As religious leaders from Ukraine sat in the gallery, the House of Commons passed unanimously on April 24 a motion honouring Ukrainian Catholic Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky for his courageous efforts to save Jews during the Second World War.

Immigration Minister Jason Kenney’s motion said Sheptytsky, who headed the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church from 1900 until his death in 1944, courageously spoke out against violence against Jews and sheltered and saved the lives of more than 160 Ukrainian Jews, many of them children.

“This House is united in expressing Canada’s recognition of Andrey Sheptytsky’s courageous actions, compassion for his oppressed Jewish Ukrainian countrymen and enduring example of commitment to fundamental human rights as humankind’s highest obligation,” the motion said.
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The international resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in 2014 are being prepared by a Canadian writing team. Church musicians and composers from across Canada are invited to submit original hymns, praise choruses, or shorter songs for worship for possible inclusion with the resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity worldwide in 2014.

The theme that we have chosen for the week is “Has Christ Been Divided?” based on the biblical text of 1 Corinthians 1:1-17. Submissions should be suitable for congregational singing in a variety of ecumenical contexts around the world. They should include words in either French or English, and preferably in both languages. Other languages may also be included, provided that translation into English or French is included as well.

Successful submissions will be focused on prayer for the unity of the Christian Church and may relate directly to the biblical text from 1 Corinthians 1:1-17. They will be distributed freely with the international resources, so the copyright will need to allow for free use of the music and words for worship and prayer gatherings related to the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2014.

Please make all submissions by Thursday, May 31, 2012 to the Rev. Amanda Currie by email to music [at] ecumenism [dot] net or by mail to 436 Spadina Crescent East, Saskatoon, SK, S7K 3G6.
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The United Church of Christ‘s five-member Collegium of Officers is making a road trip this week to engage the United Church of Canada in a historic moment of the [US church].

“This is the first time we’re taking a delegation of sorts to Canada,” said the Rev. Karen Georgia Thompson, [United Church of Christ] minister for ecumenical and interfaith relations. “I was in Canada last year and had some conversations with their [General Council] and ecumenical officers to talk about what we can do to be more intentional about working with each other.”

Thompson is making the trip April 3-4 to Toronto along with the United Church of Christ’s Collegium: the Rev. Geoffrey A. Black, general minister and president; W. Mark Clark, associate general minister; the Rev. J. Bennett Guess, executive minister for Local Church Ministries; the Rev. M. Linda Jaramillo, executive minister for Justice and Witness Ministries; and the Rev. James Moos, executive minister for Wider Church Ministries.
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