The United Church of Canada Foundation Annual Report 2020
New Horizons for Seniors Program
Photo courtesy of Ravi Patel via Unsplash
The Government of Canada has launched the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) 2021-2022 call for proposals (CFP) for community-based projects across Canada. The online application and applicant guide is available on the Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). For information, please consult the ESDC Funding Programs page. The deadline to submit applications will be December 21st, 2021, at 3:00 p.m. EST.
WHAT’S NEW FOR THE 2021-2022 CALL FOR PROPOSALS?
- One application stream: Community-based projects are eligible to receive up to $25,000 in grant funding. New applicants and organizations that have not been funded in the past five years are encouraged to apply.
- To simplify the application process and provide funds to communities more rapidly, organizations will need to complete and submit their application online. The deadline to submit is December 21st, 2021.
- Organizations will be invited to apply for funding that supports the program’s national priorities:
1. Supporting healthy ageing
o Including addressing social isolation, including through supporting seniors’ digital literacy, addressing ageism, mental health and dementia, and by developing and delivering virtual programming for the above.
2. Preventing senior abuse
o Including helping seniors navigate access to government benefits and providing support to file their taxes, supporting financial empowerment of seniors, and measures to reduce crimes and harm against seniors.
3. Celebrating diversity and promoting inclusion
o Including promoting intergenerational mentoring and engagement, and serving members of the following vulnerable groups: Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, members of racialized and newcomer groups, members of LGBTQ2+ communities, low-income seniors and veterans.
4. Helping seniors to age in place
o Including providing practical supports to seniors to help them remain in their homes longer.
Advent Greetings from President Jane
Advent and Christmas Greetings from President Jane
Lists! Grocery lists. “Honey-do lists.” And, at this time of the year, Christmas lists. I wonder what’s on your Christmas list or that of your children, your grandchildren and other family and friends with whom you exchange Christmas gifts.
Two years ago, my theatre friends and I were sitting in the Grand Theater in London waiting for the Christmas show to begin. Barbara, who works for Canada Post was telling me about the letters that come into the post office where she works. In particular, she was talking about letters addressed to Santa, the North Pole, HOH OHO – Ho! Ho! Ho! The letters, in the form of Christmas lists, are sent by children living in hopeful anticipation of that great day coming.
As the grandmother of a pre-schooler, I was curious to know what was trending. What do children have on their Christmas lists these days? The answer Barbara gave was not the one what I was expecting. One of the letters received included two Christmas lists, presumably from siblings. On the one list there were 28 items listed. Every item listed began with “Santa, I want.” The other list identified 6 items. The message to Santa began, “Dear Santa, I would like any one of the 6 items listed. You choose.”
Trying to imagine Christmas morning in this unidentified household, my hunch is that the child who would like anything from among the six items listed, may have had a happier Christmas morning than the child who wanted all twenty- eight things listed.
What’s on your Christmas list?
In part, the lectionary appointed faith stories during Advent point to difficult times. They also encourage us to prepare ourselves, our hearts, our minds and to be ready for the good things yet to come. Fear not! Good news of great joy awaits you!
During these Advent days of waiting in hopeful anticipation of good news of great joy, we do so in a time of pandemic living; in a time of climate change as evidenced by floods and fires destroying the earth and claiming lives and property; in a time of racism and vigilante justice. In times such as this we are called to prepare, to be ready. Fear not!
My prayer this Advent season is that our Christmas lists include the gifts of Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. My prayer is that these gifts, the gifts of Christmas, will be given generously and received graciously by all people that on earth do dwell.
To each of you the members, friends, and communities of faith within the Antler River Watershed Region, may the Advent season and the celebration of Christmas fill your hearts with joy and wonder sustaining you in the year ahead.
In Faith & Hope,
Rev. Jane Van Patter
President, Antler River Watershed Regional Council
International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People
**Canada, Stand up for Palestinian Children’s Rights**
Join this International Day (Nov 29) of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
Light a candle for the Palestinian Children.
Join the UNJPPI campaign to support Palestinian children living under the Israeli military occupation.
https://www.unjppi.org/join-childrens-rights-campaign.html
Sign up through this link http://eepurl.com/htSZpb to receive information about the campaign and how to participate.
Last fall Parliamentary Petition e-2667 was presented to Parliament. It called on the Government of Canada “to ensure the human rights of Palestinian children are protected by instructing a Special Envoy to promote, monitor and report on the human rights situation of Palestinian children living in the occupied Palestinian Territory and Gaza”.
With many thanks from contributor Curtis Marwood.
Multi-faith Statement of Solidarity
This fall, the Tri-Region Affirm Network received a letter seeking endorsement of a statement of multi-faith solidarity for a Hindu priest who has been condemned for officiating a same-sex marriage ceremony. The Affirm Network has signed the letter and the individuals on the Network have committed to signing it. We, the members of the Affirm Network, are now asking leaders in communities of faith across our regions to consider signing to endorse a multi-faith statement of solidarity.
Excerpts of the letter that started it:
Dear friends,
This is Nikhil Mandalaparthy from Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus and Hindus for Human Rights.I’m writing today because we at Sadhana are calling on religious leaders and representatives of faith-based organizations to endorse a multi-faith statement of solidarity with Sri Ranganathan Kurrukal, a Hindu priest based in Toronto, Canada. …
Recently, Kurrukal conducted a marriage ceremony for a same-sex couple. This has led to a severe backlash from his family and conservative members of the community. Kurrukal has received multiple death threats by text, phone, and social media. Toronto Hindu organizations have pushed him out and he is facing exclusion from a local association of Hindu priests. …
We hope you will add your voice to condemn this backlash against a religious leader who sought to honor and celebrate the love between two LGBTQ+ community members. We must resist homophobia and transphobia wherever they manifest and commit to uplifting inclusive religious leadership in all of our communities.
Best regards,
Nikhl Mandalaparthy
For more information contact:
Thérèse Samuel
Minister, Right Relations and Social Justice
Phone: 226-407-4310
Email: TSamuel@united-church.ca
Thérèse shares the Social Justice position with the Minister, Social Justice, serving the Discipleship and Justice Commissions and social justice ministries in the region. She also supports Indigenous and Non-Indigenous churches in the region in the work of building right relations.
Serves in: Antler River Watershed, Western Ontario Waterways and Horseshoe Falls Regional Councils
Location: Teleworks from home and spends time in the regional councils.
Role: Thérèse encourages and connects communities of faith in their work and supports Indigenous ministries in their relationship with the region and promotes and supports racial justice and social justice ministries.
Contact Thérèse about: Affirming Ministries, Anti-Racism; Intercultural Ministry; Right Relations; Indigenous Ministries, Social Justice Ministries and resource to the Discipleship & Justice Commission.
Diane Matheson-Jimenez
Minister, Social Justice for Antler River Watershed, Western Ontario Waterways and Horseshoe Falls Regional Councils
Phone: 905-659-3343 | 1-833-236-0280
Extension: * (an asterisk)
Email: DMatheson@united-church.ca
An Ontario Certified Teacher, Diane has long been passionate about empowering people of all ages to engage in meaningful justice work. She serves the Mission & Discipleship Commissions, as well as working with and building social justice networks in the regions.
