Author: C Malcolm

Changes to Video Management of Older Services on YouTube!

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We are so fortunate to be able to provide live-streamed services to enjoy from the comfort of our own homes! I for one have also been enjoying the ability to tune in Sunday night instead, freeing me up to spend quality time with my husband Sunday mornings when our schedules align.

There are many perks to keeping our content online! However, in recent days, a small impromptu group of communications, technology, and worship folks had a sensitive conversation about protecting anonymity in worship, the dangers of having youth images up online, and even new copyright issues we’ve never had to consider before!! We know we are not the only church going through this right now, but we did have to make some changes to the way we keep content online, in line with our values.

The following are the decisions that have been made at this time (and very likely to change and get better and better as new ideas roll in)

  1. We now immediately remove greetings after the live service.

    Greetings are only available to be seen live. We hope this will increase willingness to participate for those who do not want their image to live on YouTube but are ok with the single broadcast.

  2. We keep the complete service (story, music, meditation, homily) online for one week only.

    We want people to be able to access the service throughout the week, but with copyright concerns and privacy, it is best for us to limit this. Yes! We keep a private archived copy of the whole service for our historical record-keeping!

  3. Services with a great deal of youth participation will not be kept online following the live streaming

  4. After one week we pull the service down from YouTube and replace it with a video of just the homily.

    This lives on YouTube for as long as we want. So the homily can always be watched again, accessed by new members, and shared widely.

We have a backlog of services to edit into just the homily so if you visit our YouTube and wonder why there are only a few videos so far, trust us! We’re working on it and they should be up soon!

If you have questions thoughts or feedback about this, please contact Marie and your messages will be shared with all those working on this important issue.

Reflections on Plastic-Free July from UCV Zero Waste

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You may have heard of the initiative “Plastic-Free July.” It is a global movement and a challenge to reduce plastic waste. Local zero-waste shops like Nada Grocery have been at the forefront of promoting this important work in our community. While it is nice to have a special month to “zero” in on the consumption of single-use plastics, we also know the work is year-long.

This year poses a particularly difficult challenge because the safety measures used to protect us from COVID often come with more packaging, less opportunity to use our many-use items.

Vancouver Unitarian’s Zero Waste team members reflect on how they are navigating their commitment to being plastic-free and zero waste in a pandemic. We asked: Has the pandemic shifted your habits with plastic? Why or Why not? and What are some examples of steps you’re taking to be both safe AND plastic-free? 

 

“My habits with plastic have changed slightly because I strive to live a sustainable and plastic-free life as possible I have endeavored to abstain from activities that require me to introduce more plastic into my life. At the grocery stores, I refuse to use plastic bags and even if I have to carry out my items and later put them in my own bag I won’t use plastic bags. The one thing I had to do which hurt more than I thought was to use disposable cups when having coffee outside as we cannot use our own mugs.
In addition, I have not ordered take out except once and I asked them to have as little packaging as possible. Yes, it came in a container but I asked for compostable.

In order to be safe and plastic-free I wash my hands and avoid touching my face rather than using disposable gloves which research has proven is a false positive anyway. I made my own mask and use that.”

– Vivian Davidson
“Yes.  Instead of going to NADA (way too scary) we’ve been ordering from SPUD.  There’s much more packaging, including non-reusable large cardboard boxes.  Last week one such box contained only 1 loaf of half frozen bread.  Now that NADA has an on-line system, I am back to using it instead of SPUD.  Throughout the pandemic I’ve been getting my produce at farmers markets which are generally good about reducing packaging but even they are using more plastic bags.
I used to be much more pure about getting my bread in paper bags, not plastic but was so desperate at various points in the pandemic to find gluten-free vegan bread that I lowered my standards.  Hoping now that the g/f bakeries are opening up I can insist on bread in paper, or at least bread that hasn’t been frozen in plastic.
Shopping at farmers market feels safe since it’s outside.  Online orders from NADA is now an option.  Stores like the East End Food Coop have taken good steps for safety but sadly their bulk area has been removed.
PS Also very sorry that London Drugs is not doing plastic recycling anymore.”
– Mairy Beam
“The pandemic has shifted my ability to stay committed to plastic-free to the degree I had been committed before. I think moments like this really test us in ways we don’t anticipate and it’s interesting to notice where the motivation to use packaging “for safety” feels different than using it “for convenience.” I am trying to focus on the fact that things won’t always be like this.

I am visiting places that are supportive of zero-waste even in the face of pandemic. The Safeway at King Ed has been allowing reusable shopping bags if you pack your own, and the JJ Bean on 16th and Cambie (and assuming all over too) is now allowing clean travel mugs. I am ordering take out from time to time but we got to places that use compostables like Beetbox Vegetarian. I love to feel our community pull together and remain committed to our values by making our environmental practices as safe to continue as possible.”

-Marie Witt

Become a Familiar Face to Reverend Lara!

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Imagine you are meeting up to 350 people in the coming weeks, sounds fairly daunting doesn’t it? The current Covid-19 situation is making it even more so.

Rev. Lara Cowtan is arriving in a few short weeks, and she will need to be able to put faces to names. This is where we need your help! You can help make her welcome, and connections a bit more easy by updating your profile in our directory with a photo!

Sign-Up For A Breeze Account

If you have never logged into your Breeze profile before, you will need to

  1. Click here
  2. Click on “create account”
  3. Follow the prompts and check your email for setting your user name and password

Upload your Profile Pic to Breeze in 4 easy steps

  1. Navigate to your profile or sign in here
  2. Click on the cartoon image box at the top
  3. Click “Upload Image” and select the image (of yourself) you want to upload.
  4. Crop the image to the appropriate size and save the change

For help (including graphics) click here or contact Marcus who will be happy to help!

Greetings From Rev. Lara Cowtan!

Greetings Unitarian Church of Vancouver!

I am Reverend Lara Cowtan, and I am delighted and honored to have been hired as your interim minister, to serve you for a two-year transition period. I just wanted to reach out and say hello to you from Winnipeg, where I am currently serving as a hospital chaplain. This has been a year of transition for me as well, as I’ve moved back to Canada after living in Europe since 2005.

Soon I will set out West, over the prairies and across the mountains to join you in Vancouver. I am excited and looking forward to meeting all of you, to being a part of your thriving and welcoming community, and to working with you as we learn and grow together.
These are challenging and complicated times, and it helps to have something to look forward to.

This transitional ministry time is an exciting opportunity for the congregation to engage in reflecting on where you have come from, all you’ve accomplished, then envisioning and reaching towards the future. It is a time of infinite possibilities, and I can’t wait to explore them with you.

I’ll arrive at the end of July and begin in August with meetings to get to know you and prepare for the start of our first year together.
Wishing you all a safe and healthy summer.
Blessings.

Warmly,
Rev. Lara

 

 

 

Steven Tribute Booklet and Final Service Video

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On June 21st, Steven delivered his final sermon at UCV and we presented him with this tribute booklet. You can read and download tribute booklet below and watch a short video below with clips of his final service.

***PLEASE NOTE: We have discovered that the online version of the tribute booklet to Steven was not the draft that we printed- the printed draft included many more tributes. So, we have corrected the online version to reflect the one that was printed and given to Steven Epperson. Apologies for any stress this may have created. If you still do not see your tribute, please send it directly to Marie. Stay well, Diane Brown, UCV Board President***

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Reconciliation Working Group

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The Reconciliation Working Group is an active sub-group fo the Social Justice Committee.
The group is continuing to work on how we acknowledge the Indigenous territories our UCV campus is on. We hope to offer learning opportunities related to Indigenous issues including the CUC’s Truth, Healing, and Reconciliation Reflection Guides for congregational members 16 and over.  This program supports Canadian Unitarians and Universalists to explore the following areas:
 

Engagement and Locating Ourselves:

Where we ask: What social identities do each of us have, what culture(s) do we come from? How do we relate inter-culturally? How do we relate to the land we call home?

Understanding:

Where we learn about colonization, in particular the Indian Residential School (IRS) System, and its impacts on the lives of Indigenous peoples in the past and present.

Connection:

Where we seek to update our understandings of Indigenous societies and learn about current issues. Where we learn how to be in solidarity, and, when ready, reach out to local Indigenous leaders.

Healing and Reconciliation:

Where we ask: What does healing and reconciliation mean to Indigenous peoples? What does it mean to us as Unitarian Universalists? What are the next steps for building connections and making commitments?

How to Get Involved

The intensive learning experience offered through the THRGG orientation process (approximately eight 2.5-hour sessions) is designed for face-to-face gatherings so we will examine the feasibility of offering this beginning sometime in the autumn, depending on the COVID-19 guidelines.
We are currently looking for one or two members who would be willing to be part of a facilitation and planning team over the Summer and Fall of 2020. We are looking for people with strong facilitation skills and a willingness to be part of a THRGG orientation process. We would welcome a young adult to this team. If you are interested or want to find out more, please fill out the form below!

Can You Identify Scam Emails?

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COVID-19 has given rise to new online scam attempts that target vulnerable people and seniors. We have seen an increase of scam emails pop up within our own community and we want to ensure that congregants feel safe to engage online at this time.

There are many online resources for helping to educate about scam emails. Please make sure you educate yourself as these attempts are getting more sophisticated. Have a look at this 10-minute video about identifying scam emails.

UCV Scam Email Attempts

In the example below, you can see an actual scam attempt made with an account that was created to impersonate Rev. Steven Epperson. Notice that they even have a profile photo of Steven. These can be difficult to distinguish from actual correspondence, however, there are a few tell-tale signs here.

1. Sender Email Address

The email address looks legitimate, however, our staff emails only come from vancouverunitarians.ca, not gmail.com. This email came from revsteven.vancouverunitarians@gmail.com which is suspicious.

2. Unusual Behavior

Steven has never emailed me directly to ask for a favor before. It doesn’t seem completely out of the question, but this is not usual behavior.

3.  Subject Heading

The all-caps subject heading that is irrelevant to the content of the email makes this stand out as odd

4.  Contact Details Exclude Phone Number

This particular scam is an impersonation of someone I know, which means that they don’t want to offer me the opportunity to contact them directly. The fact that the phone number does not appear in contact details is a red flag.

Checklist for Identifying Scam Emails

The checklist below can help you identify scam emails, It was is taken from this website.

What To Do If You’re Still Unsure

  1. If it is coming from someone claiming to be someone you know, call them and double-check before opening any links or attachments!!
  2. If it is someone you’ve never heard of before, google search the company or person and see if you can find a phone number or other direct contact
  3. Never open an attachment or click a link unless you are sure of the sender
  4. Never give people gift cards or money transfers without first talking to them in person, or receiving a direct link to secure payment from an email address you know and trust.
  5. Learn how to report phishing attacks and spam through your email provider so the email addresses will be red-flagged and shut down.

 

UCV COVID-19 Go-Slowly-Forward Plan

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Unitarian Church of Vancouver Coronavirus
(COVID-19) Policy

 

In this Coronavirus (COVID-19) policy, you’ll find our go-slowly-forward plan and all essential guidelines staff and congregants must follow for Summer 2020.
Until Further Notice: Entry into any UCV building is strictly prohibited, without first advising the UCV Office, and signing in.

Policy brief & purpose

Our UCV policy includes the measures we are actively taking to mitigate the spread of coronavirus. Please follow all these rules diligently, to sustain a healthy and safe space and to ensure the health and well-being of our broader community. It’s important that we all respond responsibly and transparently to these health precautions. 

The UCV coronavirus (COVID-19) policy is subject to changes with the introduction of additional governmental guidelines or new outbreak concerns. If changes are made, we will update the public and congregation by posting updates to ucv.im/covid as well as sending a direct update via email. To ensure you are receiving all of our latest communication, please make sure you have signed up for the order of service email and the monthly e-bulletin. If you are unsure if you are signed up, or would like to update your contact information, please email info@vancouverunitarians.ca. 

Scope

This coronavirus policy applies to all staff and long-term renters of UCV who physically work in our offices, as well as congregants, members and friends who may visit the space or wish to rent rooms for social activities. 

Measures We Have Taken

Over the past few months, we have taken the following protective measures at UCV:

  • Moved all Sunday Worship Services online at ucv.im/live to reduce the risk of outbreaks.
  • Closed all buildings to members and the public with only essential access for staff and the worship service live-streaming team. Grounds have remained open with physical distancing in effect.
  • Moved to Zoom-based fellowships, community events and religious exploration.
  • Supported staff to make safe choices about when/how to be onsite or to work from home.
  • Implemented a disinfecting and cleaning protocol to ensure regular sanitization onsite. 

 

UCV Go-Slowly-Forward Plan

The Covid-19 Response Team at UCV is made up of the minister, board members, administrative staff, and representatives from Buildings and Grounds, Religious Exploration, and Communications. Together we have weighed and reviewed the public health policy contained within the BC Restart Plan, the CDC Guidance for Faith-Based Organizations, and the Worksafe BC Safety Plan Development Guide. 

We recognize the importance of our community experience, as well as our need as human beings to gather together and make contact face to face. We also respect and uphold the incredible and diligent work of our public health leaders, scientists, and frontline workers who have been at the forefront of protecting our needs and safety. 

With these perspectives in mind, we have established small steps towards re-opening our church, which will ensure our ability to keep up with the latest information, adjust our protocols as necessary, and respond with care and diligence if concerns arise. 

We have developed this policy to address the immediate future only. This document is in effect for Sept-Dec 2020. We are actively monitoring updates from the province and will continue to update our policy as we know more. 

June 2020

We made a firm decision to keep UCV’s buildings closed to the public for all of June 2020. Worship service live-streaming crew, limited staff and caretakers have had essential access only. Worship services continue to be online-only. 

July and August 2020

We began to allow room bookings for Hewett Hall (main space only). Available time-slots were allocated to groups with priority given first to congregants and members of UCV. External rentals were considered but none were organized. Worship services remained online-only for the entire duration of the summer.

September 2020

Fall 2020 changes to the COVID-19 policy include:

  • Increased capacity for Hewett Centre – Main Hall Now available for rentals up to 15 guests for a duration of 2 hours.
  • Sanctuary now available for rentals up to 30 people (25 guests, 5 staff) for a duration of 2 hours. (Please note: Each singer is required to be 15 feet away from any other person. As such, group singing is not permitted in indoor spaces due to increased droplet spread) 
  • Available Rooms – The only rooms available for rentals are Hewett Center – Main Hall and the Sanctuary, all others remain closed through December 2020. 
  • Mask are now mandatory for indoor activities – Through December 2020, masks are mandatory in all indoors spaces at UCV
  • Services continue to be online only We will continue our live-streaming of worship services through December 2020.

General Policies

  • If you have any symptoms of illness, even minor ones, please do not visit the UCV buildings and grounds. 
  • If you have recently returned from areas with a high number of COVID-19 cases (based on CDC announcements), or if you have recently come into contact with someone with COVID-19, please follow the public health guidelines for the standard 14-day self-quarantine.
  • If you normally commute to UCV by public transportation and do not have other alternatives, please consider staying home, and organizing an online event instead. 
  • If you are considered part of a high-risk group, please consider staying home and organizing online events instead. 
  • We ask that all visitors to UCV follow the advice for general hygiene while on campus: 

General Hygiene 

  • Practice physical distancing. Please stay at least 6 feet apart from others.
  • Wash your hands if you touch high-touch areas, if you touch your face or adjust your mask, after using the toilet, before eating, and if you cough/sneeze into your hands (follow the 20-second hand-washing rule). You can also use the sanitizers you’ll find all around UCV.
  • Cough/sneeze into your sleeve, preferably into your elbow. If you use a tissue, discard it properly and clean/sanitize your hands immediately.
  • Open the windows regularly to ensure open ventilation. 
  • Avoid touching your face to prevent infection.
  • Masks are mandatory for all indoor activities

 

UCV Room Bookings (September – December 2020)

The only rooms available for booking in September – December 2020 will be the Hewett Centre – Main Hall and the Sanctuary.

All gatherings must be booked ahead of time through Marcus Hynes by emailing info@vancouverunitarians.ca.

Please note: The Kitchen, Fireside, Lindsey/Priestley, Library, Biddle, Childcare, and Hitchmanova all remain completely closed to both members and the public. Please do not ask caretakers to allow you into these areas. There will be no exceptions. Use of the UCV outdoor grounds, labyrinths and gardens are permitted, with physical distancing in effect. 

Hewett Hall Main Area Booking Policies

  • Events in the Hewett Hall main space may have maximum of 15 guests. 
  • Unscheduled meetings will not be allowed. 
    • If an unscheduled meeting occurs, caretakers will kindly ask the group to leave and will provide them with the contact information for making a proper booking. Time slots must be booked through the office at info@vancouverunitarians.ca
  • There are three options for the room set-up:
    • Empty (no tables, no chairs), with floor markings showing appropriate distancing.
    • Tables and stackable chairs (e.g. 10 round tables) set at appropriate distancing.
    • To ensure proper cleaning, the cushioned chairs from fireside will no longer be available
  • There will be absolutely no access to the kitchen or any coffee, tea, food service amenities.
  • Washrooms will be one-at-a-time to allow for safe physical distancing around sinks and stalls.
  • Time slots will be limited to 2-hour blocks. People may book more than one 2-hour block, but must leave the space after each block to allow for cleaning protocols to be carried out. We strongly encourage booking only one time slot for your event to limit the potential for exposure.
  • A caretaker must be present for all gatherings.
  • Masks are mandatory during indoor activities.
  • Caretakers will be responsible for: 
    • Event check-in, and ensuring that visitors have signed the Logbook for contact tracing (only if groups are unable to do this themselves).
    • Monitoring for COVID-19 protocols (physical distancing, availability of hand sanitizer, trash disposal, soap and cleaning supplies).
    • Enforcing protocols as outlined in this document.
    • Politely requesting guests to leave if they arrive showing symptoms of illness.
    • Cleaning and sanitizing prior to an event, and resetting the space (surfaces, door handles, washrooms, equipment etc.) in between each rental. No visitors will be allowed in the space while this is happening.
    • Turn on fans and ensure windows and doors remain open for the duration of the rental
  • The Hewett Centre – Main Space will not be available for booking at the same time as the Sanctuary
  • All windows and doors must remain open during the duration of the rental to encourage ventilation and air flow
  • If singing is the desired activity, each singer is required to be 15 feet away from any other person. As such, group singing is not permitted in indoor spaces due to increased droplet spread

Sanctuary Booking Policies

  • Events in the Sanctuary may have maximum of 30 people (25 guests and 5 staff)
  •  Unscheduled meetings will not be allowed. 
    • If an unscheduled meeting occurs, caretakers will kindly ask the group to leave and will provide them with the contact information for making a proper booking. Time slots must be booked through the office at info@vancouverunitarians.ca
  • Events seating will be marked out for proper social distancing
  • There will be absolutely no access to the kitchen or any coffee, tea, food service amenities.
  • Washrooms are located in the Hewett Centre – Main Space and will be one-at-a-time to allow for safe physical distancing around sinks and stalls.
  • Time slots will be limited to 2-hour blocks. People may book more than one 2-hour block, but must leave the space after each block to allow for cleaning protocols to be carried out. We strongly encourage booking only one time slot for your event to limit the potential for exposure.
  • A caretaker must be present for all gatherings.
  • Masks are mandatory during indoor activities.
  • Caretakers will be responsible for: 
    • Event check-in, and ensuring that visitors have signed the Logbook for contact tracing (only if groups are unable to do this themselves).
    • Monitoring for COVID-19 protocols (physical distancing, availability of hand sanitizer, trash disposal, soap and cleaning supplies).
    • Enforcing protocols as outlined in this document.
    • Politely requesting guests to leave if they arrive showing symptoms of illness.
    • Cleaning and sanitizing prior to an event, and resetting the space (surfaces, door handles, washrooms, equipment etc.) in between each rental. No visitors will be allowed in the space while this is happening.
    • Turn on fans and ensure windows and doors remain open for the duration of the rental
  • The Sanctuary will not be available for booking at the same time as the Hewett Centre – Main Space
  • All windows and doors must remain open during the duration of the rental to encourage ventilation and air flow
  • If singing is the desired activity, each singer is required to be 15 feet away from any other person. As such, group singing is not permitted in indoor spaces due to increased droplet spread
  • The choir loft is off limits to guests and remains a staff only area.

Employee Reopening Safety Plan 

PPE

  • Masks and gloves are available for staff.
  • Staff must wear masks when disinfecting indoor common areas
  • If gloves are worn they need to be washed with the same frequency as hands.
  • Do not reuse disposable gloves.
  • Staff should use the proper technique to remove gloves so the contaminated side ends up inside.
  • Masks and gloves are located in the Janitors’ Closet, and in the Mail Room. Additional masks and gloves are in the crawlspace in the Admin building.
  • Caretakers should wash the clothes worn during their shift if they have come in contact with numerous people.

Signage

  • Maximum capacity signs will be placed at the entrance of each room.
  • Social distancing reminder signs will be posted at the entrance of each room and additional reminders inside each room.
  • Reminders to those experiencing symptoms have been posted at all building entrances.
  • Traffic flow signs will be taped on the floor, to avoid congestion at entrances. In the UCV office, there will be standing area signs to avoid congestion and encourage social distancing in the reception area.
  • Sanitizing signs “last sanitized by name, date, time” will be filled out after each sanitizing with a wipeable marker on a laminated sheet. For each room. In addition to this a sheet will be initialed for all spaces that have been sanitized during the shift, and how many times it was completed
  • Handwashing signs will be posted in washrooms, and at the photocopier.
  • Washrooms will be clearly marked as one person at a time with floor markings denoting the line up distances.

Cleaning Protocol

  • Hand sanitizer will be provided at each entrance to be used prior to entry.
  • When groups have booked a meeting, the caretaker on-duty will sanitize all entry points, washrooms, and common areas in each room/building a minimum of 2x or every 2 hours.

Contact Tracing

  • Entrance logs will be placed directly upon entry in each UCV building. Contact is compulsory for every individual entering a UCV building, regardless of the reason.
  • Hand sanitizer will be available at this station as well as sanitized pens
  • If employees begin to experience symptoms prior or during a shift, please advise a supervisor and immediately put on a mask. In the event of illness, emergency cab fare will be provided.
  • Supervisors will arrange immediate coverage for the employee who has taken ill..
  • Always call 911 for emergency.

Non-medical information about COVID-19 is available 7:30am-8pm, 7 days
a week at 1-888-COVID19 (1-888-268-4319).

UCV Board Statement on Anti-Racism

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We, the Board of Trustees, the Parish Minister and members of the Unitarian Church of Vancouver, condemn the murder of George Floyd, an act of inhumane police brutality, that is perpetuated by a culture of white supremacy. We in Canada share that culture, and we must commit ourselves collectively to dismantling white supremacy here at home, acknowledge that our white privilege has come at the expense of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour past and present, and rebuild our nation with justice, compassion and respect for all.

The Interim Minister Search Has Been Completed!

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The interim minister search has been completed! The selection process has entailed a surprising amount of work, the largest portion of which has fallen to Leslie Hill, the committee’s chair.  She has done an outstanding job.  I doubt she has done much else for the last many weeks  — a lot of correspondence and phone calls, interviews, and marathon meetings.  On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the entire congregation, THANK YOU, Leslie Hill, and the members of your committee, for your enormous contribution to our Church. Also a big thank you to Gordon Gram for his invaluable help with the contract.

Our Interim Minister will be Rev. Lara Cowtan from Winnipeg, and she is thrilled to begin her tenure here with us on August 1st, and leading our services starting in Sept. A greeting from her will be coming this summer.

To learn more about Rev. Lara, please visit her website www.laracowtan.com/about-me.html

UCV Supports “A Just Recovery For All”

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The Unitarian Church of Vancouver has just joined an alliance of nearly 240 organizations that have come together to develop key principles for a “Just Recovery for All” from the COVID-19 pandemic. As governments begin to make plans for recovery, organizations are joining together to send a message that we cannot return to the old “normal”. Now is the time to imagine a better future.

 The principles below were informed by a month of consultations with over 200 groups and individuals across Canada by https://justrecoveryforall.ca/

You can see the full text and sign on to the principles using this form: https://forms.gle/TYrkQtzVkGcYETVb8