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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – We must come to see that human progress never rolls in on the wheels of inevitability.  It comes through the tireless efforts and the persistent work of dedicated individuals who are willing to be co-workers with God.  And without this hard work, time itself becomes an ally of the primitive forces of social stagnation.  So we must help time and realize that the time is always ripe to do right.
Reprinted in Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man from a speech in Washington D.C. March 68.

Concerned about Racial Justice?
Over the last year we’ve been learning more about systemic racism and how painful it has been to Black, Indigenous and other people of colour.

Once you know — you can’t unknow but now what do you do about it?

This is an invitation to be part of a small working group of committed people who want to work on actions of inclusion and reconciliation within the BUC and broader community.  The Environmental Action Committee is an example of how small actions can lead to progress. 

Please join us and be part of positive change.

Contact Mary Anne Lemm maryanne.alton@sympatico.ca
or Karen Dale karen@beachuc.com

Quote from Jesse Thistle FB page — Author of From the Ashes July/21
Thanks to those who took a little time to reflect on Canada Day. I got my haircut yesterday – the first in months – and all the factory workers and barbers in the Crow’s Nest shop were wearing orange. These were regular-ass white middle-aged Tim Horton-drinking Canadian factory workers taking the time to honour, one of them said, the lives lost, the bodies discovered. That’s something. I have never seen anything like this in my whole life, regular people caring and standing up for Indigenous people. Thank you to those guys in the barbershop and everyone else who stood up. Things are starting to change. Mega respect to my boy Tristan.

June 28, 2021 7:00 pm ET

More on The United in Learning website:
https://www.united-in-learning.com/index.php/webinars/403-two-spirit-people-a-part-of-our-circle-and-our-teachings?goal=0_b151b1ffa7-c3677f20d4-188824213&mc_cid=c3677f20d4&mc_eid=3f8753f721

Course Description
Prior to colonization, our communities viewed Two Spirited people as incredibly gifted and they often held revered positions in our societies. Two Spirited people were often our visionaries, Medicine People and were an integral part of our communities. Unfortunately, colonization disrupted that balance and significantly contributed to our people adopting homophobic mentalities. Today, many Two Spirited people and other Indigenous folks are working hard through education, traditional teachings and living by example to restore the balance that once existed in our communities.

This gathering is intended to provide attendees with some of the basic knowledge of and vocabulary for building relationships with and among Two Spirit people. This includes pronouns and the importance of respecting people’s pronouns at work and everyday life. We will also learn about the difference between sex, gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation.

Cost
Free — brought to you by Mission and Service

Leadership
Keith McCrady is the current Executive Director at 2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations who dedicated much of his energy on education and public health initiatives that will support a strong two-spirit community. McCrady is also a proud Two Spirit, Anishnaabe and Cree father.

June is PRIDE month! Let’s remind ourselves that as compassionate people we must use our voices to stop the global violence and expressions of inequality, torture and even executions toward people simply because of who they love, how they look, or who they are. ​

Compassion in PRIDE

“I’d like to say that LGBT people don’t want to yell about themselves on every corner.
We don’t come out for heterosexual people to know.
We don’t come out for religious people to know.
We don’t come out for the ones who hate us to know.

We shout and make as much noise as possible just so other people like us who are scared and can’t be themselves would know that they are not a mistake and they are not alone.

We come out because we want to show other LGBT people
That we too can live a normal life and we too can be loved and accepted.
And also, we come out, because we want to show others,
That we are people, just like them.”

-Artem Kolesov

For more information visit the website   https://charterforcompassion.org/

Wednesday May 19^th, 7.30 pm.
On Line Event – via Zoom

David Miller former Toronto Mayor, and author of Solved: How the World’s Great Cities Are Fixing the Climate Crisis, will discuss the climate crisis Wednesday May 19th in a conversation hosted on Zoom by St. Aidan’s Anglican and Beach United churches. Everyone is welcome.

Miller will talk about his book and his ideas for tackling climate at the city level with Rev. Canon Lucy Reid, incumbent at St. Aidan’s and Grace Rockett, a member of the parish and member of TCAN (Toronto Climate Action Network). Our area counselor, Brad Bradford, will have an opportunity to respond to Miller’s suggestions and there will also be time for questions from the zoom audience. Rev. Karen Dale of Beach United will offer her comments and reflections before the evening closes. 

The idea of inviting Miller emerged from a meeting of Paul Dowling and Allan Baker of Beach United’s Environmental Action Group with John Brewin chair of St. Aidan’s Eco-Spirituality Group and Michael Van Dusen.  Miller is committed to climate justice: after leaving the Mayor’s office in 2010, he served as CEO of World Wildlife Fund-Canada. He is currently the North American director for the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group.

The core idea of Solved, in Miller’s own words, is that “… by replicating the best and most effective ideas already implemented…. we can make a significant leap forward in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and put the world on a path to 1.5 degrees. The ideas discussed in this book have all been implemented somewhere.”

When contacted, Miller was enthusiastic about the community-level response that the churches were looking for. He was also intrigued by the integration of ecology and spirituality that framed the invitation. For some, involving churches in climate change and the environmental concerns may seem remote from their traditional activities. But in the Anglican faith, Eco-spirituality is part of our baptismal promise to care for the earth. We share the view, articulated by Baker on the Beach United site, that, “… we believe that all of life on earth is inter-connected, and that God intended that all life is to thrive. For us, there is no division between the “spiritual” and the “material”: God is the Creator of all that exists. We are a part of the environment, and it is a part of us in this beautiful web of life.”

The similar theologies of Beach United and St. Aidan’s; along with a history of effective joint projects and combination of resources, encouraged the further development of this partnership into the area of Eco-spirituality.  We hope you will join us and add your voice to this important conversation.

How to join the Zoom conversation with David Miller

Click on the zoom link below at 7.30 pm on Wednesday May 19^th.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88178295533?pwd=UzFKTFdOd1dWVXh5eEhVTkpzeHdxZz09

Phone: 647-374-4685
Meeting ID: 881 7829 5533
Passcode: 353016

David Miller will receive an honorarium, which he has asked go to his family foundation.  If you are able to support Beach United Church to host events such as these, please make a donation using the link below and receive a tax receipt immediately.

https://beachunitedchurch.com/about-us/donate

Thank you for your generosity.