this letter was posted by Sarah Provan (scroll down on linke to see bio) a young(er) person who works in youth ministry in the United Church on Vancouver Island and across BC/Yukon. Her letter was shared to social media in September 2025. I share it here, with her permission – with my response to follow after.
From Sarah Provan
An Open Letter to the United Church of Canada
I am a relative newcomer to the United Church — about five years in, after two decades in the evangelical and non-denominational world. I admit that I do not fully understand the intricacies of the United Church’s history, nor do I pretend to know all the reasons why we are where we are today. But I have seen enough, and I care enough, to say this plainly:
The United Church of Canada needs to return to being evangelistic.
(If the word “evangelical” feels too heavy or too triggering, let us use the word “evangelistic” — people of Good News who share Good News.)
We can and must continue to be places of radical love, bold inclusion, and courageous social justice. In fact, to truly follow Jesus is to do those things. But it is precisely because we follow Jesus that we pursue them. Without Him, our radical welcome is just politeness. Without Him, our justice is just activism. Without Him, our love eventually runs dry.
Why Evangelism Still Matters
When I was 16, my parents gave me permission to have a TV in my bedroom. The only problem was that the Samsung TV we had lying around didn’t work properly. It would randomly shut off.
Fueled by the strange determination that only a tech-minded teenager can possess, I called Samsung customer service. Honestly, I had low expectations — the TV was old, I had no receipt, and it seemed hopeless. To my surprise, the agent told me the model had a recurring issue with a defective capacitor, and they would send a technician out that week.
When the technician arrived, he fixed it in minutes. My sweaty-palmed 16-year-old brain was racing: How much was this going to cost? I had only a few dollars of “slurpee money.” As he started to leave, I nervously asked, “How much do I owe you?” He glanced up and said, “Nothing. It’s covered. Known issue, small part. Have a good day.”
I was ecstatic. I had a working TV again, for free! I took photos of my new setup (tilted at a 30-degree angle, because 2008 Facebook), raved to my friends, told my youth group, and from then on, recommended Samsung to anyone who would listen. Even today, 17 years later, I still default to Samsung when buying tech.
Does my excitement mean no one has ever had a bad Samsung experience? Of course not. Does my loyalty mean other brands aren’t valid? No — I’ve also had great experiences with Anker and Roku. But my most memorable, life-changing tech experience was with Samsung.
So why wouldn’t I share about the One who has changed my actual life? If I am willing to evangelize about a television, how dare I stay silent about Jesus? Sharing the love I’ve experienced in Him does not erase or invalidate anyone else’s story. And yes — some people have been pushy, manipulative, or arrogant in how they’ve shared their faith. But bad practice doesn’t cancel out the truth of the Good News.
What the United Church Uniquely Offers
Young people can (and do) find inclusion elsewhere. They can find community clubs that welcome them. They can find loving relationships without walking into a church. They can find advocacy for justice in countless organizations.
But what they cannot find anywhere else except the church is Jesus. The Living Christ. The One whose love transforms, redeems, and sustains.
If we do not share Him, then what are we offering that others cannot?
Public, Intentional, and Explicit — About Jesus
One of the things I deeply admire about the United Church is how boldly we live out our commitment to social justice. For example, our identity as an Affirming Church is something we proclaim with joy. We even use the acronym PIE — Public, Intentional, Explicit — to describe our inclusion of LGBTQ2SIA+ people. This is wonderful, and I am convinced it is exactly what Jesus would be doing too.
But here is my question: When will we be Public, Intentional, and Explicit about Jesus?
We have learned how to talk about justice and inclusion with clarity, passion, and courage. Can we also learn to talk about Jesus that way?
What We Talk About
I did a simple experiment with the search feature on the United Church of Canada’s own website. The word Jesus appears 228 times. Christ (apart from Jesus) appears 126 times. That’s a combined 354 mentions.
By contrast, Justice appears 452 times, and Love appears 451 times.
These numbers are not a theological statement — they don’t prove what we believe or don’t believe. But they do provide insight into what we spend our time talking about. And I wonder if our language reveals something about where our attention is drawn.
When We Talk About Jesus, People Show Up
I have seen the power of Jesus firsthand. St. George’s United Church in Courtenay, BC, is thriving. From children’s ministry to adult discipleship, the church proclaims Jesus freely. Their minister, Ryan, is a self-proclaimed “Jesus-lover,” and it shows. People respond.
This summer at some United Church camps, stories of Jesus were shared. Kids — and leaders — leaned in. One night, a cabin group begged their leader to keep going with the story, even as the clock crept past 11pm. The leader paused the story right at the crucifixion, as the Director reminded them that it was past the time of lights out. The next morning, over breakfast, the campers pleaded to hear the rest. Their questions were honest, their skepticism was real, but their eagerness was undeniable. A seed was planted. That is all we are called to do.
The Call
Evangelism does not need to be pushy. It does not mean shouting over other people’s experiences. It does not mean denying the truth of other journeys. But it does mean speaking openly about the source of our hope, our justice, our inclusion, and our love.
United Church of Canada, please hear this: we need to proclaim the Good News again. If we want to see young people in our pews, if we want to see lives transformed, if we want to live into the fullness of who we are called to be, then we must not hide Jesus behind polite niceness.
Because when we share Jesus, we don’t just offer community. We offer true love. When we share Jesus, we don’t just fill pews. We change lives.
A Response from Rev. Rob:
Thank you, thank you, thank you Sarah.
I love the dialogue this is invoking (on social media).
It’s brave and good for you to share this. I don’t usually comment on such things on social media out of principle, but your courage is inspiring me.
I keep hearing this call back to Jesus from folks like yourself, especially younger ones in the UCC – many so hungry for a rooted, Christ-centred, Jesus-centred, Trinitarian AND inclusive, justice-seeking church. Many – including some discerning a call to ministry – tell me that they are praying for an inclusive church that is also rooted in truly deep (Christian) spirituality and bold discipleship. Some, I know, are even praying for (gasp) ‘revival’.
Unlike previous eras, if you’re discerning ministry, there is little social status nor a guaranteed job at the end of it (at least in most of our contexts). I figure, either you believe this stuff, either Jesus changes your life and is, really, ‘our judge and our hope’, and the gospel is radically transformative to the broken and blessed world – that the Jesus story even offers a resurrection of the body and eschatological hope (ie “in life beyond death, God is with us”)… If not, I can’t see a really good reason to be part of the Christian church, never mind the UCC.
There are way way better places to do justice and loving community and engage in non-Christ centred spiritual practice out there without the baggage of the church. I believe we need the inclusivity which has been our emphasis for many decades. That, yes, we still do need Jesus at the centre. That the Holy Spirit isn’t done with the UCC.
You’re right – from the grace and joy and love we have experienced, we have a responsibility to share the Story that is ours – of a “God… who has come in Jesus the Word made flesh [and] to… [boldly, deeply, daringly] proclaim Jesus – our judge and our hope” (UCC creed).
As a person who has witnessed and personally experienced as much spiritual and institutional harm within the UCC that I did in my charismatic / evangelical roots – where I first met Jesus – I really don’t think we in the UCC have a grand soapbox to stand on in terms of justice – although, yes, if the comparison is the vile heresy of Christian Nationalism, sure we’re way better.
But let’s face it, we handed Jesus over to the Christian Nationalists because we hardly wanted Him. We did a lot of love and peace and stood idly by while the fascists took over our Story. We had revival in our Methodist roots and didn’t want that power – so they took it and warped it to what it is. And let’s face it – we were the original Christian Nationalist church, the “of Canada” church created by an act of Parliament – for decades expecting the government to privilege us and our political and moral convictions, even partner with us in genocide. And now we’re annoyed fascist white evangelicals are doing the same thing as the white progressives? Let’s have a little humility before we tout how much better we are, could we?
As a queer person who left the UCC and then came ‘home’ – but who, like you, loves Jesus, the Trinity, the broken and beloved community of Christ’s body, the Church – and has also been an anti-oppression activist for many years, I’ve learned the best activists (and I don’t mean an armchair activism of nice platitudes) – the most embodied ones – are rooted in the depths of their faith.
Our Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational roots are rich in evangelical and social justice and worship / liturgical heritage. If we give them up for a mushy soppy feel-good liberalism, we’re done.
I’ll go hang out on the beach on a Sunday, thank you very much.
I’m privy to the stories of a quite a number of folks who are amazing, prophetic, Christ-centred, Spirit-filled evangelical folk (many whom are queer) who have left or are questioning whether they have a space in our so-called ‘inclusive’ United Church.
Last month, my daughter, 15, said to me “I love what we did at UCC camp(s) this summer – but could I also go to one next summer with a praise band where we sing the Jesus songs from our hearts?”
That question is alive in the hearts of many younger folk and racialized folk and migrant communities who have been touched by Jesus Christ. Or the ones who sense that, in the Jesus Story, there’s something real and life-changing.
There are many who’ve already left us because of the aggressions and micro-aggressions directed at them. If there’s no room for inclusive evangelicals, if there’s no room for Jesus, so be it. Fare thee well, UCC.
I’m grateful for your words, Sarah. We’re at a crossroads (if you will) where we can continue to embrace the hard fought for inclusivity of our more immediate forebears even as we reclaim our rootedness in our life-changing, earth-changing Christian Story in the incarnation, teachings, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ – that sustained our spiritual ancestors.
Or not.
But I hope we do.
As for me, like so many of them, I pray for revival.
Thank you for your witness.
rob+