Category: Recent News

The monthly e-newsletter selects about 5 news posts with this category. Priorities are news relevant to a wide number of people and especially of interest to visitors or new folk.

Medicine Wheel at Alderwood School financed by R&A Koerner Foundation Community Fund

The R&A Koerner Foundation Community Fund contributed a total of $6,750 to finance the installation of a Medicine Wheel at the Alderwood School run by The Children’s Foundation. Alderwood has made a short video after the completion of the wheel in 2022.

You can watch a video explaining the project here.

The Children’s Foundation website explains the significance of the The Indigenous Medicine Wheel: “a sacred symbol used by many Indigenous cultures throughout North America. It is a circular symbol divided into four quadrants, with each quadrant representing one of the four directions, elements, seasons, stages of life, and spiritual aspects.”

 

 

UCV Denominational Affairs Zoom FORUM, 7 pm, 3 May 2023

Final CUC Resolutions for 2023 regarding

1) Bylaws,
2) Goals and Strategic Priorities
3) Repudiation of Doctrine of Discovery
4) Budgets for 2023 and 2024

are in a folder here:

Earlier DRAFT resolutions are here.
Earlier COMMENTS sent to CUC from UCV members are here.  

There was a CUC AGM Plenary on Motions Round Table, 9 AM – 10:30 AM Pacific, on Sat 29 Apr 2023.
There were 32 participants including 7 from UCV. Contact CUC or one of the UCV delegates for further information about this event. 

Click here for a link to the UCV zoom Forum at 7 pm on 3 May 2023 (open to all UCV Members and Friends) to discuss the final versions of the CUC resolutions. The Forum is intended especially to address the needs of the six delegates who the UCV Board has appointed to represent UCV at the CUC AGM.

1st Image Credit: David Neel, “Just Say No”. 1991.
Print 5/135.  Photo: Keith Wilkinson

2nd Image Credit: Daphne Naegele. “Many suns cannot penetrate the darkness”. 1989.
Acrylic – oil pastel on paper.  Daphne (1967-2007) was a long-time member of UCV.
Photo: Keith Wilkinson

Hot off the presses: Read our Climate Justice Dialogue series report

Every day we are reminded that we are in a climate emergency.  Unprecedented heat waves, droughts, fires, extreme weather events, floods, refugees – the list goes on. Taken together with the current pandemic, it’s understandable that many of us feel frightened, overwhelmed, powerless.  Where can we find the individual and collective strength to clearly face the truth of the emergency, mourn the damage being done to our blue planet, and inspire ourselves and others to action?

From December 2021 to June 2022 the Vancouver Unitarians in co-sponsorship with the Multifaith Action Society hosted a series of talks on this subject by people of religious, faith, and secular backgrounds, including an Indigenous peoples perspective. They were invited to educate, nourish, and inspire us from their respective world views. How are their outlooks challenged by the climate crisis? How might they help us engage more effectively with the crisis and create our way forward to a sustainable future – for ourselves and our families, our communities, our nation, and for the health of our loved ones and our planet?

Three Vancouver Unitarians moderated the series – introducing the speakers, leading discussions after each talk in-person and on-line, and providing continuity over the course of the full program.

Covid restrictions were in effect when the program began and remained partially so to the conclusion.  The presentations were live-streamed and are available on the UCV website. Read the full report here.

Forums featuring Rev. Shawn Gauthier at UCV this week

This week is your chance to meet Rev. Shawn Gauthier! You can see a full schedule of Candidating Week events here.

In addition to several Tea with Shawn events (both in-person and online), there are three evening forums this week.

These events will be multi-platform events and are open to all members and friends of UCV. We hope you will join us this week.

The forums will be available as livestreamed events at ucv.im/forum and will the YouTube live video will also be embedded on this page.

Tuesday, April 25 7pm: UCV in the Wider World – Conversation on Social Justice and Denominational Outreach 

Wednesday, April 26 7pm: Conversation on Worship, Music, Theology, and Ritual

Thursday, April 27 7pm: Learning and Growing – Conversation on Religious Education and Faith Formation

 

 

 

UCV’s denominational affairs, update – 16 April 2023

Draft 2023 CUC ResolutionsUCV Members were invited to comment on the draft resolutions and action plans that CUC prepared for approval at the 19 May 2023 Annual General Meeting in Ottawa. Comments were invited in the following areas:

    1. Goals and strategic priorities
    2. Repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery
    3. CUC Bylaw revisions
    4. 2023-24 Budget

What UCV members said is summarized anonymously CUC Proposed Resolutions Feedback from UCV – Rev for web 2023-04-17

[38 UCV members provided feedback. The summary is 14 pages and includes 8 charts showing distribution of support for various parts of the resolutions.]

Many (but not all) past CUC resolutions from 1969 to 2022 are available as pdf documents here.

Next steps in congregational discussions with CUC

  1. CUC staff and board members review and discuss feedback from up to 41 member congregations.
  2. CUC staff and board revise the resolutions and action plans or affirm them in their original form.
  3. CUC sends revised/reaffirmed resolutions back to member congregations for final review.
  4. UCV members review and discuss the revised/reaffirmed resolutions. UCV is planning an evening Forum in on 3 May 2023 at 7 pm via zoom, open to all members and friends to discuss the final versions of the resolutions and to brief UCV delegates about the AGM.

UCV’s delegates for the CUC AGM

COV Storm Sewer Cover, design by Nigel Dembicki
  1. Each congregational Board appoints members to represent their congregation at the CUC AGM. Delegate numbers are proportional to congregational size. With 277 members and associate members, UCV is entitled to 6 delegates this year. For many years, Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver have had the three largest memberships in Canada. By recent count there were 43 CUC member congregations.
  2. Some boards give direction to their delegates regarding how they wish them to vote. For example, some delegate groups split their support for resolutions based on the level of support amongst their members. Others ask delegates to vote according to their conscience, or in a manner that they believe will be in the best interests of the congregation or the national movement.
  3. The UCV Denominational Affairs Committee orients UCV delegates by discussing with them the history and implications of the resolutions and action plans and the technical side of voting if participating by zoom.
  4. At the AGM, any official delegate may speak to and vote on the resolutions. Non-delegates may attend but may only speak at the meeting by invitation of the Chairperson. The AGM is scheduled from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM Pacific, Wed 19 May 2023. See Canada Time Zone Map here. *All UCV Members are welcome to zoom in to the CUC AGM but must register in advance.
  5. After resolutions are passed (or defeated), CUC staff and volunteers begin/continue to work on implementing them (or not) and will report on their progress at the 2024 AGM.

Meanwhile, what else is happening nationally and internationally in the U*U world?

The Leadership and Design Team for International U/U Collaboration has been working to establish processes and a new organization to support the former Unitarian Partner Church Council and the work of the former International Council of Unitarian Universalists. The goal of the Leadership & Design Team is “to create an organizational framework for a new international Unitarian, Unitarian Universalist, and Free Church organization.” More about changes for the Partner Church Council here.

Kiersten Moore, UCV Director of Lifetime Faith Development and current CUC Secretary posted this on the CUC Leaders Google Group recently:

“There has been a lot of discernment and conversation happening around international U/U connections–I have only peripherally paid attention to what is going on, but I understand that the international relationships and work is valued and ongoing while in transformation. The UUA has, over the years, been accused of imposing its perspective and view on international UUs, being paternalistic in partner church relationships, and acting unilaterally as if they are themselves an international organization. I have heard a desire to be more intentional and collaborative from my conversations with people in UUA leadership with the goal of responsible relationship building.

I’m sure mistakes are made, such as the intern transition that Bruce Knotts mentions. The UUA staffing structure looks huge compared to the CUC, but they are still stretched for the number of members and breadth of regions that they serve. Institutions are unwieldy, but I hope we can all remember that they are made up of individual people and leaders bear the brunt of people’s dissatisfaction and frustrations. Let’s be compassionate and curious in our interactions.”

Some National & International Unitarian Connections

Name URL
Australian & New Zealand Unitarian Universalist Association (ANZUUA) ANZUUA.org
British General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches Unitarian.org.uk
Canadian Unitarian Council (CUC) CUC.CA
Church of the Larger Fellowship (a UUA congregation without walls) CLF link
Flaming Chalice International (A Canadian charity active in Burundi) FCI link
International Association for Religious Freedom IARF.net
International UU organizations around the world (31 links courtesy of UUA) UUs abroad
Leadership and Design Team for International U/U Collaboration (new in 2022) LADT link
North American Unitarian Association (new in 2023) naunitarians.org
One America Movement (Maryland, USA, non-denominational, newish) OAM link
Sociocracy for All (Domain-based consensus decision-making) SOFA link
UBC’s School of Public Policy and Global Affairs (Phil Lind Initiative) UBC PLI
Ukraine – In solidarity with (UUA International Office) UUkraine
Unitarian Congregations of Greater Toronto (UCGT) UCGT.ca
Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) (Based in Boston) UUA.org
UU World – The magazine for Unitarian Universalists (published by the UUA) UUWorld.org

 

…Metis, Canadian Blood Services, Infinity…
Intersections of Spirit
-kw

City of Vancouver Sanitary Sewer design by Andrew Dexel,
Storm Sewer design by Nigel Dembicki,
photos by Keith Wilkinson.
More COV sewer design info here

An Invitation to Circle Work on the Process and Content of the 8th Principle

You are invited to two circle sessions, to be held in the Fireside Room of the Hewett Center, Unitarian Church of Vancouver, on Saturday May 6 and Saturday May 20. The sessions will start at 1pm and be finished by 5pm and include a break for refreshments and treats provided by an Indigenous caterer.

The Unitarian Church of Vancouver has recently concluded a process of considering and lending support to an 8th Principle, adopted by the CUC. This process and the result have been received in different ways and for different reasons by members of the congregation. The result has been differences of opinion about the process and outcome and the development of uncomfortable relations that many would like to see healed.

Frank Tester will be facilitating circle work related to the process and outcome with regard to the 8th Principle.

Frank is a member of UCV. He has had no involvement with this process. He is also a Restorative Justice trainer and practitioner, with years of experience working with different levels of government, non-governmental organizations, and Indigenous communities in Canada and internationally. He is an Emeritus Professor at UBC, and an Adjunct Professor of Indigenous Studies, University of Manitoba and the Kutenai Art Therapy Institute, Nelson, B.C. Participants are required to register and, ideally, make a commitment to both sessions. This experience is available to Members and Friends of UCV.

Pre-registration is required. REGISTER HERE.

There are principles relevant to the work participants will be doing in circles.

The first four principles of the CUC recognize:

  • The inherent worth and dignity of every person
  • Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations
  • Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations
  • A free and responsible search for truth and meaning

Content from the Covenant on Healthy Relations is also relevant.

  • Be compassionate and supportive in my relationships with others, assume their best intentions and be curious rather than judgmental.
  • Communicate with active listening and consideration.
  • Deepen our connections by getting to know and understand people of all ages and points of view within the congregation.

First Session: May 6

This will be circle work focused on ‘active listening’. It will provide an opportunity for those with different feelings about what happened, and the result, to share their feelings, and specific reasons for them with one another, in a format and way respectful of different experiences.

Participants will also be asked to recount what it is they have heard from others.

This will not be an exercise in debating what happened, what was said, done or not done.  It is an opportunity for all participants, regardless of how they feel about the process and outcome, to share their feelings, give reasons for their feelings, and to be reassured that they have been heard.

Second Session: May 20

The second session (May 20) will start by hearing from two members of the congregation with different feelings and positions about the 8th Principle. While the differences remain, they are comfortable with continued communication.

Participants will be asked to reflect on what they have heard. They will then be asked to speak to what has interested, concerned, or left an impression on them.

In the second half of this session, participants will be asked to reflect on, and indicate what they would find challenging, or would need to do in order to achieve a comparable outcome. What are the personal barriers, challenges, and possibilities of achieving, or not achieving, a comparable outcome with others?

____________________________________

Two observers will also be present for these sessions. They will not participate in the circle work.

Muriel Harris is a UCV member. Macaela Bradley-Tse is a recent graduate of the psychology programme at SFU, and is President of the Vancouver Association for Restorative Justice.

They will share their observations with the facilitator, make suggestions for changes and improvements in the facilitator’s communication and management of the process, and assist in interpreting, understanding and appreciating what has transpired. Frank will prepare and submit a summary document to the Board. It will consist of general observations and suggestions for ‘going forward’, with no disclosure identifying what individuals have communicated in the circle.

Introducing Rev. Shawn Gauthier, candidate for Settled Minister at UCV

After nearly a year of weekly meetings, cottage meetings, interviews, surveys, reading Ministerial packages, conducting interviews, and traveling to a neutral pulpit, the Search Committee are thrilled to announce that we have found a candidate for our next Settled Minister.

The Rev. Shawn Gauthier (formerly Newton) brings over 30 years of experience working in various staff roles in churches in both Canada and the USA. For the past 16 years, he has served as Senior Minister of the First Unitarian Congregation of Toronto.

During his time at First Unitarian, he oversaw a large-scale project in which the church moved locations during a complex, multi-year process. More information on Rev. Gauthier’s extensive work experience can be found here: https://shawnnewtongauthier.ca

The Ministerial Search Committee are energized and excited by Rev. Gauthier’s approach to ministry and worship, and by his deep roots in Unitarian Universalism. He is a gifted speaker with intellectual depth and a great deal of emotional and spiritual intelligence. He is known for being collegial, giving inspiring and uplifting sermons, and working well across all areas of church life. He is also dedicated to social justice, and is warm and approachable with his pastoral care.  

It is our belief that Rev. Shawn Gauthier exemplifies the qualities that our congregation is looking for in a new Settled Minister.  

We look forward to welcoming Rev. Shawn to our campus for Candidating Week, between Apr 23, 2023 and Apr 30, 2023. Stay tuned for more updates from your Ministerial Search Committee and the UCV Board of Trustees.

As always, if you have any questions, please contact search@vancouverunitarians.ca.

 

*

A message from Rev. Shawn Gauthier

Dear Vancouver Unitarians,

I am absolutely thrilled to be named as your Candidate for Settled Minister!

It has been a wonderful journey of discovery over these past few months, coming to know UCV through the thoughtful reflections of your Search Committee, in extended conversations with Rev. Steven and Rev. Lara, by reading reams of written materials, and while watching hours and hours of your online worship services, forums, and congregational meetings.  

I am deeply impressed by the depth of your commitment to UCV and to the work of building up a better world. I am moved by the myriad ways you respond to the call of justice. I am inspired by the ways you worship and strive to strengthen the fabric of community at UCV and beyond. In sum, I believe your sense of shared ministry aligns closely with my own. And I feel energized at the thought of the great and life-giving ministry we could undertake together in the years to come.

So, it is with excitement, humility, and gratitude, that I look forward to the time we will share in just a few weeks to explore the possibility of journeying with one another into the future.

Warmest regards,

Shawn

*

For a detailed calendar of events and meeting during Candidating Week, please go to our events calendar. 

It’s Canvass season at UCV!

It’s spring and the annual April Canvass is about to unfold. Before we can plan our budget for the upcoming fiscal year (July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024), we need to know what you think you can contribute. Please take some time to read the documents in this Pledge Packet to help you decide.

Pledges may be submitted online or directly to the office via email, Canada Post, personal drop-off, or into the Pledging Box after Sunday Services April 2, 9, 16 and 23 in the Hewett Centre main hall. (So many options!)

Your pledge may be changed at any time by notifying the bookkeeper.

The Pledge Packet documents include:

1) Stewardship letter from the Board of Trustees

2) Canvass Brochure 2023

3) A Guide to Pledging at UCV

4) A Glance at UCV’s Financial Picture

5) Pre-authorized Debit Agreement

6) Pledge Form and Payment Options

Express Option  if you are too busy to read everything right now: Just click straight to #6 and make a generous pledge!

If you aren’t sure what you pledged last year, you can check through Breeze. Click “My Profile” on the More tab, then “Giving” on the left menu. If you don’t already have access to your Breeze account, just contact Derrick, our Membership/Outreach Coordinator, at moc[at]vancouverunitarians[dot]ca.

With deep gratitude from this year’s Canvass Team, your Board of Trustees.

If you have any questions about the Canvass, please contact one of the following people:

Cheryl Amundsen <amundsencheryl[at]gmail[dot]com>

Lynn Armstrong <lynnbea[at]gmail[dot]com>

Karen Bartlett <karen[dot]bartlett[at]ubc.ca>

HomeStart Foundation – Outreach Opportunities Fund Recipient

Our OOF recipient for the months March 2023-June 2023 is the HomeStart Foundation that furnishes homes to help families in need rebuild their lives.

The Refugee Team suggested HomeStart as an OOF recipient. A few months ago, George from the Refugee team, visited the HomeStart warehouse and selected furniture for our recent Burundian refugee. This included dressers, shelving, kitchen table+chairs, end tables, lamps, sofa, and armchairs – a complete apartment excluding beds which we are required to supply new. Homestart delivered all of this to the apartment on the same day at no cost to us. This saved the refugee team hundreds of dollars and much time, eliminating a major worry!

Homestart could also benefit the UCV congregation by providing our members with an economical means for down-sizers to donate unwanted furniture. Homestart charges donors a reasonable $75 to have 2 people come to a location in their serving area and pickup donated items which are taken to their warehouse for re-distribution to those in need. They accept pre-arranged drop-offs at no charge to donors. Refugee team members are often approached by UCV members who offer donations of furniture which we can’t accept.

Justice for DeeCee Spirit Zone

On Sunday, March 12th, Vancouver Unitarians signed letters that call on the Premier, local MLAs and other officials to change the policing approach when it comes to de-escalating mental health crises.

March 12th marked the 4 month anniversary of Dani Cooper’s (DeeCee) death.  Dani died after being shot by police during an episode of psychosis. The Social Justice team set up a table in Hewett Hall  that displayed the sign “Justice for DeeCee Spirit Zone”. People stopped by to sign pre-written letters to officials and to learn more about who Dani was and what we can do to support.

Dennis Cooper, Dani’s father, made this video for Vancouver Unitarians.  Please watch it and share it with those who might be inspired to write letters and/or want to gain a better understanding of the reality of police involvement in mental health crises.

 

The North Shore Unitarian congregation, of which Dani was a member, has posted more information on their website.

Vancouver Unitarians will continue to hold the 12th of each month as a day  to raise awareness of this tragedy and suggest changes that could lessen the chance of future similar tragedies.

Send your letter to these email addresses: AG.Minister@gov.bc.ca, susie.chant.MLA@leg.bc.ca, premier@gov.bc.caPSSG.Minister@gov.bc.canvanrcmp@rcmp-grc.gc.ca,
CityCouncil@cnv.orgmayor@cnv.org, council@dnv.org, mayor@dnv.org, jonathan.wilkinson@parl.gc.ca, Bowinn.Ma.MLA@leg.bc.ca

Additional Information:

 

Letters signed at UCV on March 12, 2023