It’s the end of Trinity United, but the beginning of a new ministry Protect the vulnerable
Re: The long, slow decline of Trinity United Church — Nov. 17
Trinity United Church has called a few different buildings “home” over our long history in downtown Kitchener, starting with a chapel built in 1841 on Church Street in what was then Berlin. One year ago, our congregation processed away from the building that housed us from 1906 to 2017 with a calm and courageous certainty that we were beginning a journey toward something new.
We took with us our most sacred items, put our stained glass windows into storage, and let everything else go — organ and pews included — to touch lives elsewhere. Having freed ourselves from the burden of an aging building, we are now able to explore new possibilities and opportunities for carrying out our ministry in downtown Kitchener.
Our interim place of worship is the chapel of St. Matthews Lutheran Church and we are thankful for the friendships that have been forged between the two congregations as a result.
We are also thankful that no one was hurt in the recent fires that broke out in our former home.
As the remainder of the building comes down, it is a difficult moment for us, but it is not a defining moment for us. We are still here.
Katherine Bitzer
Board chair, Trinity United Church Kitchener Re: Group wants justice for sterilized women — Nov. 13
Good for the Indigenous women who were and might still be forced or pressured into sterilizations for bringing classaction lawsuits against various health regions and for raising the issue at the UN Committee Against Torture.
Indigenous Services Minister Jane Philpott is quoted as follows: “The issue of forced sterilization of vulnerable people, including Indigenous women, is a very serious violation of human rights,” which has gone on in Canada for a long time.
I am quite certain the issue is not just isolated to Indigenous women but also applies to other vulnerable young, single and poorer mothers. These mothers and their babies have beautiful hearts and minds that could benefit our society.
Race and economics should have nothing to do with their family situation. Paul Vandervet
Cambridge