[Yhjusticenet] FW: United Action for Justice Newsletter -- Volume 4, Number 2, May 2007

[Athabasca United Church]

Passing on to those who may not have received the Newsletter.




Bruce Jackson DM
Athabasca United Church
Ph 780 675 2341
e-mail: athabascaunitedchurch at telus.net
4817 - 48 St.
Athabasca, Ab.  T9S 1R3

Remember the Root of War is fear. (Thomas Merton)
  "When I dare to be powerful - to use my strength in the service of my
vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid."  Audre
Lord 1934-1992

-----Original Message-----
From: General Council Office [mailto:generalcounciloffice at united-church.ca] 
Sent: May 11, 2007 8:15 PM
To: LONDON CONFERENCE; MANITOBA NW ONTARIO CONFERENCE; MANITOU CONFERENCE;
SASKATCHEWAN CONFERENCE; ALBERTA NORTHWEST CONFERENCE; BRITISH COLUMBIA
CONFERENCE; ALL NATIVE CIRCLE CONFERENCE
Subject: United Action for Justice Newsletter -- Volume 4, Number 2, May
2007

Dear friends,

The following is "United Action for Justice," the newsletter from the
United Church's national Justice, Global and Ecumenical Relations Unit
sent out by e-mail approximately five times a year.

Each edition of United Action for Justice highlights issues related to
justice, human rights, ecology, peace, global partnership, and
ecumenical relations. Links are provided giving concrete ideas for
action as well as more information on The United Church of Canada
website.

This issue has brief updates on:
* Honouring the Kelowna Accord to eradicate poverty in Aboriginal
communities
* The upcoming 40th Anniversary of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian
territories
* Overseas visits to Israel/Palestine and El Salvador
* An upcoming training session for overseas trip leaders
* A Peace Study your congregation can participate in
* The strong support for the recent petition for human rights in the
Philippines
* The new Mandate Mission theme edition, focusing on challenging empire

As our website is currently under redesign, this issue is being sent to
all pastoral charges as an ordinary e-mail. Our usual format includes an
eye-catching bulletin insert-to view past issues or subscribe to future
ones, visit www.united-church.ca/unitedaction/. 

Subscribe now by visiting the website and stay up to date on current
issues and actions!

For more information, please contact Sarah Shepherd at
sshepher at united-church.ca. 
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United Action for Justice, Volume 4 Number 2, May 2007


HONOUR THE KELOWNA ACCORD

In 2004 and 2005, the Canadian government and the leaders of many
Aboriginal peoples in Canada signed an unprecented agreement in Kelowna,
British Columbia, with the goal of improving the education, employment,
and living conditions for Aboriginal peoples by 2015. Today the
government has yet to create a plan to implement the Kelowna Accord and
has expressed no intent to follow through with the terms agreed to. The
United Church of Canada is calling on the Government of Canada to honour
the Kelowna Accord and make poverty history in Aboriginal communities.

TAKE ACTION: Postcards are now available to send to the federal
government in support of the Kelowna Accord! To obtain some please
contact the Human Rights and Peace staff at 416-231-5931 ext. 4061 or
4046 or 1-800-268-3781, or e-mail cokoro2 at united-church.ca or
pmessina at united-church.ca. 

JUNE 3-9: OBSERVE THE 40th ANNIVERSARY OF THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION OF
PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES

June 3-9 2007 will be a focused week of solidarity and advocacy convened
by the World Council of Churches challenging the Israeli occupation of
the Palestinian Territories.  The call of the International Church
Action for Peace in Palestine and Israel is "End 40 years of illegal
occupation. Negotiate a just peace now." Visit the United Church website
at www.united-church.ca in late May for more information and resources. 

OVERSEAS ENCOUNTERS: VISIT THE PHILIPPINES, ISRAEL AND PALESTINE, AND EL
SALVADOR

Three trips, led by former overseas personnel, are coming up soon:
Israel and Palestine in October 2007 and El Salvador in January 10-22,
2008 (tentative). Each one is a challenging and inspiring opportunity to
meet United Church partners as they strive to live faithfully in
solidarity with the poor, farmers, workers, Indigenous people, and
others. Learn more about the effects of mining, occupation, and Empire
on the peoples of majority world countries.

TAKE ACTION: For more details about each of these trips, visit
www.united-church.ca/events/home.shtm#overseas, e-mail Rivkah Unland,
Program Coordinator for People in Mission at  runland at united-church.ca,
or phone 1-800-268-3781 ext. 4016.
Learn more about the trip leaders by reading their Letters from Overseas
at http://www.united-church.ca/sharingpeople/letters/. 

OVERSEAS LEADERSHIP TRAINING EVENT

More and more people are asking about opportunities to learn and work
overseas. The United Church of Canada is offering an event on how to
plan your own mission trip, September 22-23, 2007, in Toronto. Training
is offered by The Canadian Churches' Forum on Global Ministries, and
there will be ample opportunity to work on planning YOUR particular
trip.

For more information please contact: 
Rivkah Unland 
Program Coordinator, People in Mission
Justice, Global and Ecumenical Relations Unit
Tel: 416-231-5931
Fax: 416-231-3103

PEACE STUDY

Participate in a congregational study to help develop a United Church
policy on our responsibility to protect vulnerable peoples caught in
conflict.

As a church, should we call for the use of military force to protect
vulnerable people?

Take Action: Interested congregations can register to participate in the
study in fall 2007 by contacting Choice Okoro at
cokoro2 at united-church.ca, 1-800-268-3781, ext. 4061, or 1-416-231-5931.

STRONG UNITED CHURCH RESPONSE TO PHILIPPINES PETITION

The ecumenical petition to the House of Commons regarding human rights
in the Philippines was a huge success, with over 5,000 people signing it
in less than two months. The petition asks for a hearing on the
political killings in the Philippines, and Canada's potential complicity
in these killings and other human rights abuses in the Philippines.  A
number of MPs have agreed to table the petition in the House of Commons
in May.  Thank you!
To respond to our current action to resist ongoing oppression in the
Philippines, visit our website's Take Action page at
www.united-church.ca/action. 

CHALLENGING EMPIRE: A CALL TO COMMUNITY AVAILABLE MAY 8

The 2007 Mandate Mission Theme Special Edition includes workshop
materials on "What Is Empire?" a Bible study on Jesus and empire, a
theological reflection by Moderator David Giuliano, helpful quotes and
definitions of empire, examples of hope, and ideas of how children can
challenge the consumerist pressures of the economic empire. 

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