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Dear Friend,
Blessings of solidarity and the turning of the season to you. With the passing of October 7th this week, we witness two years of ongoing brutal conflict and genocide in Palestine and Israel.
We lament the deaths and violence in Palestine and Israel in the attacks on October 7th, 2023. We lament the injury, harm, and death of each person, adult, child and elder, in the genocidal violence since that day just over two years ago. We, as the United Church of Canada, lament and actively oppose the expressions of oppression and colonization as they are manifest in Palestine, the world, and in our own communities and country.
As we are called to costly and prophetic solidarity, the Pacific Mountain Region supported a proposal at our AGM in June, to continue to take action and promote dialogue and study of the current situation in Palestine. As the genocide continues to unfold, and new ceasefire agreements take hold, we are invested in being as present, engaged, and active as possible in our own communities and within our networks to support and be in solidarity with Palestinian people and peace efforts. Below you will find details on the Apartheid-Free Communities movement, which is the focus of our renewed solidarity efforts moving into the fall (the 2025 AGM proposal put forward by Shadia Qubti and Keith Simmonds can be found on page 215 of the AGM Report). We encourage you, and your community, to engage with learning about and considering the Apartheid Free Communities movement as part of your solidarity action too.
Our new Moderator, Rv. Kimberly Heath, has also begun a series this October called Pray, Fast, Act: Stand with Gaza. These prayer circles gather us together from all across the country, engaging in spiritual practice to ground our actions. This new series is part of a response for the wider church to the resolutions passed at General Council 45, to respond to the call for justice and peace in Palestine and Israel, and to be in solidarity with Palestine (you can find the resolutions here). These resolutions encompass a broader platform to engage with this justice ministry, taking some time to read through these resolutions is a great way to re-engage and to find new ways to live out this call to action and to prophetic solidarity.
Other offerings and happenings in the areas of Affirming Ministry, Anti-racism, Anti-Poverty and GLI, EcoJustice, and Peacemaking are also featured in this month’s newsletter. What a blessing it is to have so many ways to engage in bringing God’s vision of peace and justice to life in our midst.
May the Spirit go with you and guide you, may your community be held in safety and care, may your vision be clear and your path be blessed.
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
Solidarity With Palestine
The Apartheid-Free network asks ourselves and our communities to take a renewed public pledge against all forms of racism, bigotry, and oppression, including against racist discrimination, islamophobia, antisemitism, and xenophobia in our own communities.
We seek to educate ourselves and our communities about the devastation of Palestinian lives under military occupation, settler colonialism, and apartheid.
We invite faith communities, congregations, and organizations as well as other communities of conscience to join us by signing the pledge to dismantle apartheid. If you are an individual, organize within your community to take collective action against apartheid. https://apartheid-free.org/
Learn More!
Take the Pledge!
Take Action!
Pray, Fast, Act: Stand with Gaza
Wednesdays in October with Moderator Kimberly Heath
In this time of deep suffering and urgent need, we invite you to join a sacred movement of prayer, fasting, and advocacy for Palestinians in Gaza. Each Wednesday in October, led by the Right Rev. Moderator Kimberly Heath, we will gather on Zoom at 11:00 a.m. ET for a 30-minute prayer circle focused on themes of compassion, justice, and peace.
Together, we will:
–Pray for healing and hope
–Fast in solidarity with those who hunger
–Act through meaningful action and advocacy
-Light a candle for peace (bring your candle to the webinar)
Each week will center on a specific theme:
-Week 1 (Oct. 8): Food, Fasting, and Aid
-Week 2 (Oct. 15): Release of All Captives
-Week 3 (Oct. 22): Children and the Vulnerable
-Week 4 (Oct. 29): Peace and Remembrance
We’ll also offer weekly actions—from writing to your MP to supporting aid efforts through Mission and Service—so your prayers can ripple outward into real-world impact.
Register here!
Nelson United Church invites you to Peace Without Guns, a Palestinian Dinner – a fundraiser for Unarmed Civilian Protection in Palestine www.ucpip.org
Save the Date: Friday, October 24, 2025
Location: 602 Silica St., Nelson BC
Doors open @ 530 / dinner @ 6PM
Tickets: $30, available at Notably, A Book Lover’s Emporium 454 Ward Street, Nelson, BC (cash ONLY please)
Delicious vegetarian dinner, Silent Auction, video by Women Ending War, and music
There will be a short presentation on the project, which is providing an international protective presence in the Palestinian (West Bank) Village of Ras Al Auja, at their invitation, so that they will not have to flee.
رلى عازر- يا طالعين الجبل (Ya Taala’in al-Jabal) is a song chosen by the people of Ras Al Auja, to connect with the people of Nelson. This will be sung by Allison Girvan.
Event is public, so Please share along your own network!
#NOWAR2025 Conference
#NoWar2025: Exploring Abolition Movements
Friday, October 24 – Sunday, October 26, 2025 on Zoom
How do we move towards a world without wars, weapons, police, prisons, the death penalty, and borders? How can we work towards our collective liberation, recognizing that oppressions are interconnected? Come to #NoWar2025 to explore how we can join in solidarity across movements and borders to abolish these interwoven systems and build a world based on common security — “no one is safe until all are safe.”
There are successful examples of abolition throughout history that we can learn from. Virtually no one in societies that have abolished such things wants to bring back dueling, slavery, serfdom, human sacrifice, cannibalism, child labor, or other evils that are understood as beyond reform. As we envision and struggle to bring forth a world free of war, we need to come together and learn from other abolition movements such as those working to abolish police, prisons, and the surveillance state. When is the moral and strategic approach properly to “end it, not mend it,” and how does such an approach differ from one aimed at reforming or “modernizing”? What can we learn from past and current abolitionist movements? How can we advance the cause of war abolition from being understood as overwhelming, to being recognized as necessary?
#NoWar2025 will make the case for abolition, explore intersections between abolitionist movements, learn from successful case studies of abolition, and strategize about how we can truly move towards a world beyond war.
https://worldbeyondwar.org/nowar2025/
Registration: https://actionnetwork.org/ticketed_events/nowar2025?clear_id=true
Affirming Ministries
What The Hell?
Queer Theology and Discussion Series
3 Part Series: Wednesdays, Oct 15, 22, 29 – 6pm PT / 7pm MT / 9pm ET
What is hell? What have we been taught about it, and how have the myths around it been used to enforce certain ways of thinking and acting? Millions of people believe in some sort of hell in the afterlife. It can be terrifying to wonder who may end up there, whether it’s ourselves or someone we love. But what the hell is it all about? Why 
is hell often used to shame 2SLGBTQ+ folks and others who may not fit into a prescribed ‘norm’?
From fire and brimstone to freedom and belonging—let’s talk about what the hell we believe!
Led by Kendra Mitchell-Foster and Pam Rocker, with special guests, including Dr. Harry O. Maier on Oct 22 and Rev. Mark Tremblay on Oct 29!
Register here for this zoom series:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/qyBomAOATQC3WXhbfTKe8g#/registration
International Drag & Spirituality Summit is in it’s third year and is the first-of-its-kind gathering at intersection of drag and spirituality. Join drag performers and faith leaders from around the globe for a stunning and sacred three-day summit.
Feed the spirit and celebrate the body with powerful panel discussions, inspiring practitioner presentations, and—of course—fierce and fabulous performances.
Drag & Spirituality Summit will also offer opportunities to join us virtually.
https://dragandspirituality.com/
Register here:
https://dragandspirituality.com/registration
Shaughnessy Heights United Church developed and hosted a Drag Brunch Communion service in which drag queen liturgists offered the eucharist with unconditional love, welcoming folks to “Come As Who You Are!” The pilot service was developed in partnership with Christ Church Cathedral and presented with great success on October 6th, 2024 to 200 live attendees and over 500 viewers online. This will be the third Drag Communion service, offered in complementarity with the Drag and Spirituality Summit.
Join the service in person at: Shaughnessy Heights United Church, 1550 W 33rd Ave, Vancouver BC
Join the livestream here:
https://www.youtube.com/@ShaughnessyHeightsUnitedChurch/streams
Affirming Leaders Day
Saturday, November 15
Affirming Leaders Day is our annual professional development event for leaders, on emerging issues in 2SLGBTQIA+ and faith intersections.
Every person who does 2SLGBTQIA+ Affirming work in their community is a leader, whether you’re a volunteer, staff member, ally or queer-identified. However, we often have full plates and limited resources, making it challenging to stay informed on emerging issues.
Affirming Leaders Day is here to equip you to do the sacred and essential work you’re made for and that the world needs! You’ll find the training, resources, and encouragement you need to thrive.
Sharpen your tools.
Encourage your spirit.
Empower your community.
Free gift for first 10 registrants!
The first 10 registrants will receive a free copy of “Shame-Sex Attraction: Survivors’ Stories of Conversion Therapy”, the latest book by one of our featured speakers, Lucas Wilson!
Tickets
- General Admission: $50
- Subsidized Admission: $25
- Video recording add-on: $20
- Donations are welcome to help sponsor subsidized admissions
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.
Registration:
https://tinyurl.com/Affirming2025
Anti-Poverty and GLI
Proclaim Jubilee! October 12-19 (and beyond)
Proclaim Jubilee! offers you a great opportunity to amplify the Jubilee 2025: Turn Debt into Hope campaign and help us reach our goal of 100,000 petition signatures! From October 12 to 19 – and up to November 10, please join us in this Proclaim Jubilee! initiative!
The timing is perfect! The 2025 World Bank Group/IMF Annual Meetings run from October 13-18 in Washington, DC. The UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) begins on November 10 and the G20 meet November 22-23.
Let’s get close to our 100,000-petition goal by the time nations meet in Belém, Brazil for COP30! Help us show the Canadian government that Canadians want global debt justice!
Are you interested in anti-poverty justice work? Join the PMR Guaranteed Livable Income working group. The GLI group meets on the second Tuesday of every month to organize, mobilize and strategize to help make GLI a reality in Canada. For more information on the GLI network in the Pacific Mountain Regional Council please contact Barry Morris (bkmorris60@yahoo.ca).
“We see a guaranteed livable basic income as one component of a robust, responsive and comprehensive economic, health and social wellness system, inclusive of universally accessible housing, childcare, education, pharma, dental and mental health strategies. These measures must work together to reflect and promote the principles of public administration and accountability; universal accessibility; comprehensiveness with respect to meeting basic needs; and portability during short-term absences from one’s home province or territory.
By guaranteed livable basic income, we mean a cash transfer sufficient to allow people to afford adequate food, housing, clothing, transportation and other necessities.” – Senator Kim Pate
Sen Kim Pate info page: https://senpate.sencanada.ca/en/current-work/s-206/
GLI Petition hosted by LeadNow.ca: https://you.leadnow.ca/petitions/my-big-idea
Anti-Racism
Here from the Beginning: UCC Black stories exhibit begins its journey
On 27 July 2025, “Here from the Beginning,” an exhibition tracing the history of The United Church of Canada from the perspective of Black people, was held at Pilgrim United Church, Edmonton, until 2 August 2025. It then moved to Calgary’s Knox United Church for General Council 45, before making a leap across the country to Newfoundland and Labrador. The exhibition will tour Canada until July 2026, gradually working its way west again; it’s scheduled to arrive in the Pacific Mountain Region for Advent 2026. Have a look at the website here.
In each Regional Council, teams are working with local hosts and coordinating travel. Interested in hosting? Please contact Rev Paul Walfall at rev.walfall@gmail.com
40 Days of Engagement on Anti-Racism
October 14 – November 28, 2025
The 40 Days offer opportunities to delve deeply into anti-racism work. A season with new content launches this October! Adele Halliday summarizes the 2025 series in this short video
This year’s series will feature:
- Live events with dynamic speakers each Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Register free on CHURCHx.
- Videos for each week(opens in a new tab), accompanied by faith reflections and action items.
- A downloadable folder of materials for leaders to run an anti-racism program by registering for free on CHURCHx(opens in a new tab).
- Please sign up for the Anti-Racism newsletter to continue to stay up to date!
In the meantime, here are some additional details about what will be coming—it’s different this year!
- Two video reflections, available each week
- A written prayer to go with each video
- Suggestions for congregational action or response
Each video is a personal story shared by a United Church person. Each video comes in a 3-minute and 1-minute version.
Eco-Justice
Are you ready for COP30?
COP30 is the 30th United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP), an annual global meeting where world leaders, scientists, non-governmental organizations, and civil society leaders gather to discuss actions to tackle climate change. It is considered one of the world’s key events on the subject.
COP30 continues the Paris Agreement signed at COP21 and the discussions of previous COPs. The goals of limiting the global temperature increase to 1.5°C and climate finance commitments will be the key themes for monitoring progress since COP29 and accelerating future action. The main challenges include aligning the commitments of developed and developing countries in relation to climate finance, ensuring that emission reduction targets are compatible with climate science, and dealing with the socio-economic impacts of climate change on vulnerable populations.
The COP30 debates will be broadcast live on digital platforms, partner television channels and the event’s official media. The public will also be able to follow the discussions on social media and through the Federal government’s communication channels.