An invitation from Metro Vancouver Unitarian Zero Waste Group:
Are you hungry for deeper dialogue about the climate crisis and building community around solutions?
This question opens the description of the small-group discussion program Circles, based on the 2021 anthology All We Can Save. Find out more about the online resources and format of the series here:
Join Unitarians and friends from congregations near and far in a Zoom series of ten conversations. We’ll keep the group sizes small for optimum participation.
For a sample of the thinking behind the program, watch this 2022 TED talk by co-author Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson:
We are gathering questions and comments in various ways (forum now on youtube/ cafe style discussions on Sunday March 5) and now invite all members to indicate their level of support, comments, questions about the resolutions.
We are asking for feedback so that we can compile a report for our board and send to the CUC for consideration. The Board thanked the Denominational Affairs committee for collecting nd requested the committee to submit updated information by the new deadline of April 1, 2023. 35 people have submitted so far.
The form requires your name and email address and to verify you are a member. A compilation of the ranking scales and all comments will be submitted anonymously, exactly as you write them. After submission, the compilation will be shared with the congregation. We do encourage you to discuss your comments with others. The survey is set up so that if you choose to go back and add or change before March 31 you are able to do so.
You may be knowledgeable about all the resolutions, or there may be only one you wish to comment on. You can answer as many or as few of the questions as you wish. The narrative questions are the questions CUC has asked for.
The Canadian Unitarian Council Annual General Meeting will be held in person (in Ottawa) and electronically Friday, May 19 from 10:00 – 1:30 pm Pacific. UCV board will submit names of our 6 delegates by May 1, 2023.
In 2022, the UCV board adopted the CUC-recommended process of appointing delegates to serve a two-year term, during which they would represent us at two consecutive AGMs and between meetings will keep informed about CUC matters and communicate with the congregation by written posts and discussion forums.
The board hosted a Board Forum on Sunday, February 27, 2022 to share the background on this decision and respond to questions. Several members who have served as delegates at CUC AGMs in the past shared their experience. You can watch the forum here.
Orientation and support for CUC Delegates
The Denominational Affairs committee is planning orientation and support for delegates.
If you have been a delegate in the past, it would be appreciated if you would complete this form, to help us plan appropriate support.
Criteria for Individual Delegates
Member for a minimum ofsix months (same as serving on board from bylaws)
Recent active involvement in at least one team, committee or task force, preferably in a leadership role
Demonstrated interest and knowledge of CUC through attending gatherings, workshops or roundtables/webinars
Good written and verbal communication skills, preferably comfort with public speaking/facilitation
Comfort and access to computer, webcam, online communication programs (zoom, email, etc.)
Criteria for the team of delegates
A range of newer members with more experienced members
Provide opportunities for first-time delegates with support from each other and previous delegates
Diversity of age, gender, heritage, length of time as UCV member and areas of involvement at UCV
At least two who are experienced at setting up online or in-person forums to discuss issues with the congregation
At least two who are willing to write web and e-news articles about CUC issues at least three times per year.
Note: depending on the issues coming to a particular AGM, the board may adjust this in any one year
Please submit your expression of interest by Wednesday, March 15, 2023 so selection can be made at the April board meeting.
Interested? Here is a link to a form to express interest in representing UCV at the upcoming May meeting. You can choose a one or two-year term or offer to be a back-up in case needed. https://forms.gle/Gh5PsKzNFjtLfDCC9
Selected delegates will be asked to submit a short bio (200-250 words) and a photo to share with the congregation.
Believing in the true spirit of Christmas, I commit myself to…
* Remember those people who truly need my gifts
* Express my love in more direct ways than gifts
* Examine my holiday activities in the light of my deepest values
* Be a peacemaker within my circle of family and friends
* Rededicate myself to my spiritual growth
The People’s Ecochallenge is a 21-day challenge to take action for a better shared future. From October 5 – October 26, you commit to trying and doing new things. Fun actions encourage new habits. Small steps lead to big change. Together, we build a sustainable world and a healthy planet.
The People’s Ecochallenge gamifies behaviour change and makes your impacts measurable! Think about and act on proven soutions through 100+ actions across nine categories.
Ecochallenge is free to join and everyone is welcome. Join our BC Unitarians team.
A quick audit check confirmed that only masks were in the box and not other garbage
ZW at UCV Blog Post 1 –
Recycling Masks and Creating Good Compost
If you haven’t yet noticed, it but thanks to Karen Bartlett and Yvonne Marcus, we have a box where you can deposit used face masks. And yes, you can bring ones from home and add them. We’ve already filled one box and with congregational administrator, Casey’s, support, Karen is prepared to continue donating the cost and organizing getting a new box when one is full. It’s just inside Hewett Hall.
Karen says, “Thank you to Casey for being the point person to pass along the information when the box was ¾ full, giving us time to organize the new box.
Also thanks to everyone who is using the box. A quick audit check confirmed that only masks were in the box and not other garbage.”
You Can Do It! We Can Help!
Karen (and the ZW team) want to share this as a good example that anyone at UCV can take on a small project and “make it so.”
Here are some quotes found by googling “zero waste quotations” that were read at the start of our meeting. The theme is “just do it”! Or as Home Hardware says: You can do it. We can help
The world is changed by your example not by your opinion.
To do good you actually have to do something.
Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.
Waste is a design flaw.
If you have an idea related to zero waste and want to know how to go about it and who you might need to check in with, we’d be *very* happy to lend support!
It looks a little gross, but I guarantee that the red wriggler worms will appreciate this soup!
Compost bins. We’re about to enter “peak dry leaves” season when our stalwart gardeners rake up the barrels and barrels full of leaves. As well as the bins for organic waste that go to the city, we have 6 round black bins with some hardy red wriggler worms in them that can, with a little help, create “black gold” compost for our gardens. Mary Bennett has been chief compost enthusiast and worker, but got behind during the time we weren’t regularly meeting in person. We need your help to get the red wrigglers healthy and working again, and the key thing is they need some food (vegetable and fruit scraps especially, although they seem to love their coffee!) and, even more importantly, water.
Our team are all going to take turns taking out the green counter top bin in Hewett Centre on Sundays. A quick way to add moisture, is to fill it 2/3 or so full with water before taking out. (Full might make it difficult to walk easily without spilling). As well, we’re going to make a concerted effort over next month or two (before the damp weather returns) to regularly fill one of the tall white containers near Hitschmanova entrance with water and add to the bins.
Right now it’s very dry, so if you can help, you’ll find you’ll need to pour in slowly or add 1/4 of a bucketful to each of 4 bins. You can do this any time you’re on site.
No meat or bones, but the red wrigglers are ok with napkins, coffee filters, (most) tea bags.
(Speaking of which, let’s not use the silky ones, ok?)
The black round bins are on the Fremlin (east) side adjacent to the lane. There’s one right near the city waste bins as well.
Cathy and Rosemary added some water to all the bins. (But they still need more. Please help. The worms, and the earth, will thank you.)Mary ready to dump the bin from the office, having added water to help provide a drink to our thirsty red wriggler worms.Step 2 – just dump in. If you had some fruit and vegetable waste and are able to add some of the dried leaves around the bins to cover that will help keep rodent-activity down.
More information about our Zero Waste (part of Enviro Team) Circle can be found here.
Mary and Sheila are hosting a once-a-month, one-hour zoom meeting to work through the book Don’t Label Me by Irshad Manji.
This group is now full.
Leadership will be shared, with all participants taking turns facilitating, zoom hosting and or notetaking/admin support.
As well as the one hour session, you will be asked to do some homework, including practice, and get together with one or more other people in between our sessions. Each week, the facilitators will come up with discussion questions and the assignment. The group will also meet and share their reflections on a googlegroup.
The book is divided into 10 sections. Each month, September to June, we’ll focus on one of the sections.
Vancouver Public Library have seven copies plus an e-book and downloaded audiobook. I’ve ordered in some from Banyen. (It was listed on their website but was out of stock.) If you want one, let me know. Approximately $30.
Why the name Unitarian Plurals?
Manji proposes that we all adopt the one label “Plural” to emphasize that we are each more complex than the list of our labels.
She’s an engaging, articulate, funny speaker. Search youtube.com if you want to see some interviews. There are lots.
Do you sometimes hear about a book and wish you could talk to a friend who’d already read it before you make the investment of time and possibly money?
Or you’re half way through a book and really want to talk with some like-minded person/s about the ideas before continuing.
To complement other book groups at UCV (2nd Sunday where they choose a book and Potluck Books where people show up and share what they’ve been reading–and sometimes the actual books too!) a new group is starting.
Along the lines of Christina’s Baldwin’s “Calling the Circle”, anyone in the group can “call the circle” – by putting out an email suggesting when and where you’re inviting people to get together and the intention. i.e. it might be to discuss a particular book, or it might be potluck-style: come and tell us what you’re reading.
Another approach would be to have one or two people who have read a particular book, present it and reading is optional for the others. (This format borrowed from Toronto First’s Issues and Ideas group.) We’ll use this approach for the Zero Waste Book Club.
Mary Bennett has set up an email group for any who want to participate. If you join, you’ll get some invitations and you’ll be expected to now and again “call the circle”. #SharedLeadership
Interested in book clubs? Here are some of the other book groups going at UCV.
Before covid, UCV hosted 3 sometimes more circle dance gatherings every month.
Since then we’ve shared two or three at the start of Earth Spirit rituals and a couple of us have met informally and now we’d like to start offering at least one 2-hour circle dance session each month.
Join Unitarians and friends from congregations near and far in a Zoom series of ten conversations. We’ll keep the group sizes small for optimum participation. 
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