I send my kids to Catholic school, but I'm not Catholic
A lifelong United Church member explains why she's embracing lessons in reading, writing and rosaries.
View ArticleHow the United Church helped us settle in Canada
Brooks Fully fled Liberia in 2012 and came to North America, eventually settling in Newfoundland. In 2017, his wife, Hawa, and children — Grace, 17, Evans, 12 and Courage, 8 — joined him in London,...
View ArticleThese Edmonton church cats bring all the snuggles... unless you're a mouse
The two take their jobs as hunters seriously.
View ArticleA play-by-play of General Council 43
The 43rd national gathering restructured the United Church while reminding it that more change is needed.
View ArticleThe healing power of a good cry
'Have you ever met an infant or a young child who does not cry? It is a normal, natural, pre-verbal response to discomfort, pain, sadness and anger. As we get older, we’re taught to mask our true...
View ArticleAs a progressive Christian, I choose to embrace discomfort
For writer Zak McDonald, identifying with that label also means learning to understand those who think differently.
View ArticleI learned to reconcile my Indigenous identity with my Christianity
"I have met Jesus in the smoke of burning sage, the darkness and warmth of the sweat lodge, and the powwow drum, the heartbeat of Mother Earth."
View ArticleThe spirituality of my last period
"Having my period made me feel connected to the mysterious ebb and flow of life."
View ArticleMy church was literally dying, until we returned to prayer and confession
"No magic formulas. Just grace emerging through weakness."
View ArticleReincarnation therapy? Why some think accessing past lives may heal your present
Past-life regression therapy—revisiting previous lives with the help of a hypnotist—is growing in popularity. But what does it involve?
View ArticleGretta Vosper to get formal hearing soon
The United Church will decide whether or not the Toronto atheist minister should be removed from the order of ministry.
View ArticleExperience the Passion: Oberammergau 2020
Once every decade, an extraordinary event takes place in the small German village of Oberammergau. Based on a long-standing vow, the villagers come together to enact the life and passion of Jesus...
View ArticleI may not know the point of life, but I know what makes it meaningful
Merely pursuing happiness doesn't cut it, says this writer.
View ArticleAuthor of 'I Kissed Dating Goodbye' tells publisher to stop printing it
"I regret any way that my ideas restricted you, hurt you, or gave you a less-than-biblical view of yourself," he said to his readers.
View ArticleThe first Black moderator of the United Church faced racism that still...
Very Rev. Wilbur Howard didn't speak about the discrimination he experienced in the church. Decades later, Black clergy are opening up about what is still a big problem.
View ArticleSymbiosis: a way to give that benefits you and your congregation
By making a gift of securities, one woman was able to reduce her income tax while helping others.
View Article'We're bonded by faith': supporters gather to make 'ring of peace' at Toronto...
The gesture of solidarity came a week after a shooting in Pittsburgh that left 11 people dead.
View ArticleGender bias on Wikipedia: Why notable women in religion are missing on the site
"There have been women who have been in leadership roles, but we haven’t written about them."
View ArticleGretta Vosper decision released
Toronto Conference, Vosper and West Hill United Church released a short statement on the hearing.
View ArticleInterfaith conference illuminating, but those who needed it most weren't there
Observer editor Will Pearson learned a lot at the Parliament of the World's Religions gathering in Toronto, but wondered about its long-term impact.
View ArticleOntario youth leader kicked out of Baptist church over same-sex relationship
Kimberley Mills has been told she can still come to a service, but can no longer be part of the work of the church community.
View Article3 transgender Canadians share the personal journeys that shaped their faith
“I really do think it’s part of the nature of transition, when we’re doing some serious examination of what is right in our own lives, that leads us to a reflection on [what] God and faith and...
View ArticleAre essential oils beneficial or just nicely scented hogwash?
Anne Bokma looks at the booming industry of fragrant elixirs that promises to cure all that ails you.
View ArticleAuthor believes Revelation has something to teach progressive Christians
Donald Schmidt wants to redeem the final book of the Bible with his new study guide.
View ArticleJapanese congregation to receive $500K for church lost after internment
The members of Vancouver Japanese United never received a cent from the sale of their property after the Second World War.
View ArticleCalgary church offers caffeine fix
Knox United Church now has a café with free WiFi in its sanctuary.
View ArticleIt's never too late to be generous
Donations to the United Church of Canada go to support mission and ministry around the world.
View ArticleThe complex history of the Huron Carol
A product of 17th-century Jesuit missionaries, the popular hymn was written to introduce the Wendat people to Christianity. The Observer explores its troubled origins and continued use today.
View ArticleLife-sized Advent calendars and other creative ways churches are celebrating...
These congregations are delighting their communities with these fun events.
View ArticleMy church's Christmas pageant featured two Marys
We had recently heard about homophobic graffiti spraypainted on walls and sidewalks at two nearby United churches.
View ArticleHuron Carol takes on a whole new meaning with these lyrics
The Christmas service mainstay has been beautifully reinvented by a Toronto choir director.
View Article''Twas the Night Before Christmas', reimagined
Moderator Richard Bott gives the holiday tale a whole new meaning with this story.
View ArticleOntario church cares for creation by keeping bees
“As a faith community, if we don’t look after the planet, we’re missing something,” says one beekeeper and church member.
View ArticleTlingit minister sees right relations as 'everybody’s story'
As a biracial woman, Rev. Lee Spice brings a unique perspective to ministry.
View ArticleFormer fundamentalists describe the trauma of leaving their faith
At a weekend retreat, participants find the strength to reclaim their lives.
View ArticleI watched my church become a pile of rubble and it gave me hope
The author says she mourned the historic, beautiful building, but witnessing its destruction reminded her that the church is really the people.
View ArticleWhy I left the United Church to become a Roman Catholic
"While it's true I left a church that may have ordained me, I am grateful I joined a church that has sustained me."
View ArticleThe United Church is going through some big changes. Here's what you need to...
'There are important relationships to develop, and that can’t be done overnight.'
View ArticleThis mid-week practice deepens my congregation’s faith
One minister wonders why the church can't be the place where people find ways to nurture their souls.
View ArticleMy Christian faith is an ecumenical mosaic
The writer says wildly different traditions are part of her identity.
View ArticleThese university campuses can't create enough space for students of faith
Multi-faith centres are in such high demand that universities are struggling to accommodate everyone
View ArticleSoprano retires from church choir after 90 years
Betty Empringham is also a talented pianist.
View ArticleCelebrity megachurches need to clarify LGBTQ acceptance: pastor
Zoe Church, where actor Chris Pratt worships, may not truly "open their doors" to everyone, like he claims.
View ArticleEncouraging generosity in your congregation
It can be easy to lose sight of the bigger picture, but there's a vision for your church greater than just keeping the doors open.
View ArticleUnited Church theology book corrects view that denomination stands for nothing
But this writer wonders whether a church's theology lies in its doctrinal statements or its people
View ArticleVancouver Japanese United Church reveals plans for compensation money
Some members of a former English-speaking congregation that once worshipped in the building were unhappy about stated plans for $500,000 the church received
View ArticleGretta Vosper's settlement could redefine the United Church
The decision has divided members and forced questions about the denomination’s future
View ArticleEaster is about more than just new life and hope
Moderator Rt. Rev. Richard Bott on the many ways of understanding the resurrection
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