Barry Morris, GLI National Co-Chair, to the Hon. Sheila Malcomson
Shirley Baker, Ladner United Church, testimonial provided to the Hon. Sheila Malcomson
We are hopeful that these letters have and continue to inspire you to action, to write letters, to engage in the debate and to discern in your Community of Faith how you might collectively contribute to the momentum of this advocacy movement. We will be offering an Advent Reflections Series focusing on Anti-Poverty Initiatives and GLI, as well as a provincial/territorial level letter-writing tool. Please keep your eyes open for those in the next few weeks.