Capital Unitarian Universalist Congregation

Colin has spent several years in developing countries, Antigua (West Indies), Palestine, Mexico, Honduras, Peru, Guatemala and 10 times in Tanzania. He has come to some conclusions about the causes and possible cure of poverty in the so-called developing countries — particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. He would like to present his ideas to you, and looks forward to your input and corrections if you do not agree, and reassurance if you do agree with him. All input welcome in the forum.

We will discuss what life was like for LGBTQ2 seniors in decades past and how this shapes their fears and needs as they age. I will also talk about my experience in the health care system advocating for more inclusive and affirming services for LGBTQ2 seniors.

Nicole has master’s degrees in social work and public administration. She has worked with individuals and families across the lifespan supporting personal growth and systems change. She worked for the past 12 year at Island Health – 10 as a Clinical Educator.

Learn more about the founder of the Unitarian Service Committee of Canada in celebration of her November 28th birthday.

Christine is a member of First Unitarian Church of Victoria and a Canadian Unitarian Council Knight Award recipient.

A Christmas story that reflects on the strength of the human spirit and speaks to the personal nature of the holidays.

Lisa is a gifted storyteller, and a pragmatic dreamer. She loves to weave together aspects of her open spirit, heart, and hands into an inclusive strategy for living life to its fullest.

Unitarian Universalism has always been a welcoming faith. We spread the word that diversity is more than welcome in our church. But now that those doors have opened and we are being taken up on our offer, how well are we doing at integrating those differences? Sometimes it’s easier to be accepting of those who are very different from ourselves than those we call our own people, simply because these other people’s lives don’t overlap much with ours.

Join us as we explore how we can make that transition from ‘Radical Hospitality’, to ‘Radical Acceptance’ with the least amount of collateral damage.

Dar grew up in Ketch Harbour, a small rural town in Nova Scotia. Got a Bachelor of Fine Art at the Nova Scotia College of Art & Design, and lived for 8 years in Wittenburg Nova Scotia with her partner, raising sheep and growing their own organic veggies. While in Nova Scotia, Dar worked in a fish plant, in an auto body shop, in a restaurant kitchen, as a chambermaid, and as a light-table artist for a small printing company.Here in Victoria Dar created her own business, Get It Done Yard Maintenance and Odd Jobs, where she finally got to put into practice her own principle of fair and honest work for honest pay without the middle man.

Dar writes: I’m no stranger to the stigma of difference and the difficulty of fitting in. As a non-binary transgender, a lesbian, an educated person from a working class background, and someone who is highly emotionally sensitive, I’ve had plenty of opportunity to think deeply about these things, and from the moment I stepped into a UU church and heard the message of love and acceptance I knew I had a purpose in life.

** Tickets for the play “What does reconciliation mean to YOU? – šxʷʔam̓ət (home)” will be available for sale this Sunday for $15. For more details, or to purchase tickets online for $17, visit theatreforliving.com/present_work/sxwPamet/itinerary.html. This Victoria production is sponsored in part by First Unitarian Church of Victoria.

Stonehenge has endured for 5,000 years. For centuries mankind has marveled at its
creation and wondered about its purpose. Only recently have some of the mysteries that
have shrouded these sites begun to be unravelled. Come, hear about these latest
findings as we attempt to look at this unique creation through the eyes of our Neolithic
ancestors and consider the relevance of their beliefs in our present world.

Brought up in the Anglican tradition Amanda loved the Lessons and Carols Christmas services of her youth.  This morning Amanda will create a service in which the magic of storytelling is woven with songs from many winter traditions.  Come and celebrate the joy of the season through stories and music.

New Year’s Eve is traditionally the time of making resolutions that we just can not end up keeping.  Come and join us as we think about new ways to begin the year.

This homily explores the ‘new’ spirituality of the 21st century in the context of the threads of our lineage, exploring through both personal story and reflective analysis, what we don’t ever let go of in the face of the demands and distractions of our contemporary lives, where we turn to for support and inspiration, and who we choose to be for these times.

** Tickets for the play “What does reconciliation mean to YOU? – šxʷʔam̓ət (home)“, showing on the evenings of Jan. 19 and 20, will be available for sale this Sunday for $15. For more details, or to purchase tickets online for $17, visit theatreforliving.com/present_work/sxwPamet/itinerary.html. This Victoria production is sponsored in part by First Unitarian Church of Victoria.

Curran Dobbs, an autistic comedian, discusses working in stand-up with a developmental disability.

Night dreams, daydreams and future dreams. These are the stuff of the imagination, the subconscious, the collective unconscious and, many would argue, the unknown mystical realms. Whatever they are, dreams connect us with the right side of our brain, the intuitive illogical side that plays in amorphous shapes and fantastical non-realities. What you notice in your sleeping and waking dreams can impact your decisions, your relationships and your spirituality. Come on a journey into the Dreamtime, engage with dream symbology, and learn how you can use your dream life to wake up your sense of wonder, connection and meaning.

Penelope Hagan is an intuitive healer, writer, artist and musician living in Victoria. She enjoys nature, dancing, dreaming, singing, yoga, motherhood, and good cooking.

While some look at nature in and around BC as simply beautiful, others routinely describe this place in deeply spiritual terms. It turns out that there are some distinctive features associated with the “bio-region” we inhabit. Join us today for a partly poetic and partly sociological reflection on space, place, and the sacred.

Paul Bramadat is Professor and Director of the Centre for Studies in Religion and Society at the University of Victoria, and specializes in religion and public discourse, public policy, and public health.