Sharing an inclusive partnership with neighbours near and far, Bloor Street listens to the voices of concern, advocates for those having struggles and welcomes the opportunity to support faithful and courageous action to bring ease to difficult circumstances.
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Advent Appeal 2024
The Social Justice Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s Advent Gift Appeal. We thank the congregation for the suggestions that you have made to this process. One of the criteria of the organization selected is that it represent the social justice values of our church and that there be outreach into the community. The committee, also, always hopes to address in some way a local, national and international need. Organizations chosen must have a charitable tax number and be able to show annual financial reports.
The recipients of our Advent Appeal are:
- Locally – Jeremiah’s Field
- Nationally – National Wildlands League , and,
- Internationally – Partners International – A School for Girls in Afghanistan
Local Recipient: Jeremiah Fields of Bloor Street United Church – “The church has a program called Jeremiah’s Field that helps refugees pay for their paperwork when coming to Canada. This program offers no-interest loans to provide refugees of any faith with funding to meet a variety of immediate needs when other sources of funding are not available. To make sure the Fund is available to others, the Church depends on repayment of loans by the refugee to continue to operate.
The Fund usually covers: Landing fees; Application fees for a Permanent Residence Card; and Tuition and education costs. Other needs will be considered on a case by case basis. The Fund is not able to respond to emergencies.
For further details speak to any member of the Jeremiah Fields’ committee or the Bloor Street Office.
National: Wildlands League – “Wildlands League is one of Canada’s conservation organizations. We protect wilderness. We collaborate with communities, governments, First Nations, scientists and progressive industry to protect nature and find solutions that work for the planet and for all. We are a not-for-profit charity that has been working in the public interest since 1968, beginning with a campaign to protect Algonquin Park from development.”
“We are policy experts standing up for wildlife and standing with communities. We tackle irresponsible development that threatens precious rivers, lakes and wildlife habitat. We give voice to Canada’s nature to make sure at least half of the country is protected forever for all our kids, for the climate and for the planet.”
A few members of BSUC attended Tawich, a presentation of Wildlands League at Koerner Hall, to promote current actions being taken to protect lands along the Kames Bay and Hudson Bay shoreline. For more information please check the website: https://wildlandsleague.org/
Partners International: A School for Girls in Afghanistan –
”Our Mission: We partner with local leaders in challenging places worldwide to build the church and transform communities in the name of Jesus. We believe that local churches living out the call of God in their communities are a powerful force for both spiritual and community transformation (Matthew 16:18). We work alongside local Christian leaders to build the church in places where the church is most desperately needed.
We accomplish this through:
- Local Leadership – Every initiative is locally-led. Our leaders speak the language, know the culture and serve in their own or nearby communities.
- Risk-Taking – We work in some of the most challenging places on our planet. Many of our partners face persecution and take great risks to tell others about Jesus.
In Afghanistan, against the wishes of the Taliban, there is a small school for girls which is defying the edict of no education for girls. This school is helped by a small team that works in conjunction with Partners International. The school is a secret even from some in the community and great danger faces those that teach or attend the school.
For more information please check out the website: https://partnersinternational.ca/.
To contribute to the Advent Appeal, please see our Donate page and indicate ‘Advent Appeal’ in your offering.
ROP Cookbook
The Refugee Outreach Program has created a cookbook filled with delicious recipes!
View and download the cookbook here.
The Heart Garden
The Heart Garden on the corner of Bloor and Robert Street began as “a response to the TRC’s call for permanent reminders of the residential school history. Its goal is to create a welcoming public space for reflection on a very well trafficked corner of Toronto as well as an outdoor space for ceremony. The garden expresses our sorrow for the loss and abuse of so many Indigenous children in residential schools and our hope to build public awareness towards reconciliation with Indigenous people. In the garden, against the backdrop of a church built during the same era that the residential school policy began, we honour Indigenous spirituality.” (TSP)
The children of our church school have participated in learning more about Indigenous culture through a number of visits to the Heart Garden. As you watch the video enjoy the voices of the children as they talk about the meaning behind the Heart Garden. Listen to an Indigenous Elder who talks about the impact of the residential school system. Click here to see the video, or watch below.
Afterwards take a few minutes to say the prayer that the children said when they sent hearts to the closing ceremony of the TRC in 2015.
“Help us to open our hearts to others, pay attention to our thoughts, words and actions, notice when we have hurt others and change our behaviour in the future. With this Heart Garden we honour children who were lost or survived the Indian residential System.”
Education
The Social Justice Committee, with input from the congregation and others, arranges educational events and the circulation of educational material on topics that the Committee believes are important to society and of interest to the congregation.
Reflections on a Trip to Palestine/Israel
Over the next months a number of people are going to reflect on their trips to Palestine–Israel. The most recent travellers in 2019 were Nora McKay, Nena Cervantes and Ron & Maure Kentner. In 2018 Randi Helmers and Martha ter Kuile travelled to the holy land. Over a number of years others from our congregation have joined George Bartlett and Marianna Harris on these trips.
Each month, following the themes of Kumi Now, there will be one or more personal reflections and specific information on the current topic. We listen to scripture in our services about the holy land in the time of Jesus. These reflections will look at the holy land as it exists at this time. It is beautiful in its geology, magnificent in its history but there are issues that need resolution.
The Kumi Now project is an attempt by many people and organizations to “stand firm in the face of oppression”, to seek justice and inclusion based on international law and to commit to non-violent resistance. Each week Kumi Now introduces a “different organization working to raise awareness about specific issues in Israel-Palestine”. The personal reflections will give you an account of what visitors saw and heard during their travels.
Fundraising
The Social Justice Committee and sub-Committees are active in many areas including the following:
- Togogos support grandmothers in Africa, who are raising grandchildren orphaned by AIDS, by raising money and awareness for the Stephen Lewis Foundation.
- The Refugee Outreach Program raises money each year to send refugee mothers and children to summer camp. They also collect toys for an annual Refugee Christmas Party.
- The Social Justice Committee collects funds and gifts each Advent Season for designated organizations and also raises funds in response to Relief Appeals through the United Church of Canada.
Advocacy
The Social Justice Committee, as part of its educational role, advises the congregation when there is a call to action on particular issues. This can include information about petitions, letter writing campaigns, demonstrations and lobbying of community or political leaders. If the Social Justice Committee or others within the congregation believe that Bloor Street United Church as a whole should advocate on a particular issue a proposal can be made to the Church Council for their consideration.
