Web Resources (Links)

Apr 272011
 

Contents

  1. United Church Links
  2. Neighbouring Churches
  3. Ecumenical Church Pages
  4. Theological and Spiritual Resources
  5. Education, Retreats, Conferences
  6. Prayer Resources
  7. Resources for Kids
  8. Resources for Youth
  9. Sacred Music Resources
  10. Social Justice
  11. Sustainable Travel and International Volunteering Opportunities
  12. Environmental Issues and Global Action
  13. Health and Wellness
  14. Community Resources
  15. Crisis Services
  16. Books, Magazines, Movies, and other Resources

These links, when clicked, will open in a new browser window.

1. Other United Church Links

2. Neighbouring Religious Organizations

3. Ecumenical Church Pages

  • The Women’s Inter-Church Council of Canada (WICC): a national council of representatives from 11 church partners, focusing on four main concerns of social justice, women’s issues, ecumenism, and the growth of women’s spirituality.
  • World Council of Churches: The World Council of Churches (WCC) is the broadest and most inclusive among the many organized expressions of the modern ecumenical movement, a movement whose goal is Christian unity.

4. Theological and Spiritual Resources

  • Beliefnet: a multifaith website featuring columnists such as Marcus Borg and Cynthia Bourgeault as well as lots of information on prayer.
  • Canadian Centre for Progressive Christianity is a safe place to explore the big questions of life.
  • Christ in the Desert Monastery: Beautifully illustrated with illuminated manuscript letters, this site offers chants, prayers, homilies, and information on the monastic life and guesthouse.
  • A 34-week Online Retreat offered by Creighton University.
  • ExploreFaith is dedicated to sharing beliefs and experiences with anyone seeking answers to spiritual questions.
  • Grace Episcopal Cathedral in San Francisco offers daily meditations, articles on selected topics, sermons etc.
  • The Oremus Bible Browser is a useful resource to help you quickly find biblical passages in a number of different versions of the Bible.
  • Ron Rohlheiser, a Roman Catholic priest and president of the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas. His books are popular throughout the English-speaking world and his weekly column is carried by more than fifty newspapers worldwide.
  • Seattle First Methodist United Church: listen to the fine sermons.
  • Linda Mulhall, an adherent of First Metropolitan United Church, is trained in the art of spiritual guidance and energy healing, a certified funeral celebrant, and educator who provides retreats and workshops in such topics as bereavement and navigating life’s transitions, both within the church and independently. Her approach is InterSpiritual and draws on many spiritual traditions including Buddhist, Christian, First Nations-Metis, and Sufi.

5. Education, Retreats, Conferences

  • Centre for Studies in Religion and Society at the University of Victoria offers lectures, seminars, and other events.
  • Naramata Centre is a United Church of Canada education and retreat centre offering programs for all ages and is located in Naramata, BC.
  • Bethlehem Retreat Centre in Nanaimo offers retreats and workshops related to spiritual development
  • Rivendell is a Christian community and retreat centre on Bowen Island, that aims to minister to those with limited resources and special needs.
  • Schola Divina is modeled on the ancient ideal in which study of sacred texts and transmission of spiritual wisdom become the foundation for transformative self-study and reflection.
  • Vancouver School of Theology, University of British Columbia, offers a wide variety of degree and diploma programs.
  • Linda Mulhall, an adherent of First Metropolitan United Church, is trained in the art of spiritual guidance and energy healing, a certified funeral celebrant, and educator who provides retreats and workshops in such topics as bereavement and navigating life’s transitions, both within the church and independently. Her approach is InterSpiritual and draws on many spiritual traditions including Buddhist, Christian, First Nations-Metis, and Sufi.

6. Prayer Resources

  • The Contemplative Society is a modern-day “School in the Lord’s Service.” It is an ecumenical, not-for-profit association that encourages a deepening of contemplative prayer based in the Christian tradition, through teachings and retreats, many offered on Vancouver Island.
  • Daily Prayer Online: prepared by Irish Jesuits, this site offers daily prayers and tips on prayer in many different languages.
  • The Lord’s Prayer: A collection of different versions.
  • Pray the News, created by the Carmelites of Indianapolis, features resources to help you learn how to pray, glimpse into the contemplative life, and reflections on current events.
  • Prayer Finder: prayer of the day from beliefnet.com.
  • World Prayers: gathering the great prayer classics from spiritual traditions around the world.

7. Resources for Kids

  • CBC for Kids offers information on programs, games, and other fun stuff for kids.
  • Scholastic Kids is a website for children created by Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company. It offers games and contests, information on books, a homework helper and more.
  • Christian Kid’s Top 100 Websites: dedicated to linking kids with Christian and other wholesome sites on the Internet, that are devotional, educational or just plain fun.
  • Canuck Place has a list of  medical and financial support programs and other resources for families dealing with the disability and illness of a child.
  • Raffi is an internationally acclaimed family entertainer, songwriter, author, and ecology advocate.

8. Resources for Youth

9. Sacred Music Resources

  • Alice Parker, in association with Robert Shaw, created many settings of American folksongs, hymns and spirituals which form an enduring repertoire for choirs. She focuses on the heart of vocal music, the melody.
  • Bruce Harding, church musician, composer, and church music scholar, managing director for the More Voices project.
  • Cyberhymnal: lyrics, scores, histories and more for over 5,100 hymns from different denominations.
  • Denis Donnelly is co-director of the Getting’ Higher Choir in Victoria. He was Director for 15 years of the Victoria Conservatory of Music, leaving in 1999 to pursue his own musicianship. He has worked with many choirs and vocal groups. His workshop on Singing the Spirit gives people an opportunity to sing spiritual songs and chants originating throughout the world.
  • Linnea Good, singer and songwriter.
  • Louise Rose, accomplished performer, composer, facilitator, motivational speaker and choral director and her inner city choir, The Open Doors.
  • Oremus Hymnal: online hymnal contains texts and MIDI files of tunes used in much of the English-speaking world, with particular emphasis on the Anglican tradition.
  • Ron Klusmeier, musician and composer of church music published by over 75 denominations and publishing companies worldwide.
  • United Church of Canada Association of Musicians is a diverse association of people passionate about music in The United Church of Canada, Canada’s largest Protestant denomination. Musicians, clergy, laity, worship committee members – all are welcome to join us as we seek to further the cause of music within the church.

10. Social Justice

  • The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada has a mandate to learn the truth about what happened in the residential schools and to inform all Canadians about what happened in the schools.
  • Aboriginal Rights Coalition BC, a coalition of aboriginal organizations, the major churches of Canada, and local community groups. ARC (BC) has a vision of a Canadian society in which First Nations are free to exercise the legal and political powers necessary to take control over their own lives, territories, and resources.
  • Campaign Against Child Poverty is a national, non-partisan coalition of citizens from faith-groups, social justice groups, charities, child welfare organizations and others concerned about the unacceptably high levels of child and family poverty in Canada.
  • Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives is an independent, non-partisan research institute concerned with issues of social and economic justice. Our research and analysis show that there are workable solutions to the policy questions facing Canadians today.
  • Canadian Council on Social Development is a non-profit social policy and research organization that focuses on issues such as poverty, social inclusion, disability, cultural diversity, child well-being, employment and housing.
  • Oikocredit  is an ecumenical network of ethical investors that is well connected with other social investment organizations and led by a dedicated board of professional directors. It provides microfinancing to individuals and organizations in the developing world.
  • The Canadian Foodgrains Bank is a Canadian-based Christian organization that helps provide food and development assistance to people in need on behalf of 13 Canadian church members.
  • Centre for Social Justice seeks to strengthen the struggle for social justice.
  • Fair Trade Federation: an association of fair trade wholesalers, retailers, and producers whose members are committed to providing fair wages and good employment opportunities to economically disadvantaged artisans and farmers worldwide.
  • First Nations Summit (BC) is comprised of a majority of First Nations and Tribal Councils in BC and provides a forum for First Nations in British Columbia to address issues related to Treaty negotiations as well as other issues of common concern.
  • Canada Without Poverty, formerly the National Anti-Poverty Organization, is a non-profit, non partisan organization that represents the interests of low-income people in Canada.
  • Pov-Net: an online community of Canadian anti-poverty groups.
  • Project Ploughshares is an ecumenical agency of the Canadian Council of Churches established to implement the churches’ call to be peacemakers and to work for a world in which justice will flourish and peace abound.
  • Responsible Shopper reports on global research and campaign information in order to alert the public about the social and environmental impact of major corporations, while providing opportunities for consumers and investors to vote with their dollars for change.
  • Ten Thousand Villages is a nonprofit program of Mennonite Central Committee, the relief and development agency of Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches in North America.

11. Sustainable Travel and International Volunteering Opportunities

  • As an international volunteer with Cross-Cultural Solutions, you’re making a meaningful contribution, working side-by-side with local people and sharing in the goals of a community that warmly welcomes you.
  • Globe Aware, a nonprofit organization, currently offers volunteer vacations in Peru, Costa Rica, Thailand, Cuba, Nepal, Brazil, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.
  • International Volunteer Programs Association (IVPA) is an alliance of nonprofit, non-governmental organizations based in the Americas, that are involved in international volunteer and internship exchanges.
  • Sustainable Travel International is a not-for-profit organization, dedicated to providing education and outreach services that will lessen the toll that travel and tourism takes on the environment and local cultures.

12. Environmental Issues and Global Action

  • The United Church of Canada, together with other churches in Canada and around the world, is deeply concerned about climate change and works with partners in Canada and abroad to take action on this issue.
  • Greening Sacred Spaces, a source of greening our faith, homes and sacred spaces. is an initiative of Faith & the Common Good (FCG), a network of people from different faiths and cultures who call Canada home and believe in working towards the common good.
  • Programs in Earth Literacies is an initiative of the Living Language Institute Foundation (LLIF) in BC. Its programs include circle gatherings, retreats and workshops reflecting on Earth spirituality, Eco-theology, care for Earth, and deep ecology in order to deepen their understanding of the place of the human within the cosmos. 
  • The Forum on Religion and Ecology is the largest international multi-religious project of its kind. With its conferences, publications, and website it is engaged in exploring religious worldviews, texts, and ethics in order to broaden understanding of the complex nature of current environmental concerns.
  • Greeningspirit.ca is the environmental task force of the Diocese of New Westminister, BC, Kootenay and the Yukon and is used by environmental stewards in parishes to coordinate a range of activites aimed at caring for creation.
  • The Regeneration Project is an interfaith ministry devoted to deepening the connection between ecology and faith.

13. Health and Wellness

14. Community Resources

  • The Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria is a non-profit society that assists newcomers to settle in the Greater Victoria area, advocates for the human rights of people of all cultures and promotes public multicultural events.
  • Parent Support Services is a non-profit, volunteer-based society in B.C. with a mandate is to prevent child abuse and to promote healthy relationships by supporting parenting, families and communities.
  • The Single Parent Resource Centre is committed to serving the varied and changing needs of single parent families in the Greater Victoria area.
  • Outreach at the Y: The YM/YWCA of Greater Victoria, in partnership with government and community groups offers a variety of programs to assist at risk youth and families in our community.
  • Parent Support Services: Their mandate is to prevent child abuse and promote healthy parent-child relationships by providing parenting, families, and communities with support and information.
  • TAPS (Together Against Poverty Society) provides free, face-to-face advocacy for people in Victoria with income assistance, disability benefits and tenancy issues.
  • Victoria Cool Aid Society: Building hope, lives and community through a wide range of social and health service programs including affordable housing, emergency shelters and community health services.
  • Victoria Native Friendship Centre is dedicated to improving the quality of life for Aboriginal people in the Greater Victoria area, through programs in career, employment and education, culture and community relations, youth development, housing, infant and early childhood development, and health and family services.

15. Crisis Services

  • Island Pastoral Services Association: An inter-denominational agency providing pastoral counseling to any individual, couple or family in distress.
  • BC/Yukon Alcoholics Anonymous.
  • AIDS Vancouver Island (AVI) is a community-based organization providing education, support, and advocacy for people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, and other communicable diseases throughout Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.
  • Sandi Merriman Centre (for Women): Located at 809 Burdett Street, (250) 480-1408. This women’s only shelter provides 15 safe and supportive shelter beds, hygiene services and drop-in facilities for women including counseling and access to health care for those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. For more information see www.coolaid.org.
  • Streetlink, located at 1634 Store Street, (250) 383-1951 is a 55 Bed emergency shelter for temporarily or chronically homeless adults. Clients receive meals, referrals, hygiene services, mental health services, housing advocacy, community liason, and crisis and lifeskills counseling. For more information see www.coolaid.org.
  • Vancouver Island Crisis Line provides emotional support, crisis intervention services and community resource information 24 hours a day and seven days a week to anyone living on Vancouver Island (1-888-494-3888).
  • NEED2 Suicide Prevention Education & Support focuses on youth suicide awareness, prevention education and support. 

16. Books, Magazines, Movies, and other Resources

 Miscellaneous

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