News and Updates

Youth



New UCRD Showroom UCRD has opened a new showroom where you may browse and purchase books, CDs/DVDs and other merchandise. The showroom is open every Wednesday from 9:30 - 12:00 and 2:00 - 4:00. If you call ahead to express an interest in a specific area, UCRD will have a selection of resources ready for you. If you would like to come on another day, call for an appointment. Telephone: 416-253-5456 or 1-800-288-7365 ext. 229 or ext. 224. Location: 25 Connell Court, Unit 2 in Etobicoke at Horner Avenue and Evans Avenue. Seeds of Hope Grants Program The United Church Foundation is pleased to announce that the Joint Grants Committee of The United Church of Canada and The United Church of Canada Foundation is currently accepting grant applications for the 2010 Spring Granting session. Seeds of Hope Grant Information Seeds of Hope Grant Application Seeds of Hope Grant Application Guide Racial Justice Training The United Church of Canada has committed itself to being a racially just community and has created and adopted an anti-racism policy statement in 2000. The four goals of the church’s policy are: participate fully, organize for diversity, act justly, and speak to the world. Workshops are being planned for the winter/spring of 2010; all ministry personnel are expected to attend one of the workshops, but workshops are open to all who wish to attend. Regional Workshops are happening in the Spring and Fall. Oshawa/Cobourg/Belleville will be at Trinity United Church, Cobourg on April 22, 2010. Kingston/Renfrew will be at Smiths Falls, Trinity on May 11, 2010. Peterborough/Lindsay will be at Westdale United Church in Peterborough, September 29, 2010 Conference Wide will be at Frankford United Church on October 23, 2010. Watch your mailbox in the next week or so for a letter with more detail. To register, call the Conference Office at: 888-759-2444 or 613-398-1051. Police Records Checks Update Backcheck, an independent company which has previously been an alternative source of police records checks, is no longer available to provide Level 2 (Vulnerable Sector) checks, which are required by the United Church. Anyone requiring a police records check will have to obtain it through their local police service. In addition, the Denominational Letter, often required to obtain a police records check from a police service, has been updated. Police Records Check Information New adresses for Peterborough Presbytery Office The new mailing address for the Peterborough Presbytery office is 441 Rubidge Street, Peterborough, ON K9H 4E4. New email address. NEW: Clergy Income Tax Filing Requirement -- File Now This information was included in the October General Council Infopac. Recently, Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) made retroactive technical changes to the requirement to file form T1213 (Request to Reduce Tax Deductions at Source) for certain employees who qualify for the Clergy Residence Deduction (CRD). Since 2005, CRA's previous position was that the T1213 form was no longer required for any CRD-eligible employee who informed his or her employer, via the annual CRA form T1223 Clergy Residence Deduction, that he or she would be making a CRD claim. Now, employees who own or rent their accommodation will AGAIN be required to file form T1213 with CRA, and receive written approval from CRA, before being allowed a reduction of income tax at source in anticipation of the CRD being claimed at tax time. When housing is provided by the employer (e.g., a manse or parsonage), the T1213 filing is not required because the provided housing taxable benefit will generally equal the CRD amount. We strongly recommend that a T1213 form be filed by early November of a current year to allow sufficient time for CRA to issue an approval for the following year. Here is a link to the form: www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pbg/tf/t1213 . Canada Revenue Agency Form T1213 Instructions for completing the form Sample letter from pastoral charge Accessibility and the Church In April 2005, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act was passed into law. Unlike previous versions, this Act has implications for those who fail to meet the various standards that were to be developed and implemented. The first of these standards, Customer Service, has been passed with a compliance deadline of January 1, 2012, for service providers. Customer service does not involve physical accessibility, but rather the provision of services to enable people with disabilities to participate equally. Physical accessibility standards will follow. Full details and links to Ontario government information sites Video Licensing for Congregations for 2010 If you wish to use feature films as part of worship or for other congregational activities, you can obtain at a reasonable cost a video licence which covers one year's showings. (Forms also available on Forms page. Information letter Video licence application form Mission Priorities for Bay of Quinte Conference Over the past several years members of Bay of Quinte Conference have developed goals and objectives for the work of the Conference. At a meeting in September 2008, these goals and objectives were further developed, to provide Key Initiatives. A summary of this material is available. Mission Priorities for Bay of Quinte Conference The Green Church Project The Green Church Projecthas a new website at www.greenchurchproject.org, with new resources, interactive discussion forums, and news about the pilot project. Home & Auto Group Insurance Plan for The United Church of Canada The United Church is offering an insurance plan through Aviva Traders to all UCC employees, active pension plan members, pensioners and dependents residing in the same household. Some benefits include: low group rates on home & auto insurance disounts for more than one car 15% discount if you insure your car & home 5 easy payment options, including interest-free monthly payment plan For information call 1-877-787-7021 or visit www.united-church.ca/local/insurance/aviva "Closing the Doors: Procedures at the time of the closure of a congregation" This kit was assembled by former Conference Minister Nancy Knox and the Rural Life Committee to assist congregations facing closure. It is available from the Conference Office by contacting Judy Ormshaw at 1-888-759-2444 or 613-398-1051 or by email.

New UCRD Showroom
UCRD has opened a new showroom where you may browse and purchase books, CDs/DVDs and other merchandise. The showroom is open every Wednesday from 9:30 - 12:00 and 2:00 - 4:00. If you call ahead to express an interest in a specific area, UCRD will have a selection of resources ready for you. If you would like to come on another day, call for an appointment.

Telephone: 416-253-5456 or 1-800-288-7365 ext. 229 or ext. 224.
Location: 25 Connell Court, Unit 2 in Etobicoke at Horner Avenue and Evans Avenue.

Seeds of Hope Grants Program

The United Church Foundation is pleased to announce that the Joint Grants Committee of The United Church of Canada and The United Church of Canada Foundation is currently accepting grant applications for the 2010 Spring Granting session.

Seeds of Hope Grant Information
Seeds of Hope Grant Application
Seeds of Hope Grant Application Guide

Racial Justice Training

The United Church of Canada has committed itself to being a racially just community and has created and adopted an anti-racism policy statement in 2000. The four goals of the church’s policy are:
participate fully, organize for diversity, act justly, and speak to the world. Workshops are being planned for the winter/spring of 2010; all ministry personnel are expected to attend one of the workshops, but workshops are open to all who wish to attend.

Regional Workshops are happening in the Spring and Fall.

Oshawa/Cobourg/Belleville will be at Trinity United Church, Cobourg on April 22, 2010.
Kingston/Renfrew will be at Smiths Falls, Trinity on May 11, 2010.
Peterborough/Lindsay will be at Westdale United Church in Peterborough, September 29, 2010
Conference Wide will be at Frankford United Church on October 23, 2010.

Watch your mailbox in the next week or so for a letter with more detail. To register, call the Conference Office at: 888-759-2444 or 613-398-1051.

Police Records Checks Update

Backcheck, an independent company which has previously been an alternative source of police records checks, is no longer available to provide Level 2 (Vulnerable Sector) checks, which are required by the United Church. Anyone requiring a police records check will have to obtain it through their local police service.

In addition, the Denominational Letter, often required to obtain a police records check from a police service, has been updated.
Police Records Check Information

New adresses for Peterborough Presbytery Office

The new mailing address for the Peterborough Presbytery office is 441 Rubidge Street, Peterborough, ON K9H 4E4.
New email address.

NEW: Clergy Income Tax Filing Requirement -- File Now

This information was included in the October General Council Infopac.

Recently, Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) made retroactive technical changes to the requirement to file form T1213 (Request to Reduce Tax Deductions at Source) for certain employees who qualify for the Clergy Residence Deduction (CRD). Since 2005, CRA's previous position was that the T1213 form was no longer required for any CRD-eligible employee who informed his or her employer, via the annual CRA form T1223 Clergy Residence Deduction, that he or she would be making a CRD claim.

Now, employees who own or rent their accommodation will AGAIN be required to file form T1213 with CRA, and receive written approval from CRA, before being allowed a reduction of income tax at source in anticipation of the CRD being claimed at tax time.

When housing is provided by the employer (e.g., a manse or parsonage), the T1213 filing is not required because the provided housing taxable benefit will generally equal the CRD amount.

We strongly recommend that a T1213 form be filed by early November of a current year to allow sufficient time for CRA to issue an approval for the following year. Here is a link to the form: www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pbg/tf/t1213 .

Canada Revenue Agency Form T1213

Instructions for completing the form

Sample letter from pastoral charge

Accessibility and the Church

In April 2005, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act was passed into law. Unlike previous versions, this Act has implications for those who fail to meet the various standards that were to be developed and implemented. The first of these standards, Customer Service, has been passed with a compliance deadline of January 1, 2012, for service providers. Customer service does not involve physical accessibility, but rather the provision of services to enable people with disabilities to participate equally. Physical accessibility standards will follow.
Full details and links to Ontario government information sites

Video Licensing for Congregations for 2010

If you wish to use feature films as part of worship or for other congregational activities, you can obtain at a reasonable cost a video licence which covers one year's showings. (Forms also available on Forms page.
Information letter
Video licence application form

Mission Priorities for Bay of Quinte Conference

Over the past several years members of Bay of Quinte Conference have developed goals and objectives for the work of the Conference. At a meeting in September 2008, these goals and objectives were further developed, to provide Key Initiatives. A summary of this material is available.
Mission Priorities for Bay of Quinte Conference

The Green Church Project

The Green Church Projecthas a new website at www.greenchurchproject.org, with new resources, interactive discussion forums, and news about the pilot project.

Home & Auto Group Insurance Plan for The United Church of Canada

The United Church is offering an insurance plan through Aviva Traders to all UCC employees, active pension plan members, pensioners and dependents residing in the same household. Some benefits include:
low group rates on home & auto insurance
disounts for more than one car
15% discount if you insure your car & home
5 easy payment options, including interest-free monthly payment plan
For information call 1-877-787-7021 or visit www.united-church.ca/local/insurance/aviva

"Closing the Doors: Procedures at the time of the closure of a congregation"

This kit was assembled by former Conference Minister Nancy Knox and the Rural Life Committee to assist congregations facing closure. It is available from the Conference Office by contacting Judy Ormshaw at 1-888-759-2444 or 613-398-1051 or by email.