SOCIAL JUSTICE

ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE at RCMUC

The founders of the United Church of Canada believed that ours is a living faith, a faith that is expressed not only in ministry, but also in mission in and with the world. We work together with other Christian churches whenever possible, and among people of other religions in Canada and throughout the world, on matters of social justice, peace, and human dignity.

Ralph Connor is a living example of this in action including all generations. Living in a community of diversity and demographics that support these beliefs, Ralph Connor United reaches out to grass roots in our congregation, our Canmore community, nationally and internationally in a way only unique to Canmore. Canmore is well known for its ecumenical Christian work collaboratively. We are proud to lead and be part of that leadership.

We are honoured to reside on the traditional lands of the Iyarhe Nakoda people,
and look forward to the month of June when the Indigenous Day of Prayer is observed with a special shared Worship service. 

The discoveries at the Kamloops Residential School in 2021, and subsequent discoveries at Alberni and elsewhere, remind us of the ongoing, important work of Reconciliation.
This work begins with taking seriously the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission,
which include specific Calls to the Churches.  We plan to focus on these calls in upcoming Friday newsletters, to raise awareness of the work that is ours to do.
To see the 1986 and 1998 Apologies issued by the United Church of Canada to Indigenous Persons, click here.

May 5 is a day to remember the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women, Girls and 2-Spirit persons.
Each year since 2021 we have had an outdoor display at Ralph Connor Canmore, and added a display in Banff as well.   
On May 30, 2021, our flags were lowered for 215 hours, in honour of the 215 children whose lives were lost at the Residential School in Kamloops.  We remember with sorrow all children who died at Canada’s 139 Residential Schools, and all people and families traumatized by this system. As an Affirming Ministry of the United Church of Canada, on Treaty 7 lands, we recommit ourselves to love, justice and reconciliation.

In Banff, Rundle Memorial United Church hosted a Red Dress Day memorial service on May 5, 2022.  Click here to watch.

THE MISSION OF RALPH CONNOR MEMORIAL UNITED CHURCH (Canmore and Banff) AS A CHURCH COMMUNITY IS:

  • to nurture the spiritual exploration and growth of all our members and adherents;
  • to be an intentionally inviting Christian community that seeks, welcomes and embraces new members;
  • to reach out and become an agent for social justice in our neighbourhoods and in the global community.

Many of the ways we attempt to live out the “outreach” aspects of this mission are detailed elsewhere on this site, and include:

To find out the most recent “urgent action” items being dealt with by the United Church on a regional, national or international level, including letter-writing campaigns for people in various types of danger, see: http://www.united-church.ca/social-action

Areas of focus include:

  • Climate change –  with the Bow Valley Green Energy Cooperative we have installed solar panels on the Canmore campus building
  • Globalization
  • First Nations relationships
  • Ecology
  • Human Rights
  • Economic Justice

The United Church of Canada has an excellent page on “faith and politics” which you can access by clicking  here.  As this page states, “As a church, we seek to work with those who are negatively affected by government policies, but remain non-partisan regarding the democratic government of our country….The church advocates and comments on particular policies based on our principles but does not advocate for or comment on particular political parties.”  See also the United Church’s Broadview magazine. 

We also have our own Facebook page where much Social Justice information is posted!