The remit to support the Indigenous church to be self-determining has passed.

The goal of the remit was to determine if The United Church of Canada agreed with removing structural barriers to allowing the Indigenous Church to make decisions without having to ask permission. Last summer, the National Indigenous Council, along with all 16 regional councils voted in favour of the remit. With 80 percent participation, a majority of 2,000 pastoral charges have also agreed.

“Throughout this process, it became particularly clear that there is a need for deeper and ongoing work to address the issues of systemic racism which persist in the church, despite our continued commitment to reconciliation,” the church said in its announcement. 

Read more on Broadview:

• Deadline for supporting the Indigenous church to be self-determining is fast approaching
• Vote to let Indigenous church decide its future would show ‘we are our own elders’: gathering delegate
• Early pages of Broadview’s predecessor reveal a mixed legacy on Indigenous-settler relations

In response to the results, the National Indigenous Council shared its vision statement and said  it is committed “to moving forward together in a good way.” 

The 44th General Council is expected to enact the remit at its annual meeting on Oct. 19. This is the final step in remits which make substantial changes to the structure of the church.

Until then, the National Indigenous Council, the National Indigenous Elders Council and the General Council Executive will work toward developing a framework for a self-determining Indigenous organization within the United Church of Canada.

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Leslie Sinclair is a freelance journalist in Toronto.

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