Author: Keith Wilkinson

Kiersten Moore elected President of CUC for 2023-24

Vancouver Unitarian member and Director of Lifespan Faith Development was elected to be President of the Canadian Unitarian Council (CUC) at its Annual General Meeting on 19 May 2023. Congratulations to Kiersten!! 

The hybrid meeting lasted 4 hours and included approximately 50 delegates online via zoom and a similar number face to face in Ottawa. At the time of registration CUC was comprised of 41 congregations with 3,845 members with 114 delegates.

Some highlights of the meeting:

  • Approved various Bylaw Amendments as presented.
  • Postponed Indefinitely the motion to approve proposed 2023 Goals and Strategic Priorities.
    This was preceded by extensive discussion of this complex document. The Board will seek more input on it and bring forward a revised document at a future date TBA.
  • Approved a motion to repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery and implement a related action plan.
  • Approved an update of the 2023 budget and a preliminary 2024 budget, with some concern expressed due to volatile investments and larger than usual planned deficits.
  • Appointed auditors and approved the audited financial report for 2023.
  • Thanked staff and volunteers for their dedicated work on behalf of CUC member congregations over the past year.
  • Noted that Rev Anne Barker (Edmonton) has been hired as the new full time CUC staff person – Congregational Life: Lead, BC and West Regions (replacing Joan Carolyn who retired recently).
  • Appointed Nicole MacKay as a Chaplain to the Canadian Military.
  • Noted that Rev Samaya Oakley (South Fraser/Calgary) has been elected as President of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers of Canada (UUMOC) for 2023-24.
  • Elected and installed a new CUC Board for 2023-24 comprised as follows:
    • President: Kiersten Moore, BC Region
    • Vice-President: Margaret Kohr, Central Region
    • Co-Treasurer: Yvette Salinas, Eastern Region
    • Co-Treasurer: Margaret Wanlin, Western Region
    • Secretary: Rev Rodrigo Solano-Quesnel, Central Region
    • Member at Large, BC Region: Rev Debra Faulk, BC Region
    • Senior Youth Observer: Artemisia Frolic-Smart, Central Region
    • Minister Observer: Rev Shana Lynngood, BC Region

Meeting background documents can be found here.

Thanks to the six Vancouver members who volunteered to be UCV’s delegates at this year’s meeting: Emilie Adin, Lynn Armstrong, Marg Fletcher, Leslie Kemp, Tamiko Suzuki and Keith Wilkinson.

At the 2023 CUC AGM in Ottawa.

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

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 8th principle one year later – UCV survey updated response

UCV responses to a survey distributed by CUC to member congregations.
*REVISED 18 Nov 2022

After the UCV Denominational Affairs Committee (DAC) made its October submission for this CUC survey, the CUC extended the deadline for another three weeks – so we created a revised submission! The revised version includes more contributions from the UCV IBPOC/IPA, Environment, Ministry, and Social Justice Teams and the Denominational Affairs Committee. The revision separates inclusive actions taken in the past year from those taken in previous years. For the question on “Challenges” we decided to focus on our shared interests more than on our differences. The changes increased our overall word count from the requested 700 words to approximately 1000 words.

CUC’s Request:

CUC staff would like you to share your congregation’s or community’s experience during this past year of implementing the 8th Principle. The information you share here may be distributed to Unitarian Universalists as part of our Special Roundtable 8th Principle: 1 Year Later.

Only one submission per group/congregation, so please agree on one person to input your group’s responses. Please mind the word counts for each question. From these submissions we will ask some groups in advance to speak briefly (5 minutes) at the November 26, 2022 Roundtable on this topic.

Thank you for taking the time to share what your group/congregation has been experiencing. We appreciate it!

UCV’s revised response included input from representatives of the IBPOC and Allies, Social Justice, Environment, and Ministry Teams, (including Rev Lara Cowtan, Cindy Cashin, Elizabeth Dunn, Mei Jia Lam, Yvonne Marcus, Hisako Masaki, and Tamiko Suzuki) and from Denominational Affairs Committee members Lynn Armstrong, Mary Bennett, Leslie Kemp (Vice-Chair), Ingrid Luters, Kiersten Moore (DLFD), and Keith Wilkinson (Chair).

CUC Survey Questions:

  1. Has your congregation made a commitment to enacting/living out the 8th Principle? If not, what are some of the challenges?

UCV Response:

Yes, we have made a commitment and have 3 programming goals this year relating to the 8th Principle:

  • embodying our Covenant –
    • Terms of reference for all 22 Committees and Teams state the expectation to honour the UCV Covenant of Healthy Relations (2005)
  • enacting the 8th Principle – as noted below
  • exploring Landscapes of Aging – as noted below
  1. If your congregation has not made a commitment to the 8th Principle, can you discern if there is desire to do so? (*Unclear. We assume this was meant to read “if your congregation has not”.)
  2. Has your congregation / community begun to take action related to inclusivity? Please share.

UCV Response:

Examples from Nov 2021 – Nov 2022:

  • Bystander Intervention Training (led by the UCV IPA Team, CUC Widening the Circle Team, and UCV Truth and Reconciliation Group)
  • Repudiation of Doctrine of Discovery Forum (led by IPA Team)
  • Webpages for Truth and Reconciliation Action, IBPOC-IPA Action, and LGBTQ+ Equality
  • Social Justice Team worship services:
    • Reconciliation (Bruce McIvor and Aline Laflamme)
    • History of Sinixt peoples (Cole Harris)
  • Social Justice Team – hosted a panel on police violence due to systemic racism and bias towards those experiencing a mental health emergency; convened a discussion group on the book, Five Little Indians, which explores the experiences of residents of Indian Residential Schools; and reached out to UCV members to participate in Orange Shirt Day events in both 2021 and 2022.
  • IPA (IBPOC Plus Allies) Team formed to help IBPOC build bridges within the congregation and promote healthy race relations.
  • IPA members were delegates to the CUC AGM and did extensive outreach to UCV Teams & Committees including: Ministerial Transition Team, Ministerial Search Committee, Environment Team, Social Justice Team, UCV Women’s Group, Worship Services Team, Care & Concern Team, Mystery Pals, Youth Group, Liturgy Group, Healthy Relations Team, Elders-Intergenerational Circle, & Gardening Group.
  • IPA organized: Programs and activities to promote multicultural understanding (see #6)
  • Environment Team was committed to centering IBPOC voices in the Earth Day service: IPA produced videos about the intersectionality of environmental and racial issues.

Earlier examples:

  • Truth, Healing & Reconciliation Reflection Guides piloting
  • Joint sponsorship with Vancouver Quakers and others of solidarity events with indigenous people including: Orange Shirt days 2021 & 2022; gathering regarding revelation of unmarked graves 2021; fundraiser for Raven 2020; Building Bridges by Understanding the Village; Kairos Blanket (Offered for both UCV and wider community.)
  1. If yes, what specific type(s) of inclusivity are you focused on?

All types. We focus especially on rights of indigenous peoples through outreach and inclusion in events. We welcome members regardless of economic capacity and institute program sliding scales to reflect that. The above activities organized by the IPA Team were to help increase interaction and connection among UCV members across different cultures and racial identities.

  1. Who is involved in providing leadership? Learning? Action?.

UCV Response:

  • Children & Youth Program Coordinator
  • Director of Lifespan Faith Development
  • Environment Team
  • Genders and Sexualities Alliance
  • IBPOC Plus Allies (IPA) Team
  • Interim Minister
  • Music Director
  • Social Justice Team
  • Truth & Reconciliation Action Team
  • Worship Services Team
  1. What actions has your congregation been taking to inform and engage members?

UCV Response:

  • Lifespan Faith Development Director created a new children’s language Rainbow Principles poster including the 8th; the Tween group has been asked to put the 8th principle into their own words for kids.
  • Staff and members attended CUC Inclusivity Forums and advertised these in our eWeekly news
  • Staff and members participated in CUC sponsored Widening the Circle workshops and formed a working group
  • Lifting up of anti-racism/anti-oppression in worship services and welcoming of all types of identities
  • Website posting regarding the 8th principle one year later survey
  • Activities sponsored by the IPA:
    • Participated in: annual MMIWG march, Powell Street Festival celebrating Japanese Canadian art & culture, 360 Riot Walk (re 1907 anti-Asian riots in Vancouver), presentation for the Asian Heritage Festival, June 21 and Sept 30 Orange Shirt Day rallies
    • Organized: guided tour in Vancouver’s Chinatown, Japanese Cherry Blossom celebration, film screening of ‘Moon Over Tohoku’ & fundraiser for UCV’s Refugee Team
    • Created a video for the CUC’s Shining Lights Award & received honourable mention
    • Butterfly Project video – multilingual presentation of the UU Principles
    • Sunday service homily on theme of East meets West
  1. What specific actions has your congregation taken to address barriers to inclusion? Which barriers have you addressed? Which barriers are you planning to address?

UCV Response:

We have addressed:

Recent examples

  • Honour national and international days and months (eg Asian Heritage month)
  • Organized Bystander Intervention training program
  • Participated in CUC/UCV programs ‘Widening Circle’ and the ‘Healing Circle’
  • 8th principle translated into Chinese for pamphlets and website
  • Provided grants to indigenous students for post secondary education
  • Gender inclusive washroom signage
  • Replaced pews with chairs for varied seating arrangements
  • Created “pray area” in our sanctuary for young children and parents

Earlier examples

  • Celebrate many ethnic and religious holidays
  • Chinese language webpages, pamphlets, and signage
  • Funded external groups for inclusivity and reconciliation
  • Genders and sexualities inclusive banners at events
  • Headsets for hearing assistance
  • Hybrid worship services and meetings increase inclusivity
  • Indigenous land use recognition on website, stationery, and orally at events
  • Ramps for wheelchair access in most areas
  • Wheelchair accessible washroom improvements.
  1. How has your congregation’s / community’s actions resulted in greater inclusivity? How do you know?

UCV Response:

  • Shared social justice action includes people from different cultural, income, and age cohorts
  • Events we sponsor intentionally involve diverse participants
  • Increased number of young adults engaging in various areas of congregational life.
  • Increased inclusion and centering of voices, stories, music, and heritage of marginalized people in worship services. Visibility and acknowledgement of gender diversity within worship services have received warm acknowledgement by trans members.
  • All IPA sponsored activities and service contributions aid inclusivity.
  • Greater inclusivity is associated with increased confidence & trust: as a result, an IBPOC member has reclaimed her Chinese birth name.
  1. Describe the challenges your congregation / community has faced

UCV Response:

UCV members share a common interest in wanting to remove all barriers to inclusivity in our community. Some significant disagreements remain about the appropriateness of the approval process and the wording of the 8th principle.

  • COVID restricted fulsome face to face discussion of differing viewpoints.
  • Some of our print materials (bookmarks, pamphlets, etc.) don’t state the 8th principle.
  1. Share the successes your congregation / community has experienced

UCV response:

  • Our IPA Team has worked vigorously according to its mandate: to engage and connect with the congregation to enact the 8P – e.g., IPA retreat was well attended by congregation. (See above for other successful events)  
  • With increased staff support we offer more programs meant to include “youngerish” members and friends.
  • Young members have increasingly played major roles in designing/curating Sunday services and in providing tech support.
  • Our Genders and Sexualities Alliance ensured there was representation at every Sunday service during June and led a worship service on gender in July (Vancouver’s Pride).
  • Increased postings on UCV’s Facebook and email groups about Metro Vancouver cultural and arts events increase knowledge and awareness of other cultures.
  • We are piloting the formation of an Elder’s Circle to address meaning and spirit in aging as well as to form cross-generational connections with other peer age groups

 

End of survey.

CUC Virtual Fall Gathering 18-20 Nov 2022

CUC Virtual Fall Gathering
18-20 Nov 2022 (Fri 7 pm, Sat 930 am)

Theme: Join the national Unitarian Universalist community (the CUC) as we share a weekend online exploring the topic “Living Into Covenant.”
Click for details
.

 

8th Principle 1 Year Later: CUC Leaders’ Roundtable,
26 Nov 2022 (Sat 9 am)

Join CUC as Canadian Unitarian Universalist (UU) groups share their challenges and successes removing barriers to full inclusion for all peoples. We will look ahead to the coming year and consider how we move forward.
Click for details.

UUA Article 2 Study Commission: Background Reading

Background on UUA’s proposals to change the principles and sources. Why is this being considered? What would a new set of guiding documents look like? How would this affect Canadian UU congregations? Start with this link and follow the other links imbedded there — or visit the UUA website and study the resources there.
Click for Details.

Early in 2023, UCV and CUC will likely host some face to face and online discussions of these proposals, the reasons for them, and alternatives being considered. There’s lots to read!

Some Options for Action

Reversing the climate crisis

Study these resources and then choose some to act on:

Project DrawdownClimate Solutions by Sector

“Project Drawdown’s mission is to help the world reach “drawdown”—the point in the future when levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere stop climbing and start to steadily decline, thereby stopping catastrophic climate change—as quickly, safely, and equitably as possible.”

82 Partial Solutions

All We Can Save Project  – a feminist initiative

   “Our mission: To nurture a welcoming, connected, and leaderful climate community, rooted in the work and wisdom of women, to grow a life-giving future.”

Discussion circles

Emotional and mental health support

 

Photo: Sky smoky from forest fires near Osoyoos, BC, summer 2018.

 

 

 

Dismantling racism

In British Columbia:

Donate to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society

In Canada:

  1. Ask the CUC Board and Staff to describe the work that is being planned  to advance the strategic priorities approved by delegates at the 8 May 2021 AGM in these four areas of social justice:
    – Truth, Healing and Reconciliation
    Dismantling racism

    – Climate justice
    – Refugee support
  1. Encourage the CUC to continue to implement its 2020 strategic priorities, notably
    – Advance social justice initiatives, including truth, healing, and reconciliation amongst Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples
  1. Ask the CUC to invest more resources in support of anti-racist work.

Photo: Sculpture by Virgil Smoker Marchand at the Desert Cultural Centre in Osoyoos, BC. 2018

UCV’s Chinese Name 溫哥華 尋道會

 

Silent knowledge – the spirit is enlightened of itself
Contemplate the void: this world exceeds stillness.
 – Han Shan

At the end of Asian Heritage month this issue of the National News section of the UCV website takes a look at a 2014-2016 initiative to welcome members of the Chinese community to the Vancouver Unitarian community.

溫哥華 尋道會, Vancouver Xundaohui, Seekers of the Way, was formally adopted by Vancouver Unitarians as the Chinese name for the congregation in 2015. The work was initiated a year earlier by long-time UCV members and also included translations of UU principles, sources, and history into traditional and simplified Chinese scripts for pamphlets, creation of a Chinese language UCV webpage, and external signage in Chinese at most UCV site entrances at 49th and Oak. The initiative was intended to help welcome to UCV the 15% of the Metro Vancouver population who report speaking Chinese.

UCV borrowed the name 尋道會 from the Hong Kong Unitarian Universalist Community. We were told it had been suggested there by a Chinese Christian Minister who was also an advocate for gay rights. Currently Vancouver and Hong Kong appear to be the only UU congregations who have adopted this Chinese name. UCV suggested to the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists (ICUU) that the name 尋道會, Xundaohui, Seekers of the Way, be recommended as the official Chinese name for Unitarian Universalists but to date no action has been taken by the ICUU.

Read or download a pdf transcript of the worship service held in January 2016 from the UCV History Wall. The homily tells in more detail the story of why and how UCV chose its Chinese name. You can also listen to an audio of the homily by Lily Ha and Keith Wilkinson. If you have trouble accessing the printed homily from these links, email Keith for a copy.

Another neighbourhood remembrance for Asian Heritage Month – 

The Masumi Mitsui Greenway

The City of Vancouver is trying to establish greenways that are no more than a 25-minute walk or a 10-minute bike ride from every city residence. There are three Greenways quite close to the UCV site at 49th and Oak, and one of these is named after a Japanese Canadian WW1 veteran, Masumi Mitsui, who also became a fighter against the oppression of Japanese Canadians during WW2.

Masumi Mitsui Greenway – runs West to East along 59th Avenue from Angus Drive to Argyle Drive. East of Argyle Drive, the route follows a number of local streets as it works its way to Vivian Street and Burnaby’s Central Park.  At its West end it nearly connects with the Arbutus Greenway.

Arbutus Greenway – follow Arbutus Street and West Boulevard South from 5th Avenue and Fir St near Granville Island to SW Marine Drive near the Fraser River.

Ridgeway Greenway – runs West to East from 8th Ave and Alma St diagonally to 37th Ave, then East to Nanaimo St, South to 45 Ave, and East to Boundary Road and Central Park in Burnaby.

Ontario Greenway – runs North to South from False Creek to 59th Ave

 

BIPOC contributions to Vancouver’s Public Art – In 2014 as part of its annual Service Auction, UCV volunteers led several tours of Vancouver Public Art installations. The tours included BIPOC works by Kelly Cannell, Alan Hung Chung, Jim Hart, Susan Point, Bill Reid, Henry Tsang, Jun Ren, Jen Weih, and the Komagata Maru memorial in downtown Vancouver. Maybe we can resume these and similar explorations after COVID-19 is under control!

 

The National News section of the UCV website usually provides stories about what is happening in other Canadian Unitarian Universalist communities, at the Canadian Unitarian Council (CUC), and in the global UU movement.  For more information about those see these websites:
CUC       British Unitarians            UUA

 

CUC 2021 Conference Open Events, 14 – 16 May No Registration Required

Some CUC Conference Events require pre-registration. The following are open without pre-registration:

Available in advance…

Confluence Lecture – Rev Ann Barker, Parish Minister, Westwood Unitarians, Edmonton

The lecture this year addresses the topic of dismantling racism. The “lecture” adopts a new format –  three parts that can be viewed in advance or read via pdf followed on 14 May with a national discussion.

Dismantling Racism Study Group Reports – Study the twelve-page 2019 Preliminary Report of the CUC’s DRSG. The 4-page glossary alone is worth studying (and isn’t part of the final report).  It includes definitions of 57 concepts promiinent in anti-racism work and links related to the concepts.

See the 2021 Final Report of the DRSG here. 

See also the 13 May 2021 report via email to CUC leaders google group from CUC President, Margaret Wanlin and Executive Director, Vyda Ng titled “A Way Forward for the 8th Principle Process”.  The report provides plans for moving forward with substantial actions to dismantle racism in our congregations and communities, and a Special Meeting to be held on Saturday, 27 Nov 2021 to review CUC resolutions processes and the findings and recommendations of the DRSG.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visit the CUC virtual Memorial Wall any time before or during the Conference. This place is provided to commemorate and honour a loved one, mark a loss or hold a light to a concern that is in your heart. This Wall will be included in the Saturday morning ritual led by the Lay Chaplains. You can participate by leaving a comment on a Note or uploading a photo.

The Conference itself…Conference Webpage here

Opening Ceremonies – 3 PM Pacific, Friday 14 May 2021

The Opening Ceremony will be live-streamed on Zoom at http://bit.ly/OpeningCeremonyCUC and will be closed captioned.

Sunday Multigenerational Worship Service

Sunday, May 16, 10 am PT| 11 am MT|12 pm CT|1 pm ET|2 pm AT (1.5 hours)

Now more than ever we need to be grounded in connection, in hope, and in love. As the cycles of the seasons teach us the gifts of the dark as well as the light, we still need energy — a spark — to fuel living into our aspirations and values no matter the season, the struggle, or the celebration. This Sunday service will celebrate how our UU faith and our connections are crucial to sustaining and amplifying that spark.

The Sunday service will be live-streamed on Zoom at http://bit.ly/NationalWorshipMay16 (closed captioned), and on the CUC’s YouTube Channel.

Zoom Meeting ID: 885 0018 9706 | Passcode: 595025 | Canada Toll-free 1-855-703-8985

Even if you can’t participate you can donate to this year’s CUC special initiatives.

Special Conference Collection

Each year we choose one or more special recipients as the beneficiaries of the Conference collection. These recipients represent causes that are close to our hearts. This year we are so pleased to support charities important to our youth and young adults:

The Dawning Future – CUC Youth and Young Adult Subsidy and the

Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources.

Ways to donate to the CUC.

Remember that the next CUC National Conference will be in 2023 – probably in Halifax and virtually.

O Canada 2021 – Twelve days of honouring celebrations?

by Keith Wilkinson

For 2021, let’s celebrate a whole collection of summer holidays (holy days) for one grand summer festival honouring all people and other beings while bearing witness to the challenges that call Unitarians to keep on working for justice…

My covenant group met on Canada Day in 2020 and we shared some thoughts about what we liked and disliked about Canada Day. There were many things we appreciated about Canadian culture and political systems, and also many areas where we felt we still fell short and needed to keep on working. Following are some celebrations we could perhaps honour next year leading up to a more complete and satisfying celebration of Canada Day. (Ah…but who amongst us might take the lead!)

2021   Jun 20 Sunday World Refugee Day

This event honors the courage, strength and determination of women, men and children who are forced to flee their homeland under threat of persecution, conflict and violence.

Jun 20 Sunday Fathers Day

Father’s Day is an unofficial holiday to celebrate fathers around the world—although the date for celebration varies.

Jun 21 Monday Summer Solstice from a scientific viewpoint

It’s the scientific start to summer in the Northern Hemisphere, when this half of the world tilts toward the sun.

Litha – Summer solstice from a Wiccan viewpoint

The Solstice Teaches Us   A poem from the UUA Worship Web

Jun 21 Monday National Indigenous Peoples Day

A day to celebrate and learn more about the cultural diversity of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada.

Jun 21 Monday International Day of Yoga

Yoga is practiced in various forms around the world and continues to grow as a sport and a lifestyle. Traditional yoga has a meditative and spiritual core in addition to the physical exercises. The result is a wide variety of schools, practices, and goals within the yoga community. It is because of yoga’s holistic approach to body and mind that the UN decided in 2014 to dedicate June 21 to this ancient tradition.

“Yoga is a sport that can contribute to development and peace. Yoga can even help people in emergency situations to find relief from stress.” said Ban Ki-Moon, UN Secretary-General.

Jun 23 Wednesday Public Service Day

The United Nations’ Public Service Day is held on June 23 each year. It recognizes that democracy and successful governance are built on the foundation of a competent civil service. The day aims to celebrate the value and virtue of service to the community.

Jun 23 Wednesday International Widows’ Day

International Widows’ Day was introduced to address poverty and injustice faced by widows and their children in many countries. It was officially recognized by the United Nations in 2010 and is observed annually on June 23.

Jun 24 Thursday Fête nationale du Québec (FR)

Fête nationale du Québec (EN)     AKA Ste-Jean-Baptiste Day  (EN)

The people of Québec celebrate their national holiday with more than 750 celebrations held across the province on 23 and 24 June. Organized by nearly 20,000 volunteers, the festivities of the Fête nationale include more than 1,050 events and 360 bonfires, in addition to some of the largest public gatherings in Québec.

Jun 25 Friday Day of the Seafarer

In 2010, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), decided to designate June 25th as the International Day of the Seafarer as a way to recognize that almost everything that we use in our daily lives has been directly or indirectly affected by sea transport.  The purpose of the day is to give thanks to seafarers for their contribution to the world economy and the civil society; and for the risks and personal costs they bear while on their jobs.

Jun 26 Saturday  International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

to raise awareness of the major problem that illicit drugs represent to society. This day is supported by individuals, communities and various organizations all over the world. 

Jun 26 Saturday  International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

Rehabilitation centres and human rights organizations around the world celebrate the UN’s International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on June 26 each year. The day serves as a reminder to people that torture is a crime. This event gives everyone a chance to unite and voice their opinions against human torture.

Organizations, including the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims and Amnesty International, have played an active role in organizing events around the world to promote the day. Activities may include photo exhibitions, the distribution of posters and other material to boost people’s awareness of issues related to human torture, and television advertisements.

Jun 27 Sunday Canadian Multiculturalism Day

Discover the significance of multiculturalism in Canada — ensuring that all citizens keep their identities, take pride in their ancestry and have a sense of belonging.

Jun 30 Wednesday International Asteroid Day

June 30 is the anniversary of the Tunguska impact, also known as the Tunguska event. On that day a large explosion occurred in the sky over the Podkamennaya Tunguska River in Siberia, Russia.

It destroyed about 2,000 square kilometers (770 square miles) of the forest in the area, flattening about 80 million trees. The area is sparsely populated, and there were no official reports of human casualties.

It is thought that an asteroid or a comet was responsible for the blast. The Tunguska event is considered to be the largest asteroid impact on Earth in recorded history.

2021 Jul 1 Thursday Canada DayUCV’s Patrick Dubois’ 2020 Musical Tribute

What do we need to do as Canadian Unitarians to help make Canada Day a time of celebration for all people and not just a settler’s celebration?

 

On-going

The Butterfly Way ProjectThe David Suzuki Foundation

Environmental Rights

Climate Solutions

Further information on 2021 holidays worldwide:

United Nations Holidays

timeanddate.com

UUA Worship Web – a poem on summer

Also:

  • Animal Rights Awareness Week – (Mid June) 13-19 June 2021?
  • Fish are Friends, Not Food Week! – (Last Week of June) 20-26 June 2021?
  • National Pollinator Week – 20-26 June 2021?

It’s still not too late! UU Opportunities for Deeper Involvement

This is an April update of information originally posted in February 2021.

(Image credit:  UUA United Nations Office – UUA UNO)

  1. Defending Democracy in an Autocratic World
  • A Blog posting from Jan 2021 by Bruce Knotts, Director of the UUA United Nations Office
  • Bruce will be one of the leaders of the UCV Sunday Service on 2 May 2021.
  1. UK Annual General Assembly was on 24 Apr 2021.  Some sessions may be online. 
  1. CUC’s National Conference
    Friday, May 14 – Sunday, May 16
    Register now to be part of our national community and connections! The Confluence Lecture, Lighter Side musc & comedy night, Memorial Wall, Bridging Ceremony, workshops and networking sessions, Sunday service, and MUSIC!
  2. CUC AGM – Sat morning, 8 May 2021  >>> Details of Meeting

UCV’s seven voting delegates for the 2021 CUC AGM are:

Lynn Armstrong, Diane Brown, Galen Elfert, Hans Elfert, Olivia Hall, Geoff Rempel, Keith Wilkinson.   (KIersten Moore is on the CUC Board and will be participating but not as a UCV delegate. Lynn Armstrong is a member of the CUC Nominating Committee.)

The meeting will be held via Zoom, 10 am – 1:30 pm, Pacific Time, Saturday 8 May 2021.  Any UCV member may attend to observe, but not vote.

AGENDA includes:

  • Proposed adjustments to the method of calculating the Annual Program Contribution based on membership numbers and donations
  • Setting CUC’s 2021-22 Goals, namely:
    1. Strengthen and nurture community resilience so our Unitarian Universalist congregations and communities are connected to each other, and thrive spiritually, theologically, organizationally, economically, and socially in a diverse, multi-generational context;
    2. Enhance religious exploration and spiritual growth grounded in the vision, principles, sources, and aspirations of the Canadian Unitarian Universalist (UU) movement;
    3. Advance socially responsible actions to live out our vision of interdependence, love, and justice to bring benefit to Canadian and global communities;
    4. Strengthen local, regional, national, and global networks of collaborative and interdependent UU conSetting CUC’s 2021-22 Proposed Strategic Initiatives, namely:

Within the above goals, the following strategic priorities are recommended for 2021-2022

    1. Ensure sound financial management, including sustainable revenue generation, to continue the work of building vital Unitarian communities;
    2. Strengthen the national fabric of our UU community by:
      • Nurturing and enhancing innovation and sustainability;
      • Enhancing and optimizing connections and relationships among UU communities in intentionally inclusive ways; and,
      • Ensuring that the CUC and its congregations and communities are well positioned to welcome and embrace those who seek Unitarian Universalism.
    3. Advance these social justice initiatives:- Truth, Healing and Reconciliation
      – Dismantling racism
      – Climate justice
      – Refugee support
    4. Develop, curate and focus on Canadian resources to advance religious exploration and spiritual growth in a multigenerational context.

You’ll also have the opportunity to see and hear oral and video reports from the CUC about what has been happening across Canada in UU circles over the past year.

Delegates will be expected to attend an online orientation session on how to vote using zoom.

More…

 

(Photo Credit: Keith Wilkinson, Mustangs along the Fraser River near Lytton from a UCV field trip with Cole Harris.)

A Few Books on climate, indigenous, racial, and social justice

James Daschuk, 2019 (2rd Edition), Clearing the plains: Disease, politics of starvation, and the loss of aboriginal life.

Melinda Gates, 2020, The moment of lift.

Kazuo Ishiguro, 2021. Klara and the sun.

Elizabeth Kolbert, 2021, Under a white sky: The nature of the future.

Wendy Wickwire, 2019, At the bridge: James Teit and an anthropology of belonging.

Isabel Wilkerson, 2010, The warmth of other suns: The epic story of America’s great migration.

Shoshanna Zuboff, 2019. The Age of Surveillance Capitalism.