Good Friday 2021
Worship Resources
As you begin to plan your Good Friday worship service, here are some materials for you to consider. The issue of homelessness is very important to the work of the Social & Ecological Justice Commission. Taking these words from a Simcoe County Kairos 2018 Good Friday Walk for Justice, they echo the call we feel as a commission to address homelessness in our communities:
As Jesus stood against the domination systems of his time, so we acknowledge those who are poor, vulnerable, marginalized, voiceless and exploited by the systems of our time. Good Friday is traditionally associated with the suffering of Jesus and so we recognize the suffering of the people with whom Jesus identified so strongly.
Where do you see crucifixion in your community? Where do you see hope?
(Image: Jesus in the Bread Line by German artist Fritz Eichenberg)
Videos
This short video clip was recorded for the Shining Waters Regional Council’s Social and Ecological Justice Commission’s Good Friday Resources. It is a conversation with Rev. Evan Smith, Minister to Toronto Urban Native Ministries.
The following is a conversation with Community Minister, Tina Conlon, for Davenport Perth Community Ministries. For the Social and Ecological Justice Commission’s Good Friday Worship Resources.
A short video of the sculpture, ‘Whatsoever You Do’ by Timothy Schmalz, outside of St. Stephen-In-The-Field in Downtown Toronto.
This video is of Barry Rieder, the Community Minister for Jane and Finch Community Ministries, speaking about his work and the community he serves and where he sees the cross within the community that he serves.
Coming soon.
United Church of Canada Housing Charter
We have committed ourselves internationally as a Canadian nation to upholding fundamental rights and freedoms. In the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (December 1948), we specifically committed ourselves to the belief that “everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health of himself and his family, including food, clothing, housing, medical care and necessary social services and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.” (Article 25) Adequate, affordable shelter is an important aspect of ensuring quality of life and provision of basic need.
All Residents of Canada:
- Shall be entitled to an adequate standard of living to ensure healthy physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and social development and a good quality of life.
- Shall be entitled to safe, affordable housing, which reflects the normal standard of their community, is provided in a timely fashion and shall be appropriate to family size.
- Shall be entitled to participate in decisions about assessment of need and housing location.
- Shall be entitled to accessible and supportive housing as there is need.
- Shall be entitled to emergency housing and shelter in the event of housing crisis or homelessness, recognizing that this is only a temporary measure.
- Shall be entitled to basic social service or welfare income that will provide adequate cost of safe affordable housing.
- Have the right to be served by governments which acknowledge their responsibility to improve the health and well-being of all Canadians and work co-operatively to ensure adequate and suitable funding for housing.
The foregoing rights shall apply to all Canadians without discrimination according to race, colour, sex, sexual orientation, ability/disability, ethnic origin, language, region, property or class, religion or any other distinction. This may entail the use of affirmative action or equity programs in order to redress situations of special individual, community or regional disadvantage.
Approved by the 37th General Council of the United Church of Canada, August 2000.