Page 11 - Presbyterian Connection, Spring 2020

Connection
WOMEN
Presbyterian Woman of Faith Awards 2020 Recipients
presbyterian.ca
SPRING 2020
PRESBYTERIAN
11
Montreal West Presbyterian Church
Proclaiming the love of Jesus Christ
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Judith Chamberlain.
The Presbyterian Woman of Faith Awards were established by The Presbyterian Church in Canada, the Women’s Missionary Society and the Order of Diaconal Ministries to hon- our the courageous and faithful work of women within our church, and to share individual stories of women in ministry. At the National Presbyterian Women’s Gathering in May 2020, Presbyterian Woman of Faith Awards
The Rev. Carol Hamilton. Joan Smith.
will be presented to the following Lifetime of Achievement
three women:
Faithful Service
Judith Chamberlain, Guthrie Presby- terian Church in Melbourne, Ont.
Specific Accomplishment
The Rev. Carol Hamilton, Knox (Har- rington) Presbyterian Church in Em- bro, Ont.
Joan Smith, St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church in Port Hope, Ont.
For more information about the award please visit presbyterian.ca/ WOFA. Registration is still open for the National Women’s Gathering. For more information, please visit womensgathering.ca.
HEALING AND RECONCILIATION
Wet’suwet’en Territory
An Open Letter and Special Statement
By the Rev. Amanda Currie, Moderator of the 2019 General Assembly
The Presbyterian Church in Canada is deeply concerned with events and news surrounding pipeline con- struction on Wet’suwet’en territory. Rising tensions and militarization of the situation, including concerns that use of force might be employed or those supporting Wet’suwet’en law arrested again, has led us to issue this statement calling for peace, re- spect and dialogue. Additionally, we are very concerned that the RCMP has set up an exclusion zone and is keeping food, supplies and the media from entering the area.
Such actions contradict the rights to self-determination and free, prior and informed consent outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). In November 2019, the province of British Columba passed legislation to harmonize its laws with UNDRIP. The Government of Canada has indicated it intends to introduce
PHOTO CREDIT: CAROL J. GARVIN, HANEY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN MAPLE RIDGE, B.C.
legislation aimed at doing the same. The Presbyterian Church in Can- ada has also affirmed its support of UNDRIP, and has recently, in re- sponse to Call to Action # 46, re- pudiated the Doctrine of Discovery. In line with that repudiation and with our support of UNDRIP, we call on all involved to respect Wet’suwet’en law. We also call on both the provin- cial and federal government to meet with the hereditary chiefs to resolve this issue in a peaceful manner,
through dialogue.
Violence must not be an option
in any response to these tensions. The environmental concerns the Wet’suwet’en defenders are rais- ing would affect everyone in the area and must be resolved through good faith dialogue. We pray for the safety and wellbeing of all people in Wet’suwet’en territory, and for a peaceful solution to the situation.
— Issued January 24, 2020. Read online at presbyterian.ca