It’s Anniversary Sunday this week. Not for Grace alone but for the United Church of Canada. Usually on United Church of Canada Anniversary we acknowledge the Anniversary and recognize that we are a national church with congregations or communities of faith, as they are now called across the country.

When I was a child, my parents impressed upon me that I had a church family across Canada, and so every time we travelled they would point out United churches wherever we were. It gave me a sense of belonging and “home” even in a strange place.

In addition, if it was—and it usually was—summertime when we were travelling, there was always a church supper on somewhere. And so we joined the fellowship and ate a good meal too!

This year we celebrate 96 years as an older, and hopefully wiser, denomination. We have had a progressive history with many “firsts” as we have been on the forefront of gender justice and human rights.

But we have also been caught up in conventional and cultural myopia as we participated in other injustices such as residential schools for Indigenous people. Today we understand how harmful those decisions were.

May the days ahead be an opportunity to be more attentive to the call of God’s spirit and to walk humbly, act wisely, and make love for all neighbours our guiding compass.

Thanks to the Official Board and to the new technology that we have, it was decided that for this Sunday, we will join with other United churches across the country and attend the Moderator’s Anniversary worship service online. That also allows for all our staff and volunteers who work on the weekly worship service (about 12 people altogether) to have a “Sabbath” break and attend the online Anniversary service as well.

The service is accessed the same way you reach us every Sunday: through the Grace website or the Grace United Church Barrie YouTube channel. Click here for this week’s service — the celebration of the United Church of Canada’s 96th Anniversary.

Rev. Susan

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