How to Participate in Water Communion, September 13^th, 2020

Due to Covid-19 safety concerns the worship service can only be attended online, yet we may all still participate in our Water Communion. This year, recognizing the deep complexities we are all facing, you are invited to share what you have been grieving, the sorrows and losses experienced in these past months of uncertainty, isolation, and disruption. Your words will be read as waters are poured to mingle our shared sorrows, and then also what you would like to share of new joys and celebrations. Words and waters of sorrows and loss as well as hope and renewal will flow together in meaningful ritual.

Rev. Lara Cowtan
Interim Minister, Unitarian Church of Vancouver

There are three different ways to participate in the Water Ceremony ahead of time, please pick the one that suits you best:

1. Drop off a physical jar of water and written words to be shared at the table outside by the blue admin office door—before September 13th.
   Please share what you have been grieving in the past six months of isolation and disruption, and what joys and celebrations are lifting your hope or renewing your spirit.
2. Submit written words online through our secure form ucv.im/water. Your words of grief and/or joy will be spoken aloud by Rev. Lara Cowtan as she and Diane Brown pour collected waters into our communion bowl.
3. Submit a video online at ucv.im/greetings of yourself pouring water. (You may record directly at the website or upload your video file.)
   Please introduce yourself and share either a grief/sorrow or a joy/celebration while you pour water from a container into a bowl.
   If you want to share both a grief and a joy, please submit two separate videos as these will be distinct parts of the worship.

We will also use the YouTube chat at the beginning of the service on Sunday the 13^th to gather any last-minute words to share for the Communion.