Intercultural Diversity Commission
At its meeting on February 24th, the Executive adopted the draft policy of the Intercultural Diversity Commission to be added to the Regional Council governance structure. The Nominations Committee will now work on populating the Commission. The Commission membership allows for a Chair and 6 to 12 members to allow for some regional representation, ethnic/cultural diversity, with a balance of ministry personnel and laity. Members should have experience in anti-racism and cultural diversity in the church, and have a passion for this work.
Affirming Ministry Celebration – March 14th, 2 p.m.
Shining Waters Regional Council is delighted to invite you to our upcoming Celebration of Being an Affirming Ministry on Sunday, March 14th at 2 p.m. Homilist will be Rev. Michael Blair, General Secretary of The United Church of Canada, and guest musician will be Moon Joyce. The service will be live-streamed on YouTube and the link will be available here.
Celebration of Ministries Service
The Shining Waters Celebration of Ministries Service will be held on Sunday, May 30th. It will be held online and will celebrate the recognition, admission, commissioning and ordination of Candidates and Designated Lay Ministers. We will also be celebrating jubilands and retirees for the year and lifting up any congregations that have closed and/or amalgamated.
Regional Council Meetings
Shining Waters will have a virtual regional meeting on Saturday, November 13, 2021 to include items such as budget, and will plan a more substantial in-person regional meeting for the spring of 2022.
General Council Commissioners
The General Council will meet July 22 – 26, 2022. The General Council Executive has asked regions to elect their commissioners by June 2021. Shining Waters Nominations Committee has prepared a process for the election of General Council Commissioners and is working on recruitment and discernment. The Committee is also recommending that the regional council be convened for an evening meeting in late May or early June to elect the General Council commissioners.
Communities of Faith Commission
The Communities of Faith Commission is working on updating its policies, in particular to reflect a commitment to maintaining buildings that are strategically important, while also freeing up resources to support ministry in other ways. Resources embedded in buildings are critical to our future as a region and as a church, and we have a fiduciary responsibility to manage this. The Communities of Faith Commission may consult with the United Property Resource Corporation and/or Toronto United Church Council before making any decisions or recommendations to the Executive regarding property. As we live into this new structure, we seek creative ways for our buildings to support the congregations they house, the communities they serve and other important ministries within the region.
Another change is that leases coming to the commission for approval need to have been reviewed by a lawyer. The newly updated policies will be available shortly on the regional website.
Social & Ecological Justice Commission
The Social & Ecological Justice Commission is creating worship material for Good Friday around the theme of homelessness. These materials will include liturgies and video clips and will be available by mid-March.
Along with the General Council Office, the Commission is inviting communities of faith to participate in onsite as well as online vigils in support of Guaranteed Livable Income on April 8th. Onsite gatherings are suggested to take place outside the offices of local MPPs. Those willing to help organize a vigil are invited to join the national organizing Zoom call on March 18th at 2pm. For more information, please contact Commission chair Susan Eagle: eagle.susan@ymail.com.
General Council Cross-Country Prayer for Lent – March 9th, 1 p.m.
Last year the Faith Formation Group of General Council made a commitment to gather from Region to Region each Tuesday of Lent, naming each ministry personnel, and staff member in prayer. This Tuesday, March 9, 2021 from 1:00 to 1:45 p.m., the Zoom gathering will be dedicated to the Shining Waters and Canadian Shield Regional Councils. The Faith Formation Group hopes you can join them!
do justice. the podcast
Part social commentary, part spiritual reflection, part biblical study and part prayers for an aching world, do justice. the podcast examines the intersection of faith and the secular through a faith-based, social justice lens. Throughout the season of Lent, it is featuring a special series called Contagious Hope, created especially for Lenten reflection by the Rev. Alexa Gilmour from Windemere United Church. On this third week of Lent, Rev. Alexa speaks with Saima Mafat and Hanan Baalbaki from Nisa Homes. Saima and Hanan support Muslim women and children seeking safety from intimate partner violence across Canada. Contagious Hope was created with assistance from the McGeachey Senior Scholarship, administered by The United Church of Canada Foundation. The series is edited by Peter Restivo. For feedback, please email gilmouralexa@gmail.com
Listen & subscribe to do justice. on your favourite podcast streaming service; Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Simplecas