First United Community Ministry Society
To support the work of First United we volunteer in leadership roles and in programmes, raise money, and provide necessities for sheltered, housed and unhoused community members.
Learn moreClimate Justice
We take individual and political action to protect our planet, biodiversity and mitigate the impact of climate change on humans and our more-than-human relatives. We meet once a month, currently on the third Wednesday, to continue working on current campaigns, plan our next campaign, and support each other in the long-term work of climate justice action.
What We Do
We have worked with Climate Action Alliance to attempt to influence federal government legislation on carbon emission caps.
Individual members of the Climate Justice Team get involved with issues close to their own hearts. Some got involved with the Concerned Citizens Coalition to ensure that the Vancouver Park Board was not abolished without appropriate democratic process. The Park Board has a mandate to protect, preserve and develop the parks (as well as recreational facilities) and, given our climate change and need for green space, this effort is within the sphere of climate justice.
Two of our members are graduates of the Sierra Club of BC’s Mother Tree School – now grown into the Mother Tree Local Leaders Program (MTLLP)
“At its heart, MTLLP aims to empower local leaders to catalyze their community networks in creating tangible, positive change and stepping into healthier relationships with the lands and waters.”
Currently we are attempting to get meetings with our newly elected MLA’s to share our concerns about the climate crisis and request specific actions.
Our Community of Faith supported our Social Justice Minister to attend COP 28 and a young adult within our congregation to attend COP 29. Our local leaders are growing international networks.
How to Join
Contact socialjustice@shuc.ca
More Social Justice Programs
Reconciliation Matters
Our Reconciliation Matters Team works to bring awareness of the past, move non-indigenous people to acknowledgement of the harm that has been inflicted by the Indian Residential School System, consider appropriate atonement for the causes, and take action to change behaviour.
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Sponsored families/Refugees
Across some decades SHUC has sponsored refugee families and accompanied them as they settle into their new lives in Vancouver and beyond.
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