Capital Unitarian Universalist Congregation

Among the sources of the UU living tradition are Jewish and Christian teachings about God’s love. How can we integrate ancient lessons into 21st century living?

Rabbi Shimon Moch is a leader of Kolot Mayim Reform Temple, a spiritual home for Victoria’s liberal Jews to worship, study Torah, and observe Jewish sacred times together

Karen’s homily will provide a global perspective through her life’s lens of having lived and worked on six continents. She will look at knowledge and altruism through both definition and experience, inviting you to reflect on your contributions to making the world a better place.

Karen was a member of the UU Fellowship of Ottawa for 20 years before moving to Victoria. Originally from Calgary, Karen started her professional life as a language teacher at the secondary and post-secondary levels and later worked in international development. Karen loves to sing, dance, cycle, swim and kayak.

Rosemary likens getting a Master of Divinity degree to ‘scratching the surface’ to the knowledge and literature on philosophy and theology. In this service Rosemary will discuss some of the insights, struggles, and understandings she has encountered studying at Vancouver School of Theology. It has indeed been a journey, and Rosemary is excited to share some of this journey with you.

Rosemary began her journey toward ordained ministry with the Unitarian Universalist Association in October of 2013. Since then she has completed all the requirements to become an aspirant and then a candidate for ministry with the Unitarian Universalist Association. With her Master of Divinity behind her, Rosemary will be venturing to Kelowna in September where she will do her internship. Rosemary’s off-site supervisor will be Rev. Karen Fraser Gitlitz and she looks forward to working with Rev. Karen and the Kelowna Unitarian congregation during the next church year. Rosemary is a member of Capital Unitarian Universalist Congregation and is the proud parent of two amazing young adults.

Celebrating the stories & songs of the indigenous people of Canada.

Dana Lynn Seaborn is a Métis woman who believes it’s important to respect the Native people of this continent during “National Aboriginal Day” and all year long.

While Eeyore frets and Piglet hesitates and Rabbit calculates and Owl pontificates, Pooh just is. And that’s a clue to the wisdom of the Taoists. Come, explore how Benjamin Hoff connects one of the world’s most famous bears with one of its oldest philosophies.

Capital’s Lay Chaplains spend most summer weekends officiating for weddings up and down the island. It’s wonderful and exciting work as well as being important outreach for Unitarianism. Come join us as Amanda delves into fascinating wedding customs from around the world, peppered with some of her most memorable weddings.

Like any culture, queer culture changes over time. With these changes, we see ourselves and each other differently, both inside and outside of queer communities. We will share stories and reflections about how evolving queer identities offer a more nuanced understanding of love & inclusion… And, of course, some fabulous music! This service will be related to but separate from the pride service the Sunday before at First Victoria.

Homo sapiens sapiens–wisest of the wise ones. This is the name we’ve given our species, and on the surface it seems well-deserved; but observe yourself carefully, or the people around you, or read the news, and you may begin to question whether we’ve earned this name at all. What does it mean to be wise, and if we are not yet wise ourselves, how can we become so?

Oliver Belisle is a father of 3, husband, blogger, writer, and spiritual explorer whose travels have led him along many different paths. He recently discovered the need for a structured and systemic approach to life and started building his own philosophy, which he describes as a blend of Stoicism, Taoism, Vedanta, and Zen. From the first time he set foot in a Unitarian Universalist church he knew that it was a perfect fit for him, and he has been a member of FUCV since 2014.

Anyone hoping to understand women’s lives needs to attend to the extent to which religion has not only reflected basic cultural assumptions about gender but has also helped shape, alter and reinforce those assumptions. The study of women in religion gives us access to women’s interior lives and how women have understood themselves, their social context and their world. Religious institutions historically have been a major sphere of women’s activities, second perhaps only to the domestic sphere itself.

In this presentation of images, sounds and spoken word, explore the world and visit places of worship for different faiths –  learn how “stillness speaks” in our global cathedral of spirit. Maybe one of these faith traditions speaks to your soul…

A look at the principles and sources of Unitarian Universalism.

Churches were language sanctuaries for Hungarians who came under Romanian authority in
1920. Even today, seminarians are charged with responsibility for the cultural survival of
Hungarian-speaking Transylvanians. Michelle Brown, recently returned from a three-month stay
in a Unitarian seminary, offers a look at the 21st century reality facing this child of the
Reformation.

Michelle Brown is currently a Community Fellow in the Centre for Studies for Religion and Society at the University of Victoria. A poet and essayist, she was long-listed in the 2015 PRISM international Creative non-fiction contest, receiving an honourable mention in the Victoria Authors Association 2016 Flash Fiction Contest and was recently nominated for the Grouse Grind Lit Prize for V(ery) Short Forms. She is Cree from the Metis Nation.