Justice & Outreach
"The realization that education is not sufficient without advocacy is essential learning. This learning reverberates through the numerous online gatherings on various justice issues throughout the diocese. For instance, the Greater St. Catharines’ Social Justice Committee, hosted a 6-week series on food security. It included an evening on advocating for income security to allow people the dignity to purchase their food instead of operating food banks. That night, many participants identified that letter-writing and calling their elected officials was new to them, and they now had done it for the first time! "
The Anglican communion has a long and deep commitment to social justice and outreach. The approach is balanced in that we first respond to the immediate need and then turn our attention to the broader issue that created the need.
If you believe in justice and in the power of us acting together out of our response to God’s call to love our neighbour — please give today.
Support for the Anglican Diocese of Niagara’s Justice & Outreach work ignites engagement in:
- Climate Justice Niagara
- Human Trafficking Justice Niagara
- Truth and Reconciliation
- Poverty Elimination
- Anti-Racism
- LGBTQ Inclusion
- PWRDF
- Parishes deepening their commitment to advocacy and outreach
Stewarding your resources of time, skills, and finances is good and right. We are also called to work at the justice level, advocating and learning as we work to change the situations requiring our outreach and charity. Social justice and community engagement lead us to ask deeper questions like, “What needs changing in the system to address the needs of people accessing our weekly parish food bank?”
As Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation in an interview alluded to, generosity is insufficient, and we must seek justice.
Social justice calls us to create, with God’s help, a loving world where we are active in building right relationships throughout creation. This is the work of a faith community, “to do justice,” as the prophet Micah said.
The work to do justice is done in a multitude of ways: a group of Anglicans meeting with their Member of Provincial Parliament to express concern about social assistance rates in Ontario; taking part in a letter-writing campaign about the climate crisis; signing a petition that calls on the federal government to broaden immigration status to include better protection for migrant farmworkers.
To receive more information about Justice & Outreach please contact Deirdre Pike, Program Consultant, Justice & Outreach at 905-527-1316 x470 or deirdre.pike@niagaraanglican.ca.
Recommended resources:
May God give you the grace never to sell yourself short; Grace to risk something big for something good; and Grace to remember the world is now too dangerous for anything but the truth and too small for anything but love.
Reflecting on Niagara-In-Action: What Does Social Advocacy Truly Mean?
By Shreya Yugendranag On September 25, 2021, the Diocese held another successful session of Niagara-In-Action! An annual favourite, this year’s event showcased two workshops: “Mapping
The Church – Called to be a Living Wage Employer
By Deirdre Pike How much does it cost to participate fully in community life? That question is at the heart of determining a living wage for workers in
The Missionality of Summer Prayer Walks
By, The Reverend Fran Wallace “I have not done a prayer walk before, but this experience has given me the opportunity to interact more deeply
Kitchen Bees Mark Delivery of 8000th Meal
By Alexis Mimacho Since starting the program back in April 2020, the Kitchen Bees have made over 8000 meals and worked with 75 volunteers from the community.
‘Faith demands action’: A conversation with Cheri DiNovo
By, Matt Gardner “We have power; we should use it.” The Rev. Cheri DiNovo, United Church minister, former Ontario MPP and longtime LGBTQ rights activist.
Delving into the Meaning of National Indigenous Peoples Day
June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day, a day for all Canadians to recognize and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First
Canadian Anglican archbishops sign anti-conversion therapy declaration
An international interfaith commission has called for an end to violence against and criminalization of LGBTQ+ people and a global ban on conversion therapy. The declaration by
Using Our ‘Holy Imagination’ in the Fight Against Human Trafficking
The dignity of the human person was a grounding principle for the recent diocesan forum, “Human Trafficking? Not in My Community!” From Bishop Susan Bell’s
General Synod-funded research project addresses human trafficking
Since it was publicly identified in Wuhan, China, in late 2019, COVID-19 has claimed the lives of more than two million people worldwide. The global
