Tag: community

UCV’s denominational affairs, update – 16 April 2023

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Draft 2023 CUC Resolutions – UCV 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. 

Messy Church – Food of Belonging

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Saturday, October 1, 5 – 8 pm in the Hewett Centre

Messy Church Potluck is back! This Saturday, October 1st, 5-8pm.

photo collage of games, art, yarn, painted hands, and food

Open to the entire UCV community embracing multigenerational fun and connections over food.  Dinner includes a centering worship element, time to check-in with yourself and each other, and leaning into play.  Our youth provide childcare attention to the kids with Cardboard Kingdom creations and games.

For Potluck: The Dish That Brings Back Belonging  

For potluck this month let’s nourish our souls and our bellies! Think of a food or recipe that takes you back to a memory of deep belonging (our September theme). Maybe it was the secret ingredients your grandma put into her apple pie: orange juice and bourbon. Or it might be the tostones your beloved aunt taught you how to make. Whether it was your dad’s way of doing BBQ or the go to dish you made when your kids were little, there’s likely some beloved “belonging food” you’ve not made lately.

So, this weekend, make it! And don’t just stop there: bring it! And don’t just share the dish but share the story of how it anchors you in some precious piece of belonging in your life, how it connects you to belonging and how sharing it with someone else deepened your sense of belonging with them.

What Do We Call Ourselves (WDWCO) Task Force – Sept 18 Forum Summary

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What Do We Call Ourselves Task Force (WDWCO)

Forum – September 18, 2022

28 in attendance at start of meeting (including 4 Task Force members and 3 advisers)

Topic:  WHAT NAME THAT WE CAN ALL LIVE WITH WOULD MOST LIKELY SUPPORT OUR FUTURE VIABILITY WHILE STILL HONOURING OUR JOURNEY TO THE PRESENT?

The question of what UCV will be called has been part of its evolving story since early days, and several changes have been made at different points of time for various reasons.  For Unitarian Universalists, exploring and naming our identities, individually and communally, is an essential part of our living faith tradition, and also a perennial challenge.  What this congregation chooses to call itself is emblematic not only of history and theology, but of who we aspire to be, who our vision and mission call us to become. A name reflects our identity as a spiritual, religious body, part of a larger religious community, and of our place and purpose in the world.  Choosing a name is about more than words or acronyms, it is a complex and meaningful affirmation of being in covenantal community with common purpose and vision. – Rev. Lara

 

Circle of Names  Flipchart Summary recorded by Advisor Rob Dainow

  • Never thrilled with the name Church. May be uncomfortable for wounded Christians. From a Jewish background  it is very awkward when telling Jewish friends that he attends a church.
  • Not concerned about the use of the name church, but ready to let it go.
  • I’m comfortable with the word church but would like a new word.
  • Would like to change the word church so that will not have to explain that it is not Christian.
  • Church misleads what we really are; need identifier as a spiritual centre.
  • Like spiritual centre idea. Church requires explanation that we are not a church!
  • Vancouver Unitarians is who we are and has been in use for many years. Spiritual Centre is a good name for the place. No real need to change the legal name (we can call ourselves what we want). Need another legal opinion about whether we need to include society in our legal name.
  • Okay with church; prefer congregation.
  • Receives unfavourable reaction when using the word church and it needs to be explained. We should seek input from younger people for a name that can last into their futures.
  • Happy with anything we all agree to. Like congregation, also spiritual centre.
  • Need to come up with our own collective name.
  • One of the problems with the word church is that it is a convenient and easy way to name the place where we meet, and we have not yet found a good alternative.
  • Like the name church. Will have to be convinced to change it. Prefer not to challenge our religious charitable tax exemption (and legal name change could trigger that).
  • No big problem personally with church, but we are perceived as Christian by prospective refugees, which creates problems, so prefer to change the word church.
  • Church is always a barrier with friends and family. Want a new name for the location/place.
  • Use fellowship as a great catch-all for what this group is.
  • Prefer to keep Unitarian Church of Vancouver but not a priority. Notes that Unitarianism is also associated with Christianity (Google Unitarianism to find out).  Include Universalist in our name to be more non-Christian.
  • I’m uncomfortable with church and avoid it whenever possible. Knows 2 people who will not come because of the word church in our name. Prefer a name for who we are and not so concerned with the place. Also think we need another legal opinion on the inclusion or not of society.
  • “I like the Unitarian Church of Vancouver.”
  • Never felt at home with church as part of our name. Will be upset if we keep church in any new name.
  • Have a problem with the name church. Prefer collective.
  • Okay to change because of other’s concerns. Need a second legal opinion about name requirements.
  • UCV is a “church for non-believers”.  Don’t see any need for including society in our legal name. Wants to include Universalist in any new name. No need to change our name if we are going to keep church as part of it.
  • In favour of dropping church because this is important to a significant number of people. Like congregation, also community and Unitarian Universalists of Vancouver.
  • Never liked church in our name –  it means a Christian community – a place of worship that does not fit for me as a Jew. Jewish friends think I have converted to Christianity when I say I go to the Unitarian church!  All for changing to a name that does not include church but hope to keep UCV abbreviation. Unitarian Centre of Vancouver is not good because it does not identify us as a religious organization, but Unitarian Congregation of Vancouver does. This was in fact our name some time in our past.

Also addressed briefly:

  • Expenses should a name change be voted in:  $2375 as estimated by Advisor Keith Wilkinson.
  • Criteria for names of  non-profits that maintain charitable status – inclusion of Church or Society.
  • Percentage of votes to maintain or change our name:  referred on to the Board.
  • Voting procedures to maximize as many members as possible and ranked ballots. John Smith.

Issues that surfaced:

  • What name can we all identify with that represents us more accurately to our community and particularly to those who would want to be part of who we are and what we do.
  • The question surfaced concerning whether we should consider adding Universalist to Unitarian, as in Unitarian Universalist Church of Vancouver or added to a new name should we vote for that. Some of us identify as UU’s and others don’t. During discussion some said that they wanted to have more information about the differing beliefs about being UU or U.  We look to our Ministry for this.
  • The mandate for the WDWCO Task Force is to facilitate convergence for a name we can all live with.  While some members say that we are a Church (end of story), others say that the word Church misrepresents to members, non-members and potential members who we are and what we believe.
  • Our current thinking is to have a ranked ballot of popular names – which ones  is still being researched. Discussion will continue at the October 16 forum.  Our final vote will be between the most popular alternate name from the ranked ballot and the Unitarian Church of Vancouver.
  • Scepticism was expressed about the BC Societies Act naming requirements for charitable status to include either ‘Church’ or ‘Society’.  We hope to be able to answer this for the next Forum on October 16.
  • While what we call ourselves is not a big deal for some, others do not want to lose ‘Church’ and others do want to lose ‘Church.’  We will be guided by our Covenant of Healthy Relations to struggle with the symbolism  of our identity.

Ministerial Search Committee Update and Timeline

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Dear UCVers,

On behalf of the Ministerial Search Committee (Diane Brown, Michael O” Neill, Carrie Mac and Esme, John Boyle, Jenny Malcolm, Nancy Woodham, Meena Wong) I would like to share with you all that we have met twice as a committee, and going forward from here we will be meeting every week. As I am the designated External Communications person, I will be updating you often and of course answering any questions you may have about this process.  Please feel free to contact me anytime at diane@rubyslippers.ca

Below is our timeline. Come fall, we will need congregational engagement in a number of exciting ways, including a survey and some cottage meetings. Meanwhile, enjoy the summer, and we look forward to this journey together.

In active faith, Diane Brown

 

Timeline for Congregations in Search

 

Phase One  – concluding a ministry

Departure of previous settled minister and selection of an Interim minister

Late Spring (done)

Phase Two – Education and Preparation for Search – First Interim Year

Review congregational by-laws related to ministry

Winter

Transitions Coach Visit (UUA appointed)

February – April

Annual Meeting votes

Approve Search committee budget

Appoint Search Committee

May

Phase Three – search structure – Summer and second interim year

Search Committee retreat with Transitions Coach

May – August

Conduct Congregational Survey

July – September

Conduct Cottage meeting / small group interviews (based on survey results)

September – November

Gather information and create search committee website and record sheet

September – December (absolute due date – December 7)

List of interested ministers received

January 2

Narrowing of interview list

January 2-15

Precandidating weekends

February – March

Final Decision for offers to candidate

April 1

A note on notes and links

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​A DuckDuckGo bang command​​ (!?)* searches a website using the search feature provided by that website. In this post, these bang commands are links. That is, they have links embedded in them.

An asterisk may have a link embedded in it​ – as in the third example below.​ If there is no link embedded in an asterisk, the asterisk refers to a footnote.

When in parentheses, bang commands link to results of a search for what they follow. When not, they link to results of a search for what they precede:

!yt Unitarian Church of Vancouver / YouTube

!ucv principles for kids / for grownups: UU principles (!g)

Unitarians care less about belief, more about how to live.*

“he taught a way of life” / Salzberg on Goenka on Buddha (!?)

 

An asterisk with a prepended exclamation point looks like a bang command and links to results of a search on a site that has no custom bang command:

Starhawk (!*)

!* Hewett

 

Entries made in the sermons document before 2022 used this faux bang command to link to posts on this website. They now use an asterisk.*

When you see what looks like a bang command, move your pointer to it so your browser can display its destination before you click on it. Try that with each of these two examples:

Phillip Hewett (!a)

!gi chalice site:uuworld.org

☛To find out where a link is going to take you, move the pointer over it, pause to read the destination your browser displays – at the bottom left of the screen or wherever – and then click (or not).

 

*a link​ –​ see a note on notes and links

The line above is a suggested footnote for any document that follows the conventions this post follows.

This post is a lit stall post previously published on January 3, 2022. The publication date now displayed is the date of the latest material update.

In the bulleted list below are the three latest posts tagged as lit stall posts.

If you haven’t read it already, please see the post about lit stall posts for more information.

Covenant of Healthy Relations 2021 … at ucv.im/cohr2021

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The Covenant of Healthy Relations – along with related procedures – covers three pages of a report approved by the UCV board in 2021. Those three pages are in a PDF file at ucv.im/cohr2021. The text of the covenant is on the first page. You can also read it below.

Covenant of Healthy Relations

This is a covenant to guide how we behave towards each other and to groups and individuals
within the congregation. The objective is to enhance a safe climate that is courteous, friendly,
supportive, respectful of others, open and honest.

Because I believe in the inherent worth and dignity of each person, I will endeavour to:

1. Be compassionate and supportive in my relationships with others, assume their best
intentions and be curious rather than judgmental.
2. Communicate with active listening and consideration. Explain concerns to the person
directly and share differences respectfully. Focus on the current problem – not the person.
3. Balance being open to new ideas with respect for our traditions.
4. Be attentive to our community’s needs, generous with my talents and careful with the
church’s resources.
5. Keep the big picture in mind, be patient with myself and others and stay engaged in the
process of change; participate in the decision-making and respect the decisions that are
made.
6. Discuss conflicts in our church in a way that respects the privacy and dignity of those
involved.
7. Recognize and praise others and myself for the work we do in the church and be
forgiving when we make mistakes.
8. Support, in a constructive way, the work of the minister, staff and congregants.
9. Deepen our connections by getting to know and understand people of all ages and points
of view within the congregation.
10. Nurture my own spiritual needs in this community and support others in their search for
truth and meaning.

Approved on November 27, 2005 by the Annual General Meeting of the Unitarian Church of Vancouver.

Note that you can go to the source of the above – a PDF file at ucv.im/cohr2021 – to check out the related procedures as well.

Covenant of Healthy Relations / site:vancouverunitarians.ca

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Enter the title of this post as a search term in Google to get the results you can see here.

At or near the top is a PDF file you can print as a single page. It’s the covenant. And it’s here.

If you missed the service on Sunday, click on the date below:

2021-11-21 Paddling into the future (Rev. Samaya Oakley) / (!*) … see also: video (!*)

The above is a copy-paste from the list at ucv.im/sermons.

Anyhow, the sermon reminded us how important it is to have at hand a copy of the UCV Covenant of Healthy Relations and to look at it often. If you don’t have a copy of the covenant, you can print one now. Or just download the PDF. It’s here.

This UCV covenant is also at ucv.im/healthy.

Pair it with a copy of the recently introduced CUC Responsibility Covenant at ucv.im/responsibility.

 

PSA: check the list at ucv.im/sermons right after any service to see if the prepared text is already in the literature stall digital archive

 

The above is a lit stall post first published on November 24, 2021. The date now displayed with this post is the date of its latest material update.

The post shows up in the results of an internal search of this website for “Covenant of Healthy Relations” – as you can see here.

The featured image is a cropped screenshot of a Google search on November 24, 2021.

In the bulleted list below are the three latest posts tagged as lit stall posts.

If you haven’t read it already, please see the post about lit stall posts for more information.

Rethinking Our Identity – Ministerial Transition Team

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Rethinking Our Identity

Ministerial Transition Team

Sign up for a workshop to help rethink our identity – read on.

We have described the five phases of a ministerial transition in previous messages and presentations, but to put it most simply, we need to answer three key questions in this transition process:

  1. Where do we come from?
  2. Who are we?
  3. Where are we going?

 

  1. Where do we come from?

We spent the first months of our ministerial transition creating our Congregational History Wall to look at our heritage and our history and to remind ourselves of how this congregation has been shaped and formed.

  1. Who are we?

We are now in the process of rethinking our identity. The UUA’s Janus Workbook, created to support ministerial transitions, describes this transition phase as “illuminating the congregation’s unique identity, its strengths, its needs, and its challenges”. This is the most important step to complete in our ministerial transition before we search for a new settled minister.

  1. Where are we going?

As we rethink our identity we will envision the congregation we want to be(come) in our future. Determining where are we going includes reviewing our membership needs, how we are organized, and how we will develop new and effective leadership. This transition is ongoing throughout our interim period.

We began this work in the fall with the creation of three task forces:

  • The Organization Design Task Force recommended changes to our organizational structure that the Board has accepted and is implementing.
  • The Long Term Staffing Task Force recommended a new Congregational Administrator position, a new Congregational Membership Coordinator position, and expanding Kiersten Moore’s role to become Director of Lifespan Religious Exploration. The Board accepted all these recommendations and is implementing them.
  • The Young Persons Engagement Task Force presented its findings and shared them with the congregation.

The MTT will be providing support to the Board on the implementation of these task force recommendations.

In January, the MTT created, at the Board’s request, the Decision-Making Task Force to review the four year UCV site redevelopment decision-making process and to provide recommendations for future decision-making processes. This task force will report back in June and will include among its recommendations a more visible and prominent place for our congregationally approved Covenant of Healthy Relations.

Rethinking Our Identity

We plan to engage every UCV member in rethinking our identity. We are organizing 2 1/2 hour workshops based on Appreciative Inquiry principles, an approach to organization transition that focuses on moments of exceptional pride and performance and creates a future that nurtures and supports even more pride and performance. We will answer the question “Who are we?” by sharing our best and most powerful memories of our lives in this congregation.

The process to rethink our identity is based on a set of ‘thought-provoking questions’ (see below). We work in pairs in the workshop to share our responses to these questions and then reconvene in the larger workshop group to identify the common themes in our answers. We then imagine, based on these themes, some ‘possibility statements’ about who and what we would like to be, but that we have not yet achieved. Workshops generally have 6 or 8 participants, but we have also had success with 3 participants.

The workshop has been rewarding and meaningful for those who have participated. All have found it a worthwhile and enjoyable experience. Many appreciated the chance to see and talk to others in this congregation, something we have been missing during the pandemic. We will let you know when provincial guidelines will allow us to hold in-person workshops, probably on our UCV campus (even if outside only).

We will invite those who cannot participate in a workshop to review the thought-provoking questions with another person in a one-on-one interview. We want everyone to have a conversation with at least one other person about their answers to these questions. We will ask those who are not able to do this to respond individually to the thought-provoking questions.

Here is an abbreviated version of these questions:

  1. Reflecting on your entire experience at UCV, remember a time when you felt most engaged, alive, and motivated. Who was involved? What did you do? How did it feel? What happened?
  2. What are the healthiest, most life-giving aspects of the relationships among people at UCV? What would you say is most important about how we relate to each other? Give some examples of how we live together at our best.
  3. What are the most valuable aspects of our congregation’s worship? What makes your worship alive and meaningful? What shapes your Unitarian faith?
  4. What do you believe are the most important and meaningful elements of our congregation’s engagement with the local community, the nation, and the world?
  5. What are the most important things our Unitarian community has contributed to your life? Who or what made a difference?
  6. What are the most valuable ways you contribute to our congregation – your personality, your perspectives, your skills, your activities, your character? Give me some examples.
  7. What do you think is the most important, life-giving characteristic of our UCV congregation? What makes Unitarians or UCV unique?
  8. Make three wishes for the future of our Vancouver Unitarians congregation. Describe what this faith community would look like as these wishes come true.
  9. Is there anything else you would like to add?

We invite existing committees, teams, and groups in the congregation to contact us to organize a workshop with you.

We also invite individuals who are not part of any active groups in UCV to contact us and we will organize groups of 6 or 8 at a time that will be convenient for all participants.

Please also contact us if you have any questions or want more information about this transition process.

Rob Dainow (rdainow@gmail.com; 604-523-0123)  Vivian Davidson (vdavidsonc@gmail.com; 778-318-3713)  Marg Fletcher (mfletcher508@gmail.com; 778-772-1120)  Leslie Hill (lesliehill49@gmail.com; 604-321-7175)

May 2021 Message from Board President

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Dear Unitarian Friends,

Happy Asian Heritage Month! I encourage you all to visit the Alliance For Arts and Culture website to find out about resources and upcoming events for those looking to learn about and celebrate the legacy of Asian Canadians both past and present.

Speaking of learning, our Decolonizing Practices Workshop for staff, board and membership was a ground breaking first step on a long, fulsome journey for this organization. In the months ahead and throughout next year, there will be more anti-racist and anti-oppression engagement so stay tuned!

As you know, the Board recently approved a new Organizational Design that will clarify lines of communication and accountability for everyone. It also frees up the Board to become a more Strategic Board as opposed to a Liason Board. The most significant difference is that the job of the Board – to further the mission and vision of the congregation – will now be their top priority. Management oversight of day to day operations will be the responsibility of a small body made up of Board and staff. Our fabulous new Congregational Administrator along with HR is in the process of hiring our new Membership Outreach Coordinator. This role was created as part of our new org design as well.

Speaking of things a Strategic Board does, we created a UCV Task Force for Sanctuary Upgrades and hired two professionals in technical theatre to work with them who will ensure that this massive task is done well, on time, and within budget. The upgrades to our sound and lighting systems and chairs replacing pews will make our Sanctuary more flexible and thus inclusive to diverse spiritual practices (walking meditation, circle dance), artistic expression (jazz/choral groups, cabaret fundraisers, writers festival venue,) and wheelchair accessibility.

The Board recently refreshed and strengthened our commitment to our Covenant of Healthy Relations and adopted a new policy around disruptive behaviour. Please take a moment to read the Covenant below and remember to be kind. Covid has taken a toll on everyone, and we must remember to breathe and think before we act.

Finally, I would just like to reiterate how in awe I am of our membership and the energy and commitment we continue to exert toward furthering our values and principles. From lovingly tended gardens on our campus to refugees being sponsored to wild salmon being defended in partnership with First Nations, Vancouver Unitarians can and are changing the world, helping to transform it into a more compassionate and equitable one. Meaningful action creates hope. So stay actively engaged, fellow Unitarians, and take care. We will gather in person again soon.

In hope and faith,

Diane

Covenant of Healthy Relations
This is a covenant to guide how we behave towards each other and to groups and individuals within the congregation. The objective is to enhance a safe climate that is courteous, friendly, supportive, respectful of others, open and honest.
Because I believe in the inherent worth and dignity of each person, I will endeavour to:
1. Be compassionate and supportive in my relationships with others, assume their best intentions and be curious rather than judgmental.
2. Communicate with active listening and consideration. Explain concerns to the person directly and share differences respectfully. Focus on the current problem – not the person.
3. Balance being open to new ideas with respect for our traditions.
4. Be attentive to our community’s needs, generous with my talents and careful with the church’s resources.
5. Keep the big picture in mind, be patient with myself and others and stay engaged in the process of change; participate in the decision-making and respect the decisions that are made.
6. Discuss conflicts in our church in a way that respects the privacy and dignity of those involved.
7. Recognize and praise others and myself for the work we do in the church and be forgiving when we make mistakes.
8. Support, in a constructive way, the work of the minister, staff and congregants.
9. Deepen our connections by getting to know and understand people of all ages and points of view within the congregation.
10. Nurture my own spiritual needs in this community and support others in their search for truth and meaning.

 

Outreach Opportunities Fund: Mood Disorders Association of BC

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The Outreach Opportunities Fund recipient for the period of February 2021 to May 2021 is the Mood Disorders Association of BC (MDABC) which provides treatment and support throughout the province for people living with a mood disorder. It aims to provide rapid access to services, promote wellbeing within communities, encourage effective self-help models, reduce the stigma of mood disorders and support research. Participative decision-making is encouraged for treatment options which include psychiatric services, counselling and CBT, support groups and workshops. MDABC is now a branch of the Lookout Housing and Health Society.

Three minute video description of MDABC

More about Vancouver Unitarians’ financial support for local charitable organizations