2025 Strategic Plan Annual Report

Deep Spirituality | Bold Discipleship | Daring Justice

As the United Church of Canada’s second century begins, we continue to live into our Vision of embodying a bold, connected, evolving church of diverse, courageous, hope-filled communities, united in deep spirituality, inspiring worship, and daring justice.

Last year marked the final year of the 2023–2025 Strategic Plan, adopted as a guiding path for the work of the General Council Office in transforming the above Vision into a reality. This report is a snapshot of just a few of the exciting ways in which the Strategic Plan has been put into action in the world. By animating justice and growth in a meaningful way, it’s moving us closer to being the church we are called to be, a process that continues through Toward 2035.

We hope that these stories of progress and community building will inspire—just as the General Council Office is inspired by the leadership and example of communities of faith nationwide.

Strategic Objectives

Strategic objectives to guide progress towards the Vision were approved by the General Council Executive. Each objective forms part of the annual operational plans, and is broken down further into initiatives and activities that are accountably tracked and evaluated.

This report focuses on the activities of four of our six key objectives, which will form the cornerstone of a future full-church strategic plan. You can find the full text of all objectives, and learn more about the Strategic Plan, by going to Our Call and Vision.

Growth — Strengthen Invitation

We are renewing existing communities of faith, creating new churches, and supporting bolder invitation. The United Church of Canada is not wrapping up; we are ramping up as we enter our next 100 years.

Over 115 United Churches brought their ministry out to the street with 100 Tables, an initiative that transformed ordinary picnic tables into sites of welcome nationwide. Locally-driven projects shared social justice resources, community-building activities, or just a simple bite to eat and message of inclusion, enhancing invitation and new relationship with neighbours.

“The project so clearly expressed what we believe the church is called to be: a community that builds, shares, and gathers... [it was] a way to say, in a visible and practical way, ‘You are welcome here.’” — Andrew Valley, Zion-Memorial United Church (Carleton Place, Ontario)

Migrant-led church plant communities continue to emerge, leading new expressions of our shared faith across the country. 10 Church Plant Leads, now employed by the General Council Office, participated in General Council 45 in Calgary last August, sharing in church leadership by participating in table groups, learning labs, and a presentation on Toward 2035.

A large group of people standing behind a picnic table decorated for the 100 Tables project

Invigorate Leadership

As we strive to better reflect the diversity and needs of our church and country—current and future—we are developing key resources, experimenting with pilot programs, and reimagining training for leaders to enable them to meet new challenges and possibilities.

A major investment in the church’s future ministry leadership came from the Lilly Endowment Inc., who granted over $9 million USD to The Vancouver School of Theology, as lead school, to help establish Reimagining Theological Education Across The United Church Of Canada Affiliated Schools: Confronting The Narrative Of Decline. The project will launch a new collaboration between the United Church and its eight affiliated schools, including Vancouver School of Theology, to strengthen theological education over the next five years.

Equity, diversity, and anti-oppression (EDA) practices with national church committees continued to expand throughout 2025. A coordinated EDA pathway was introduced for committees to engage with from 2025 to 2028 and committee chairs received training and resource support. The EDA pathway includes resources on a Behavioural Covenant, EDA education for committees, self-assessments, and a full participation audit. In past engagements with EDA, committee members have reported a deeper understanding of equity and diversity in relation to their committee work, and a stronger sense of belonging.

Journeying Indigenous Pathways

We recognize and celebrate diverse Indigenous ways of being, knowing, and engaging with theologies and spiritual practices. We are committed to decolonizing church structures, and to partnering with a self-determining Indigenous Church.

Two representatives of the Indigenous Church—Joni Shawana (Healing Program Coordinator, Indigenous Ministries and Justice), and Samantha Miller (Community Youth Member)—attended COP30, the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Belém, Brazil last November. As part of a KAIROS delegation, they participated in advocacy and dialogues about the future of Indigenous climate leadership.

“Just as God created you and me, he created the land first. So I leave you with this: how are you going to honour God and his creation?” — Samantha Miller

Additionally, a 2026 plan rooted in commitments of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples embodies a practical shift toward decolonization and Indigenous-led justice, directly serving the goal of safer, more equitable spaces for Indigenous communities.

Samantha Miller at a demonstration at COP30 in Belém, Brazil

Embolden Justice

Informed by those with lived experience, we join with others in the hard work of bringing about racial and Indigenous justice, and 2S and LGBTQIA+ rights, including through Canadian and global partnerships.

Continued support for migrant justice and refugee work was strengthened in 2025, as LGBTQIA+ refugee submissions increased by 90 percent. The church funded migrant-led initiatives, participated in national coalitions and consultations, and forged new ties with the Refugee Sponsorship Training Program and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

2S and LGBTQIA+ advocacy also remained an urgent priority, including through letter-writing to Alberta’s government in support of the trans community, and “Faith Beyond Borders,” a regional East African inclusive and safe dialogue spaces project that’s fostering cross-faith, cross-sector shifts toward affirming theology and practice. Our deepening partnerships with ecumenical and interfaith organizations, such as KAIROS and the World Council of Churches, also make possible unified, transformative responses to pressing justice issues.

People gathered around a table for a workshop

Youth Action Across the Strategic Plan

The inspired youth of the church continue to lead us in living our strategic objectives into reality. 130 youth attended General Council 45 in Calgary last August, embracing the theme of “Visions and Dreams” by boldly imagining the evolving church together. The 84 participants in Youth Forum came from regional councils nationwide as well as the Indigenous Church, and 16 youth additionally participated as voting Commissioners in General Council.

Our vibrant community of Francophone youth from across five provinces came together for the second annual National Francophone Youth Gathering in December, and several 100 Tables community projects were also led by youth or brought them to the table to engage, including those at Zion-Memorial United Church, Pictou United Church, Grace United Church, and many more.

Financials

In 2025, the General Council of the United Church dedicated resources (salaries, grants, programs, etc.) from the operating budget to each of the six areas of the Strategic Plan. In addition, particular areas were supplemented by specialized reserve funds, or fund centres (FC).

View data table

Data table for Operating Budget PLUS Fund Centre Activities
Label	Value
Embolden Justice	24.1
Invigorate Leadership	18
Journeying Indigenous Pathways	17.4
Growth – Strengthen Invitation	19.8
Nurture the Common Good	14.5
Deepen Climate Integrity	6.2

By the Numbers in 2025

6 Strategic Objectives

60 Activity Streams
(Excluding Indigenous Pathways)

22 Priority Areas

76.25% progress on planned Key Results overall
(Excluding Indigenous Pathways, which reported in a narrative manner)

Growth objective highest at 80.75%

We are deeply grateful to be able to advance the Strategic Plan, drawing from Mission and Service contributions, assessment, reserve funds, and other revenues.