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Feb. 22, 2026: Freedom Sunday

Freedom Sunday is a global day of prayer, worship and action that calls communities of faith to address the crime of human trafficking. In the Anglican Church of Canada, Freedom Sunday draws attention to the connections between human trafficking, labour exploitation, and missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls and 2SLGBTQI+ persons, inviting prayerful response, learning and concrete action.

Freedom Sunday is most often observed near National Human Trafficking Awareness Day on February 22, but the prayers and reflections below may be used at other times of the year, including on days that focus on human dignity, justice and freedom, such as:

  • National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21)
  • UN World Day Against Trafficking in Persons (July 30)
  • International Youth Day (August 12)
  • National Child Day (November 20)
  • UN Human Rights Day (December 10)

Pray, read, reflect and act

Prayer

Lord of the lost,
we pray today for all those who are victims of human trafficking:
people lured from their homes and families;
people deceived while trying to find a better life;
people who are desperate to trust anyone.

Help us to be more vigilant and watchful;
to be aware of those who may need our help,
and those who do not know where help may lie. Amen.
(via the Clewer Initiative)

Scripture

Exodus 3:7–8 — “I have heard the cries of my people.”

Reflection

  • How does our parish help prevent human trafficking?
  • How does our parish encourage and support healthy relationships?

Action

  • Learn the signs of human trafficking and how to respond safely
  • Share the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline within your congregation and community
  • Choose ethically sourced products and services for parish use, such as fair trade coffee and tea
  • Support local organizations working with people made vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation

Parish engagement

Parishes may wish to incorporate the Parish Engagement Resource into their discernment and planning for action. Page 10 of the PDF resource focuses specifically on addressing human trafficking in local and parish contexts.

For further learning

Acknowledging the land and God’s creation

This acknowledgement is crafted in light of the Principles of Reconciliation by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, as we seek to live faithfully in Christ and in right relationship with all. 

We give thanks to the Creator for this land, its waters, forests and all living beings, and for the abiding presence of Christ among us. From coast to coast to coast, these have been cared for and nurtured by First Nations, Inuit and Métis through countless generations. 

We honour the enduring relationship Indigenous Peoples have cultivated with these lands and waters, and the treaties and agreements that reflect these sacred bonds. We acknowledge the harms caused by colonial expansion, through frameworks like the Doctrine of Discovery and structures like the residential school system. We recognize our past failures as a Church, including disruption of connections to the land and suppression of Indigenous spiritualities. 

Guided by the gospel of Jesus Christ, we confess our need for healing. We commit ourselves to seeking truth, pursuing reconciliation and nurturing harmony with all creation. We place our trust in Christ, through whom all things are reconciled to God. 

May God strengthen us to live faithfully as stewards of the Earth. Let us walk in love, justice and reconciliation, joining in God’s work to restore all creation.