Each month, St. Andrew's Church supports a local/county organization/charity or cause with donations (when appropriate) and sharing of information about the work of the organization

February 27th is Election Day in Ontario

There will be a provincial election this month and, in all likelihood, there will be a federal election in the near future.

Given recent issues and the political climate in other countries around the world,  we need to seriously consider what our votes will mean.

 Let’s challenge ourselves to be informed not just about our candidate/party of choice but also to explore other points of view.

 Choose wisely for the greater good of all.

Cast your ballot.

Engage, Pray, Vote.

Informed voting is our Christian and civic duty.

With all that is going on across the country and around the world, there are concerns that many people may not engage with this election. For Christians, meaningful participation in democratic elections is one way to act on our faith.

Here are some resources and workshops to share with your congregation to support everyone in engaging and voting.
 

Workshop:

The Social Justice Network of Ontario Regional Councils (SJNORC) of The United Church of Canada presents:



Election 2025: More than Tariffs
 
  Sunday Feb 23, 3:00-4:15 PM EST on Zoom

• Digging into the issues from a position of faith
• Ontario goes to the polls on Feb 27th.
• Tariffs are in the news, but there is so much more to consider.
  
  

Advance registration required, register here now: https://united-church.zoom.us/meeting/register/Pfy-0rDhQt-l-V5KqspFkw

Join us for an overview of issues facing Ontarians.

Should you mix faith and politics? JESUS DID!

Many of us grew up with the belief that it is not right to mix faith and politics. Certainly this was my experience. But then, as I grew older and began to read the Bible more closely, I realized that there are many political issues upon which we cannot remain silent. The prophets of the Old Testament (the First Testament) spoke vigorously about how God calls us to work to end human suffering and pain, whether it be hunger, poverty or persecution and oppression.

Jesus himself engaged the leaders of his day. A non-violent revolutionary, Jesus especially condemned the religious leaders who promoted and enforced the unjust rule of the Roman Empire. He called them to repent and change their ways, to practise mercy and strive for peace and respect for every human being. These same leaders used the Roman system of justice (injustice) in their attempt to silence Jesus, which ultimately led to his death. 

Jesus teaches us that we must preach truth to power, and for people of faith that means that we cannot remain neutral but must speak out against social and political injustices. This needs to happen not only from the pulpit but also in our conversations at the coffee shop and in our work in the community, whether it be the Food Bank or Canadian Foodgrains, the Women’s Shelter, Habitat for Humanity, or Hospice, to offer just a few examples. It means speaking out against injustice anywhere we encounter it, just as Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer did when he took action against Hitler and Nazism, or Martin Luther King Jr. when he marched at Selma. These actions cost both men their lives.

Bishop Marian Budde’s brilliant sermon at the Washington Cathedral the day after Trump’s inauguration, reflects her strong faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is an invitation to the current US administration and every one of us to practise our Christian discipleship through acts of justice and humility. She calls us to recognize the dignity of all human beings. Check out her sermon here on our website!

As disciples of Jesus, we cannot ignore the suffering that is also happening on the other side of the world. The other day I encouraged you to educate yourself on the genocide that has been inflicted upon Palestinian Christians and Muslims by the Zionist state. It didn’t just start on October 7th, 2023! Some of you expressed concern about being anti-Semitic or anti-Jewish. This is far from the case! As Christians, we are pro-Jewish and pro-Palestinian! Many faithful Jews and a large number of Jewish rabbis support peace and equality for Palestinians and oppose the Zionist government in Israel. If you are still unsure, please watch this short video on the difference between anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism:

You can also still catch most of the episodes in the very helpful series “It Didn’t Just Happen on October 7th, 2023.” You can register for free using the link on the homepage on this website. 

Finally, remember to exercise your vote when we go to the polls again, which we will be doing provincially and probably federally in the not -too-distant future. The Church will never tell you which party or which candidate to vote for, but we do encourage you to reflect carefully on the issues you believe to be important to the welfare of all Canadians, especially the most vulnerable for whom Jesus had a special concern. Educate yourself on where the candidates stand on these important issues and then be sure and vote! The following is a helpful resource: 

Sheila Macgregor,

Congregational Minister 

Last week, The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde, the Bishop of Washington, delivered a sermon during a special church service which was part of the Presidential Inauguration Events. Below is the sermon in full and it is well worth the time to listen.

According to MSNBC - "Predictably, Trump took to Truth Social to denounce the “so-called Bishop” as a “Radical Left hard line Trump hater” and accusing her of bringing “her church into the World of politics in a very ungracious way.” He dismissed her sermon as “nasty in tone,” “boring” and “uninspiring,” going so far as to demand an apology from her and her church."

The esteemed Virginia Theological Seminary released a powerful statement supporting Bishop Mariann Budde after she called out Donald Trump to his face and became MAGA's Public Enemy #1.

This just poured fuel on the fire...

"We are proud of our alumna Bishop Marianne Budde for her faithfulness to the Biblical witness. To ask a President to be merciful is in the tradition of the prophets of the Hebrew Bible," the school's president Ian Markham president and dean wrote on Facebook.

"While the overwhelming response VTS has received about her sermon has been positive, we have also received various complaints about our work because of her training in our Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry programs," Markham continued.

"To be clear, we teach the Gospel as reflected in Holy Scripture. We support and stand alongside our Bishop alumna," he bluntly added.

This is the kind of courage that this moment in history demands. For daring to suggest that our so-called Christian president should show mercy and compassion, Bishop Budde has been inundated with hatred.

She stated that many Republicans now "wish me dead" thanks to her sermon at the National Cathedral and still she refuses to apologize or back down.

The Virginia Theological Seminary is the largest accredited Episcopal seminary in the United States and the second oldest. Donald Trump picked a fight with our nation's religious leaders. He's losing badly.

If you would like to send a postcard of support to the Bishop of Washington for her sermon of love - especially now as she is under attack you made send it to:

The Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde

Episcopal Church House

Mount St. Alban

Washington, DC  20016-5094  U.S.A.

The United Action for Justice Newsletter is back! 

For The United Church of Canada’s Centennial Year, we are highlighting the justice and global partnership work we do—together. 
 
Expect quarterly updates so you, your community of faith, and your networks can connect, accompany, and shape these efforts for the future. 

During hot-button times for advocacy, we may send a Call-to-Action email blast—your voice at crucial moments can make all the difference! 

You can access to newsletter by clicking on the button below: