1. Living Skies Regional Council News:
“Re-opening” discernment and practices resource
From the national church: An important three-part resource on "re-opening" discernment and practices. Thank you to the many people involved in thinking carefully about the many practical, spiritual, and ethical complexities of these decisions. As always, we are expected to keep ourselves up to date on provincial, territorial, and local health authority updates and restrictions when making decisions. Please also see Executive Minister Shannon McCarthy’s letter on this important conversation.
Please share widely and use the link only. It's expected that information at this link will continue to be updated and added to, and the date on the page will change to reflect this. The link itself will remain the same. The “re-opening” link again: https://www.united-church.ca/community-faith/being-community/reopening-churches-during-covid-19
Message from the Regional Council: “re-opening”
Our Regional Council’s leadership offers a letter of support, caution, and reminder as Saskatchewan begins to re-open some parts of public life. Please share widely.
Regional check in and support meetings:
Tri-Region Leadership Wednesday evening meeting:
Wednesday, May 27 Topic: Questions and answers for re-opening your churches in Living Skies.
In anticipation of the gathering, Julie Graham and Tracy Murton prepared a discernment document with a series of questions that we will be reviewing as part of our time together. If you are interested in reviewing the DRAFT document in advance, you can find it here: https://livingskiesrc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/DiscerningRe-openingTogether-Living-SkiesRC-UCC.pdf
Please share this note with your board chair, ministry personnel or anyone who wants to be involved in the conversation. 6:30PM in SK. Meeting link: https://united-church.zoom.us/j/92436034028 ; Toll-free 1-855-703-8985 Meeting ID: 924 3603 4028 (Do not post this link on social media or your congregational website, please. Share it by email.)
For June we will gather as needed (rather than weekly) as the situation continues to evolve. Watch the Rambler and Facebook for invitations! Have an idea for a gathering topic? We need to hear from you. Please email your regional council office at livingskies@united-church.ca
Living Skies Ministry Personnel Check-ins
The Regional Council will continue with Tuesday ministry personnel check ins that are Region-specific. Living Skies meets at 1:00PM https://united-church.zoom.us/j/93318495166 The meeting ID you’ll need is the number that’s in the link above. Toll free number for everyone who has limited connectivity: 1-855-703-8985 PLEASE NOTE: please arrive on Time The meeting may be locked for security purposes five to ten minutes after the start.
Moderator’s letter: “Seize the Moment” for a Universal Basic Income in Canada
Moderator Richard Bott is calling on the Canadian government to “seize the moment” offered by COVID-19 pandemic relief programs and move forward with developing and implementing a Universal Basic Income (UBI) program. A UBI program would help provide an adequate living level for everyone and address the persistent inequities within our country. Here’s the article, the Moderator’s full letter, and a related action invitation for congregations from Westworth United Church in Winnipeg.
Temporary Pastoral Charge Supervisor
As Communities of Faith engage conversations regarding re-opening, there continue to be places where a Pastoral Charge Supervisor is required. The role of the Pastoral Charge Supervisor is to walk with a community of faith advising on United Church of Canada policy and polity, and providing the necessary requirement for quorum for meetings of the governing body. In ordinary times, an appointment as a pastoral charge supervisor is made with an unspecified end date (or until ministry personnel is called or appointed). Given that all governing body gatherings are happening remotely (by conference call or online), it would be possible to participate in a time-limited manner to help governing bodies in these important times of discernment and assessment. If you are able to serve in a time-limited fashion (just for a meeting or two), please contact Tracy Murton tmurton@united-church.ca to discern where your skills and gifts might be best used in our Regional Council.
Voices for restorative justice resource
Our Mission and Service givings support a number of SK ministries and groups that support those in prison and leaving prison. Parkland Restorative Justice and the Micah Mission joined the Mennonite Central Committee SK to talk about hard questions related to support for prisoners in this time, and the hope held out for survivors and perpetrators by restorative justice and relationship. See this free webinar here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/13R1PsJjVJs0dVnMMCQUB40yA1hXQn09o/view
Parkland also welcomes those who want to write to, and receive letters from, those currently in prison. Please see full information here.
Groups concerned about low levels of SK government funding for emergency housing in COVID
Community and street outreach organizations across the province have expressed deep concern about the province’s very low level of funding for emergency and transitional shelter in the midst of the COVID crisis. The province set only $171,000 aside for services in ten communities. By contrast, if SK were to fund emergency shelter at the same level per capita as Alberta, it would have offered $9 million to authorized community and crisis organizations.
Saskatoon Interagency Response prepared this video to bring attention to underfunding; members have also noted that this crisis simply highlights the very poor state of government under funding of housing in SK. As with many other social needs, COVID is shining a light on cracks that have long been a reality in our support systems.
Worship themes and resources for June
In June both Indigenous and LGBTQIA+ communities are a focus for the United Church. June 7 is Pride Sunday (as well as Union Sunday- the best of liturgical luck with mixing these two themes.) June 21 is National Indigenous Day and the Indigenous Day of Prayer; find new resources for this important day here.
Remit 1: gender-inclusive language in the Basis of Union
In the fall of 2020, delegates to the regional annual meeting will be voting on a remit to make a small but important change to the Basis of Union. Current wording about eligibility for ministry uses “men and women”, and the wording would be changed to “all people”, to reflect a diversity of gender identities. (Further background is here.)
Video from Saskatoon LGBTQIA-welcoming ministries
Following homophobic vandalism that targeted seven faith communities in Saskatoon, the ministries joined forces and produced this short video message of hope.
Regional Council’s response to the vandalism
Please see Rob Reed, Convenor of the Annual Gathering, and Trisha Gerhard’s, Chair of the Executive Regional Council, response to these hurtful acts.
The meeting that wasn't (yet): Celebrating our admittands, retirees, and planning committee
We should have just finished our regional gathering in Humboldt - but instead, we're all still on Zoom. Executive Minister Shannon McCarthy’s letter reminds us to celebrate even as we wait to gather in person again.
2. Wider Church Information:
National Time Sensitive Webinars
May 27: Congregational finances during the pandemic. This continuing Wednesday series keeps us up to date on financial aid that continues to evolve rapidly. Webinars are recorded and can be watched after the fact. Time: 5:00PM in SK. Access this through United in Learning or the national church’s YouTube channel.
May 28: Congregational programming: “re-opening” considerations for tenant groups During the pandemic, United-in-Learning is offering a weekly series for ministers and church leaders, with just-in-time skills and reflections intended to help us all respond to the unusual situation we find ourselves in. If you have specific requests or suggestions for future topics, please CLICK HERE to email us! Here’s full information on this weekly series.
United in Learning will continue to offer its regular programming as well. Click here for info.
National COVID updates
Stay up to date with the latest tools, news, and resources related to faith communities and COVID-19. You can find information on:
3. Upcoming Learning Opportunities:
Events in Living Skies: highlights - Events calendar.
Online workshop: Stewardship Through New Eyes
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese invites us to register for a free series of ecumenical webinars on stewardship, Thursdays at 3pm (Saskatchewan time).
May 28 - "Growing the stewardship garden" with Fr. John Weckend
June 4 - "Relational giving" with Susan Graham Walker and others
June 11 - "Legacy giving" with Kurtis Krug, professional financial advisor
All are welcome for one or all webinars. Free of charge. Registration required: https://bit.ly/3fwRjta
For further information, contact: Archdeacon Cheryl Toth at stewardship@sasktel.net This series is organized by the Anglican Diocese of Qu'Appelle, the Saskatchewan Synod of the ELCIC, and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Regina.
Advocacy for and with refugees online workshop series
The Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR) is holding their 2020 Spring Consultation online from May 19 - June 26, 2020. CCR is a long time United Church partner and a well-respected education and advocacy group for the rights of people seeking refuge and their supporters. Participate in the Virtual Spring Consultation to explore current issues affecting refugee protection and newcomer settlement, featuring perspectives from all Canadian provinces and experts in diverse fields. All are welcome! https://ccrweb.ca/en/2020-spring-consultation
Western Intercultural chai and coffee check in, June 23
Join the Western Intercultural Network with your tea, chai, coffee (or water) in hand. We’ll talk about how we’re all doing, and discuss the racism COVID is bringing to light as well as strategies for confronting it. We’ll also share updates on our fall gathering, now moving online for September and October. Time: June 23, 2020 12:30 PM in Saskatchewan https://united-church.zoom.us/j/97973729801
4. Reminders:
Reminder: Put your community event on our website
You can still promote your local event through our website. Regular worship should be registered with the national church’s map and listings, but everything from bible study to a workshop to drive up pie or bannock fundraisers can be shared on our Communities of Faith events calendar through our community form. The event needs to be a United Church event open to the public. Give it a try!
COVID and stewardship: resources, supporting global partners
People of the United Church have asked how they can support our church as we reach out to partners and the vulnerable communities they work with during this time of pandemic. The United Church is now accepting donations to help support Mission & Service partners in the global South as they work to meet the needs of these communities in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. To learn more and support this appeal, visit COVID-19: Global Response.
Many of the communities Mission & Service partners work with are already living with hunger, lack of access to water, crowded living conditions, and limited health care. COVID-19 has made these heartbreaking realities worse. The United Church is working faithfully with partners to address immediate needs for food and supplies to help keep communities safe during the pandemic.
Helpful Pandemic Resources:
Staff from Living Skies Regional Council have put together a document titled Financial Decisions during Pandemic. To see the document, click here.
Governance during the pandemic - Several important updates/clarifications from General Council Exec: a governance overview is here, and a specific resource is here. Also a temporary amendment to some key pastoral relations policies.
Congregational giving at a time like this an overview of options for giving regularly and at a distance:
https://www.united-church.ca/community-faith/being-community/congregational-finances-and-covid-19
Video resources on trauma and self care Rev. Diane Strickland offers an overview on supporting one another here, and these videos offer further “pandemic practicums”. Please share- and thank you, Diane. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUIX9OaerzI&t=34s
https://www.youtube.com/embed/KIrJZE2I9aQ
Worship resources questions about everything from technology to music licensing continue to fly. https://www.united-church.ca/community-faith/being-community/tools-worship-during-covid-19
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