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Dear Friend,
Greetings and blessings to you and yours on the eve of Holy Week. With the early arrival of spring with the vernal equinox on March 19th, we are now firmly walking into the season of new life and resurrection.
As Palm Sunday is nearly upon us, I am looking forward to the Hosannas and the folding of crosses from palm fronds. I am also reminded of another palm, one under which a beloved Judge and prophet sat to lead and minister to her people. Judges 4:5 tells us of Deborah:
“She held court under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided.”
Deborah judged and ministered at a time where there was no king, there was a system of wisdom relying on leaders lifted up from within one’s own community to guide, and to see a path forward. The Book of Judges can be seen as “the story of those whom God chose to use in the service of justice”, and Deborah stands out among them. Her story challenges me to be observant of places, times and instances where God may be offering me an opportunity to serve justice. Her story nudges me toward listening to the still small voice in my heart that whispers of justice and Grace as inextricably entwined. I hope her presence in the palms nudges you this Palm Sunday to cherish the justice ministry of Jesus in your heart as you sing Hosannas with your community. The palm tells a longer story than just of Jesus’ arrival on a donkey; it tells the story of Jesus as part of a history of human experience working to see justice thrive in God’s world.
This month’s newsletter celebrates our National Affirming Day, PIE Day, and looks ahead to the voting deadline for Remit 1, to Earth Week, and to continuing our ongoing justice work for Palestine, Women’s Rights, and a framework for a Guaranteed Livable Income in Canada. As well, we are looking forward to the upcoming Anti-Racism Work and Action Conference in Vancouver from April 4th – 6th, 2024. The theme for this conference, that we are so proud to partner with First Third Ministry on, is “Let Justice Roll on Like a River, Righteousness Like a Never-ending Stream”. This conference promises to be a weekend of learning, fellowship, “aha” moments, and visioning; with fabulous speakers, innovative strategies and tools, and a growing and committed community invested in anti-racism work to support your learning and growth.
Blessings on your work, blessings on your path, blessings for the warmer days to come.
Kendra Mitchell-Foster
Regional Minister: Justice, and University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) Campus Minister KMitchellFoster@united-church.ca
Remit 1
REMIT 1:Â Establishing an Autonomous National Indigenous Organization. Voting deadline March 31, 2024 – only 9 days left!
We, in the United Church of Canada, are at a pivotal moment in our history and our collective journey of faith. There is an unprecedented opportunity to live into Justice through ensuring all of our Communities of Faith vote on Remit 1.
The General Council’s decision was in response to proposal NIC-01: Restructuring of the Indigenous Church from the National Indigenous Council, which named its vision of the two parts of the church (Indigenous and non-Indigenous) working side-by-side, and recommending the identification and removal of “all the structural barriers to developing and sustaining an autonomous Indigenous Church within The United Church of Canada”. The way to remove these “structural barriers” is named in a proposal from the General Secretary, GS-10: Living into Reconciliation, which asks the church to give pre-emptive remit approval for whatever the Indigenous Church determines in the future as the place it will have in the United Church, guided by the Calls to the Church—and without the need for further remit approvals.
This is a Category 3 Remit, and so requires a vote by every regional council and each pastoral charge’s governing body. If a regional council or a pastoral charge does not register a vote, that is considered a vote against the proposal.
You can find resources for voting on General Council 44’s website and on the PMR website. If you would like additional support, please don’t hesitate to reach out to PMR Justice Ministries for information or guidance.
Palestine
The violence and conflict in Gaza continues, despite the ongoing work of many people, organizations and representatives worldwide who have been advocating for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid since October 7, 2023
The United Church of Canada has been one of those voices calling for ceasefire, aid and a lasting peace since the beginning of the conflict. With our partners the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, The Anglican church of Canada, we continue to call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, an end to sending military aid to Israel, an investigation into the swarming of a food aid truck in late February, and for Israel to act in accordance with International Law. You can read the joint letter issued on March 13, 2024Â here.
Palestine and her people need our attention, support and advocacy now more than ever. With over a million people on the edge of starvation, we must continue to call, write, post, and hold events to support the realization of a permanent ceasefire, and immediate humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
You can access the United Church of Canada’s advocacy tool and donation portal here
Guaranteed Livable Income
Our GLI group has been working tirelessly to continue moving toward realizing a Guaranteed Livable Income for all. Senate Bill S-233 which seeks to provide a framework for a National Guaranteed Livable Income has completed the second reading, and currently, the bill is in consideration by the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance. Support is crucial at this time, so call and email the Senators, write letters and sign petitions! Take a moment to explore Moderator Rev. Carmen Lansdowne’s message and UCC resources on GLI initiatives here.
UBI Works (universal basic income) has a Senator email tool to help, and some information and research on what the Guaranteed Livable Income or Universal Basic Income is. You can find their resources here.
LeadNow.ca has a letter writing tool to support Letters to the Editor writing campaigns to bring as much awareness and support to this issue. Would you congregation like to host a letter writing event?
If you are interested in reading Senate Bill S-233, You can find the text of the bill here. You can also find the United Church of Canada’s backgrounder on Basic Livable Income here.
Affirming Ministry
We want to hear about your PIE day events! As we near the end of March and many of your PIE Day events have been hosted, we are collecting pictures and stories about the thriving Affirming Ministries around the region.
Please send us your events, even if you don’t have images, we would love to showcase all our collective Affirming Celebrations at the PMR Annual General Meeting 2024
Media Training and Allyship with James Demers
Friday, March 22, 5pm MT / 7pm ET
Whether you’re a community leader, activist, faith leader, or simply an ally looking to deepen your understanding and support for gender and sexually diverse-communities, this session is designed to empower you with the knowledge and skills needed to create a more inclusive and affirming community where you are.
You will receive media training to assist in empowering you to effectively communicate and advocate for gender and sexual diversity on various platforms. We will tackle common misconceptions surrounding gender and sexual diversity, providing tools to engage in myth-busting conversations within your own circles. We will close with actionable steps to confidently advocate for 2SLGBTQIA+ rights and inclusion.
Anti-Racism Work & Action Conference
Anti-Racism Work & Action: First Third Ministry Leadership Conference
April 4-6 at Epiphany Chapel, Vancouver School of theology, Vancouver BC.
This is a great opportunity for youth and adults to bring more energy and momentum to Anti-Racist action in our congregations, communities of faith, and communities across the PMR region.
Kairos
Call on Canada to invest in women peacebuilders and environmental stewards in Budget 2024
The Federal Government will announce the annual budget on April 16, 2024. There is still time to urge them to invest in the KAIROS Women of Courage: Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Program. The Canadian government recognizes the vital contributions that women play in equity, collective safety and wellbeing through its Feminist International Assistance Policy, and the window to urge our government to re-invest is still open. Visit the Kairos website to find tools to call and write the Minister of Finance to voice your support for this vital program.
Earth Week
Earth Week 2024 with For The Love of Creation April 21-28, 2024
Earth Week is just around the corner! Coming together for the love of creation is a way to connect, grow, listen, inspire hope and affect change. For The Love of Creation’s webstie has ideas for your Earth Week activity, and a place where you can register your event and join the wider movement across Turtle Island. Your activity could be visibly joining a community-wide event or creating something new. This is a chance to reach out to other faith communities and neighbors in your climate justice initiatives, and grow your circle! You can find the registration tool here.