Minutes for Mission 20161
Minutes for Mission 2016
…bringing out the God-colours in the world
Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.
Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives.
—Matthew 5:13–16a (The Message)
Contents
Mission and Service at a Glance
Message from the Editor
Los Quinchos
People Helping People
A Safe Place
Healing in a Nuclear Zone
Keeping the Clock of Life Ticking
Beloved Community
Lenten Prayers
Bread Not Stones
South Asian Shrimp Industry
A Safe Haven
A Way Forward
Romero Remembered
The Stones Cry Out
Bearing the Brunt in Gaza
Syrian Refugees
A Message of Hope
Farming Partnership
Heaven among the Stars, Trees, and Lakes!
Ecumenical Chaplaincy
A Call for Peace and Prayer
Mino-o-dapin Means Welcome: Alderville First Nation
Heart Gardens
Music in Our Lives!
Mission & Service: With Thanks
Interfaith Peacemakers
Whole Life Ministry
A Safe Place under the Rainbow
Thank You to Our Ministers
Mutuality in Ministry
Youth at the Crossroads
Maritime Conference Becomes Affirming!
We Become Family at Camp!
Sharing an Overseas Heart
Fighting to Get Back to the Sea
Shirley Goodness and Friends
There Is Hope!
A Fertile Ground for Learning
Toward Sustainable Agriculture
Uniting Hands for Life
Communicating with Sign
Typhoon Haiyan
Overwhelmed with Gratitude!
Making Dreams Come True
Daring to Imagine Peace
Faithful Decisions
Engaged Citizenship
Rewriting the Story
Conference-Wide Confirmation Retreat
Advent Candle-Lighting Liturgy
Ministry of Presence
Doctor, Missionary: Florence Murray
Polity in Action
Servant Leadership
We Are Pilgrims on a Journey!
Index
Global Mission and Service 1, 4, 5, 6, 10, 13, 15, 16, 18, 21, 26, 30, 34, 35, 37, 39, 40, 42, 44, 45, 54, 56
Canadian Community and Justice Work 3, 11, 17, 33, 41, 46, 47, 53
Theological Education and Ministry Support 20, 29, 38, 55
Faith Formation 2, 6 , 9 , 14, 19, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 31, 32, 33, 36, 41, 43, 48, 49, 57
Support to Local Ministries 12, 22, 23, 27, 29, 31, 46
Conference Leadership 29, 31, 32, 43, 46
Stories with companion videos1, 2, 3, 4, 12, 15, 16, 17, 19, 24, 27, 31, 33, 34, 35, 37, 39, 43, 55, 56, 57
View at or download from
Minutes in French (online only). Une minute pour la mission : récits (en ligne seulement)2, 16, 17, 21, 25, 42, 43, 44, 46, 48, 55
Visitez le site
Mission and Service at a Glance
Forecasted 2015 Mission and Service Revenues and Expenditures ($29.8 Million)
REVENUE CIRCLE: $29.8 MILLION
Mission & Service Donations: $26.3 Million
●Annual giving for Mission & Service from congregations, UCW, and individuals
●Giving through wills and other planned giving for Mission & Service: bequests and life insurance gifts
●Annual giving for Mission & Service comes from and through The United Church of Canada Foundation
Other Revenue: $3.5 Million
●Additional revenue is designated for specific Mission & Service partners and programs.
●Other revenue sources include investment income, retail sales, draw down of capital reserves, additional donated revenue, and government co-financing.
Draws on capital reserves are used to fund governance and help balance the budget.
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 become a signatory to the United Nations’ Principles of Responsible Investment.
1. Global Mission and Service: 18.5% of Mission & Service funds
Peace and justice work undertaken in cooperation with a range of global partners in the regions of Africa and the Middle East, Asia, and the Caribbean and Latin America
2. Community and Justice Work: 13.0% of Mission & Service funds
Supporting community and justice ministries, engaging marginalized communities, and seeking right relationships across Canada; includes the caring work of hospital and university chaplains, the Aboriginal Healing Fund, programs related to Indigenous justice and right relations, and support for Canadian ecumenical partners
3. Theological Education and Ministry Support: 8.7% of Mission & Service funds
Funding for seven theological schools and two education centres, training for lay leadership, educating ordained and diaconal clergy, and providing student education bursaries
4. Faith Formation: 26.2% of Mission & Service funds
Ministries with children and youth and young adults, the work of the Aboriginal Ministries Circle, as well as stewardship, and intercultural and diverse ministries
5. Support to Local Ministries: 20.9% of Mission & Service funds
Supplying core operational funding to congregations where required, pastoral relations support, providing grants and capital funding, and sharing resources and expertise with local ministries and networks to address important issues
6. Conference Leadership: 12.7% of Mission & Service funds
Funding to support Conference staff as they provide leadership and resources to presbyteries, ministry personnel, and local ministries
For more information on Mission Service, see
Mission and Service program:
Message from the Editor
You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world.
—Matthew 5:14 (The Message)
This edition of Minutes for Mission explores this passage from Matthew. The mission and ministry that we enable with our gifts for Mission & Service confirm that, indeed, we are here to celebrate the diversity of who we are as God’s people, a diversity found in each congregation, community ministry, education centre, and global partner.
God calls us to reflect God’s colours in the world by being God’s peace, joy, love, and hope. Mission & Service is the heart and soul of this United Church of ours, where we come together in loving partnership in Canada and in other parts of the world.
The inspiring stories contained in this booklet from the six program areas of the Mission & Service narrative budget illustrate ways we are called to share our God-colours with the world. These living stories of heart and soul shine brightly, offering ways of love, peace, and community, because what we do together as the people of The United Church of Canada is generously support Mission & Service.
We pray in thanksgiving:
Mighty and tender God,
We offer ourselves, heart and soul, to the world.
You, Loving God, call us to be your colours in the world.
We are called to walk with each other,
to talk in faith, and to share in love.
Guide us, so that we may be able to shine brightly in the world.
Amen
Blessings,
Cheryl Curtis
Mission Service Engagement Coordinator
January 3Global Mission & Service
Los Quinchos
Since the early 1990s, Mission & Service has partnered with Los Quinchos School in Managua, Nicaragua. Los Quinchos strives to rehabilitate and reintegrate street children through a wholistic, educational approach.
Mission & Service goes to support the ongoing quality breakfast and lunch program that is a significant contribution to children’s nutrition in the San Judas barrio.
About 900 students were expected to register in the day program this year. Three hundred of them receive full scholarships. Other primary students pay 20 córdobas per month (about $1); secondary students pay 85 córdobas (about $4). Afternoon students pay a higher fee (300 córdobas, or $15), which subsidizes other activities, such as additional staff, water, security, electricity, and so on. Salaries for 35 of the 45 teaching staff are paid by the government.
A number of United Church groups have visited Los Quinchos to see firsthand all the wonderful work our partner is able to achieve through our gifts for Mission & Service. Principal Luis Fariñas celebrates the arrival of these groups as a way to celebrate the partnership.
We are thankful for our Mission & Service gifts that support the ministry of the Los Quinchos School, which feeds and supports street children in Nicaragua’s capital city, Managua!
Please join me in making Mission & Service giving a regular part of your life of faith.
Loving God, we are called to be your colours in the world, to walk with each other,
to share in love through our gifts for Mission & Service.
Guide us to shine brightly in the world. Amen
[Matched with a companion video. View at youtube.com/unitedchurchofcanada, or download from
January 10Faith Formation
People Helping People
The Four Men are a quartet who enjoy singing together and are passionate about the Mission & Service of The United Church of Canada. The Four Men are Michael Downie, Mervin Fick, George Kopulas, and Brian McIntosh.
The quartet sings music inspired by groups such The Canadian Tenors and Il Divo. They perform at churches as fundraisers for those churches’ Mission & Service giving programs.
The Four Men are passionate about connecting people to Mission & Service and sharing the good news of what Mission & Service does in Canada and other parts of the world in partnership.
To date The Four Men have raised $43,000, $25,000 of which has been for Mission & Service.
In December 2014, the group released their first CD, Inspired, with $15 of the $20 price going to Mission & Service.
Verena von Stritzky, manager of the group, says that Mission & Service is very important to the group: “It is all about people helping people. It is what we are meant to do!”
We are truly thankful to The Four Men for their Mission & Service heart. The funds they have raised help many people help other people in loving partnership! Thank you for the music!
Please join me in making Mission & Service giving a regular part of your life of faith.
Loving God, we are called to be your colours in the world, to walk with each other,
to share in love through our gifts for Mission & Service.
Guide us to shine brightly in the world. Amen
[Matched with a companion video. View at youtube.com/unitedchurchofcanada, or download from
Available in French (online only)/disponible en français (en ligne seulement). Visit Visitez le site
January 17Community and Justice Work
A Safe Place
Western University United Church chaplain the Rev. Karen Low is passionate about what she does. At a recent London Conference annual meeting, Karen shared the story of a student named Nick who is transgender and had been shunned by his family. Nick heard about Western Chaplaincy from a friend who was worried about him and thought perhaps Karen could help him. Before Nick ended up at Karen’s office door, he had contemplated ending his life. Through the support of chaplains like Karen, Nick is looking forward to the future as a graduate student.
The United Church of Canada has chaplains in 21 universities across Canada. Mission & Service supports chaplains, who are able to offer a safe place for students to ask questions about their faith, their sexual orientation, and their identity knowing their questions will be answered without judgment. We are thankful for the work of chaplains, who often see students through their bleakest moments, supporting them so they can move forward with their lives and education.
Thank you for your gifts for Mission & Service that support the important work of chaplaincy.
Please join me in making Mission & Service giving a regular part of your life of faith.
Loving God, we are called to be your colours in the world, to walk with each other,
to share in love through our gifts for Mission & Service.
Guide us to shine brightly in the world. Amen
[Matched with a companion video. View at youtube.com/unitedchurchofcanada, or download from
January 24Global Mission Service
Healing in a Nuclear Zone
The nuclear plant in Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, India is making people sick in the surrounding villages up to 50 km away, Dr. Pugazhendhi believes. India’s Atomic Energy Department says the radiation levels are too low to cause any ill effects, but the doctor argues that there is no safe limit.
He cites three different studies that found that the rates of cancer and autoimmune diseases were higher in the area, at rates that are statistically significant. In and around Kalpakkam, the rate of thyroid disease is 5 times higher than that in more distant villages, the rate of cancer 7 times higher, and the rate of developmental challenges 11 times higher.
Sangeetha, 32 years old, and her two children, ages 11 and 8, are three of the faces of those statistics. Her husband died suddenly of cancer at the age of 36 after the family’s savings were decimated for his treatment.
Lavanya, a 17-year-old girl with severe mental challenges, is another example. Her father works in the nuclear plant. Lavanya was born healthy before having seizures a few days after birth, resulting in abnormal brain growth.
Human Rights Advocacy and Research Foundation helps families like Sangeetha’s find work, pay school fees, and arrange childcare. HRAF also supports Dr. Pugazhendhi’s local health clinic and helps pay medical costs for children like Lavanya.
We are thankful our gifts for Mission & Service support this work.
Please join me in making Mission & Service giving a regular part of your life of faith.
Loving God, we are called to be your colours in the world, to walk with each other,
to share in love through our gifts for Mission & Service.
Guide us to shine brightly in the world. Amen
[Matched with a companion video. View at youtube.com/unitedchurchofcanada, or download from
January 31Global Mission & Service
Keeping the Clock of Life Ticking
At the end of 2015, thanks to support from United Church Women, Mission & Service partner Morogoro Women’s Training Centre had provided maternal health worker training to over 500 women working as traditional birth attendants, or midwives, across Tanzania. Collaborating with the Tanzanian Ministry of Health, this program is part of a national objective to reduce mother and infant deaths in Tanzania.
The training builds on existing skills and expertise for women already working as traditional birth attendants. For many it is their first formal training. Some learned their skills from mothers, aunts, and grandmothers, and many others through lived experience. All are deeply committed to caring for mothers and infants and improving the outcomes of deliveries.
One of the women, Molen Abdul, has been delivering babies in her village for more than 47 years. During that time she has encountered many challenges and is happy to learn more about how to manage potential crises for the benefit of mother and child. Molen says, “This is very important to me. It is like it keeps the clock of life ticking.”
Norah Robert Mallya has helped deliver babies in buses, churches, and all the surrounding villages. She is happy to have received training that will improve her skills and knowledge.
We are thankful for our gifts for Mission & Service that support our partners to make a real difference in the lives of women and children in Tanzania.
Please join me in making Mission & Service giving a regular part of your life of faith.
Loving God, we are called to be your colours in the world, to walk with each other,
to share in love through our gifts for Mission & Service.
Guide us to shine brightly in the world. Amen
February 7Faith Formation, Global Mission Service
Beloved Community
How can we better understand cultural difference? How can we gain tools and attitudes for ministry in culturally diverse settings? How do we look at our own power and privilege?
Some United Church people have been exploring these questions and more through the Deepening Understanding for Intercultural Ministry program. This six-day workshop offered by our ecumenical partner, Canadian Churches’ Forum, offers practical ideas and is ideal for Christian ministry leaders. The United Church works with Forum staff to shape the content, and United Church members receive some financial subsidies to attend. Each participant leaves with the commitment to lead an intercultural project in their own community.
One past participant shared that “I grew in self-awareness and grew in my capacity to be in right relationship with God’s people.” Another reflected that the program was an “essential foundation for beginning to grasp the inherent complexities of who we are, who we are called to be, and how we are called to join each other in true Beloved Community.” Many note that the program is a transformative experience.
United Church staff continue to connect and support participants after the event as they do follow-up work. After returning home, the energized participants are leading workshops, networking, and organizing gatherings in their regions; some are exploring intercultural worship in their local communities of faith. The result is fuller participation of the rainbow people of God in church life.