Tag: history

Triumphs and Turmoil: A Community Look Back at UCV’s Ministerial History – Wednesday, January 18, 6:30 – 8:30pm

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This January 18th session is in follow-up to the gathering on November 16, 2022, which was first of three planned discussions on UCV’s history of ministry. This series is an initiative of the Ministerial Transition Team (MTT) facilitated by members of the Healthy Relations Team.

We encourage participants to pre-register to help our planning and to receive advance materials whether attending in person or on Zoom.

We will continue to review the timeline of ministry at UCV. The first meeting covered the ministry of the late Rev. Dr. Phillip Hewett and the ministry of Rev. John Quirk. In this Part 2 we will summarize our discussions thus far, including reference to archival material, address questions that may arise, and proceed further in the timeline. As in Session 1, the goal is to elicit brief stories, celebrate particular strengths, clarify differing viewpoints, and where possible address lingering griefs or conflicts about past decisions and actions/inactions related to ministry. We will discuss how problematic issues were addressed, and what processes we have or should have in place now. We’ll reflect on  how the strengths of the ministries along with the challenges and their resolutions have shaped us.

 

All welcome! Once again, please pre-register here. 

 

May is Asian Heritage Month

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In recognition of May being Asian Heritage Month, the newly-formed UCV BIPOC Caucus will be hosting a series of weekly Friday Film Night events.
A list of relevant resources can be found here.

A brief history of four major Asian communities in Canada:

The earliest Chinese settlers arrived on the shore of Canada’s west coast to help build a trading post for beaver pelts in 1788. Now there are 1.8 million people reported being of Chinese origin.

Japanese first recorded arrival was 1877. They worked mostly in fishing, farming and logging industries. The 2016 census reported 121,485 people of Japanese origin.

South Asians came mostly from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Their first recorded arrival was 1903. They worked almost exclusively in the lumber industry. 1, 963,330 Canadians reported South Asian origins in the 2016 census.

Filipinos first reported arrival in Canada was 1965. Most came in the 70’s. Many work in health and are care providers. 837,130 people reported being of Filipino ethnic origin in the 2016 Census.

More information on Asian Canadian history. Excerpts from “The Canadian Encyclopedia” (Maybe just post the links?): 

– The first Chinese people to settle in Canada were 50 artisans who accompanied Captain John Meares in 1788 to help build a trading post and encourage trade in sea otter pelts between Guangzhou, China, and Nootka Sound, British Columbia. Chinese Canadians are one of the largest ethnic groups in the country. In the 2016 census, 1.8 million people reported being of Chinese origin. Despite their importance to the Canadian economy, including the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), many European Canadians were historically hostile to Chinese immigration. A prohibitive head tax restricted Chinese immigration to Canada from 1885 to 1923. From 1923 to 1947, the Chinese were excluded altogether from immigrating to Canada. (By Anthony B. Chan)

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/chinese-canadians

– The first generation of Japanese immigrants, called Issei, arrived between 1877 and 1928, and the second after 1967. The 2016 census reported 121,485 people of Japanese origin in Canada, or 0.35 per cent of the Canadian population. The first generations of Japanese Canadians were denied the full rights of citizens, such as the right to vote in provincial and federal elections and to work in certain industries. During the Second World War, the federal government interned and dispossessed over 20,000 Japanese Canadians. (By Anne Sunshara)

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/japanese-canadians

South Asians trace their origins to South Asia, which encompasses India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Most South Asian Canadians are immigrants or descendants of immigrants from these countries, but immigrants from South Asian communities established during British colonial times also include those from East and South Africa, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Fiji and Mauritius. Others come from Britain, the US and Europe. In the 2016 census, 1, 963,330 Canadians reported South Asian origins. (By Norman Buchignani)

https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/south-asians

– Immigration to Canada from the Philippines is relatively recent: it began in the 1970s. In the 2016 Census, 837,130 people reported being of Filipino ethnic origin. Filipino Canadians thus constitute the largest group of Southeast Asian Canadians (By Eleanor R. Laquian)

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/filipinos

Multigen Documentary History Club

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  • Mary Bennett

Like many in the congregation I’ve been a big fan of the Encountering Our Ancestors worship services that Rev. Steven Epperson researched, wrote and directed over many years.

It was a very rich experience for me to research Dr. Sheilah Thompson’s “life and times” and share in the 2020 service.

Ever since Steven announced his retirement I’ve wanted to get a group together to continue learning together about our Unitarian, Universalist and Unitarian-Universalist ancestors and to carry on this tradition. This offering was a unique one from Steven who was a historian, as well as a minister and was adept at writing scripts. If we happened to get a minister who wanted to be involved, well, that would be great, but imho unlikely.

There are many options for how the “performance” part would be presented in future–in collaboration with the minister and worship service.  The research, writing and learning would be put to good use whatever form is decided on for the sharing with the congregation.

Steven gifted us with his significant and substantial work and it may be that over time, we would find the resources to organize, copy-edit, publish his work, perhaps with additional materials by UCV members and youth. Perhaps even to video-record performances to share with other UUs and congregations.

I envision us meeting (whether in person, video conference or just an email exchange) monthly over the coming year. We would start out very organically by sharing our interests and being very flexible about participation and contributions. For instance, some people may be interested in the role of being cast as a performer to deliver a script written by someone else; others may be interested in doing research. Many possible roles are possible.

Even though other than the actors, Steven did all the rest himself, I think we need a team. As an educator and lifelong learner I also want to make it explicit that a key outcome is the learning along the way. While the focus of the Encountering our Ancestors service might provide a goal, I believe there will be many conversations along the way that will be rich within themselves.

Does this sound interesting to you or your family or Coming of Age pair?

For now I am “calling the circle” as a first step in creating a UU Multigen History Club.

Note the Coming of Age journal includes lists of Unitarian, Universalist and Unitarian Universalist ancestors. We could start exploring that list and seeing how many of those people already have a script created by Steven.

We might as part of a video-conference do readings to share with each other. Costumes and wigs encouraged but not required.

I’m hoping we can continue the discussion on a SLACK workspace.

Here’s a link to a questionnaire on our Breeze database to gauge interest.

(coming)

Or just send me an email telling me more about your interest: why you’re interested and, if you know already, what aspects of creation are likely t be the focus of your contributions.

Here’s a link about documentary theatre, that you may find of interest.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Documentary_theatre

Early Days of the Enviro Team

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Contact the Enviro Team | Join Our Email Group

Illustration: Karl Perrin (2014) dressed in character protesting the proposed Trans Mountain pipeline expansion — Illus. by AnneD based on a photo by Jennifer Gauthier

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Above: Hans and Margo Elfert

UCV has a long and rich history of environmental activism. If you have a story you’d like to share, please contact the Enviro Team Outreach Coordinator. — We’d love to hear from you!

When did the Environment Committee begin? At the 1995 retreat? Years earlier when recyling started at UCV? Both answers are correct? Two longtime Unitarians share their memories of the early days of the Enviro Team.

Margo Elfert writes:

I have my first record of an Earth Day Service in April 1997. We’ve held an Earth Day Service every year since.

— Margo Elfert

I have a memory of a conversation at the retreat, in 1995, with someone about starting up an environment committee.

The reply I got was “Who told you you could do that?” I was pretty new to the church, so I didn’t know the protocol I guess, but we did it anyway.

At that time the Social Justice Committee and the Refugee Committee were very strong, but it was a little “new” to have a separate committee on the environment.

One of the first things we did was to work with Building and Grounds in consultation with BC Hydro to determined possible energy savings that we could implement immediately. Light bulbs and weather stripping were things we could accomplish.

We would have fundraising lunches, showing what we were supporting on the menu sign. I think this is when our “Green Fund” started.

I have my first record of an Earth Day Service in April 1997. We’ve held and Earth Day Service every year since.

In 2002 we discovered the UUA Green Sanctuary Project, and it gave us more direction. We used it as a guideline, but I’m not sure if we ever jumped through enough hoops to get our “Green Sanctuary” plaque.

Karl Perrin writes:

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I’d been studying the abolitionist movement in the United States against slavery, and I thought of this phrase: Where Quakers lead, Unitarians will follow… I’m a Unitarian and Ruth Walmsley is a Quaker. So, when she got arrested… I decided that I would get arrested

— Karl Perrin

Yes it was Elaine Clemons. I recall Patience Towler (who did an historical sketch of enviro activities) said Elaine started recycling at UCV in about 1969

I respected Elaine as both an early environmental activist and a wonderful Vancouver School Board Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP).

When I was a therapeutic tutor (with a degree in Speech Therapy) I went to her for advice on a student with stuttering. She was very kind and supportive, since in those days stuttering was thought to be 100% behavioural. Now we know it is largely neurological.

At her memorial service, I remember her being lauded as a founding member of Burns Bog Conservation Society. I was one of a multi-faith group who went into the bog, guided by Don DeMill, on the first pilgrimage in 1999?

In 2007, Sister Cecilia and I revived it, with help from Rex Weyler and Ben West, as the Pilgrimage to Burns Bog, as a way to fight the Gateway project, especially Hwy 17, the South Fraser Perimeter Road.

We managed to get some amendment to the route to protect an eagle nesting site (Sherwood Forest on Nottingham’s farm), but lost the war. Nevertheless the Pilgrimage to Burns Bog, recognizing it as a sacred site, continues every Earth Day Sunday. UCV has a long history protecting Burns Bog.

And then there’s Noel and Joan Armstrong and their 1979 solar house in Dunbar.

Lots of stories !

Settler Colonialism, Indigenous People, and Unitarianism

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Settlers colonized a tiny fraction Canadian space. Elsewhere the thin population in a vast land remained largely Indigenous, though subject to outside pressures and greatly changed. Now these Indigenous people are speaking back to settler Canada as never before. Basically, they speak of a relationship with the land — with nature – and their speaking and contemporary Unitarianism have much to say to each other.

Plant Based Eating and Respect for Animals

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Contact the Enviro Team | Join Enviro Email Group

Nearly 30 years ago, Denise Swanson and the Environment Committee began to promote plant based eating to respect animals, protect the environment and support healthy eating

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Left: Plant based Sunday brunch 2008
Right: Photo by Keith Wilkinson — Apple tree in community garden at UCV

By Denise Swanson

One of my strongest lifelong interests has been the protection and promotion of respect for animals. In 2007, there wasn’t any committee at UCV with that particular mandate, and the Environment Committee seemed a good choice to work with on this pursuit. Especially so, given that animal agriculture is one of the top industries responsible for environmental destruction.

One of my strongest lifelong interests has been the protection and promotion of respect for animals

Most people have goodwill toward other species and the individual members of them. The overwhelmingly largest number of animals in need of protection are those on factory farms. Many are aware of the routine horrors behind factory farming (quite apart from their link to zoonotic diseases). An obvious way to protect them is to refrain from supporting their abuse by not buying – by boycotting – their ‘products’. Thus, I turned my attention to what is fast gaining momentum as an environmental as well as animal protection movement: plant-based eating.

I learned from reliable sources that balanced plant-based diets are nutritionally sound for all life stages. Not only that, they are significantly protective against some of our society’s most significant chronic health problems: heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and various cancers.

I saw the UCV committee lunch fundraisers as an opportunity to raise awareness of the issue and show that entirely plant-based meals were not only possible but delicious . For the next several years, the Environment Committee collaborated to produce dozens of lunches for the congregation. I also worked on smaller-scale plant-based food service projects for other UCV events, such as workshops at the farmers market, a Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale in Hewett Hall, and put on cooking classes to show that preparing these foods is easy and fun.

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The warm and energetic support of the UCV Environment Committee is a fond memory!

Another project I worked on with the Environment Committee involved developing some new church policies: using coffee that is organic and fair-trade, and providing plant-based milk options at coffee times.

During this time, I had been involved in several film festivals, and decided to host one at UCV focused on food and the environment. This was another great learning experience for all of us.

The warm and energetic support of the UCV Environment Committee is a fond memory!

image of fruits and veggies

Denise Swanson and David Steele led a forum, in 2019, on plant based eating. … Feel free to explore the links below they provided, for in-depth information and delicious recipes

Gift-giving, Art and Regeneration

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What is art for?  How do we value it?  Can it be a source of spiritual regeneration?  Inspired by Lewis Hyde’s The Gift, Steven considers how gifts of art (and other things) pass from hand-to-hand and how that act may enliven the work, the artist, and those who receive it.  We take a special look at the art and story of Canadian artist Mary Riter Hamilton.

Encountering our Ancestors XV

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It’s the season of Samhain/Halloween/Day of the Dead. For the fifteenth time, we summon eminent ancestors from our Unitarian Universalist history to experience their stories.

Emily Howard Jennings Stowe (1831-1903) – Diane Brown,

John Haynes Holmes (1879-1964) – Stanley Tromp,

Hone Tuwhare (1922-2008) – Michael Scales,

Margot Adler (1946-2014) – Rev. Laura Imayoshi

Celebrating Our Story

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This month marks our congregation’s 110th anniversary, and 55 years of our presence at 49th & Oak. We’ll honour the vision and colourful character of our Vancouver Unitarian ancestors – those who created, sustained, and breathed life into our congregation; and those who continue to do so (yes, I’m talking about you—us!).  In a “digital world,” there’s an essential role and place for a multi-generational, “analog” faith community like ours, don’t you think?

Encountering our Ancestors XIV

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It’s the season of Samhain/Halloween/Day of the Dead. For the fourteenth time, we summon eminent ancestors from our Unitarian Universalist history to experience their stories. Join us to welcome these visitors from the past: an occasion to reckon our good fortune as heirs of an amazing religious tradition.

Ancestors:
Andrzej Wiszowaty 1608-1678
Hannah Greg 1766-1828
Fannie Farmer 1857-1915
Adlai Stevenson 1900-65

The poem that opens this podcast is an excerpt from Leaves of Grass, by Walt Whitman.

See previous Ancestors services at: https://vancouverunitarians.ca/topic/ancestors/