Steinbach United Church

03/20/2026

01/25/2026

🚨 Join us virtually Sunday, Jan. 25th at 8pm ET for a National Faith Call to Action.

Following the tragic killing of Alex Pretti in Minnesota by ICE, people of faith across the country are coming together to lament, pray, and take action.

▷ Register here: https://ow.ly/siY950Y31MU

04/21/2025

Today, we join with the church worldwide to mourn the passing of Pope Francis, the leader since 2013 of the world’s nearly 1.4 billion Catholics. Pope Francis's last public appearance was for an Easter Sunday blessing yesterday at the Vatican's St Peter's Square. After suffering from kidney issues and bronchitis that worsened into pneumonia, the Pope passed away at the age of 88, the Vatican announced today.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he was a pope of firsts: the first from South America, the first pope from the Western Hemisphere, and the first Jesuit to serve as pope.

Pope Francis introduced a new vision to the Catholic Church, and dedicated himself to humility and to reforming the church, allowing blessings of same-sex couples; permitting divorced and remarried Catholics to receive holy communion and restricting the traditional Latin mass. He faced fierce criticism for what was seen by more conservative adherents as compromising the institution.

His Laudato si’ (2015) encyclical addressed the climate crisis and championed environmental stewardship:

“The violence present in our hearts, wounded by sin, is also reflected in the symptoms of sickness evident in the soil, in the water, in the air and in all forms of life. This is why the earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor; she “groans in travail” (Rom 8:22).

We have forgotten that we ourselves are dust of the earth (cf. Gen 2:7); our very bodies are made up of her elements, we breathe her air and we receive life and refreshment from her waters.

Nothing in this world is indifferent to us.”

Details about the funeral of Pope Francis are as yet unavailable.

(Image by Annett_Klinger, Pixabay)

03/05/2025

Today, Ash Wednesday, marks the first day of the season of Lent. Lent is a journey of deepening reflection and renewal, an opportunity to deepen our commitment to the call of The United Church of Canada to Deep Spirituality, Bold Discipleship, and Daring Justice. God has called the church to respond to a time such as this, so we prepare for the journey by setting aside burdens that would weigh us down and reconnecting to the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer of all that is.

God of mercy, forgive us.

We know that your beautiful world
suffers from greed and injustice:
children have only tears for food,
and the forests groan in distress.
And we know that our comfort, our standard of living,
depends on the suffering of others and the r**e of the planet.
These things disturb us,
yet, we confess that we have not protested as we ought,
or rushed to combat these evils as we should.
Make us braver, Lord, to speak out and act.

God of mercy, forgive us.

Loving God, you call us to be your church,
a witness to the power of love in the world,
but even here, we have not been faithful:
we have not known how to work out our differences
without painful conflict,
and we have held on to our anger and hurt far too long.
Set us free from these old wounds
and draw us together into one community,
dedicated to your purpose.

—excerpted from a prayer in Celebrate God's Presence, 0I012

[Photo: Barcin / iStock]

02/02/2025

Gracious Spirit, as we honour and celebrate Black History Month we reflect upon the life of Jesus, who walked among the people bringing hope, love, and healing to the villages he visited. During this month of remembrance and tribute, we lift up the stories and legacies of Black siblings. We honour their resilience, courage, and perseverance in the face of adversity, just as Jesus demonstrated resilience amidst challenges.

We pray for those who fought against injustice, who led movements for freedom and equality, and who have inspired generations through their wisdom, talents, and leadership. May they be an example for us, as we strive for a world of reconciliation and justice. Guide our efforts to build bridges, dismantle barriers, and foster understanding.

We pray this in Jesus’s name.

— from the Black History Month liturgy by Pastor Charmaine Bailey. https://united-church.ca/worship-special-days/black-history-month-1

[Image: The United Church of Canada]

01/30/2025

Loving God,
strengthen us in kinship,
as we, watch, wait and pray with
those affected by the American Airline passenger plane that collided with a helicopter in Washington D.C.

Comfort the grieving family members, friends, colleagues, and peers of the people killed in the crash; and
Support the heroic rescue workers who are leading a recovery operation in dangerously cold waters.

May we be good friends and neighbours,
as we watch, wait and pray with
all who mourn, all who are suffering, all who are providing aid, and all who are in deep despair.
Amen. 🕊️

[Image credit: Canva]

11/11/2024

On this day of Remembrance, O God, we give thanks:
For peacekeepers and pacifists; for those who served on the front lines, and those who protest and march; for those who volunteered and those who waited anxiously at home; for those who hoped that things would get better, and those who could not stand by and wait.
We give thanks for those who believed that the world could be a better place.
We remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, trusting that others could and would carry the torch.
We give thanks for those who were once enemies who have become friends and allies.

—Rev. Dr. Neil Parker

[Photo by Kevin Graham from Pixabay]

10/09/2024

Please pray for those in the path of Hurricane Milton, as well as those still recovering from Hurricane Helene.

Loving Protector,
As a mother hen comforts and shields her young from the dangers of life,
gather all who are in the horrific path of Hurricane Milton in love:
comfort those who have already been devastated by his force;
provide aid to those recovering from Hurricane Helene; and,
protect all those who are anxiously preparing again for impact.

Grant us the loving kindness and grace to do what we can to shield each other from the unimaginable powers of nature.
Amen.

[Image: WikiImages from Pixabay]

07/01/2024

Happy Canada Day! We give thanks for this land and nation and pray that we may become the people that God has called us to be — doing what is right, showing mercy, and walking humbly with God.

[Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay]

03/31/2024

Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! This is the good news, now, in this difficult time, and forever. Easter blessings to all.

[Photo: Easter lilies. Credit: Claudia Kutchukian]

03/31/2024

Creative God, you who breathe life into dust
and bring new life out of death:
we are gathered as your Easter people,
raised up with Christ in resurrection hope.

We come with hurts and confusion,
with despair,
with the smell of death still clinging to us.

Yet you, Lord, invite us to step out
into new life in the way of Jesus.

We thank you for this great gift;
may our whole lives express our gratitude.

We pray in the name of our risen Saviour. Amen

-from Celebrate God's Presence: A Book of Services

[Image: A cross, shining in light. Credit: Joyce Crosby / The United Church of Canada]