Minutes for Mission 2019 Stories about the work of the Mission & Service of The United Church of Canada L Église Unie du Canada Loving Our Neighbours

Transcription

1 Minutes for Mission 2019 Stories about the work of the Mission & Service of The United Church of Canada L Église Unie du Canada Loving Our Neighbours

2 Minutes for Mission 2019 Images for every Minute are available online! Weave the stories of God s mission into your life find photos, videos, and more online to enhance your Minutes for Mission! Reflect on these stories as part of your daily devotions. Include them in your congregation s worship. Share them with all ages. Snippets Find these at UCRDstore.ca/m4m or stewardshiptoolkit.ca/mission-service. Back by popular demand! Photos: flickr.com/photos/unitedchurchcda/sets Find the images under Minutes for Mission Videos: youtube.com/unitedchurchofcanada See the Minutes for Mission 2019 playlist and download videos as MP4 files. Request a USB key at ms@united-church.ca. For more ways to use Minutes for Mission, including story suggestions for conversation with children, visit stewardshiptoolkit.ca/mission-service. Find us on Facebook! facebook.com/godsmissionourgifts

3 Minutes for Mission 2019 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these. Mark 12:30 31 Loving Our Neighbours The United Church of Canada L Église Unie du Canada

4 Copyright 2018 The United Church of Canada L Église Unie du Canada 3250 Bloor St. West, Suite 200 Toronto, ON M8X 2Y4 CANADA Minutes for Mission is published every year as a resource for the people of The United Church of Canada to connect with the work that their gifts for Mission & Service enable. Minutes for Mission is available online at Extra copies of this booklet can be ordered while supplies last. Phone UCRD: or CH11084 (Booklet) D11084 (PDF Download) All biblical quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Heartfelt thanks go to every person supporting Mission & Service ministry and programs. Your generous gifts and good work are great acts of compassion, community, and hope. Thank you to each of the writers for the weekly Minute for Mission your stories connect us all with God s mission. We welcome your comments and stories for the next edition of Minutes for Mission! ms@united-church.ca This document is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives (by-nc-nd) Licence. To view a copy of this licence, visit Any copy must include this notice. Compiled by Ruth Noble Design and layout: Diane Renault-Collicott Cover image: Dreamstime.com

5 Contents Mission & Service at a Glance... iv Message from the Editor... vii Weekly Minutes for Mission... 1 Lenten Prayers Advent Candle-Lighting Liturgy Legend/Index Global Mission & Service 3, 5, 8, 17, 19, 23, 27, 28, 30, 34, 35, 36, 38, 40, 44, 45, 46, 49, 58, 60 Canadian Community and Justice Work 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 16, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 29, 31, 33, 39, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 52, 56, 58 Theological Education and Ministry Support 9, 42, 44, 47, 50, 58 Faith Formation 2, 3, 7, 25, 28, 29, 32, 37, 39, 42, 44, 45, 46, 48, 51, 56, 57, 58, 59 Support to Local Ministries 15, 26, 44, 45, 58 Conference Leadership 44, 46, 47, 58 Indigenous Ministries and Justice 29, 32, 39, 44, 59 Companion video available Stories with companion videos English: 1, 4, 7, 8, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 25, 27, 29, 33, 34, 35, 37, 39, 40, 41, 43, 44, 48, 51, 52, 60 French: 1, 7, 8, 34 FR Disponible en français! Minutes in French (online only) Une minute pour la mission : récits (en ligne seulement) 1, 5, 7, 8, 10 14, 16, 19, 26, 30, 32, 34, 36, 47, 53 55, 56 Visitez le site

6 Mission & Service at a Glance BUDGETED 2018 MISSION & SERVICE REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES ($26 MILLION) Global Mission & Service $4.8 million ($2.9M in direct grants) Community and Justice Work $2.4 million ($1.2M in direct grants) Theological Education and Vocation of Ministry Work $1.5 million ($1.2M in direct grants) Faith Formation $6 million ($0.3M in direct grants) Support to Local Ministries $5.2 million ($1.5M in direct grants) Conference Leadership $0.7 million ($0.6M grants) Indigenous Ministries and Justice $5.2 million ($1.9M grants) Detailed expenditure and revenue for 2017 Mission & Service is online at (search Mission & Service 2017). SEE THE STORY of Mission & Service funding for the work of healing and reconciliation online at For the first time we have added a new section Indigenous Ministries and Justice section 7 to increase transparency of funding Indigenous Ministries. This new section is comprised of the Indigenous work previously included in sections 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. MISSION & SERVICE DONATIONS $26 MILLION Out of each $100 dollars: $18 goes to global Mission & Service; $10 to Canadian community and justice work; $7 to theological education; $23 to faith formation; $22 to innovation and local ministries; $4 to leadership in Conferences; $16 to the work of Indigenous Ministries towards healing and reconciliation. $23 $18 $22 $16 $10 $7 $4 ADDITIONAL REVENUE $2.8 MILLION Our Mission & Service supports: 82 Mission & Service global partners in 21 countries 20 Canadian ecumenical networks 63 Community ministries across Canada 36 Chaplaincies on campuses and in hospitals 7 Theological colleges and 3 education centres 81 Vision Fund projects with youth 86 Local congregational grants 197 Embracing the Spirit innovation grants 13 Conferences receiving funding through Mission support grants and 11 Conferences supported with operating grants 89 Healing Fund and Justice and Reconciliation projects with the Indigenous communities in Canada The General Council Office of The United Church of Canada complies with the Imagine Canada Ethical Code and the Canadian Council for International Cooperation Code of Ethics. The United Church is the first denomination in Canada to sign the United Nation s Principles of Responsible Investment. iv The United Church of Canada

7 Global Mission & Service: 1 18% of Mission & Service Peace and justice work undertaken in cooperation with a range of global partners from Africa, the Middle East, Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Canadian Community and Justice 2 Work: 10% of Mission & Service Ministries from across Canada that heal, reconcile, advocate, and provide housing, employment training, mental health treatment, and pastoral care to Canadians living on the margins. This includes community and social justice ministries and chaplaincies. Theological Education and Ministry 3 Support: 7% of Mission & Service Funding for seven theological schools and three education centres that educate and equip future leaders for the church we are becoming. This includes recruiting new ministers, funding theological schools and education centres, providing student education bursaries, and continuing education of ministry personnel. Faith Formation: 4 23% of Mission & Service Ministries with children, youth and young adults, United Church Women, support of LGBTQ Two-Spirit+ people and networks, Aboriginal Ministries Council, as well as stewardship, ethno-cultural, intercultural, and diverse communities of ministry. Support to Local Ministries: 5 22% of Mission & Service Supplying financial and programming support to congregations as they transition in ministry, minister in remote communities, or experiment with new ministries. This includes pastoral relations and ongoing support to ministers and communities of faith; Mission Support Grants for congregations; and renewal and new ministry support through the EDGE Network and the Embracing the Spirit program, which provide grants, coaches, and mentors. Now in its third year, the Embracing the Spirit granting program is receiving more requests for grants as well as stories of how grant recipients have flourished. Conference Leadership: 6 4% of Mission & Service Funding to support Conferences as they provide leadership and resources to presbyteries, ministry personnel, and local ministries. In this time of transition, British Columbia and Toronto Conferences have returned their Mission & Service funded Conference grants so that they can be shared with the 11 other Conferences. Indigenous Ministries and Justice: 7 16% of Mission & Service Indigenous ministries and justice, including: the Healing Fund; the Justice and Reconciliation Fund; advocacy in Canada; theological education and ministry work; Indigenous faith formation; support to local Indigenous ministries, and Conference leadership. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MISSION & SERVICE, VISIT The United Church of Canada acknowledges that its buildings and ministries, from coast to coast to coast, are on traditional territories of Indigenous peoples. To discover the treaties in your area please go to Our vital, innovative, and healing ministries are supported by generous Mission & Service donations. Minutes for Mission 2019 v

8

9 Message from the Editor Reflecting on the words love our neighbours as ourselves takes me on a journey of contemplation. I wonder who my neighbour is. Neighbours are people we check up on and care about. I grew up on a street where the neighbours became more like family than simply people M SSION AN F N who lived on the same street. We would have community gatherings with lots of laughter. Each neighbour s pets became the neighbourhood pets, and I still count many of these neighbours as part of my family. Family are those who you can be yourself with in good times and in bad. Sometimes they are related to you; sometimes they are chosen to be part of your family. I remember hearing American television journalist Anderson Cooper share the word framily that is, friends who have become family. Many of the stories from our Mission & Service partners and ministries share that same sentiment. The people, they share a meal, a coffee, or work on a project with will have become a part of their family. I hope you find the narratives contained in this year s Minutes for Mission heartfelt reflections of families who make a difference in the world to be inspiring! Blessings, Ruth Noble Mission & Service Engagement Coordinator Minutes for Mission 2019 vii

10

11 Epiphany Sunday January 6 Disponible en français! Companion video available Surprised by Joy FR Our gifts for Mission & Service support ministries to those living on the margins, like First United Church Community Ministry in East Vancouver, British Columbia. The community has become the epicentre of the converging crises of mental health, addiction, extreme poverty, homelessness, and marginalization. The people who gather here for help are people who literally have nowhere else to go they may have been rejected by other shelters, mental health supports, hospitals, or their own families. They are among the most regulated and constricted members of our society, and yet as Executive Director the Rev. Dr. Carmen Lansdowne shares, Every day since I started at First United there has been a moment where I m surprised by joy: Watching two participants in our weekly Spirit Circle move through hostility to forgiveness. [Seeing] the brother of a young woman who was murdered on the Pickton farm sweeping our steps because he knows the role our staff play in advocating for missing and murdered women in our community. When we shift our view of the notorious Downtown Eastside from the negative to the positive, we receive the joy of seeing growth and community, not just poverty, addiction, and despair. I am filled with gratitude for the opportunity to serve this community, and I hope to be always surprised by joy in this place. Photos for every Minute are available online at Minutes for Mission

12 January 13 Baptism of Jesus, Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Multi-Faith Spaces for Students Our gifts for Mission & Service offer students an opportunity to gather for a meal in a multi-faith, safe space at places like the large Halifax campus of Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia. If you visit Dalhousie s Multifaith Centre on Monday night, you will be greeted with a free hot meal provided by United Church chaplain the Rev. Robyn Brown-Hewitt, and so much more! In the midst of a large university campus, the Monday Night Meal creates an inviting and intimate space in which chaplains greet students from diverse backgrounds by name. Even the food available (including vegetarian, halal, and kosher options) reflects an intentional effort to support respectful, intercultural and multi-faith community bonds. As they share soup and conversation, students build trust with one another and the chaplains. They share stories and opinions, including personal beliefs and spiritual perspectives. During special seasons on the inter-faith calendar, the Multifaith Centre student assistants occasionally take the lead, contributing food and related traditions that are essential to their faith. At the Monday Night Meal, there s an open table and a warm welcome! Photos for every Minute are available online at 2 The United Church of Canada

13 January 20 LGBTQ Two-Spirit Global Consultation Our gifts for Mission & Service support the work of LGBTQ Two-Spirit justice and global partnership. Here s a story from the shores of Lake Couchiching, Ontario, on the territory of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation. In late 2017, about 40 LGBTQ people, Two-Spirit people, and straight and cisgender allies gathered from 11 countries to support one another and work toward the inclusion of people of all sexual orientations and gender identities in all parts of the world. Two-Spirit participants provided leadership, guiding the group in lighting the sacred fire, leading sunrise ceremonies, a Talking Circle, and evening gatherings, and sharing teachings about Two-Spirit identities. Participants were cared for by the sacred fire and the firekeepers, receiving a gift beyond compare. They also learned about the role that colonialism plays in the oppression of LGBTQ Two-Spirit people. One of the Two-Spirit participants shared, To be given the honour of being the doorway keeper for the circle and the conduit within the circle to the pathway of the Sacred Fire, thank you!... Against deep odds we heard that changes are happening all over, step by step, life by life. We give thanks for the gifts of Two-Spirit people, the work of our global partners, and the ministry of Affirm United. Minutes for Mission

14 January 27 Love What You Do, Do What You Love Companion video available Jennifer left home at age 16 and quit Grade 12 with only two months to go. But she enjoyed life, held a number of jobs, and had two long-term relationships. Turning 30 for Jennifer was a milestone, so she made a 10-year plan. First, she wanted to get her Grade 12, and she did at age 32. Then she wanted to become a continuing care assistant (CCA). Not in the plan a single mom when Paxton was born in Jennifer says, It was the happiest day of my life so far! Jennifer knew she would end up on social assistance if she didn t find a better way to support her son. She still wanted to take the CCA training, but searching for available help was a hard and discouraging process. Then she found Brunswick Street Mission in Halifax, Nova Scotia, a Mission & Service supported community ministry. Agar, the volunteer coordinator of the Benevolent Program there, helped Jennifer create a budget and identify ways around the many barriers. A local nursing home offered a scholarship, Brunswick Street Mission covered childcare expenses and a bus pass, and its clothing and food banks helped extend Jennifer s tight budget. Throughout the months of training Agar called regularly. He encouraged me so much, Jennifer says. I wouldn t have made it without Agar! It s been a long and often difficult and discouraging journey for Jennifer, but now she has graduated from the CCA program and has a full-time job! She says she loves her job, she knows she makes a difference for her patients, and she knows she is a good role model for her son. 4 The United Church of Canada

15 Black History Month begins February 3 Disponible en français! Alternative Farming Brings Hope Our gifts for Mission & Service offer hope for those taking chances on alternative forms of farming in areas of severe drought. One example is the work of the National Council of Churches of Kenya with the National Drought Management Authority. The council advises the agency of the needs in drought-stricken areas. In places like Meru and Tharaka Nithi, the National Council of Churches of Kenya has a number of farms that have had success with conservation farming, which uses mulch to keep the ground moist. The success of these farms gives farmers hope that they can feed their families and communities regardless of the weather. Many of the farmers are women who have been empowered to take over running the farm from their husbands. We are thankful that Mission & Service, in partnership with the National Council of Churches of Kenya, offers hope with severe drought and empowers of women. Photos for every Minute are available online at Minutes for Mission

16 February 10 Community Commitment Our gifts for Mission & Service support meal programs like the one at the House of Lazarus Community Outreach Mission in Mountain, Ontario. House of Lazarus has had great success in building community through community partnership and sharing hope through new programs. It is helping develop Places for People Dundas County, a new affordable housing project for the community. Its Green Food Box program is the largest of its kind in the area. The program provides people with staple and seasonal fruits and vegetables along with simple and nutritious recipes. The House of Lazarus team, which includes 18 employees, nine board members, and more than 100 volunteers, is the driving force behind it all. I witness the passion and the dedication of the House of Lazarus team daily, notes Executive Director Cathy Ashby. Their commitment to this community is commendable. Their efforts ensure that programs continue and gaps in service are filled. I look forward to the coming year and its promises. Photos for every Minute are available online at 6 The United Church of Canada

17 Disponible en français! Companion video available FR Iridesce: The Living Apology Project February 17 Our gifts for Mission & Service support the work of Iridesce: The Living Apology Project. This project was created to encourage storytelling around the 1988 decisions to welcome gay, lesbian and bisexual people into full membership and ministry in the United Church a welcome that was expanded to include people of all sexual orientations and gender identities in Iridesce has brought stories of challenge, conflict, and lament to light. One participant wrote, The battles of 1988 left behind one legacy that I think has not served us well, a legacy of fearfulness of conflict. For many, of course, the decision was a celebration and continues to empower communities to draw the circle wide and wider still. We are all stronger when given unapologetic, radical love, wrote Catherine. Dani shared, I am a trans non-binary person I wasn t expecting to be so openly accepted, and it fills my heart to know that I can love God and be proud of my gender identity. Morgan, who grew up in the post-1988 church, wrote, It is my hope that the church will not simply take for granted its policy that we will recognize how far we are from embodying that policy and how much farther we are from assimilating it into the earth-shattering welcome of the people of God. We give thanks for the gifts of Iridesce: The Living Apology Project. Minutes for Mission

18 February 24 Facing the Occupation Disponible en français! Companion video available FR June 5, 2017 marked the 50th year of Israel s military occupation of Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. More than two generations of Palestinians have known no other reality than Israeli military occupation. Staff in the United Church s Church in Mission Unit recently visited Palestine-Israel, where they were hosted by Wi am: The Palestinian Conflict Transformation Center. Opening in 1994, Wi am works to resolve disputes in the Palestinian community, support reconciliation, and address the psychological and physiological consequences of long-term conflict and occupation. Located just inside the separation walls surrounding Bethlehem, Wi am literally faces the occupation one quarter of its property is lost to the eight-metres-high Israeli separation wall, and an Israeli security tower overlooks its outdoor space. In spite of the 24-hour, seven-days-a-week surveillance, Wi am is committed to providing programs, empowering Palestinian youth, children, men, and women. One of its programs is a community garden. Even such simple projects face big challenges. At the height of summer, running water is denied to Bethlehem residents to maintain uninterrupted service to Israeli settlements. And the nearby Israeli military base directs its sewage run into the garden. In spite of these obstacles, Wi am was proud to offer United Church staff a tour of its small garden and share a harvest of fresh pea pods, snapped off and enjoyed in the last rays of sunshine on a warm evening. Mission & Service works with our partners striving for justice and peace in Palestine-Israel. 8 The United Church of Canada

19 Transfiguration Sunday, World Day of Prayer, International Women s Day March 3 Deepening Ministry Supervised ministry education is an intentional learning experience that enables people preparing for ministry to deepen their pastoral identity, reflect theologically, and enhance their ministry skills. Mission & Service supports supervised ministry education by providing a grant to a learning site, like a congregation, for an eight-month placement. The Rev. Maya Braithwaite recently completed a placement at Bloor Street United Church in Toronto, Ontario. One of her goals was learning about social justice in a congregational context. Ministry is about relationships. For me, it s about collaborating with others and harnessing the creativity that God has gifted us, while letting it go and flow throughout the church. While at Bloor Street, I had the opportunity to share in the healing work of storytelling that is often involved in social justice work. I experienced what an Affirming church looks like and what an Affirming church does in its day-to-day functions and in worship. I learned about protocol as we welcomed and began the work of supporting a Syrian refugee family. I learned about conflict transformation as we grappled with ways of responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission s recommendations. I also shared my love for contemplative prayer and a variety of spiritual practices. We danced, journalled, meditated, and the children and I started learning about Godly Play together. Your gifts to Mission & Service help support candidates as they prepare for ministry and are equipped for leadership in our church. Minutes for Mission

20 Disponible en français! Lenten Prayers For these prayers, consider accumulating a stone for each Sunday of Lent at the front of the church to be rolled away on Easter Sunday in keeping with this scripture passage: Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb - John 20:1. Alternatively, consider having five baskets or piles of small river stones (one for each congregant) that are handed out during the hymn before the prayer. You may invite people to bring forward their rocks during the offering or responsive song. Allow for ample silence during the prayer and introduction. Lent 1 As we prepare to pray, draw your focus to the rock (in your hand or on the altar)...feel (or imagine) its weight What would it be like to carry this rock for an hour a day a year a lifetime? Imagine that this rock is made up of our acts of selfishness, both communal and individual old the rock and these thoughts as we pray God, Help us to reach for your loving-kindness when we are tempted to cradle our selfishness. Give us the forethought to understand that our acts of greed can lead us to secure personal privileges and benefits at the expense of the rights and needs of others. Give us the courage to confess the personal acts of selfishness that unjustly separate us from each other and from you... (silent reflection) Forgive us for the self-seeking acts that we have committed, and lead us toward abundant life. 10 The United Church of Canada

21 When we are tempted by the seduction of selfishness and weighed down by the burden of greed, may we search for and cling to loving-kindness and be uplifted by your ever-present grace. Amen. Lent 2 As we prepare to pray, draw your focus to the rock (in your hand or on the altar)...feel (or imagine) its weight What would it be like to carry this rock for an hour a day a year a lifetime? Imagine that this rock is made up of our prideful acts, both communal and individual Hold the rock and these thoughts as we pray God, Help us to reach for your humility when we are tempted to grip our pride tightly. Give us the forethought to understand how our prideful acts can block us from hearing the perspectives and insights of others, and how our prideful acts can lead us to religious and ethnic bigotry. Give us the humility needed to name to you those self-seeking acts that separate us and each other from you (silent reflection) Forgive us for all the times we have allowed a foolish arrogance to control our actions, and lead us toward abundant life. When we are tempted by the power of pridefulness and become driven by our egos, may we search for and cling to a spirit of humility, and be motivated by your ever-present grace. Amen. Minutes for Mission

22 Lent 3 As we prepare to pray, draw your focus to the rock (in your hand or on the altar)...feel (or imagine) its weight What would it be like to carry this rock for an hour a day a year a lifetime? Imagine that this rock is made up of our inaction, both communal and individual Hold the rock and these thoughts as we pray God, Help us to reach for your passion when we are tempted to justify our complacency. Give us the forethought to understand how indifference can harden and slowly dry out our hearts, leaving us impenetrable to the suffering around us; how ignorance caused by dispassion can lead to harsh decisions and quick judgments that feed systems of oppression. Challenge us to realize how our inaction has separated us from you and each other (silent reflection) Forgive us for all the ways that our failure to act has participated in the suffering of others, and lead us toward abundant life. When we are tempted by the ease of apathy and weighed down by the lethargy of inaction, may we search for and cling to your diligent passion and be uplifted by your ever-present grace. Amen. 12 The United Church of Canada

23 Lent 4 As we prepare to pray, draw your focus to the rock (in your hand or on the altar)...feel (or imagine) its weight What would it be like to carry this rock for an hour a day a year a lifetime? Imagine that this rock is made up of our fears and hopelessness, both communal and individual Hold the rock and these thoughts as we pray God, Help us to reach for your hope when we are tempted to linger in our fears. Give us the hope and perseverance to trust that a day will come when we will no longer cry, how long? ; a moment will come when we will witness something new and unexpected. Forgive us for those things that we have unintentionally fallen asleep to and that have separated us from your plan (silent reflection) and lead us toward abundant life. When we become exhausted to the point of inaction, lead us beside still waters, restore our souls with you grace. Amen. Minutes for Mission

24 Lent 5 As we prepare to pray, draw your focus to the rock (in your hand or on the altar)...feel (or imagine) its weight What would it be like to carry this rock for an hour a day a year a lifetime? Imagine that this rock is made up of our acts of selfishness, both communal and individual Hold the rock and these thoughts as we pray God, Help us to reach for your creativity when we are tempted to nest in our brokenness. Give us the imagination to appreciate how broken hearts, broken dreams, and broken promises can be mended without being fixed; how our actions, our thoughts, and our intentions affect everything and everyone we share this earth and life with; how words, breath, and the Spirit can bring life to dry bones. Give us the prophetic wisdom to speak to those areas in our lives that are dry, desolate, and separated from your spirit of creation (silent reflection) Forgive us for the inspired words and actions that we have allowed to die, and lead us toward abundant life. When we are tempted to take refuge in the shattered pieces of creation, certain that the brokenness is everlasting, may we search for and cling to your reconciling power and be uplifted by your ever-present grace. Amen. 14 The United Church of Canada

25 Lent 1 March 10 Embracing the Spirit Rob Dalgleish, Executive Director of EDGE, says the growth of Embracing the Spirit, a Mission & Service program, demonstrates that there is an appetite across the church to experiment with new forms of worship and ministry. Embracing the Spirit is a Mission & Service program, learning network, and innovation fund. As Dalgleish notes: People sometimes ask me, What do art shows or cooking classes have to do with church? I tell them it s about loving your neighbour and the neighbourhood. Changing lives for the better, whether economically, socially, environmentally, or through more traditional spiritual practices, is an act of love. It s an expression of the abundant life that was Jesus purpose. Through our own deepening discipleship, it becomes an opportunity to introduce people to who Jesus is and the way he invites us to walk. The Embracing the Spirit learning network consists of more than 300 people receiving guidance from more than 80 mentors. These mentors include retired professionals who are willing to lend their skills and expertise to help others. Another part of the program is the Social Innovation Challenge, where participants can develop a concept, discover new partners, and compete for start-up funding. There have been 11 Social Innovation Challenges so far, which bring a spiritual bottom line to entrepreneurship. Minutes for Mission

26 March 17 Lent 2, International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination Artistic Hope and Healing Disponible en français! Companion video available Our gifts for ministries like River Bend Integrated Community Ministries support programs of healing and reconciliation. The core of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, is home to many Indigenous people. Beyond the core are communities of non-indigenous people. Each year, River Bend holds a program called the 10 x 10 project. This is an art project where people living in the core are invited to paint on a 10 x 10 canvas that will be displayed in an art show to all the communities in Saskatoon. Last year, 80 canvases were handed out and 73 returned for the show. Minister and Coordinator Jane Jupe says she has grown so much in her interactions with artists. I have come to realize how important it is in so many ways; it builds community between artists, and helps people heal. Artist Kandis Caplan created a beautiful image from beads of an Indigenous girl without facial features. She explained the importance of sharing her story of sexual assault, saying that it happens to many young Indigenous girls. We are called to love our neighbours! Your gifts for Mission & Service offer moments of healing every day at River Bend Integrated Community Ministry. Photos for every Minute are available online at 16 The United Church of Canada

27 Lent 3 March 24 Children Deserve to Be Children Our gifts for Mission & Service give children in war-torn countries a chance to be children in places like Palestine with the help of Defence for Children International. On a mural in Aida Refugee Camp inside Bethlehem are the words of Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The article states the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities, and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts. The refugee camp is less than one kilometre in size and holds more than 5,500 Palestinian refugees. Just around the corner from the mural is a playing field covered by netting. The netting is to protect children from tear gas canisters, rubber bullet capsules, and other debris that Israeli Defence Force soldiers use during their weekly raids on the camp. Children have been reprimanded for playing a game similar to, North American Cowboys and Indians. The game is called Palestinians and Settlers. The difference is that the game doesn t end with capture; once captured, the Palestinian is punched and kicked by the Settlers. This is a disturbing normalization of the occupation. According to the Director of the Accountability, Programme of Defence for Children International, Palestine (DCI-P), 150 to 200 Palestinian children are arrested and persecuted in the Israeli military system each year. Each child is exposed to torture, solitary confinement, physical assault, and interrogation to ensure confession to a crime (whether committed or not). DCI-P reports information gathered from its legal team to UN committees and special rapporteurs. Mission & Service supports children s rights in Palestine. Minutes for Mission

28 March 31 Lent 4 No One to Notify Companion video available The air was filled with excitement at Oak Table Community Ministry in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as guests who signed up for Beach Day confirmed the details. What time should I be here? How many are going? What time does the bus leave? What are we having for lunch? were common questions. A few guests were anxious, wanting to know how their ID would be safe if they went in the water, or how they would get breakfast that morning since they usually go to a soup kitchen. Some things were easily solved. The ministry would help keep wallets safe; they would serve juice and a muffin to everyone when they arrived. Other things were not easily solved and showed just how alone in the world many of the guests are. As those staffing the camp did their due diligence in making sure they had phone numbers and names of next of kin or a friend who could be contacted in case of emergency, they quickly found out that many had no one they could name. No friend, no relative, no neighbour to call if something happened to them. It is hard to imagine that someone could be so isolated, so alone. When Oak Table guests are hospitalized, the ministry is their contact person. When someone goes in for surgery, often Oak Table is the name that goes down as the emergency contact. The ministry s staff and volunteers are the ones who miss them when they are not there. They are their family. For those attending, Beach Day could be the only family outing they have, with the only family they know. Your gifts for Mission & Service help make sure all have a place to go and people they can call family. 18 The United Church of Canada

29 Lent 5 April 7 Disponible en français! Fighting Human Trafficking Globally, human trafficking is the third largest organized crime after drugs and the arms trade. Close to 80 percent of human trafficking across the world is related to sexual exploitation, but exploited labour, sale of human organs, and forced marriages are also linked to trafficking. In Asia, India is considered the hub of this crime. In India, the national government reports that a child goes missing every eight minutes. West Bengal, close to the Bangladesh border, is a hotbed of trafficking. Mission & Service partner Church of North India, Durgapur Diocese, is tackling the issue with an anti-human-trafficking program. The program educates communities and community leaders about trafficking, rescues those who have been trafficked, and provides safe haven and support for those rescued. Japhet Ndhlovu, staff with The United Church of Canada, recently visited the project: Children, especially girls and young women I met, told me they were taken from their homes and sold in faraway places for sexual exploitation and to work as bonded labour by agents who lured their parents with promises of education, a better life, and money. Instead, traffickers put children to work in brick kilns, carpentry units, as domestic servants, or beggars. Some are the victims of organ harvesting. Community volunteers are collaborating to fight this evil and to care for those rescued from trafficking. Children and adults are provided with shelter, food, and education. Mission & Service partner Church of North India is working to defend and protect the safety and dignity of all. No one should be trafficked. Minutes for Mission

30 April 14 A Heritage of Welcome Palm/Passion Sunday Companion video available Our gifts for Mission & Service support food, health, and wellness programs at ministries like St. Paul s Family Resource Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. We tend to think of food banks as something relatively new. This may be true in some places, but not in Halifax, where there is a long history of helping those who need support. For example, after the War of 1812, there were soup kitchens in downtown Halifax. Samuel Cunard (who founded the Cunard Steamship Company, at one time the largest steamship company in the world) worked at that soup kitchen. He and his wife, Susan, donated food and then served it to the hungry. This is a long way from modern food banks, although the need for food is still as great as it was back in the 19th century. The Family Resource Centre, which is an outreach ministry of St. Paul s United Church in Spryfield, Nova Scotia, offers more services than a food bank: clients can sit at the Food Bank Café and have coffee and a snack while waiting to pick up their order, rather than waiting out in the cold or rain. The centre also offers a volunteer income tax service to those with limited income, and Legal Aid is often on hand to address concerns individuals may have. The Food, Fitness and Fun class is always being fine-tuned, and there are nursing students on hand to offer advice on health and nutrition. We are thankful for the many ways St. Paul s Family Resource Centre offers a place of welcome and support to those who come through its doors. 20 The United Church of Canada

31 Easter Sunday, Earth Sunday April 21 Caring for Families Our gifts for Mission & Service support work with parents and children on the autism spectrum, like Footprints 4 Autism. With programs located in Pickering and Whitby, Ontario, Footprints strives to provide respite care to as many as possible. Having a child diagnosed with autism can be one of the most stressful situations a parent faces. Both the child and parent must learn together how to identify, prepare for, and manage the variety of behaviours that make up the autism spectrum. These might include impaired cognition and communication, social deficits, frequent tantrums, and other challenging behaviours that often lead to physical and emotional exhaustion for all involved. Faced with such overwhelming stress and barriers, many parents of children with autism find themselves unable to cope. Respite care can help ease some of the burden on these families, ensuring that, for a few hours each month, they can enjoy a short but much-needed break from the 24/7 care these children require. The respite also allows parents to pay extra attention to their other children, spend some time together, run errands, or just have some down time. Many children affected by autism spend several hours a week in therapy classes and often do not have a lot of time for social play and to just be. Under the guidance of trained volunteers who are supervised by a trained program consultant, Footprints offers participants social interaction with others in a safe and happy environment. Your gifts to Mission & Service make respite care for parents and recreational play for children on the autism spectrum possible. Service a regular part of your life of faith. Loving our neighbour is at the heart of our Mission & Service. Minutes for Mission

32 April 28 A Place of Wellness for Mother and Child Camping Sunday, Vocation Sunday Companion video available Our gifts for Mission & Service enable community ministries like Massey Centre to create new programs that meet the needs of young, single mothers. Massey Centre in Toronto, Ontario, has been a place of refuge and encouragement for almost 120 years. The centre has grown over that time. It was originally housed in the Methodist parsonage and known as The Victor Home for Women. In 1947, the Massey family gave the centre their summer home; the centre was renamed the Massey Centre Home for Unwed Mothers, and it is now known as Massey Centre for Women. While the original home is still part of the footprint, the centre has expanded to include pre-and post-natal housing, education programs, a daycare, and infant mental health programs. Everyone has a connection to Massey Centre! exclaims Chief Executive Officer Ekua Asabea Blair. Massey Centre is a place that people speak fondly of, and many choose to stay connected to. Lisa, who works as the centre s receptionist, is a welcoming face and voice for first encounters at the centre. When Lisa was 18, she found out she was pregnant. She had no family support when she came to Massey Centre. If I hadn t been here, my child would have been taken away from me by Children s Aid, Lisa says. Because of Massey Centre, I have been able to watch my daughter grow up into the beautiful young woman she is today. Without Massey Centre, I would be lost. Massey Centre is very thankful for United Church support, whether in the form of Mission & Service giving, local United Churches gifts of diapers, or United Church Women who knit beautiful blankets. All these gifts are changing lives each and every way. 22 The United Church of Canada

33 Asian Heritage Month begins May 5 My Heart upon My Sleeve We stand on the foundation of a great cloud of witnesses faithful men and women who answered the call of ministry in an overseas position to preach, teach, and heal in places around the world. We are thankful for the ways they showed us what it means to love your neighbour around the world in loving partnership. This is the story of one of our United Church saints: Lucy Winifred Robinson Bryce, principal, educator, and author, who lived in India from 1915 to Lucy was married to fellow missionary George Bryce. Together they taught at the Indore Christian College in Malwa. Lucy was the principal of the college from 1952 to In her time at the college, she introduced social work and sociology programs as part of the curriculum. She had a deep love for India and its people. In her 1945 book India on the Threshold, she reflected on what an independent India would be like. Lucy shared these words in her book: India is not only setting her house in order, but she is taking her place among the nations of the world. Never again can she be designated faraway India, for she is within flying time from all nations east or west. We who love her, but who, alas, are not of her soil, must be humble in this her great hour With my hands folded in your own greeting of peace, O India, I bow to you in the threshold of new life. 1 We give thanks for the inspiring foundation of our past! 1 Lucy Winifred Robinson Bryce, India at the Threshold (New York: Friendship Press, 1946), p. xi. Minutes for Mission

34 May 12 Community Bridge Christian Family Sunday, Mother s Day Companion video available Millie lives in Edmonton, Alberta. Today she is thankful to have a home, health, and one year of sobriety. Two years ago, Millie was facing eviction and homelessness. Without Bissell Centre s hot meals, Millie would have gone hungry, and without help from their caring staff, she would have ended up back on the streets. Millie has battled addiction, violence, and poverty all her life. She grew up in a turbulent, sometimes violent household. After watching and experiencing the cycle of substance abuse in her family, she vowed to never drink, but things didn t go the way she planned. At 24, Millie fell in love, got married, and had two children. After a few years together, her husband s behaviour became all too familiar. He had an alcohol addiction and was becoming increasingly violent. Millie started coping by drinking as well. Soon, she was forced to pack up her kids and move into her car until she could get into a shelter. Life as a single parent was never easy, but Millie was determined to give her kids a good life. Millie and her kids have had many successes together, but sadly, the pain of Millie s childhood and married years was always there in the background. Two years ago her rent was raised unexpectedly. Needless to say, she was struggling to put food on the table. Bissell Centre s Community Bridge program helped Millie with rent and utilities in time of emergency. I was so incredibly relieved to get help and not be struggling by myself anymore. Now I have a safe home to go to every night, and for that I m so grateful, says Millie. Bissell Centre is one of the many community ministries across Canada that is supported by Mission & Service. 24 The United Church of Canada

35 International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia May 19 Companion video available Hope Under the Rainbow From 2013 to 2015, Rachel Hearn was a camp counsellor at Welcome Friends Rainbow Camp for LGBTQ Two-Spirit and allied youth ages 12 to 17. To say the least, it was a life-altering experience. Every August there existed a tiny, week-long place of sanctuary that said, We do see you, and you are welcome here. That is exactly what Rainbow Camp is all about. Rainbow Camp is a place of radical resistance against the oppressive forces of hetero-normativity and cis-normativity that exist across the world today, says Rachel. It is like other summer camps, but the learning is focused around sexual health, healthy relationships, understanding our identities, and figuring out how to work around a society that is not designed to enable queer people to thrive. Even though there is no marching or petitions, the world is still changed for every camper who finds a friend or feels like themselves for the first time. At Rainbow Camp, we changed the world for young people by giving them the tools and skills they needed to flourish. If you create a space where people can be open about who they are and accept others doing the same, you will learn what it means to love and to trust. Rainbow Camp s ministry is made possible because of Mission & Service. Excerpt from Round the Table blog, February 27, 2018 Minutes for Mission

36 May 26 A Place of Worship, a Place of Hope Disponible en français! Our gifts for Mission & Service support displaced people in Canada. Dr. Kathy Yamashita reflects on what it means to be a Japanese Canadian in light of the Japanese Canadian internment camps during World War II, and the support of Mission & Service of The United Church of Canada that works with the small Japanese United Church to grow into the multicultural church it is today. The relocation camps were in the interior of British Columbia and in southern Alberta, where those in the camps did hard labour sugar beet farming. During this time, The United Church of Canada supported Japanese people through the The Board of Home Missions program. We had missionaries who helped us with high school education, as the province only provided elementary education in the relocation camps. They helped us to remain as a Christian community that supported each other through those difficult times. After the war, those who were of the Japanese congregation in southern Alberta continued to worship together and eventually purchased an old hall in Lethbridge, Alberta. As time went on, the Japanese United Church was less dependent on the Japanese language, and thankfully, with support from Mission & Service, it has grown into a multicultural United Church. We worship in English. We are now financially stable and value Mission & Service, remembering the help we received in the past. Through reading Minutes for Mission in church, we have learned of the good work done through our giving for Mission & Service. 26 The United Church of Canada

37 Environment Sunday June 2 Companion video available A Health Crisis In the Kalpakkam area of Tamil Nadu province, India, the local fishing community is dealing with a very different threat than the one it faced with the 2005 tsunami. A nuclear power plant became a death trap during the tsunami, with several workers drowning within its walls. No one knows how many died for sure, as the government never released a number. Today, some villages believe the nuclear plant is still connected with death and destruction. They say that people go fishing and suddenly die afterwards from a lack of blood circulation. Rates of cancer, birth defects, infertility, and autoimmune and neurological diseases have increased, affecting young and old alike. Mission & Service partner the Human Rights Advocacy and Research Foundation works in the region to help affected families, often paying medical costs. For those families where the primary breadwinner has prematurely died or been incapacitated, the foundation helps with finding employment, school costs, and other day-to-day expenses. The Department of Atomic Energy says that the rates of radiation are too low to cause a health effect. Local doctor, Dr. Pugazhendhi, who runs a local clinic with the foundation s assistance, has seen an increase in illness and believes radiation plays a part in this increase. The Human Rights Advocacy and Research Foundation trains the local community about its rights and how to organize to collectively and defend their rights to clean air, water, and land. Minutes for Mission

38 June 9 Pentecost, Church Union Sunday In Remembrance As we look back over our history as The United Church of Canada, we remember one of the saints whose work forms the foundation that the United Church of ours is built on: Audrey McKim. Audrey McKim was born in Toronto in At the United Church, she was an editor of Discovery and World Friends with the Board of Sunday School Publications. She was also the Director of Christian Education at two Toronto churches. Audrey was one of the first United Church of Canada missionaries in Kenya, where she served for 10 years. She initially went to Kenya as a deacon of the United Church, and was part of the Canadian contingent to Operation Crossroads Africa in In 1963, Audrey returned as a Christian Education Worker with the National Christian Council and the Christian Churches Educational Association, where she worked until She was also a prolific writer and authored numerous articles and books, mostly for children. She was a founding member of the Canadian Society of Children s Authors, Illustrators and Performers. Her children s storybooks and books of prayer are filled with words and images that teach as well as entertain. Photos for every Minute are available online at 28 The United Church of Canada

39 Indigenous Day of Prayer, Father s Day June 16 Companion video available Sharing Circle The Longhouse Council of Native Ministry started 30 years ago as an outreach to Indigenous people in Vancouver, British Columbia. Established without a building, today its home is a church in the lowincome Hastings-Sunrise neighbourhood, and its outreach extends to all those seeking a caring community. The ministry still maintains a significant commitment to First Nations. There is a weekly sharing circle mostly (but not exclusively) attended by Indigenous people, a carving and language class, and several 12-step groups, including an Aboriginal Alcoholics Anonymous group. However, poverty and homelessness, now growing in leaps and bounds, have made the congregation a hub for anyone seeking economic and social justice. Regular Sunday worship, baptisms, marriages, and funerals are central to Longhouse. So, too, are the weekly food bank, and participation in annual Advent and Lenten vigils to raise awareness of those who are silenced in the city. As the Rev. Barry Morris says, there is a creative tension between being a pastoral charge and a community ministry, an urge to support as well as to change society. Longhouse is one of the many community ministries across the country supported by Mission & Service. Minutes for Mission

40 June 23 Migrants Are Not Stereotypes World Refugee Day, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day Disponible en français! Migration touches all corners of the globe. Some people choose to move in search of jobs, opportunity, or education. Others are forced from their homes by conflict, poverty, inequality, and a lack of sustainable livelihoods. The United Nations reported 258 million migrants in The safeguards and protections we afford refugees, migrants, and displaced peoples speak to the foundation of human rights. The strangers among us are God s people in need of our hospitality and mercy as much as our advocacy for the justice they seek and human rights they deserve. Many migrants are victimized by the conditions of forced migration, including human trafficking in all its forms (labour, drugs, human organs, sex, baby-selling, and mail-order brides). Migration today cannot be isolated from concerns for working conditions. Living wages and a safe, secure working environment are denied to many. These rights must be protected. Migrants are not stereotypes. Their value can not be measured by the documents they may or may not have, or their financial contributions to national economies. One migrant leader has said, Do not talk about us without us. We have answers, and we have been voicing them. Mission & Service partners around the globe including the National Council of Churches of Kenya, Evangelical Congregational Church in Angola, United Church of Zambia, Church of North India, Methodist Church in Colombia, and Middle East Council of Churches are working tirelessly to help displaced peoples fleeing violence, political conflict, and persecution as migrants organize to make their dreams come true. 30 The United Church of Canada

41 June 30 Summer Is No Vacation from Poverty Summer can be a wonderful time of year filled with holidays and meals on the patio, but please remember that summer is no vacation for those living in poverty. Children who rely on hot breakfast and lunch programs through schools are faced with two months of poor nutrition. Families with tight budgets are forced to find money for summer child care, or often take unpaid time off from work to stay home to look after little ones. This leaves precious little left over in terms of money and energy. Those who live outdoors or are between homes seem less visible in the summer. Because the weather is above freezing, people think that shelter is not needed. We forget about the need for showers, storage, and safety that a home provides. We forget about sunburns, bug bites, and unbearable heat radiating from city sidewalks. So while we are out and enjoying a great summer, let s take a moment to remember those for whom summer is not a vacation. Together we can make sure summer is fun (or at least bearable) for everyone. We give thanks for places like West Broadway Outreach Ministry in downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba, that provide much-needed support throughout the summer. Your gifts for Mission & Service make this possible. Thank you! Minutes for Mission

42 July 7 Dialogue on Reconciliation Disponible en français! Kenji Marui travelled to Australia as part of the Moderator s Dialogue on Reconciliation to consult and build a relationship with the Uniting Church in Australia, the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress, and Indigenous groups in Australia. He reflects on this experience: At a theological gathering of our Canadian visiting group, Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress members, and students training for ministry, we engaged in earnest conversation about the effects of colonialism in our lives, in our churches, in our societies. As a second-generation Canadian born to Japanese immigrants, I struggled to find my place in the discussion. I don t look like a settler but have throughout my life operated with such a mindset. Yet I also know the effects of racism and discrimination. I grow weary of having to explain or justify myself in society, of my reality of being unrepresented or misrepresented in media. There was tension in discussing the interrelation of gospel and culture because it is such a one-sided dynamic: Christianity has been so dominant and pervasive, so closely associated with assertions of Western superiority, that it becomes difficult to disentangle Jesus true messages and intent from the historical and traditional interpretations of his parables and teachings. Aboriginal culture has long been deemed second-class at best and downright demonic at worst. As we look to what might come next in this unfinished process, there is a commitment and understanding that this work is too important to ignore. The work goes on thanks to your gifts for Mission & Service. Excerpt from Round the Table blog, March 28, The United Church of Canada

43 Companion video available Grounded in Love July 14 1JustCity at St. Matthews Maryland Community Ministry builds community well-being, works for justice, and nurtures hope in individuals and families in west central Winnipeg, Manitoba. The program attempts to balance meeting basic needs, enabling personal transformation, and working for social change through a variety of initiatives. These include everything from offering an emergency food program for families, to small collaborative economic initiatives that help people learn employment skills. The Artist s Circle provides a venue and supplies for soulful creative time. No experience is necessary, and people mentor and teach each other. St. Matthews Maryland receives 9,000 visits a year to its drop-in space where people come to be filled filled with snacks, filled with the joy of someone who cares, filled with the worth of someone listening, and filled with a sense of belonging. Your gifts for Mission & Service support ministries like St. Matthews-Maryland. Photos for every Minute are available online at Minutes for Mission

44 July 21 Helping Cubans in Times of Trouble Disponible en français! Companion video available FR For more than two decades, food delivery tricycles supported by United Church Mission & Service partner, the Christian Centre for Reflection and Dialogue (CCRD), have carried meals to elderly and infirm residents in Cárdenas, Cuba. CCRD grows, prepares, and delivers food to more than 100 people every day. Established in 1991, the centre supports churches in their work of social assistance and sustainable development. It is a space for Christians in Cuba to work together with others to support and help Cuban people in need. When Hurricane Irma struck Cárdenas in September 2017, the people served by the CCRD food delivery program found themselves vulnerable in another way. Their homes were among those seriously damaged by the strong winds and heavy rain that came with the storm. With financial contributions from the people of The United Church of Canada, CCRD provided new windows and doors and, in a few cases, new houses to people in need. Beneficiaries of CCRD s agricultural training programs received seeds and tools to replace what they lost. Each year, CCRD also hosts several groups of United Church people who want to learn more about Cuba and the church s work there for justice and inclusion. Your contributions to Mission & Service help keep training programs and food programs going. And your support to ongoing United Church emergency appeals allows partners to respond in times of trouble. 34 The United Church of Canada

45 Companion video available Support for Women in Africa July 28 Gender inequality has a direct impact on what food is available to families in some African countries. Women often have limited access to land to grow food for their families, and credit to purchase seeds. Women are also frequently vulnerable to moneylenders. A key focus of Mission & Service partner The Organization of African Instituted Churches (OAIC) is supporting women. OAIC is an association of African-founded churches; its member churches serve a fellowship of over 30 million people across Africa and are largely found in informal urban settlements and in rural areas of Africa. Congregations serve people living on the economic margins. The United Church of Canada supports various OAIC programs, including the Livelihoods Programme. This program works with member churches to design and implement responses to hunger and poverty. For example, in Vihiga County, Western Kenya, farms are small with rocky soil. Twenty women farmers from the Africa Divine Church are organized in a cooperative demonstration farm, planting high-value crops such as vegetables, bananas, and sweet potatoes, inter-crop with maize and sorghum. OAIC provides technical support and trains farmers on storing crops and securing markets for surplus produce. The whole community works together for food security. Schools have been mobilized to grow food and teach better farming practices. In addition, OAIC has helped the community advocate with local and national governments for resources supporting agriculture. Together with Mission & Service, OAIC is helping communities in Kenya work toward a better future. Minutes for Mission

46 August 4 A Life of Activism Hiroshima Remembrance Day Disponible en français! Our gifts for Mission & Service support work with advocacy organizations like the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. Setsuko Thurlow, a long-time United Church member, who is also a survivor of the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima, received the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo on behalf of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). When the atomic bomb hit on August 6, 1945, killing more than 140,000 people, Setsuko was a mobilized student for the war effort at the army headquarters approximately 1.8 kilometres from the hypocentre. Eight of her family members and 351 of her schoolmates and teachers died in the attack. As a 13-year-old schoolgirl, I witnessed my city of Hiroshima blinded by the flash, flattened by the hurricane-like blast, burned in 4,000-degree Celsius heat, and contaminated by the radiation of one atomic bomb, she said in After moving to Canada, Setsuko and her husband were active in various peace and disarmament organizations. In 1974, she established Hiroshima-Nagasaki Relived, a group that reminds people of the horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki through photos and stories. She has travelled to dozens of countries to share her story of survival and alert people to the grave threat that nuclear weapons pose to all humanity. Setsuko says, hibakusha (survivors of the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki) are convinced that no human being should ever have to repeat our experience of the inhumane, immoral, and cruel atomic bombing. 36 The United Church of Canada

47 Companion video available Five Oaks a Sacred Place August 11 Our gifts for Mission & Service support education centres like Five Oaks Education and Retreat Centre in Paris, Ontario that offer programs for children, youth, and adults that inspire and inform. The United Church of Canada Five Oaks Education and Retreat Centre was the vision of Bev Oaten in the 1950s. The first programs began in the summer of Five Oaks has gone through many changes over its 67-year history. In 2016, when Five Oaks was planning to close, a new vision of being an intercultural and interfaith centre rose from the ashes of the past. Five Oaks has continued its partnership with the United Church and Six Nations of the Grand River, as the centre sits on the sacred land of the Six Nations, and has added a partnership with the Muslim community. The centre is now writing a new chapter in its story with a committed Board of Directors. The future is bright and hopeful for the education centre that has been revived. Your gifts for Mission & Service help Five Oaks and two other education centres sustain their vision and ministry. Photos for every Minute are available online at Minutes for Mission

48 August 18 Christian Muslim Relations in Africa It seems more important than ever for the Christian church to foster intentional ecumenical and interfaith partnerships. The Programme for Christian-Muslim Relations in Africa (PROCMURA) is a pan-african Christian organization that was started in 1959 to build good relations between Christians and Muslims. It brings together communities of faith, in spite of their differences, to work together for justice, peace, and reconciliation. Countries in Africa are advised to stay secular, says the Rev. Dr. Joseph Mutei, Programme Director of PROCMURA. There is so much fighting happening these days, and religion has been the most divisive factor here, aside from economic factors. While this is not unique to Africa, it is evident there that education is a key tool in fostering good relations for Africans. PROCMURA has partnered with St. Paul s University in Nairobi, Kenya, to create a Master of Islam and Christian Muslim Relations program. Mutei has a strong conviction that religious education such as this will lead to a deeper understanding of each other s beliefs. He says, education should be the foundation of what is happening around the country of Kenya and the continent of Africa. A visitor listening to the students in this program was moved by their enthusiasm for engaging in work they hoped would help others understand Christian Muslim relations. Canadians have much to learn from this organization. We give thanks for the United Church s partnership with PROCMURA through Mission & Service. 38 The United Church of Canada

49 Companion video available Reconnecting Families with Community August 25 Our gifts for Mission & Service support the work of healing and reconciliation. Here is a story of how the church s Healing Fund is uplifting a healthy, unified Gitxsan Nation. Gitxsan Nation is a First Nations community in British Columbia that has challenges stemming from the impact of Indian residential schools. One is the loss of traditional parenting, usually transferred from grandparents and parents to children. This loss has contributed to the community s social issues, such as unhealthy relationships, social isolation, substance use, and crime. In spite of these challenges, the Gitxsan Nation envisions health and wellness growing stronger among its people. The Healing Continues project is a holistic program designed to teach families traditional parenting skills, provide cultural psycho-education (grief, stress reduction, etc.), and help them participate in ceremonies on the land. Elders conduct home visits to support the families, model traditional parenting, and provide mentorship. Community services are also contributing to the project by training their workers to offer experiential, land-based healing. In using the Gitxsan healing model, based on the community s knowledge and practices, Gitxsan Nation is reconnecting families with their community to reduce isolation and stress, and help them learn healthy behaviours and traditional parenting. Minutes for Mission

50 September 1 Pilgrimage to Colombia Strengthens Church Voices Companion video available During a pilgrimage to Colombia for justice and peace organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC) in February 2018, Christians witnessed the need for peace and justice in the midst of the troubled peace process. For more than 60 years, civil war has afflicted Colombia. Since colonial times, the key issue has been land ownership. About 80 percent of land in Colombia is in the hands of just 14 percent of the population. In the past decade, governments and guerrilla fighters have worked toward resolution of the long-standing conflict. The WCC pilgrimage to Colombia included opportunities to speak with former fighters, people displaced by war, senior politicians, and those whose social identity Indigenous, Afro-Colombian, LGBTQ Two- Spirit make them especially vulnerable. The visits amplified the call for peace from Colombian churches, which all too often are drowned out by voices opposed to land reform, or those who make a profit from war. The WCC is a Mission & Service partner. As a member of the WCC, The United Church of Canada is a part of the council s focus on supporting justice and peace efforts through pilgrimage. These are not just physical pilgrimages. How could all of us participate in a spiritual or advocacy journey toward peace in places like the Korean peninsula, Myanmar, the Middle East, and Congo? Through the WCC Pilgrimage for Justice and Peace, all United Church people are invited to pray, study, reflect theologically and biblically, have courageous conversations, take action, offer a pledge of commitment, and hold public liturgies for peace. Be part of the pilgrimage learn more at 40 The United Church of Canada

51 Creation Time begins September 8 Companion video available Singing for Inclusion Our gifts for Mission & Service support programs at places like Naomi Centre and Emmanuel House, both part of Stella s Circle in St. John s, Newfoundland. For Canada s 150th celebration in 2017, Stella s Circle organized a concert. Stella s Circle Sings for Canada featured the premiere of a song written by the Inclusion Choir with Amelia Curran, and a screening of a film by Roger Maunder about the process. The Inclusion Choir includes many living on the edges of Newfoundland society, blended with staff from Stella s Circle. The concert was due in large part to three student placements. Reflecting on their learnings, the students spoke about the power of the songwriting process and how participants saw the song as our song. Music student Kristian said it allowed her to focus on how music can have an impact on social situations and lives. For Kristian, the focus was not on getting the job done, but the enjoyment. Justin, a student in social work, commented on the fact that as soon as choir members walked out on stage, they stood taller. He saw singing as a mindfulness act; it focused the mind on the act of singing. Sarah, a student in business management, saw how the work she learned, in human resources could be put into action in terms of diversity, and she enjoyed how everyone collaborated. From the perspective of Stella s Circle, they saw three students embrace something new, fit right in, and add value to what was happening at Stella s Circle. What a great experience for all! Minutes for Mission

52 September 15 Spiritual Support for Students A row of old houses on Rue MacKay in Montreal, Quebec, is part of student life at Concordia University. One is home to the Concordia Multi-Faith and Spirituality Centre. The Rev. Ellie Hummel is the United Church chaplain on staff at the centre, and she works with chaplains from the Baha i, Muslim, Sikh, Pagan, Buddhist, and Jewish communities as well as various Christian denominations. The centre is a safe space for students to talk one-on-one with chaplains, share meals with fellow students, work together on service projects, and hang out during exam time. It holds a drop-in conversation group called Spirituali-TEA each week. In June 2017, the centre celebrated the completion of a mural by fine arts student Laura Douglas, who explored the relationship between people and the environment. Like the centre itself, the mural is a beautiful expression of that exploration. Concordia Multi-Faith and Spirituality Centre offers students a place to explore and question faith, and a safe space to make a difference and simply be. Its service projects include helping with a community garden in the downtown core of Montreal. Photos for every Minute are available online at 42 The United Church of Canada

53 World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel, International Day of Peace September 22 Companion video available KidZone! Our gifts for Mission & Service support programs for children and families living in community housing areas like Ardglen in Brampton, Ontario. The Journey Neighbourhood Centre looks like every other store in the strip mall where it is located, but once you enter, you encounter a different world one filled with art, laughing children, enthusiastic volunteers, and interns from the Social Work program at Ryerson University. One of these interns is Maria, who came to Toronto as a teen from Colombia to live with her father. At first, I didn t like it here, says Maria, sitting at the table preparing snacks for the children who would be arriving from school to participate in the KidZone program. Over time I have come to really love this country, and I wanted to do something to make a difference in the world. That is why I chose social work. Maria and the other interns speak passionately about the centre and the children who come through the door. They are just wonderful! Maria exclaims. Your gifts offer children and families in community housing a place to come to share in food and fun. Photos for every Minute are available online at Minutes for Mission

54 September 29 Gifts That Transform Lives! Companion video available We give thanks for over eight years of giving through the Gifts with Vision catalogue. Every gift is developed by one of our Mission & Service partners and each one truly makes a difference! As we look forward to the new Gifts with Vision catalogue, let us hear some of the amazing things that have been accomplished thanks to your giving through Gifts with Vision. You have made so many good things possible through your gifts: clean water projects in Congo, Nicaragua, and Zambia; summer camp experiences for more than 200 children across Canada; education and safe spaces for children around the world; food for people who are homeless in Canada; grocery gift cards and warm clothing for remote Indigenous communities; food, shelter, and education for displaced persons in Kenya, the Philippines, Colombia, and Jordan; Indigenous cultural renewal here in Canada; a culture of peace in Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East; and projects in reconciliation and Indigenous reclaiming of language and traditions--just to name a few! Your generous support for Mission & Service means that Mission & Service partners receive core funding for their programs. Your gifts through Gifts with Vision provide additional support for Mission & Service partners and ministries for selected projects. Without Mission & Service, Gifts with Vision projects would not be possible. Through your support of Mission & Service and Gifts with Vision, you provide so much hope, both here in Canada and across the world. If Mission & Service is already a regular part of your giving life, thank To give a gift today you can call or go to to choose a gift online! 44 The United Church of Canada

55 World Communion Sunday October 6 United Church Women: Love and Strength The vision statement of United Church Women (UCW) includes a call to continuous prayer and learning, leading to action and United Church Women across the church have faithfully answered that call for over 55 years! As women of faith. we believe in affirming and strengthening ourselves, both individually and together through creative study, prayer, and action, says the UCW s vision statement. During the UCW s 55th anniversary event in 2017, support for a project at the Morogoro Women s Training Centre in Tanzania was celebrated. The women have supported the training of hundreds of traditional birth attendants, who have saved half a million women and children from dying in childbirth. Our gifts for Mission & Service support the UCW as it learns about our changing world. Imagine the strength of women who have learned about and taken action on gender justice and inclusion, truth and reconciliation, intercultural ministries, students and theological education, climate justice, the work of global partners, inter-faith initiatives, refugee support, and so much more! The United Church s Song of Faith states, We sing of a church seeking to continue the story of Jesus by embodying Christ s presence in the world. We are thankful that the UCW has been an example of what it means to truly love our neighbours! Minutes for Mission

56 October 13 Thanksgiving Sunday, International Day of the Girl Child Helping Communities Thrive in Nepal From January 28 to February 10, 2018, a group of youth leaders travelled to Nepal to see Mission & Service ecumenical partner Canadian Foodgrains Bank at work. The Rev. Janet Jones was one of the United Church leaders on the trip. Here, she shares her reflection on the impact of support from Canadian Foodgrains Bank: We gathered with moms and their children and learned about the nutrition and child growth monitoring programs [and] other purposeful things they do together. We heard meaningful stories of children recovering from malnourishment, sometimes in three months, because of the programs offered. What s best is that community members are trained and lead the programs. How do we put an end to hunger? Share collective knowledge and skills with each other, support and give care when needed, and share the global stories so we can realize we really are all the same. These projects focus on providing seeds, tools, and training to communities working toward self-sustainability. They re able to feed their families through their own farming and sell the extra produce in creating income and savings. Mission & Service support is helping these communities thrive. Photos for every Minute are available online at 46 The United Church of Canada

57 World Food Sunday, International Day for the Eradication of Poverty October 20 Disponible en français! A Thank You to Ministers In his letter to the Ephesians, the apostle Paul writes about God empowering church leaders to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12). What are the ways that a minister has helped this community of faith to equip the saints for ministry, or to build up the Body of Christ in this place? Today, we offer gratitude for the many ways that our ministers help to build up the Body of Christ through their leadership and ministry. Thank you for the sermons. Thank you for the worship gatherings. Thank you for the educational opportunities for all ages. Thank you for the ways you equip people for discipleship. Thank you for the home and hospital visits. Thank you for your outreach and justice leadership. Thank you for the prayers and care. Thank you for your faithfulness and your call to be a minister in The United Church of Canada. Thanks to our gifts to Mission & Service, we support our ministers through theological education training and continuing education. Mission & Service also provides support to your community of faith through pastoral relations at the regional council and the denominational council. Thank you for your gifts to Mission & Service. Minutes for Mission

58 October 27 Youth Pilgrims Peace Sunday, Reformation Sunday Companion video available Thirteen Youth Forum pilgrims were on a journey during the summer of After work and orientation in their home Conferences, they travelled east to Newfoundland. With their two young adult leaders and a global partner, these dedicated young people visited each Conference of the United Church. They stopped in Oshawa, Ontario, in July to participate as commissioners at the 43rd General Council and then continued their pilgrimage, ending in British Columbia in mid-august. Building on the theme of Rendez-vous 2017, these young people deepened their understanding of what it means to Be the Church/Soyons l eglise in this time of change and challenge. The youth were selected by peers from their home Conference at a Youth Forum Winter Retreat held in February At the retreat, 60 youth gathered to learn what a remit was, gain insight into how business would be carried out at General Council, and immerse themselves in the issues and concerns facing the United Church. They also spent time in worship, small groups, and played games, and other activities. The pilgrimage invited participants to deepen their experience as they visited Indigenous communities, met migrant workers, learned about justice issues related to mining and fair trade, witnessed the work of social justice ministries and camps, and worshipped and celebrated with many communities of faith across the church. They came home changed, challenged, and ready to lead in ministry. How will you walk with a Youth Forum pilgrim from your region? 48 The United Church of Canada

59 November 3 Equip a Child for School In India, Mission & Service partner Human Rights and Advocacy Research Foundation works with fishing communities, urban poor, traditional farmers, prisoners, Dalits (people of low caste), and Adivasis (Indigenous people) in the continuing struggle for economic and social justice. One of its programs helps children whose families cannot provide essential school supplies. In addition, it educates the children on their human rights. Here are two of the children who have benefitted from this program. Lilly is 15 years old. Her mother is a street fish vendor, and her father is a daily wage fisher who is not well. Lilly says, Sometime we struggle to make ends meet. Lilly wants to become an accountant. Her mother, Mohana, says, I will not forget this timely help which prevented me from going into debt. Thilagavathy is 15 years old. Her father is a fisher and is unable to contribute much to the family s income. Her mother is a street fish vendor whose income sustains the family. Thilagavathy wants to become a police officer. Her mother says, She is bright in her studies, and I did not have the means...i am so thankful. With Mission & Service partners, the United Church works to achieve access to education for everyone, regardless of income or social status. This work is an essential part of securing greater justice, broad-based participation in society, and the eradication of poverty. Minutes for Mission

60 November 10 Remembrance Sunday Answering the Call Our gifts for Mission & Service support theological education in seven theological schools, including Emmanuel College in Toronto, Ontario. Aside from The United Church of Canada ministry training degrees, Emmanuel College offers interfaith programs in Muslim studies and Buddhist studies. These programs have created a more enriched program of study and diversity in the student population. Here is the story of one of these students: Captain Barbara Helms was enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces as a chaplain of the Muslim tradition in October She will be serving with the 30th Field Artillery Regiment (33 Canadian Battle Group, 4th Canadian Division). She is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree specializing in Muslim chaplaincy, offered through the University of Toronto, the Toronto School of Theology, and Emmanuel College. Thanks to your gifts to Mission & Service, the college has implemented inter-faith programs such as Islamic Studies. Padre Helms has been involved in teaching, community outreach, youth ministry, hospital pastoral care, and inter-faith dialogue. She is grateful for the opportunity to be the first female Muslim chaplain, and finds that military chaplaincy is a place where she can serve her regimental family. 50 The United Church of Canada

61 Children s Sunday November 17 Companion video available Adventure Camp Our gifts for Mission & Service provide opportunities for children to explore how they can change the world one step at a time. High Country United Church in Mono, Ontario, became a place of fun and laughter when it hosted the GO Project Adventure Camp for children in Grades 2 to 7. Children explored their faith and justice through unique service projects. One program involved shopping at a local grocery store and then delivering the food and diapers to the Orangeville Food Bank. Participants eyes were opened to what it means to need a food bank in their community. This program is presented as a day camp experience with trained camp staff facilitating. It offers fun camp experiences, such as games, songs, crafts, small groups, delicious food, and a fun time in a safe, intentional community. It is a great way to engage the children of your congregation in what it means to be called to love our neighbours. Thank you for your gifts for Mission & Service that provide opportunities for children to explore faith in a fun and safe environment. Minutes for Mission

62 November 24 We Are Family Transgender Day of Remembrance, Reign of Christ Companion video available Our gifts for Mission & Service support ministries like Our Place Society in Victoria, British Columbia, which offers programs for those on the margins that make everyone feel like family. One of the proudest moments of the Victoria Pride Parade was when a young pre-op transgender woman said that she never felt brave enough to walk in the parade until the day she marched with the staff and family of Our Place. It says a lot about the unique downtown centre for Victoria s most vulnerable that this woman felt included in Our Place s definition of family. It is one thing to preach hope and belonging, but quite another to live it. Loving our neighbours is at the core of Our Place, as all who come through its doors become family. 52 The United Church of Canada

63 Disponible en français! Advent Candle- Lighting Liturgy The following Advent liturgy focuses on the theme of Advent Unwrapped. Wrap four candles or ribbons in newsprint and put them in large boxes with removable lids so they look like Christmas presents. Label the boxes Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love. Each week, the congregation will be asked to draw or write on the outside of the box what these words mean to them. Then they unwrap the box, remove and light the candle. Advent 1, Hope One: In a world filled with doubt, fear, and uncertainty, All: we are called to reflect God s hope, One: a hope that does not rely on things or possessions. All: Our hope is (Invite people to share what Christian hope means to them, or have some prepared definitions. Write or draw the definitions on the box.) One: Grant us the courage to share this hope, All: as we prepare the way for the hope of the world, God-with-us, Emmanuel. (Unwrap the box, being careful not to tear the words of hope, and take out the Advent candle. Or unwrap other gifts of hope, such as pictures of hope in your community or individual candles for people to take home.) One: May this gift of a candle s defiant flame remind us of God s gift of hope! (Light first Advent candle.) All: Amen! Sung Response Suggestions Ameni (More Voices 219) Prepare the Way of the Lord (Voices United 10) Come Now, O God of Peace (Voices United 34) Minutes for Mission

64 Advent 2, Peace One: In a world filled with broken relationships, broken hearts, and broken spirits, All: we are called to build God s dream of peace, One: a peace that is not the absence of chaos, noise, or war. All: God s peace is (Invite people to share what Christian peace means to them, or have some prepared definitions. Write or draw the definitions on the box.) One: Grant us the courage to be peacekeepers and kin-dom builders, All: as we prepare the way for the Prince of Peace, God-with-us, Emmanuel. (Unwrap the box, being careful not to tear the words of peace, and take out the Advent candle. Or unwrap other gifts of peace, such as dove cookies, symbols from the Advent Peace Box, or symbols of hope significant to your community.) One: May this gift of a candle s defiant flame remind us of God s gift of peace! (Light second Advent candle.) All: Amen! (See Sung Response Suggestions in Advent 1.) Advent 3, Joy One: In a distressing and despairing world, All: we are called to share God s joy, One: a joy that cannot be purchased or packaged, All: a joy that is (Invite people to share what Christian joy means to them, or have some prepared definitions. Write or draw the definitions on the box.) One: Grant us the courage to share this joy, All: as we proclaim the joy of the world, God-with-us, Emmanuel. (Unwrap the box, being careful not to tear the words of joy, and take out the Advent candle. Or unwrap other gifts of joy, such as scripture sentences or other symbols of joy significant to your community.) 54 The United Church of Canada

65 One: May this gift of a candle s defiant flame remind us of God s gift of joy! (Light third Advent candle.) All: Amen! (See Sung Response Suggestions in Advent 1.) Advent 4, Love One: In a world filled with loneliness and isolation, All: we are called to share God s love, One: a love that does not depend on our feelings and likes, All: a love that is (Invite people to share what Christian love means to them, or have some prepared definitions. Write or draw the definitions on the box.) One: Grant us the courage to love others as God loves us, All: as we prepare the way for love-made-known, God-with-us, Emmanuel. (Unwrap the box, being careful not to tear the words of love, and take out the Advent candle. Or, unwrap other gifts of love, such as pictures of love in your community or heart cookies.) One: May this gift of a candle s defiant flame remind us of God s love for the world! (Light last Advent candle.) All: Amen! (See Sung Response Suggestions in Advent 1.) Advent Candle-Lighting Liturgy by Alydia Smith. For more ideas and resources for Advent and Christmas please go to Minutes for Mission

66 December 1 Advent 1 Disponible en français! Spiritual Care Paul said, I m going to die on February 23rd at 10:30 a.m. Paul has cancer. He was given three months to live but he has already surpassed that timeline by a month. In the meantime, his body continues to waste away and he is in constant pain. Here is a story from a United Church hospital chaplain about Paul. I have been visiting Paul for several weeks in the palliative care unit of the hospital. He has called me in on this particular day to tell me that he has requested medical assistance in dying, and the date and time for the procedure are set. I sit and listen while he talks about the decision he has made, how he came to it, and how his family members are reacting to it. Our conversation that afternoon is heartfelt and real. There is no place for pretence or false bravado in the presence of imminent death. It is a sacred moment. We say a prayer together. My eyes tear up as we say our goodbyes. I know it will be the last time I see him. A hospital is not only a place for physical care; it is very much a place for spiritual care. It is here that difficult decisions, life and death decisions, are made on a daily basis. Illness can turn lives upside down. Hospital chaplains are specifically trained to help patients and their families find ways to cope spiritually and emotionally in such times of personal crisis and upheaval. My name is Val Cottrill and I work with the South Saskatchewan Hospital Chaplaincy of The United Church of Canada helping to bring spiritual care into the hospitals of Regina. This essential ministry could not happen without the generous giving of members and adherents through Mission & Service. Thank you for being a part of our ministry. 56 The United Church of Canada

67 Advent 2 December 8 Youth Spiritual Development Many ministries these days are wondering what they can do to serve young adults. In 2015, a small team of youth and young adult leaders in Southern Ontario met at Five Oaks Education and Retreat Centre to envision a resource that could be used by the church to accompany young adults as they discerned questions of vocation and meaningful work. The hope was to create an opportunity for spiritual development that was more advanced than youth confirmation, but more accessible and broad than the discernment process for paid accountable ministry. The Discoverment Process was born out of those conversations. It launched as a free online curriculum in early The Discoverment Process is a seven-session small-group program that brings together young adults finishing high school, or in their 20s, with adult mentors to explore questions of faith in the 21st century. With additional funding from Mission & Service via a Vision Fund for Flourishing Ministry Programs grant, the Discoverment Process is currently developing a workbook for individual use, as well as a series of retreats where young adults can engage with the Discoverment materials over a weekend. Mission & Service supports programs like the Discoverment Process that offer a way for young adults to discern what God is calling them to. Minutes for Mission

68 December 15 Advent 3 Mission & Service in Changing Times In these times of change, people are asking, What s happening with the Mission & Service of the church? Our congregational and our Mission & Service revenues are both declining quite slowly at this point two to three percent a year so we have time to make changes, and we have time to do things differently. The good news is that together we are making important changes, and we are taking the time to do things differently. We are restructuring the four courts of the church to three so that we live within our means. We are clarifying funding, so that assessments will be funding governance and shared services, and Mission & Service donations will be funding purely mission and ministry. We are continuing to keep decisions about the funding of local mission and ministry in local hands, so that regions will be deciding what mission and ministry will be funded in that region, and by that region. We are focusing on finding and trying out new models of being church by funding innovation in congregations through Mission & Service programs such as Embracing the Spirit, the New Ministries Fund, Edge, and the granting programs of The United Church of Canada Foundation. These changes will support the capacity for Mission & Service donations to continue to provide core funding to so much great work that s been going on across Canada and around the world. 58 The United Church of Canada

69 Advent 4 December 22 Healing and Teaching Rhonda Johns, Program Coordinator of Nations Uniting on the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation in Ohsweken, Ontario, engages with a lot of seniors, many of whom are residential school survivors, and with youth who don t know who they are and where they belong. Observing this intergenerational dynamic, she realized that many on the reserve needed to experience healing. She asked herself what she could do. The answer came to her in the form of the Reclaiming Our Path program. It helps youth and young adults understand who they are and how behaviours learned from the families raising them, peers, and the community, impact who they are. Using an Indigenous framework and traditional teachings, individuals and families now have an opportunity to reframe who they are and begin to walk a new path toward a future of hope. Reclaiming Our Path is a way to create healthy future leaders. Photos for every Minute are available online at Minutes for Mission

70 December 29 Christmas 1 People in Partnership Companion video available Our gifts for Mission & Service offer people of The United Church of Canada an opportunity to visit our global partners through the People in Partnership program. An opportunity to come and see our Mission & Service global partners can deepen our understanding of what it means to be in partnership. The People in Partnership program goes deeper, combining the experience of what we are called to be as a United Church and how we are to live out the greatest commandment of loving one another and loving our neighbours through a program of conversation and integration. Those who have gone on one of the come and see experiences have come back changed. The experiences offer a way to see the world with new eyes and a transformed heart. The result is a life-changing view of the world and Mission & Service as the heart and soul of The United Church of Canada. Opportunities for short-term and longer-term experiences are available. To learn more, visit People in Partnership on The United Church of Canada website, 60 The United Church of Canada

71 Coming in early 2019 Called to Be the Church CONGREGATIONAL GIVING PROGRAM Start your congregation s giving program today! This kit gives you everything you need to enliven generosity and giving. Start using the worship and educational resources for the next five Sundays. Every congregation will receive a copy in the mail by Frebruary. Everything related to Called to Be the Church is available on stewardshiptoolkit.ca Visit often we add new resources regularly! The United Church of Canada L Église Unie du Canada called@united-church.ca Mission & Service

72 Thank you for your gifts for Mission & Service! Our gifts make a better world possible and bring hope for the future. Together, we support global partnerships, community outreach, and human rights across Canada and around the world! The Mission & Service of The United Church of Canada The United Church of Canada L Église Unie du Canada stewardship@united-church.ca CH11062