Here from the Beginning: exhibit launch and celebration
Sunday July 27 at 3:30 PM
Pilgrim United Church, 9008 135 Ave NW, Edmonton.
Plus, exhibit travel and grassroots hosting across Canada; and ongoing story collection
Edmonton and area, and all people who happen to be in the city: you are invited to the launch of the Here From the Beginning exhibit at Pilgrim United Church. Come out for this joyful launch to honour Black histories within the United Church, and to honour Emancipation Day (Aug 1), which commemorates the abolition of enslavement in Canada. The exhibit will be at Pilgrim United between July 27 and August 4 (ish). Please see and share the invitation at this link.
The exhibit of United Church history will go to to Calgary as part of General Council 45, and then journeys to Newfoundland to start its long journey across Canada.
As it travels, the project will continue to gather stories of Black people in the United Church; these are stories you can help identify and prepare. This callout for story-finding is for everyone. Have a look at Here from the Beginning for more information.
News from the United Church of Canada
Action for Gaza from the national church and ecumenical partners
United Church people, including those fasting, are encouraged to phone their MP’s Parliamentary or Constituency office every day for 40 days. At the heart of this is a call for Canada to impose comprehensive sanctions on the Israel government, as non-violent means of applying pressure on Israel to cease its bombing and its deliberate withholding of desperately needed food and medical aid. The action calls for an embargo all trade with Israel until it ends the genocide in Gaza and its military occupation; and for placing diplomatic, economic and political sanctions on the Israeli government. There is the full action call from the national church. Mennonites, the KAIROS ecumenical coalition, and others, are participating in similar calls, as the already unspeakable circumstances in Gaza continue to worsen, and starvation deaths climb.
In early July we will have a new resource: a video of the excellent panel on why aid isn’t getting into Gaza. We were blessed to have passionate experts describe the on the ground situation and wider context, and respond to many good questions. It will be posted on the Living Skies YouTube channel.
2025 Northern Pastors Retreat
Right now, wildfires are once again sweeping across parts of Canada. In northern and remote communities, the sense of unease is ongoing.
In northern Manitoba alone, nearly 17,500 people were forced to evacuate from First Nations communities as smoke thickened and roads closed. While the provincial state of emergency has been lifted, there is uncertainty as communities return to their homes.
But for many ministers in these regions, the wildfires are one more layer in an already heavy load. That’s why the 2025 Ministers Retreat is urgently needed. Supported by your gifts through Mission and Service, this retreat offers something that is truly impactful: rest, healing, learning, connection, and a reminder that they are not alone. It’s a time to breathe deeply, share openly, and to be strengthened for the road ahead. Donations are accepted here.
- Here from the Beginning: exhibit launch and celebration
Sunday July 27 at 3:30 PM,
Pilgrim United Church, 9008 135 Ave NW, Edmonton.
Plus, exhibit travel and grassroots hosting across Canada; and ongoing story collectionEdmonton and area, and all people who happen to be in the city: you are invited to the launch of the Here From the Beginning exhibit at Pilgrim United Church. Come out for this joyful launch to honour Black histories within the United Church, and to honour Emancipation Day (Aug 1), which commemorates the abolition of enslavement in Canada. The exhibit will be at Pilgrim United between July 27 and August 4 (ish). Please see and share the invitation at this link.
https://northernspiritrc.ca/event/launch-here-from-the-beginning-exhibit/
The exhibit of United Church history will go to to Calgary as part of General Council 45, and then journeys to Newfoundland to start its long journey across Canada.
As it travels, the project will continue to gather stories of Black people in the United Church; these are stories you can help identify and prepare. This callout for story-finding is for everyone. Have a look at Here from the Beginning for more information.