Author: Mary Bennett

Coffeehouse Connections

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Every Saturday in April at 3 pm Pacific, CUC is hosting Coffeehouse Connections.
Details and register here: https://cuc.ca/events/cuc-coffee-house-connections/1586628000/1586633400/
Join the events on Zoom:  https://bit.ly/39WqDOj
April 18 – Music circle
April 25 – Storytelling
Here’s a description of the first one.
Join Tony Turner for a UU Music Circle: a way to connect and spend some time together on Sunday, Mar 29 at 3 p.m. (Pacific); we’ll gather for about an hour to an hour and a half via Zoom.

Listeners and musicians are welcome. To contribute your musical skills, please fill in this short survey so that the co-hosts (CUC staff and Tony Turner) have an idea of who’s appearing. There will be about 8-10 performances/songs/numbers. Those who don’t get a slot this time to appear for the next Music Circle.
If you can’t be part of our circle, but know someone else who’d like to contribute please forward this link, https://forms.gle/g3KSRddAGAfMnnb9A, so they can sign up. 
Spread the word, and we’ll see you on Sunday with your instrument, or favourite beverage and snack!
Facilitated by CUC Staff.
View other CUC events here: https://cuc.ca/events-calendar/

You can do it – making salsa with Raul and Isabeau

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You Can do it–We Can Help

You can do it - Members share their enthusiasm and expertise
You can do it – Members share their enthusiasm and expertise

Raúl is originally from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. He has been living in Vancouver for over 30 years and continues to share his love of Mexican food with family and friends. Isabeau is Raúl’s spouse and the happy beneficiary of Raúl’s love of cooking.
Raúl and Isabeau live in Vancouver with their two teenagers and their always-relaxed cat.

Join Raúl and Isabeau to learn how to make easy Mexican salsa.  No cooking experience necessary!

Raúl will prepare the salsa live so you can follow along (and then enjoy your masterpiece for lunch!).

To make enough salsa for two people, please have the following ingredients at the session:

  • 2 tomatoes
  • 1/2 cucumber (peel it ahead of time)
  • 1/4 small onion (white or purple)
  • 1 bunch cilantro (you will only need 1/4)
  • 1 lime
  • 1/2 Jalapeno pepper OR Serrano pepper
  • pinch salt
  • pinch black pepper

You will need a cutting board, sharp knife, and little bowl in which to put your salsa.

Kids and youth very welcome to join us – their adults will be responsible for use of sharp knives.

Circle Dance – Together apart

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Are you missing our circle dance gatherings? Our good friends Darlene and Frances put together a playlist of dances that are familiar to many in their Ladner Circle Dance Group. I danced “with” them on Friday night (as I do usually on the last Friday of each month).

My contribution was putting together a youtube playlist. Dance instruction is (when available) put before the music. If you’re not familiar with the dance, maybe just improvise some of the steps. We always say, “There are no wrong steps, only variations” so this is a good time to do your own variations.

www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3mkCp0CAnhnIldO9ESg8BcEV9uUrr0fs

Here’s what Darlene and Frances sent out.

Hello Ladner Dancers,

Frances and Darlene have prepared a “Blossom!” Spring dance program for those who wish to listen or move to dances and music familiar to the Ladner Dance Circle.  Some of the music videos have beautiful images to enjoy too.

The world situation is challenging and affecting us in many ways.  Dance is our connection to each other, to community, to other places/other people, to our precious earth and beyond.  Dance is grounding and healing.  Please join the Ladner Dance Circle in your own home with your heart, intentions and prayers whenever you have the time and energy to connect with these suggested dances/songs (or your own favourites!).

Grab a scarf or two (for Winds on the Tor) and a candle (for My Prayer and Sending You Light) before you begin to dance…

Blessings in the dance of life,

Frances and Darlene

PS It would be lovely to know if you dance or listen along with us.

Breathe deeply!   enJOY

Here Now Lyrics (excerpts):

This spiral dance of joy and grief

Here now, the body breathes

Here now, the laughing, crying

Here now, the birds and dying

Here now, this tale unfolding

Here now, the circle holding

Here now, blessed be

These hands that form a sacred ring

Here now, blessed be

These feet that dance, these hearts that sing

Here now, blessed be

The flowering of the living tree

Here now, blessed be

This light that flows through you and me

Here now, be here now,

We’re here now

Here Now

Choreographer:  Paul Boizot, UK

Album:  Invocation

Artist: Jaiya, BC, Canada

Listen:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5vf0YrPmw4

Dance:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=slkD2QcfJRw

Heartbeat Drum Song

Choreographer: Ciann and Manitoulin Island Sacred Circle Dance Group

Music Origin:  Native American. The song is in a compilation of Tutelo and Saponi languages, now extinct dialects of the Sioux nation

Music Title:  Mahk Jchi

Artist:  Ulali

Listen:  youtu.be/bOn4vIybDU8

Steps:  Dance can travel to the right or left.  If traveling to the right:

R side, L together (to the right) X3, L side (going left), R touch.  Repeat.

Lyrics:

Lyrics translation:

Our hearts are full and our minds are good
Our ancestors come and give us strength
Stand tall, sing, dance and never forget who you are
Or where you come from

Healing Waters

Choreographer:  S. Raschke

Music Title:  Song to the Mother

Album:  Fire Prayer

Artist:  Denean

Listen: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue3BH2GLV08

Dance:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=SM358HFD8HY

Suvetar (Goddess of Spring)

Choreographer:  Kevin Meyers – USA

Album:  Sjofn

Artist:  Gjallarhorn – Sweden

Listen:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ4sqv7OHrg

Dance:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIp7R6VgBVM

Irish Dance (Honouring St Patrick’s Day)

Music:  your choice of Irish music

Steps:  skip and have fun like the children in this video  www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCRzuMPzk4E

Or if you want more of a challenge, then enjoy dancing this dance…

Music:  Irish Tipple

Choreographer:  Barbara Driscoll

Dance:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d999sixJneo

Winds on the Tor (Fresh Spring winds)

Choreographer:  Glastonbury Wed. eve dance group

Music Title:  Young Brown Cow (traditional)

Artist: unknown

Listen:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRVDOktkCVI

Dance:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFVVmPqxB4k

Suggestion:  dance Winds on the Tor with a scarf or two and be playful

Pachelbel In the Garden (sounds of Spring)

Choreographer:  Sun Meditation steps by Bernard Wosien matched to this music by Frances Rose, BC, Canada

Album:  Dan Gibson’s Solitudes, Exploring Nature With Music, Pachelbel in the Garden

Artist:  Dan Gibson

Listen:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzDVZzIIcy8

Dance:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2xGiqPDaq0  (Sun Meditation steps)

Sun Meditation (Equinox ~ balance of light and dark and connection to Findhorn)

Choreographer:  Bernard Wosien, Findhorn

Music Title:   Arioso from Cantata BWV 156 J.S.Bach

Listen:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeaSfoTnz0o

Dance:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2xGiqPDaq0

Bells of Norwich (A dance of hope ~ all will be well again)

Choreographer:  Collin Harrison, UK

Artist:  Sydney Carter

Listen:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUnMnpFQ0Wo

Dance:  (See step notes at bottom of this email)

Offering Govand (Traditional dance steps to celebrate love and life)

Choreographer:  Traditional steps matched to this music by Shakeh Major Tchilingirian

Origin:  Western Armenia

Music Title: Offering

Album:  Treasures

Artist:  Night Ark

From World Circle Dance Day 2019 globalcircledance.com/2019

Music:drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ev7ACSAS57YjpU8SLh_njnTLRk8Wld6a

Dance video:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9CfzqG5Qlc

Notes:  drive.google.com/file/d/1fS6UfjEMfyYKOk2oyw-MUCA0w4XpKzGI/view

My Prayer (candle dance)

Music: Greek

Music title: Prosefhi

Album:  Odos Nefelis’88

Artist: Haris Alexiou, Greece

Listen:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UNQ7Il8wG0

Dance steps:  3 forward steps, 1 sway back, candle in left hand toward centre, right hand on left back heart space of person in front or when dancing alone put right hand on your heart.

Lyrics:

Translation of the lyrics to My Prayer (Prosefhi)

Prayer

Give me a line so that I can walk
Give me a name so I won’t get lost
Give me a dream, a dream to hold on to
Give me a vision to help me resist.

Give me a child to make my confessions to
Give me a kiss to wash away the evil
Wake me in the morning with a song
which would bless my life. 

Hold your own prayer in your heart as you dance ”My Prayer”…

When you have finished dancing, face centre

Sending You Light (candle meditation)

Artist: Ana Hernández & Fran McKendree

Album:  Sending You Light

Listen: open.spotify.com/album/1mrHsXaltDPY8WbkiOamIV

Movement:  stand still or move your candle or move your body….

As the music plays, meditate with your candle

Lyrics:

I am sending you light to heal you, to hold you. I am sending you light to hold you in love.

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BELLS OF NORWICH STEP NOTES

  • V-hold, Facing to the right, moving to the right:  Step Right, Left, Right slip step (Right, slip together Left, Right), Left slip step (Left, slip together Right, Left)
  • Facing centre:  step side Right, Left close to the right
  • Repeat, mirroring steps to the left
  • “Bells”…rock in on the Right foot, rock out on the Left foot(repeat 3 more times).  Arms rock in and out too.
  • Turn slowly in place:  with right hand on heart and left hand up, take 4 steps over the right shoulder Right, Left, Right, Left
  • Bow slowly:  hands on heart or in prayer position
  • Repeat
  • Last cycle ends by repeating “Bells” rocking, turning and sealing the hope filled dance with hands folded over the heart.

Sunday Service to be webcast followed by virtual coffee hour

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Thanks to Christian Malcolm and Galen Elfert (with cheering from the communications committee) the Sunday service March 15 will be web cast. All going well, all you have to do is go to the UCV website vancouverunitarians.ca at 11 am and there will be a link there to click.

The service will be followed by a “virtual coffee hour”. We will likely be doing more connection and discussion online so this will be our first experiment using Zoom video conferencing to connect with each other. If you are a small group leader or committee chair who would like help learning to use Zoom for your meetings, let Mary know. The plan is to set up an online training session covering both the technology and people facilitation part of hosting a zoom meeting.

 

Staff Appreciation Dinner

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This year’s Staff Appreciation Dinner hosted by UCV’s Board of Trustees was a lovely evening. The tables in the Fireside Room groaned with an impressive variety of good food, trustees and staff happily sought out at least two people they had never spoken to before, a few people managed to get a quiet bit of business done on the side, and the clean up team was both cheerful and efficient. Congratulations to Sheila Resels for her hard work on organizing the evening.

Indoor Labyrinth Walking in Meditation Room

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We now have custody of an indoor labyrinth that fits perfectly in our meditation room. The plan is to have it out in the meditation room every 1st Tuesday for walking before circle dance and at the break.

Seven women who were part of the Women’s Spirituality Celebration and, along with a dozen or more others, met and walked it together in January. A discussion ensued that people would like the chance to walk it more often and share it with others as well..

The 10′ x 12′ canvas labyrinth was created by Barbara Bickel while on an artist residency on Toronto Island.

Barbara was, with Mary Bennett, and others part of a planning team for an annual Women’s Spirituality Celebration held at UBC Vancouver School of Theology.While the group hasn’t hosted an event in recent years, there are “circles of circles” of women who continue to connect in various ways, often around a labyrinth walk, shared food and conversation.

Barbara created it for the WSC and has wanted it to be available for borrowing by women who wish to use it for an event.

If you have a connection to Women’s Spirituality Celebration or a Unitarian congregation, you can arrange to borrow it from Mary Bennett.

We plan to have an open labyrinth walk every 1st Tuesday from 6 to 7 pm prior to circle dancing in the hall. Mary will book space and ensure the meditation room is open by ten to 6. Women involved with WSC will take turns laying out the labyrinth, welcoming new people and putting the labyrinth back after the walk.

We have a labyrinth facebook group. 

There are also two outdoor labyrinths on the Unitarian Centre site.

Go to http://vancouverunitarians.ca/labyrinth to learn more.

Contact Mary through unitarianlabyrinth@gmail.com if you wish to arrange to borrow the indoor labyrinth.

 

Courtyard Labyrinth – Come walk in rain with us

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As part of the Ostara celebration, we plan to walk the courtyard labyrinth – weather permitting – or wear your rain gear

Photo: Keith Wilkinson

 

The Courtyard Labyrinth is made in this pattern. A 3-circuit Cretan square style. The entrance is by the central doors in Hewett Centre.

 

We plan to put clues (possibly runes or oracle cards) along the pathway. At some point one might attract your attention and you’ll see if the message is one that has meaning for you.

If it’s absolutely pelting down rain, we’ll find a way to put out our new indoor labyrinth and do a similar process in the meditation room.

When the courtyard paving needed replacing a team designed a labyrinth pattern. Walk on the grey pavers.

Eventually we hope to have a bench in the centre and an inviting planted area.

Ponder the Change of Season – We wandered from table to table and considered the return of the light

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As part of our Imbolc celebration, participants pondered questions related to the four directions/elements. Volunteers set up altars with objects – including food – that correspond to their direction/element.

Altars

Marie set up North including plant, rock, salt and salted dark chocolate bar.

The North brings solid land.

  • How is your body changing from winter to spring?
  • How are you connecting to the Earth now?
  • Are you preparing to plant?

 

Cindy set up the West/Water table.

The West brings flowing and raining

  • Are you dancing in the rain?
  • Or feel it’s raining on your parade?
  • Where would you like more flow?

Mairy did the South Altar.

The South brings light and warmth

  • What is heating up for you?
  • Is anything in your life “going south”?
  • Do you want to turn up the heat?

 

 

Gabby had popcorn for us in the East/Air.

The East brings Fresh Spring Breezes

  • Can you feel them yet?
  • What are they stirring up?
  • What is the scent and feeling on your skin?

 

Mary set up the central altar with snowdrops that will now be planted in the garden path labyrinth.

 

We also danced three circle dances (some danced; some drummed)

Vigil: keep warm through the cold night, as the spring will come again

Birghitta: welcoming the Goddess Brigid

Bells of Norwich – All shall be well again, I know. Love like the yellow daffodil…

 

Everyone got a snowdrop to take home and plant.

What’s in a Name?

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On January 19th the What Do We Call Ourselves? (WDWCO?) Task Force led a Discussion Circle Forum in the Fireside Room. 44 congregants attended.

They were invited to address the questions:  Do you want to change the name – The Unitarian Church of Vancouver? If yes, to what?  If no, reasons for not wanting to change the name.

Rev. Steven Epperson, who attended, later commented that participants were respectful and thoughtful.  Which is just the way we Unitarians are as we contemplate our past identity and consider our future one.