Forest Lawn United Church

08/09/2026

One year ago, on August 8, 2025, during the 45th General Council, The United Church of Canada made a significant apology to 2S and LGBTQIA+ people and their communities. The apology recognized the deep harm caused by discrimination, exclusion, silence, and systems that failed to respect the dignity, leadership, and contributions of q***r and Two-Spirit individuals. It stated that an apology, while important, would only matter if followed by consistent action.

Moderator Kimberly Heath notes in this year's Pride message that the 2025 apology should be seen "not as an ending, but as a beginning," marking a threshold into deeper healing, accountability, and transformation. This anniversary reminds us that the work is not finished. Voices throughout the church emphasize the need for ongoing focus on pastoral care, theological reflection, and institutional accountability. This ensures that the apology is felt not only in words, but in the everyday life of the church.

As we reflect on the first anniversary of that apology, we remember this crucial moment in our church's history and recommit to its promises. An apology is not an end; it is the start of an ongoing journey toward healing, accountability, relationships, and transformation.

Read the full news statement and explore resources to help your community engage with the apology: https://united-church.ca/news/one-year-later-living-apology-2s-and-lgbtqia-communities

[Photo: Alan Lai]

08/09/2026

🌿 Have a blessed Sunday! 🌿

A reminder that Forest Lawn United Church will be on summer break throughout the month of August.

We look forward to welcoming everyone back on Sunday, August 30th! ⛪💛

Until then, we hope you have a safe, restful, and blessed summer.

See you August 30th! 🌸

07/30/2026

What happens when churches talk openly about class? Bridging Poverty and Privilege is a six-module online course developed by Bedford House that invites participants to explore how poverty, privilege, and social class shape our relationships, communities, and ministries.

Through these engaging modules, participants will examine common assumptions about helping, discover practical ways to build authentic relationships across class lines, and explore how churches can foster communities rooted in dignity, mutuality, and belonging.

Ideal for church leaders, small groups, volunteers, and anyone seeking to build stronger, more connected communities, this course is available nationally through CHURCHx.

Find out more and sign up today: https://churchx.ca/local/shop/product.php?id=401

Bedford House is a community-building non-profit organization in Peterborough, ON committed to bridging social and economic divides. Through lived-experience leadership, educational programming, and community dialogue, Bedford House creates opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds to learn from one another and build authentic relationships across class lines.

07/30/2026

A Pastoral Letter from Rev. Bill

This afternoon, Calgary Police announced that investigators have found a body believed to be Parker, the 11-year-old boy whose disappearance has held the attention, concern, and hope of people across Calgary and beyond. While formal identification remains with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, our hearts are already turning toward a family facing unimaginable grief.

For nearly two weeks, all Calgarians have searched, prayed, shared Parker’s photograph, checked neighbourhoods, and held onto hope for a different outcome. The search for Parker drew people together with shared purpose and compassion. Today we hold Parker’s family and loved ones in our prayers. We also remember the police officers, first responders, search and rescue volunteers, and the many members of our community who gave so generously of themselves throughout the search.

The death of a child touches something deep within each of us. Even if you never knew Parker or his family, this news may leave you feeling sad, anxious, unsettled, or simply heartbroken. It may also bring back memories of other losses or experiences. Whatever your response, I want you to know that it is a human response to a heartbreaking tragedy, and whatever you are feeling is held in God’s grace.

If the children or youth in your life have been following this story, they may have questions or emotions they don’t yet have the words to express. They may be looking to the adults around them for reassurance, comfort, and a sense of safety. Take time to listen, and to offer honest, age-appropriate answers. Your calm presence, your patience, and your love will matter more than having the right words.

Friends, please be gentle with yourself in the days ahead. If this news has affected you more deeply than you expected, don’t struggle through that burden by yourself. Reach out to someone you trust. Talk with family or friends. Connect with a counsellor or another helping professional if that would be helpful. Your ministers are also here for you. If you need someone to listen, to pray with you, or simply to sit with you in this difficult moment, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

As people of faith, we entrust Parker to the God who knows every child by name, whose love is deeper than our sorrow, and whose compassion never fails. We pray for Parker, for his family, for everyone who searched and hoped, and for all whose hearts are heavy today.

May God bless and keep us all,
Rev. Bill Weaver

07/29/2026

This is where I am now. ♥️ ~ Nanea

07/11/2026

just be you.
it’s the bravest thing
you’ll do.

06/21/2026

Today, June 21, is National Indigenous Peoples Day, a day to recognize and celebrate Indigenous Peoples across Canada.

You can participate in this special day by attending a local Indigenous celebration, supporting Indigenous businesses and restaurants, reading a book by an Indigenous author, listening to Indigenous music, enjoying Indigenous art at a museum or gallery, donating to our Northern Indigenous Ministers appeal, and so many other ways: http://uccf-northern-ministers-retreat.pllenty.com

In this prayer by Rev. Nancy Best, we are called to love our neighbours and seek out ways to work for reconciliation and justice in our communities:

Tender and loving Creator, we are all part of the delicate web of life. When one thread is plucked, the ripples are widely felt, stronger closer to the epicentre, still felt toward the outer reaches. May the uncertainties and concerns we hold close to our hearts be gentled by the love we have of you, and the support of each other.

You know the longing of our hearts for a just society for all of your beloved children. When we are cut, we bleed the same colour. When we donate blood, it provides the same life-giving sustaining gift with no knowledge of race; it does not exist in that little clear bag. We don’t understand the conflicts and hatred rampant, which aren’t new; have they always existed? We pray for people living in troubled places, for refugees needing homes and relocation, for people without safe drinking water.

Rabboni Jesus, may your teachings lead us all to speak the same language of loving you, ourselves, and our neighbours. Gentle people’s harsh feelings and opinions. Restore our gratitude and refresh our faith. Grant us dreams of unity and harmony. May your light and love encircle and envelope us all as we rest in the promise of your goodness. Living Spirit, we are all relations in your family. We give thanks for our blessings. Amen.

—Prayer by Rev. Nancy Best, from a 2022 Indigenous Day of Prayer worship service. https://united-church.ca/worship-special-days/indigenous-day-prayer

05/16/2026

The bill has resulted in hearings denied for refugee claimants across Canada, who now face removal to countries where they may be at risk of persecution, violence, or imprisonment.

04/03/2026

03/31/2026

On this Trans Day of Visibility, we celebrate trans and non-binary people and recognize their strength, resilience, and contributions. Visibility matters, and together, we can create a world where every trans person is seen, valued, and supported.

Today, we are seeing a global wave of anti-trans legislation, some based on harmful religious rhetoric and inherited colonial structures that continue to undo hard-won rights in many ways. Unlearning these harmful frameworks also calls us to show up, speak up, and stand alongside the transgender community, not just today, but every day.

We stand in solidarity with the trans community, celebrating lives lived authentically and advocating for a world where everyone can belong with dignity and without fear. 🏳️‍⚧️