An apology is not an end; it is the start of an ongoing journey toward healing, accountability, relationships, and transformation
One year ago, on August 8, 2025, during the 45th General Council, The United Church of Canada made a significant apology to 2S and LGBTQIA+ people and their communities. The apology recognized the deep harm caused by discrimination, exclusion, silence, and systems that failed to respect the dignity, leadership, and contributions of queer and Two-Spirit individuals. It stated that an apology, while important, would only matter if followed by consistent action.
The Moderator notes in this year's Pride message that the 2025 apology should be seen "not as an ending, but as a beginning," marking a threshold into deeper healing, accountability, and transformation. This anniversary reminds us that the work is not finished. Voices throughout the church emphasize the need for ongoing focus on pastoral care, theological reflection, and institutional accountability. This ensures that the apology is felt not only in words, but in the everyday life of the church.
As we reflect on the first anniversary of that apology, we remember this crucial moment in our church's history and recommit to its promises. An apology is not an end; it is the start of an ongoing journey toward healing, accountability, relationships, and transformation.
A Living Apology
Over the past year, faith communities across the country have continued to engage with the apology through worship, study, prayer, and discussion. Through webinars, reflective materials, and community dialogues, members have explored what it means to create a church where 2S and LGBTQIA+ people are not just welcomed but fully affirmed, celebrated, and empowered.
Faith communities are still working to create spaces for honest reflection, meaningful dialogue, and deeper engagement with the ongoing efforts to live out the apology. Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive.
Many have shared their gratitude for chances to contemplate both the challenges and opportunities of embodying the apology with greater integrity and accountability. Instead of seeing the apology as a one-time event, communities are exchanging practical ideas on how to embody its commitments in worship, congregational life, pastoral ministry, and public witness. Many have offered concrete, context-appropriate next steps for their own ministries. They’ve shown that living out the apology looks different in each community, yet remains rooted in the call for justice, dignity, and belonging.
Healing in Community
The work around the apology has also highlighted that healing cannot happen through words alone. It involves listening closely to the experiences of those who have been hurt, recognizing that the impacts of exclusion are still felt today, and creating opportunities for restoring relationships through truth-telling, learning, and action.
Over the past year, the church has continued to develop and share resources to support faith communities in animating the apology through reflection, worship, and conversation. New worship materials released for Pride Month encouraged congregations to reflect on the apology while taking steps toward inclusion and justice.
As we continue in this journey as a church, the emphasis is shifting from simply remembering the apology to living it out: through relationships, courageous conversations, public witness, and faithful actions in every faith community.
We express gratitude for the courage, persistence, and faith of 2S and LGBTQIA+ people whose witness has transformed our church. We acknowledge that the journey is ongoing. Together, we are called to embody Christ's inclusive love by ensuring that our apology is visible in worship, relationships, ministry, advocacy, and public witness.
Resources
To help your community engage with the apology, explore these resources:
The United Church of Canada Apology to 2S and LGBTQIA+ Communities
Exploring Apologies and Forgiveness (adapted from Gathering Worship)
Pride Month 2S and LGBTQIA+ Apology Worship Resources
Resources from Affirm United/S'affirmer Ensemble for Affirming Ministries