Statement of Values
Affirming and Inclusive
As an Affirming ministry, we officially declare and celebrate the diversity of God’s creation. We celebrate the richness of our community when we have diversity in age, gender identity, racial/cultural backgrounds, sexual orientation, physical and intellectual abilities, and family configurations. We seek to create a safe space with an open invitation to bring every aspect of your whole self into your participation within this ministry.
Bold Discipleship
A journey of faith, learning and following the teachings of Jesus with courage and conviction.
Community
Celebrating and embracing the community around us, both within St. Martin’s and beyond.
Daring Justice
Focus on vulnerable people; committing to actively and courageously engaging in social and ecological change.
Deep Spirituality
Experiencing God in a personal, powerful, emotional and intimate way that allows us to live out our faith into the world.
Open to Change
Embodying a mindset that is flexible, adaptable, and willing to embrace new ideas, methods, or situations.
Reconciliation
Intentionally establishing and maintaining a mutually respectful relationship between Indigenous and Settler peoples in Canada.
Responsible Stewardship
Managing resources carefully and responsibly to ensure long-term financial, human resources, and environmental sustainability.
Identity Statement
St. Martin’s United Church is an affirming congregation of the United Church of Canada, situated in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. We seek to be welcoming and inclusive to any who come through our doors.
Our church is located on the homelands of the Nêhiyawak, Nakota, Dakota, Dene, Métis, and Sakowin peoples, next to the kisiskāciwani-sīpiy, also known as the Saskatchewan River. We recognize the commitments our ancestors made in the agreement known as Treaty 6, and acknowledge that it has been broken throughout the history of our church. We seek reconciliation with the Indigenous Peoples of Saskatoon, and to heal the hurts of the cultural genocide perpetrated by the United Church of Canada.
We are a church centred around Christian worship, and take the teachings of the bible into anything that we do.
We align ourselves to the vision of the General Council, that being Deep Spirituality, Bold Discipleship, and Daring Justice.
Social Justice has been a tradition of this congregation since our founding, and we hold this close to our hearts. We take particular care to advocate for refugees, 2SLGBTQIA+ peoples, and those who are unhoused, but we stand in the face of injustice towards anyone.
We open our arms to young families, and welcome the noise of young children with joy and hope.
We take great delight in our music, choir, and band, and recognize and welcome new music to accompany us in worship.
Our sense of community within our church is a source of pride, and we welcome any who wish to join us. We also open our community to those outside our building, both within Saskatoon and without.
We also acknowledge our current shortcomings. We often run fundraisers yet still struggle to find our budget in the black. We strive to be bold in our faith centred action, yet at times hold ourselves back. While we strive to welcome young families, we often struggle to make this a reality. We place these shortcomings in the open so that we are reminded what we would like to work towards changing.
We are open to change, and welcome the challenges that comes with it with open arms and listening ears.
We hold this statement up to God, and pray that God’s grace is upon us as we undertake work through this identity.