Slideshow image

Our gifts for Mission & Service support work
toward our commitment to be an intercultural church.

Black History Month is a time to honour and celebrate the contributions of Black people in Canada and to look at the past while giving thanks as we look forward to the future. The history of Black people in Canada is part of the history of the United Church.

At the turn of the 20th century there was an influx of Black American men and their wives to Montreal. The men secured jobs as porters, as those were the only jobs available to them in the climate of segregation of the day. The women formed the Coloured Women’s Club in 1902 to assist newcomers to settle into Montreal society. 
 
By 1907 this group determined that the overt racism expressed and condoned in White churches of all denominations was not a situation they could tolerate, which led them to form their own church (which was welcomed within the Congregationalist denomination as the “coloured church”). At Union Congregational Church all denominations were welcome to pray, praise, and worship in peace, joy, and dignity.

Nowadays, the United Church continues to work toward its commitment to be an intercultural church, although many in our congregations still encounter Black isolation and segregation.

Many congregations in diverse parts of Canada do not reflect their community. There is a clear lack of education around what it truly means to be intercultural, and there is a sense among some people of being singled out as different. Many Black people do not feel welcome at church, which should be a sanctuary from racism.

Thanks to your gifts for Mission & Service, a group called The Journeys of Black Peoples in The United Church of Canada was formed. The group strives for integration, offering help to those who come from outside the church to find a home within the church.

We have come a long way from the days of slavery and segregation, but we still have a long way to go. This Black History Month, let’s take the time to learn about the saints who have gone before us and their impact that is still felt today.

If Mission & Service giving is already a regular part of your life, thank you so much! If you have not given, please join in making Mission & Service giving a regular part of your life of faith. Loving our neighbour is at the heart of our Mission & Service.

Ministries
UCC Mission & Service Stories