GC44 Learning Sessions continued yesterday and will continue next Wednesday, April 6, at 7 p.m. ET. Following next week’s session will be a two-week break around Holy Week, after which sessions will resume on April 27. Everyone is invited to view these sessions live or after the fact via our YouTube channel. To attend a live session with French/English language interpretation you are invited to join the PheedLoop platform by registering for free as a visitor.

Session 5 on April 6 will include worship and will continue to discuss proposals grouped under the theme of one of the five strategic objectives―Embolden Justice: Collaborating to Mend Church and World. In this session there will be a discussion of proposals relating to just peace in Palestine and Israel.

One of these proposals is GCE04, which comes from the report of the Task Group on Just Peace and proposes a change in the approach to responding to questions on Israel and Palestine. GCE04 asks the church to agree to principles that could be applied in determining policy statements and responses to concrete requests from partners related to just peace in Israel and Palestine. This post from the Right Rev. Dr. Richard Bott, Moderator, and Rev. Michael Blair, General Secretary, provides background and information about Proposal GCE04. Related to that proposal is GCE03, which proposes consideration of a principle-based approach for all justice work in the United Church.

Another series of proposals from regional councils (CS01, FSL01, PM02, RC1501, SW02, SW09) ask the church to take particular actions in relation to Palestine and Israel.

Wednesday’s agenda is as follows:

Greeting

Welcoming and Recognition of Territory

Worship

Introduction to the Learning Time

GCE04 Just Peace in Palestine and Israel

Worship

GCE03 A Principle-Based Approach to Justice Work in The United Church of Canada

Worship

CS01 Just Peace in Palestine and Israel

FSL01 Responding to our Global Partner Kairos Palestine

PM02 A Living Commitment to the KAIROS Palestine Cry of Hope

RC1501 Responding to our Global Partner Kairos Palestine

SW02 Raising our Voice for Human Rights

SW09 Justice and Peace for Palestine and Israel

Announcements

Closing Worship

Adjourn until the next session (April 27)