Abbreviated History of the Trinity Justice Committee

1990    

Chair: Jane McKeague

Projects/Issues Addressed

 

• A Christian alternative for the environment

• Amnesty International- letter writing

• Walk around the world for Peace and Walk a mile in my shoes (Poverty)

• Sanctuary Service – Children in Poverty

• A Refugee sub-committee formed

1991

Chair: Jane McKeague

 

• Amnesty International letter writing

• Protesting the War in the Gulf through letter writing

• Presentation on problems in the Health Care System

• Presentation on Refugee sponsorships

1992 and 1993

Chair: Jane McKeague

 

• Auto-free Ottawa

• Racisim in Canada

• Amnesty International Letter writing

1994

Co-Chairs: Barbara Fraser, Pam Sheehan

 

• Amnesty International Intl. Letter writing

• “A New World Revolution” -World Injustice

• Toxic Waste Day- 5 Carloads collected

• L’Arche Home- Facilities for disabled persons – Guest speaker

1995

Co-Chairs: Barbara Fraser, Pam Sheehan

 

• Amnesty Intl. Letter Writing

• Ontario Ministry Cutbacks to services provided for mentally disabled adults

• Toxic Waste collection day

• Racism and experiences of New Immigrants (guest speaker)

• Impact of social Services cuts on City of Ottawa (guest speaker)

• Sanctuary Service- The Carlington Chaplaincy

1996

C0-Chairs: Barbara Fraser, Pam Sheehan

 

• Affordable housing

• Support of grocery voucher program

• Toxic Waste Day

• Sanctuary Service addressing Ontario social services cuts

• Amnesty Intl. letter writing

• Speakers on topics of Racism and East Timor situation

• Assumed Interim responsibility for the M&S fund

1997      

Chair: Alex McKeague

 

• Sanctuary service- The Environment, petition circulated

• Amnesty Intl. letter writing

• Health Care situation- addressing government cuts

• Child poverty

• Toxic Waste issues

• Carlington Chaplaincy theme for sanctuary service

1998

Co-Chairs: Liz Tyrwhitt, Alex McKeague

 

• Poverty, health care and aboriginal issues

• Sanctuary service on poverty (speaker- Senator Landon Pearson)

• Effects of downloading and restructuring on disadvantaged persons (guest speaker- Alex Munter)

• Hosted dinner and raised $865 for Aboriginal Healing Fund

• Amnesty Int. letter writing

• Petitions coordinated for nuclear disarmament and Health Care change

1999

Chair: Alex McKeague

 

• Jubilee 2000- Restoration of balance between rich and poor across the globe and consumerism and care for the environment

• Call on G7 to cancel debt to poor nations

• Pam Sheehan/Rev. Glen Stoudt participated in exchange to “sister” church in Germany including a proposal to establish a Jubilee Fund

• Medicare themed event- Speakers- Marlene Catterall, Alex Cullen and Dr. Pat Armstrong

• Petitions coordinated for Healthcare, Nuclear Disarmament, Well-Being of Canada’s Children

• Coordination of on-going grocery fund

2000

Co-Chairs: Linda Hearty, Judi McLaren

 

• (3) coffee and conversations on theme- What is wealth? The growing gap and our challenge…

• Worship service- Child labour and poverty

• Coffee and conversation- 3rd world debt- guest speaker, acting High Commissioner for Uganda

• Hosted visitors from twinned church in Germany

• Theme addressed- Greening of Faith and the  environment

• Amnesty letter writing (100 cards written0

• Monthly letter writing to CEOs and MPs on topics of concern

2001

Co-Chairs: Linda Hearty, Judi McLaren

 

• Amnesty Intl. letter writing

• Petition for clemency for Robert Latimer court case (compassionate assisted suicide)

• Clean Water Project- Watercan

2002

Co-Chairs: Linda Hearty, Judi McLaren

 

• Amnesty Intl. letter writing

• Support to Habitat for Humanity

• Workshop on Globalization

• Beads of Hope project in support of AIDS pandemic in Africa

2003

Chair: Linda Hearty

 

• Peace marches re war in Iraq

• AIDS pandemic in Africa and around the world

• Beads of Hope- forgiveness of 3rd world debt

• Arar case petition (false imprisonment and torture)

• Worship service (war in Sierra Leone)

• Amnesty Intl. letter writing

• Same sex marriage- support to issue

2004

Chair: Linda Hearty

 

• Homelessness

• Child poverty (addressing both issues with education events and petitions)

2005

Chair: Mary Myles

 

• AIDS in Africa – focus of worship service

• Same Sex Marriage- CIS spearheaded a three workshop process to investigate congregational support for the issue- which led to congregational meeting approval vote for same sex marriage to be held at TUC

• Participated in a review of the Carlington Chaplaincy

• Security Certificate Legislation focus of worship led service

2006

Co-Chairs: Mary Myles, Harold Sheehan

 

• Bottled water initiative- TUC became a bottled water free zone

• Security certificates- education on what they were and protest of their use

• Environment- reducing our carbon footprint

• Working with Trinity Outreach Committee on raising $1200 scholarships for Caldwell Centre (Carlington) youth

2007

Co-Chairs: Mary Myles, Harold Sheehan

 

• Environment- “food as a sacred element in our lives”

• Worship service on theme followed by soup and bread lunch for congregation

• Organized congregational potluck at Tucker House Renewal Centre (organic food)

• Alcohol and drug use by youth- worked with Presbytery CIS to organize a weekend event about addictions in our youth

• Peace Task Group – focus and input to a UCC policy seeking to protest the use of military force for so-called protection purposes of vulnerable peoples caught in large scale conflicts

2008

Chair: Mary Myles

 

• Joint service with TOC

• Petitions organized:: Amnesty Intl. against Arms Bazaar planned for Ottawa; climate change and poverty issues

• Survey of congregation – theme chosen – organic food…

2009

Co-Chairs: Mary Myles, Chris Humphrey

 

• Petitions organized- opposing Arms Trade, Health Care issues, Rights of Indigenous people, affordable housing

• Coordination of organic produce delivery

• Presentation on Tar Sands drilling impacts

• CIS led two worship services on above issues

2010

Co-Chairs: Chris Humphrey, Virginia MacLatchy

 

• Theme- Living in Right Relations with Aboriginal peoples…worship service led

• Participated in Rally against Arms Show at Lansdowne

• Postcard campaign in support of Bill C-300 (Accountability for activities of mining oil and gas in developing countries)

• Fundraising in support of UCC campaign for victims of the Pakistan flood

2011

Co-Chairs: Chris Humphrey, Virginia MacLatchy

 

• Aboriginal issues and film screening “Third World Canada”

• Economic Justice (2 year focus)- films on System Change NOT Climate change”

• Petitions – Action on Climate Change

• Greening TUC sacred space and property- e.g. planted wildflower garden

2012

Co-Chairs: Chris Humphrey, Virginia MacLatchy

 

• Worship service- “Moving towards a Just Economy

• Council endorsed CIS proposal to join the multi-faith housing initiative

• Worship service with Paul Dewar, MP as speaker on “need to have faith in politics and not to be afraid to take a stand”

• Project to sponsor a gay Iranian refugee (in a Turkish Refugee Camp)

• Aboriginal issues- informative tour of Kitigan Zibi on invitation form Chief Whiteduck

• Book Club study “Speaking my Truth- Reflections on Reconciliation and Residential schools

2013

Co-Chairs: Chris and Virginia

 

• Aboriginal issues cont’d: hosted audience of 85 at a Presbytery Movie night viewing “Invisible nation- the tragic story of the Algonquin nation

• Plight of Palestinians in the occupied areas of their own homeland

• Access to clean water, healthy food

• Film screenings: Watermark annd Last Call at the Oasis

2014

Co-Chairs: Chris and Virginia

 

• Theme- :living Waters for all: access to clean water (focus on Ottawa River Watershed)

• Presentation by Meredith Brown, Ottawa Riverkeeper

• 3-D Watershed model shared with Sunday School children, cubs and Brownies at a service

• Promotion of UCC campaign encouraging an end to Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory

2015

Co-Chairs: Chris and Virginia

 

• Films on the Ottawa River Clean-up projects

• Pathetic state of potable water on Aboriginal Reserves – film

• Service on diminished Aboriginal lands

• Truth and Reconciliation Walk and CIS volunteering at Ottawa Centre 510 (Aboriginal Drop-In Centre)

• March  to Parliament Hill to support action on Climate Change

2016

Co-Chairs: Chris and Virginia

 

• Theme of elder care- Service and encouraging letter writing to the mayor and Minister of Health requesting increased home care for seniors

• Co-housing project focused on seniors

• Climate Justice (2 year focus)- Canadian Foodgrains Bank Good soil postcard campaign

• Israel/Palestine situation- petition to city of Ottawa to renounce affiliation with “Canada Park” (initiative by our gov’t resulting on encroachment on Palestinian villages)

• Support to Attawapikat- notes of encouragement to youth (high suicide rate) and re-building of a small library for a local school

• Aboriginal Sunday service

2017

Co-Chairs: Chris, Virginia

 

• Theme cont’d- Climate Justice and reducing our carbon footprint

• CIS service- Lenten Challenge “Give It Up for the Earth”

• Film screening “The Wisdom to Survive”

• Vegetarian luncheon hosted

• Film night- “Story of Stuff” re excessive consumerism and sustainability

• Attendance at Muslim Community Women’s association Annual Peace Conference

• Letter-writing on Amnesty Intl. Write for Rights Sunday

2018

Chair: Virginia

 

• Attendance at Clean Energy and Climate policy workshop at Carleton U

• Earth Day Service- Elizabeth May, speaker (200 in attendance)

• Launch of Greening Sacred Spaces Certification Program and formation of new committee- Green Team

• Reducing carbon footprint through transportation choices

• Theme of Privilege

• Anti-Black racism -  webinar shown

2019

Chair: Virginia

 

• Theme of Privilege continued: hosted (2) TED talks; day-long workshop with Kitchissippi UC including UC Moderator Right Rev. Dr. Richard Bott

• Greening sacred spaces talk

• Postcard campaign- Poverty and Multi-faith housing

• Gift cards for groceries program continued

2020

Chair: Virginia

 

• Homelessness and affordable housing (declared a City emergency)

• Service addressing poverty and injustice

• Participation in Tulipathon- fund-raising walk for multi-faith housing

• Healthcare for seniors – joint project with Ottawa U re poverty and food insecurity

• Universal Basic Income

• Amnesty write-athon on-line due to Covid

2021

Chair: Virginia

 

• Cont’d focus on poverty and Basic Income initiative

• Event on Universal Basic Income with speaker, Evelyn Forget, Economics Professor, Univ. of Manitoba

• Letter campaign to Liberal MPs

• Petitions in support of private members Bill Motion 46 (Guaranteed Living income)

• Long-Term care home tragedy and change going forward- education to congregation and petitions

• Participation in National Day of Truth and Reconciliation

2022

Chair: Virginia

 

• Theme of long-term care (Zoom info events with speakers such as Moira Welsh (reporter and author of “Happily Ever Older" And Andre Picard, author of “Neglected No More- the urgent need to improve the lives of Canada’s Elders in the wake of a pandemic”

• Service on theme

• Collaboration with Pride Group to explore transgender issues and consider refugee sponsorship

• Dec. 10 Amnesty Intl. Write for Rights

2023

Chair: Virginia

 

• Cont’d focus on transgender issues in collaboration with Pride Group at Trinity

• Celebration of National affirming P.I.E. Day and worship service

• May Zoom event with guest speaker Shawna Rothgeb-Bird speaking on Trans issues

• Petition to Provincial gov’t to increase funding for home care and long term care homes Not to be built by “for-profit” developers

• Sept. theme- a Christian Response to Climate Change- attendance at workshops/webinars

• Factoids and e-blast on Climate change issues throughout the year

• Survey of the Congregation for input on future topics of concern.

NOTE: It is with pride and hard work by the Justice Committee, particularly our former Chair, Virginia MacLatchy, Chris Humphrey, Mike Valichka and Mary Myles, that Heat Pumps have been installed in TUC allowing us to get “off-oil” for  heating and air-conditioning within the building.

 

Additional Information: Trinity United Church has also seen the addition over the years of sub and separate committees and initiatives that have been  formed out of the CIS, Justice Committee. The hard work and joy of Refugee sponsorships through formed Refugee committees, the Green Team Committee (certification)  M&S and Pride Group- The Trinity Jubilee Foundation, all of which are still ongoing and will remain a large part of our legacy of Social Justice in the years ahead!

 

STAY TUNED FOR FUTURE TRINITY JUSTICE EVENTS AND INITIATIVES!!                                  

Prepared by Linda Hearty and Pam Sheehan, Co-Chairs Trinity Justice Committee - August 2024