Partnering Beyond our Borders: Hope and Justice in Cuba

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“Si no somos parte de la solución, somos parte del problema” = “If we are not part of the solution, we are part of the problem”

This is the motto of the Christian Centre for Reflection and Dialogue-Cuba (Centro Cristiano de Reflexión y Dialogo) in Cardenas, Cuba. The “reflection and dialogue” in and with the community always precedes CCRD’s outreach action. The United Church of Canada, through Mission and Service, has been in partnership with CCRD-Cuba for over 25 years. We have a lovely opportunity for learning: Juan and Yenia, leaders at CCRD, will be in Sudbury in late April and are excited to share their work and advocacy. Among other areas, the outreach of CCRD includes medical services and training, ecoagriculture initiatives, food delivery to seniors and other vulnerable people, life-skills training, pastoral gatherings, arts workshops, and work with children and youth. A small team from Lively (PIP, Pilgrims in Partnership) visited CCRD last year and you’ll also hear some of their enthusiastic response to CCRD’s work. Donations will be gratefully received towards specific medical supplies that are difficult to resource in Cuba. The modern face of “mission” involves our willingness to listen to and learn from those with whom we partner, so come with your curiosity.

April 27, 2025

Grace United Church, 1520 Bancroft Drive, Sudbury

Doors open 6 p.m. presentation 6:30 p.m.

Light refreshments will be servied.

Lenten Study: Something Sacred

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During Lent this year many communities of faith in the Canadian Shield Region are participating in a study of Something Sacred.

This resource examines the power that what we sing together has to change us and explores how the power of music can deepen our connection to God and form us as disciples of Christ. For many, music is a ubiquitous presence in our lives. The study also asks What music do you hope will be sung in churches generations from now? What music helps you become the follower of Christ you hope to be?

Alydia Smith has agreed to lead a discussion on these topics on via Zoom. This session is open to everyone – it is not necessary for you to be participating in a study or to be familiar with the resource.

Monday, March 31st, at 6:30 p.m.

Welcome: Extending our Understanding

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Rev. Dr. Miriam Spies and Rev. Dr. Laurie Stevenson will share their recent doctoral research. Miriam Spies is an ordained minister in The United Church of Canada. She is a crip and queer theologian who finds conversations between theology and disability and/or crip studies rich. Miriam defended her PhD thesis, “A Crip Incarnational Model of Ministry” at Emmanuel College, Toronto School of Theology and is graduating in Spring 2025.

As an ordained United Church minister with over 25 years of experience in congregational ministry and as a mother to a child with complex mental illness, Laurie Stevenson’s Doctor of Ministry research explores the intersection of mental illness, stigma and faith within United Church congregations.   Drawing from personal and professional perspectives, her study seeks to uncover the experiences shaping the faith of family members with loved ones with mental illness and recommend strategies for enhancing church environments to foster better listening and support. She successfully defended her thesis in September of this year at Emmanuel College, Toronto School of Theology and is graduating in Spring 2025.

Please join MILC to hear these two wonderful speakers.

Monday, March 3rd @ 6:30pm via Zoom.

Communicating Impact: Narrative Budgets and Storytelling at your AGM

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Ready to change how we talk about church finances?Join us for a webinar that will transform your congregation’s approach to financial storytelling and stewardship at your next AGM.

Date: Monday, January 27, 2025 

Time: 6:30 pm

Register

What You’ll Gain:

  • Purposeful Storytelling: Learn the art of linking your congregation’s finances directly to its mission—turn numbers into narratives that resonate.
  • Effective Tools: Dive into narrative budgets, a key method for demystifying financial data and aligning it with your church’s vision and values.
  • Boost Stewardship: Learn to highlight the real-world impact of contributions, boosting commitment and generosity across your community of faith.
  • Practical Takeaways: Expect hands-on examples, lively discussions, and engaging visuals to help bring your financial stories to life.

Who Should Join:

  • Church leaders, treasurers, and anyone involved in AGM preparation
  • Individuals keen on advancing their church’s stewardship practices

Presenter: Melody Duncanson-Hales, United Church of Canada stewardship support staff for Canadian Shield and Shining Waters Regional Councils.

Advent Longing: An online small group study for Advent

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What are you longing for? Join us for a three-week Advent Small Group Study about how we can use Longing as a spiritual gift and bring Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love to the world in practical ways.

The Canadian Shield Regional Council is offering the opportunity for individuals to access an Advent Small Group Study created by the Prayer Bench entitled Advent Longing. The Manitou Intentional Learning Community is delighted to announce that Rev. Dr. Shawn Redden has agreed to facilitate this three-session study online via Zoom.

From the Prayer Bench publisher website:

“This Advent Small Group Study invites participants to nurture longing as a powerful spiritual gift through an imaginative pilgrimage in an old-growth forest. It encourages us to notice longing in our ordinary days, recognize its gifts during times of desolation and reclamation, and welcome “thin spaces”—those moments of connection, support, and hope. In the context of a planetary crisis, we explore how to activate Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love in the world God loves.” 

*** Please note that this event has unfortunately been cancelled.

MILC Annual General Meeting 2024

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Please join MILC for the Annual General Meeting followed a presentation by guest speaker Rev. Dr. Shawn Redden. Reimagining Our Baptismal Promises in a Post-Pandemic Church

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the kindom of God belongs…. Receive the kindom of God like one of these… And Jesus took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.” (Mark 10:13-16)

In the presentation, Reimagining Our Baptismal Promises in a Post-Pandemic Church, Rev. Dr. Shawn Redden discusses how at Baptism, our congregations make a promise to provide spiritual nurture and faith formation for children and all persons welcomed into the Community of Faith. In this talk, Rev. Redden will help us investigate how we honour our baptismal promise in a post-pandemic church when fewer of us can offer traditional Sunday School. We will consider what innovations in faith formation and spiritual nurture we are being called to imagine into reality. Perhaps there is an opportunity in this new era of being Church for us to nurture the ‘child’ in each of us.

Join us Wednesday, November 6th, 2024 @ 6:30pm

St. Peter’s United Church or online via Zoom

Housing and Homelessness: Stories, Stereotypes and Strategies for Advocacy

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Rev. Susan Eagle joins MILC for a talk on Housing and Homelessness where she will draw upon her experience in advocacy work to speak about the underlying issues that contribute to homelessness, strategies for addressing stereotyping and offer advice on doing advocacy work in the church to address the housing crisis. 

Rev. Dr. Susan Eagle currently serves with Grace United Church in Barrie. She is well known for her work with sole support parents, the working poor, persons on social assistance and newcomers to Canada. Susan was awarded the Canada 125 medal in 1993, the Queens Jubilee medal in 2013 and an honorary doctorate in divinity by Victoria University in 2011, all for her work with the vulnerable. In 2010, she was inducted into London’s Newsmakers Hall of Fame and honoured with a public tribute for her leadership in the development of the City of London’s homelessness and affordable housing policy.

There will be opportunities for questions and discussion. Please join us.

Wednesday, October 23rd at 6:30 pm via Zoom

Register

Growth? What are we thinking?

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In a world constantly striving for growth, have you ever stopped what we mean by growth? Manitou Intentional Learning Community invites you to an online conversation with Rev. Calin Lau, Tuesday, April 9th at 7 PM. Join us on an exploration of church growth, revitalization, and renewal. This session isn’t just about listening; it’s an invitation to dialogue, to question, and to discover together.

What does growth mean to you? What kind of ‘growth’ do our communities genuinely need? These questions and more will be the fuel for our discussion, guided by the insightful Rev. Calin Lau, the United Church of Canada Growth Animator for Central and Northern Ontario. Rev. Lau brings a wealth of diverse experiences and a deep passion for nurturing faith communities. From his early days as a teacher and preacher in Hong Kong to his impactful ministries and experiences in Canada, his journey is one of faith, resilience, and dedication to growth in its most holistic sense. Rev. Lau’s contributions span across various initiatives, including Racial Justice workshops, planning for emerging faith communities, and projects like the Living Presence Ministry and Hong Kong Newcomers. His approach to growth is not just about numbers; it’s about encouraging communities to take risks, stay connected, and foster environments where faith can flourish in the most inviting and interconnected ways.

Rev. Lau

As Rev. Lau steps into his role within the Canadian Shield and Shining Waters Regional Councils, he aims to infuse his work with insight, passion, optimism, and curiosity. This event is a unique opportunity to tap into that vision, to share your thoughts, and to engage in meaningful dialogue about the future of our faith communities.

Don’t miss out on this compelling conversation. What are your questions about church growth? Come prepared to explore, to challenge, and to be inspired.

Tuesday, April 9th at 7 PM via Zoom

Register

Let’s embark on this journey together, seeking the growth we need, not just the growth we’ve come to expect.