Celebrating the United Church of Canada's 100th Anniversary

I’m back from Pittsburgh and had a wonderful time! While in Pittsburgh, it felt like for four days I rode a wave of hospitality, gratitude and love, hanging out with dear friends and attending the many receptions, brunches and other gatherings that Pittsburgh Theological Seminary so generously provides. It was meaningful to graduate, but an extra surprise was being one of six students who received the Richard J. Rapp Memorial Award in Doctor of Ministry Studies. This is an award given to those who, in the judgement of the faculty, have written an outstanding final doctoral project. I am humbled and honoured to be recognized in this way.

And now that I am back, we are headlong into celebrating the United Church of Canada’s 100th anniversary this Sunday! What a gift it will be to hear the words of Rev. Hugh C. Wilson, minister at the Harbour and Settlement churches from 1924 to 1927, memories of his arrival and tenure in Tobermory. These are offered to us by Catherine Hutchinson, Rev. Wilson’s granddaughter, who found the handwritten notes that her grandfather had made in 1976. My favourite part:

“Laurel Shaw [Rev. Wilson’s fiancée] had visited me with kind friends who drove her up to see her prospective home. I had told her that everything necessary for comfortable living was in the Parsonage. She learned later that I had rather overstated the case but generously overlooked my error.”

We’ll celebrate this Sunday, for surely the United Church of Canada has done great things since its formation in 1925, but there will also be time for lament, especially for the blindness of the church in its zeal to convert the original peoples of this land to Christianity.

The United Church of Canada’s anniversary falls on Pentecost, a time when we celebrate the movement of the Spirit that created the early church, and this feels like a fitting coincidence.

To prepare, read Acts 2:1-21 and ponder the following:

1. For what are you most grateful in your experience of the United Church of Canada? For what do you lament?

2. In the Pentecost account, all the people gathered are able to hear about “God’s deeds of power.” If you had to name God’s deeds of power that you observe right now, what would make the list?

P.S. If you weren’t able to tune in to the readings given by me and members of my cohort last week (I am second to last), or the commencement ceremony at East Liberty Presbyterian Church (one of the best sermons I’ve heard in my life), here are links:

• Readings: Watch the DMin Public Readings 2025 (click here)

• Commencement: Watch the Commencement Video (click here)

P.P.S: There’s going to be a surprise this Sunday… Hint: It’s going to be visual…